3-day Tambopata jungle trek: Clay licks and Sandoval Lake

Watch hundreds of parrots and parakeets gather at a clay lick at dawn

A 3-day guided jungle tour in Peru's Tambopata National Reserve based at Amazon Garden Lodge, with rainforest hikes, visits to Sandoval Lake and Monkey Island, and early-morning observation of parrots and parakeets at clay licks. The lodge sits within a 60-hectare reserve and includes a guide in English or Spanish, all meals, and pickup from Puerto Maldonado. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or pregnant travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Rainforest Exploration

• Arrive at Amazon Garden Lodge
• Receive welcome drink and information
• Lunch and leisure time
• Explore Rainforest with guide
• Relax at lodge and enjoy sunset
• Evening Caiman Safari

Day 2: Lake Sandoval and Monkey Island

• Early wake up and coffee or tea
• Travel to Lake Sandoval
• Hike through Tambopata Reserve
• Breakfast break at rest area
• Visit Monkey Island with guide
• Return to lodge for lunch
• Visit lookout towers for birdwatching
• Afternoon leisure activities
• Dinner at lodge

Day 3: Clay Lick Visit and Departure

• Observe parrots at clay lick
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Travel back to Puerto Maldonado
• Arrive at airport or bus terminal

The experience

The tour starts with arrival at Amazon Garden Lodge, where a guide briefs you on the stay and hands over your bungalow key. After lunch and free time, a 2- to 3-hour rainforest walk begins at 3:30 pm through the lodge's 60-hectare area, where the guide points out tropical trees, medicinal plants, and a viewpoint for toucans and other birds. The evening ends with a caiman safari on the river before dinner.

Day two begins at 5:30 am with coffee and an early departure for Sandoval Lake, a 20-minute journey away. A 3 km hike into the Tambopata National Reserve follows, where you'll see giant trees, snakes, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, capuchins, and birds like hoatzins and kingfishers. A rest stop with hammocks and a bar breaks the walk before you head to Monkey Island, home to about five wild monkey species accustomed to visitors. You return to the lodge for lunch at 1:30 pm, then climb one of two lookout towers (20 and 42 meters high) for birdwatching and sunset views at 3:30 pm. The rest of the afternoon is free for swimming, massages, or shopping for handcrafted souvenirs.

The final morning starts before dawn. Around 7:00 am, after watching parrots and parakeets gather at clay licks along the river to eat salt-rich clay that neutralizes toxins in their fruit and seed diet, you return to the lodge for breakfast. The tour then heads back to Puerto Maldonado, with drop-off at the airport or bus terminal.

What’s included

• Three nights at Amazon Garden Lodge in a bungalow.
• all meals during the stay.
• guided rainforest treks and wildlife spotting.
• entrance to Tambopata National Reserve.
• visits to Sandoval Lake and Monkey Island.
• access to two lookout towers.
• caiman safari.
• clay lick observation.
• guide in English or Spanish.
• pickup from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (7 to 75 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Peru Amazon Garden Lodge

Is this one for you?Choose this multi-day immersion if you want to reach the clay lick at dawn and climb both observation towers: activities that require overnight stays in the reserve that day trips cannot fit.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What animals will I actually see on the 3-day Tambopata tour?

The tour visits Sandoval Lake and Monkey Island, where you'll see five species of wild monkeys including squirrel, howler, and capuchin monkeys, plus snakes and birds like hoatzins, kingfishers, and snakebirds. The clay lick on day three draws hundreds of parrots and parakeets at dawn. The lodge's rainforest walks and lookout towers offer chances to spot toucans and over 600 bird species recorded in the reserve.

How much walking and hiking is involved each day?

Day one includes a 2- to 3-hour rainforest hike from the lodge. Day two has a 3 km hike through the reserve to Sandoval Lake, plus a visit to Monkey Island. A rest stop with hammocks breaks the walk before you return. Day three is a short early-morning trip to the clay lick, then the return to Puerto Maldonado. The itinerary suits all fitness levels.

What's included in the 3-day tour price?

The tour includes three nights at Amazon Garden Lodge, all meals, a guide in English or Spanish, entrance to the Tambopata Reserved Zone, pickup from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal, and a first aid kit. You'll need to bring your own medications.

What time does the tour start and end each day?

Day one begins with lodge arrival and a 3:30 pm rainforest walk, followed by a caiman safari at 7:00 pm. Day two starts at 5:30 am with coffee, then a 6:00 am departure for Sandoval Lake. You return to the lodge for lunch at 1:30 pm and visit the lookout towers at 3:30 pm. Day three departs before dawn for the clay lick around 7:00 am, then heads back to Puerto Maldonado after breakfast.

Is the clay lick visit guaranteed, or could it be cancelled?

The clay lick visit is scheduled for the final morning around 7:00 am. Parrots and parakeets gather there daily to eat clay rich in salts and minerals that help neutralize toxins in their diet of fruits, flowers, and seeds, so the activity is part of the standard itinerary.

Can I extend my stay at the lodge or book a longer jungle tour?

The 3-day tour is the standard package. Additional nights at the lodge due to flight cancellations are not covered by the tour price and would need to be arranged separately.