3-day Tambopata tour from Puerto Maldonado: Macaw clay lick

Wake at 4:30 am to watch hundreds of macaws eat clay at the river's edge

A 3-day tour of Tambopata National Reserve from Puerto Maldonado combines a one-hour drive and motorized canoe ride into primary rainforest, two nights at a jungle lodge, and guided walks to spot wildlife. The centerpiece is the Chuncho macaw clay lick, where you arrive by boat before dawn to watch hundreds of parrots and three species of macaws gather to feed on the riverbank. The tour also includes night walks to find nocturnal species and a botanical garden walk, with return transport to Puerto Maldonado on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Jungle Walking

• Arrive at Puerto Maldonado
• Transfer to office and tour briefing
• Drive 1 hour to Tambopata River
• Boat ride to jungle lodge
• Afternoon rainforest walk

Day 2: Macaw Clay Lick and Jungle Exploration

• Early wake-up at 4:30 am
• Boat trip to Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick
• Watch macaws and parrots feeding
• Return to lodge for lunch and rest
• Walk through botanical garden
• Afternoon jungle exploration
• Optional night walk

Day 3: Morning Walk and Return Transfer

• Early morning forest walk
• Breakfast at lodge
• Boat transfer back to Puerto Maldonado
• Transfer to airport or bus station

The experience

You arrive at Puerto Maldonado airport or bus station and meet your guide at the office, where you'll repack luggage to carry only what you need for three days. A 4x4 truck then takes you an hour overland to the Tambopata River, where a motorized canoe carries you upriver to the lodge. That first afternoon you walk into the rainforest with your guide, moving slowly through primary forest to spot amphibians, mammals, reptiles and insects in their habitat.

Day two starts before dawn. At 4:30 am you board the boat for a ninety-minute ride upriver to the Chuncho macaw clay lick, the world's largest. As light breaks, hundreds of parrots arrive at the clay wall across the river, followed by the three most colorful macaw species in South America (reds and greens, blues and yellows), all gathering to eat clay that removes toxins from their diet. You sit in chairs on the riverbank and watch them fly overhead. The same route back takes you to the lodge for lunch and rest. In the afternoon, a walk through the botanical garden shows fruit, timber and medicinal plants of the region, and you have the option of another night walk to hunt for nocturnal animals, or time to rest at the lodge.

On the final morning, an early forest walk looks for more biodiversity before breakfast. After eating, the boat carries you back downriver on the same route, returning you to Puerto Maldonado by midday for transfer to the airport or bus station. The tour includes park entry, rubber boots, drinking water, all transport by truck and boat, a professional guide in English or Spanish, and a first-aid kit.

What’s included

• Park entrance to Tambopata National Reserve.
• rubber boots and drinking water.
• motorized boat transport on the Tambopata River.
• 4x4 vehicle transfer from Puerto Maldonado.
• two nights at a jungle lodge.
• guided rainforest walks in primary forest.
• a visit to the Chuncho macaw clay lick.
• a botanical garden walk.
• optional night excursions.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• first-aid kit.
• airport or bus station pickup and return transfer.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:00 and 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Palotoa Amazon Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Puerto Maldonado without a rental car or staying in town: pickup from the airport or bus station is included, and the lodge handles all transport into the reserve, so you travel as a group and never need to arrange your own way into the jungle.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What animals will I see at the macaw clay lick?

The Chuncho macaw clay lick draws hundreds of parrots and three species of macaws (red and green, blue and yellow) that gather at dawn to eat clay from the riverbank. On the boat rides to and from the lick, you may also spot capybaras, tapirs, and occasionally jaguars, though wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

How do I get from Puerto Maldonado to the jungle lodge?

A 4x4 truck picks you up from the airport or bus station and drives you an hour overland to the Tambopata River. From there, a motorized canoe carries you upriver to the lodge, a journey of more than an hour by water.

What time do we leave for the macaw clay lick, and how long is the boat ride?

You depart the lodge at 4:30 am on day two and travel ninety minutes by motorized canoe upriver to reach the Chuncho macaw clay lick before the birds arrive at dawn.

What is included in the tour price?

The tour includes park entrance tickets, rubber boots, drinking water, all motorized boat transport, the 4x4 land transfer from Puerto Maldonado, accommodation at the jungle lodge for two nights, guided walks, and a professional guide who speaks English or Spanish. Tips for the guide, driver and lodge staff are optional.