Tambopata 4-Day Tour: Macaws, Otters & Clay Licks from Puerto Maldonado

Four days moving through the rainforest canopy and along oxbow lakes where giant otters hunt and macaws gather at dawn.

A 4-day guided tour of Tambopata National Reserve from Puerto Maldonado combines canopy activities, wildlife spotting at Sandoval Lake, a visit to an Ese'Eja indigenous community, and observation of parrots and parakeets at clay licks. The tour includes accommodation at Amazon Garden Lodge, all park entrance fees, meals, and a live guide in English or Spanish. Pickup is included. Moderate fitness is required due to zip-lining, suspended walkways, and forest trekking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Eco Tambopata Natural Reserve

• Climb tower and start zip-line
• Cross 75-meter log walkway
• Return via second zip-line
• Visit Monkey Island and feed monkeys
• Evening caiman spotting

Day 2: Amazon Garden Lodge to Sandoval Lake

• Breakfast and prepare lunch/snacks
• Boat to Tambopata control point
• Trek 1.5 hours through rainforest
• Explore Sandoval Lake
• Return to Amazon Garden Lodge

Day 3: Native Family and Rustic Fishing

• Visit Ese'Ejas Native Community
• Lunch at community
• Afternoon sport fishing near river
• Return to lodge for dinner

Day 4: Parrots Clay Lick and Departure

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

The experience

The first day opens with a 200-meter zip-line launched from a treetop platform 27 meters above the forest floor, followed by a 75-meter suspended log walkway that tests balance before a second 160-meter return flight back to the tower. After lunch at Monkey Island (where capuchins, tamarins, and squirrel monkeys swing through the canopy and take food from your hands), the evening brings nocturnal caiman spotting from the lodge.

Day two moves by boat to the Tambopata control point, then a roughly 90-minute trek through rainforest thick with ancient trees and tangled vines. The path opens onto Sandoval Lake, where giant otters, turtles, colorful butterflies, and fish move through the water. You spend several hours on the lake itself before returning to the lodge for dinner. Day three takes you to Gamitana Island to meet families from the Ese'Eja indigenous community (around 200 families live in the area), and learn about their ancestral traditions, language, and dances through the "Rescuing Cultural Values" Project. Lunch happens at 1 p.m., and the afternoon shifts to sport fishing near the Madre de Dios River, where you might hook pictus catfish, smallmouth catfish, armored catfish, or red-eyed piranha.

The final morning starts before dawn at a clay lick where parrots and parakeets gather to consume mineral-rich clay that neutralizes toxins in their diet. You watch this daily congregation around 7 a.m., then return to the lodge for breakfast before the drive back to Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal. Throughout the four days, the Amazon Garden Lodge serves as your base, with meals provided except where noted.

What’s included

• Four nights at Amazon Garden Lodge.
• all meals during the tour.
• Tambopata Reserved Zone entrance fee.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• pickup from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal.
• zip-lining and suspended walkway equipment on day one.
• boat transport to Sandoval Lake and fishing areas.
• sport fishing equipment and opportunity on day three.

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 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Peru Amazon Garden Lodge

Is this one for you?This tour is shared and guide-led across all four days, which is what keeps the schedule, meals, and wildlife timing coordinated without you arranging transport or logistics between sites. Book it if you want the full rainforest experience (canopy, lake, indigenous community, and clay lick) without managing the logistics yourself, and if you're comfortable with moderate physical activity including zip-lining and forest trekking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What animals am I most likely to see on this 4-day tour in Tambopata?

Tambopata is home to jaguars, giant river otters, tapirs, giant anteaters, capybaras, and multiple monkey species including capuchins, tamarins, and squirrel monkeys. The reserve is also known for its high concentration of macaws and parrots, which gather at clay licks. You'll also encounter turtles, colorful butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, and fish throughout the four days.

How physically demanding is the zip-lining on day one?

The first day includes a 200-meter zip-line from a 27-meter-high platform and a 75-meter suspended log walkway also 27 meters above the ground, followed by a 160-meter return zip-line. The tour requires at least moderate physical fitness and is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

What happens at Sandoval Lake on day two?

After a 90-minute trek through the rainforest from the control point, you spend several hours exploring Sandoval Lake, one of the most picturesque lakes in the region. Along the trek and at the lake itself, you'll spot giant otters, various bird species, turtles, butterflies, and fish before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Will I meet indigenous people on this tour?

Yes. Day three includes a visit to the Ese'Eja indigenous community on Gamitana Island, where you meet two families from the largest Ese Eja settlement in the area. They share their ancestral culture, language, traditions, attire, and dances through the "Rescuing Cultural Values" Project, with lunch served at 1 p.m.

What is the clay lick and why do the birds go there?

The clay lick is a mineral-rich area along rivers and streams where parrots and parakeets gather daily to consume clay that supplies essential salts and minerals. These nutrients help the birds metabolize and counteract toxins and acids found in their natural diet of flowers, fruits, and seeds. You observe this gathering around 7 a.m. on the final morning.

Does the tour price include meals and accommodation?

Yes. The tour includes four nights at Amazon Garden Lodge and all meals throughout the four days. The price also covers the Tambopata Reserved Zone entrance fee, a live guide in English or Spanish, and pickup from Puerto Maldonado. International and domestic airfares are not included.