5-Day Amazon Expedition: Tambopata Reserve & Lake Sandoval

Five days deep in the rainforest, from clay lick macaws to river otters and night walks among frogs and anacondas.

A 5-day Amazon expedition from Puerto Maldonado into Tambopata National Reserve, staying at a jungle lodge and traveling by boat and foot to Lake Sandoval, the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, and remote forest trails. You hike to the lake to spot giant river otters and black caimans, watch hundreds of macaws gather at dawn on the clay lick, kayak the Madre de Dios River, fish for piranhas, and walk the forest at night to find nocturnal wildlife. A professional local guide leads all activities. Lodge, meals and transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Welcome & Night River Walk

• Depart Puerto Maldonado office
• Boat ride to jungle lodge
• Welcome drink and briefing
• Lunch and check-in
• Afternoon jungle walk
• Night river excursion

Day 2: Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick & Kayaking

• Early boat departure to Puerto Maldonado
• Drive to Puerto Filadelfia
• Boat ride to Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick
• Breakfast at clay lick
• Return to lodge
• Lunch
• Kayaking on Madre de Dios River
• Dinner and optional campfire

Day 3: Sandoval Lake & Canopy Zipline Adventure

• Breakfast
• Hike to Lake Sandoval
• Wildlife spotting at lake
• Lunch at lodge
• Boat ride and jungle walk to canopy bridge
• Zipline adventure
• Sunset return to lodge
• Guided night walk

Day 4: Tapir Trail Hike & Sport Fishing

• Breakfast
• Jungle hike on Tapir Trail
• Lunch
• Sport fishing on river
• Return to lodge

Day 5: Monkey Island & Farewell

• Breakfast
• Visit Monkey Island and feed monkeys
• Lunch
• Relax in hammocks or play billiards
• Return to Puerto Maldonado

The experience

You leave Puerto Maldonado at 9:30 AM on Day 1, taking a 40-minute boat ride up the Madre de Dios River to the jungle lodge. After lunch and a briefing, an afternoon walk takes you into the forest to spot monkeys, insects and birds among ancient trees, then a night river excursion puts you on the water looking for caimans, capybaras and armadillos. The lodge is your base for the next four days.

Day 2 starts at 2:30 AM. You boat back to Puerto Maldonado, drive 1.5 hours to Puerto Filadelfia, then boat again to the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick on the Tambopata River. Hundreds of macaws, parrots and parakeets gather at the clay lick to feed on minerals. You watch them from a platform at breakfast while capybaras, deer and tapirs move through the forest below. Back at the lodge by midday, the afternoon is kayaking on the Madre de Dios River, where you paddle past turtles, butterflies and birds. An optional campfire at night brings jungle stories and stargazing.

Day 3 is Lake Sandoval. You leave at 5 AM and hike 3 kilometers through the forest into Tambopata National Reserve to reach the lake, where giant river otters, black caimans, howler monkeys, toucans and kingfishers live. After lunch, a boat ride and short walk take you to a canopy bridge and zipline, a high-adrenaline moment above the forest, before you return at sunset. A guided night walk follows, hunting for frogs, spiders, snakes and camouflaged reptiles in the dark.

Day 4 follows the Tapir Trail, a hike through aguaje palm swamps where tapirs, wild pigs and toucans move through flooded forest (November to April brings anacondas to this area). After lunch you fish the river for piranhas, paco, sardines and catfish. Day 5 is a visit to Monkey Island, where rescued monkeys live freely and you can feed them fruit, then a free afternoon to rest in hammocks before the 4 PM boat back to Puerto Maldonado.

What’s included

• Professional local guide in English or Spanish.
• jungle lodge accommodation for five nights.
• all meals except Day 1 breakfast.
• entry fees to Lake Sandoval and Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick.
• river transport by boat and land transport by vehicle.
• canopy zipline and night walks.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (5 to 60 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Machupicchu Holiday

Is this one for you?Choose this 5-day expedition if you have time to go deep into the rainforest and want to see wildlife across multiple habitats (clay lick, lake, river and forest floor) rather than a shorter trip that hits only one or two sites. The early starts and night walks mean you catch animals active at dawn and dusk, when the forest is most alive.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What wildlife am I likely to see on the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick?

Hundreds of macaws, parrots and parakeets gather at the clay lick to feed on minerals at dawn, along with capybaras, deer and tapirs moving through the forest nearby. Jaguars are also possible but rare.

How far is the hike to Lake Sandoval?

Lake Sandoval sits 3 kilometers into Tambopata National Reserve. You hike through the forest to reach it on Day 3, starting at 5 AM. The walk is the only way to access the lake and the wildlife there: giant river otters, black caimans, howler monkeys and exotic birds.

What happens on the night walks?

Guided night walks happen on Days 1, 3 and throughout the expedition. You search the forest after dark for nocturnal animals: frogs, spiders, insects, snakes and camouflaged reptiles that hide during the day. The forest sounds and activity are completely different at night.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The hikes are moderate (the longest is the 3-kilometer walk to Lake Sandoval), and the pace is set by the group. Most days include rest time at the lodge, and boat rides handle longer distances.

What is included in the price?

Professional local guide, jungle lodge accommodation for all five nights, all meals except breakfast on Day 1, entry fees to Lake Sandoval and the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, and all river and land transport from Puerto Maldonado are included.

What is the Tapir Trail and what might I see there?

The Tapir Trail is a jungle hike through aguaje palm swamps on Day 4, a habitat where tapirs, wild pigs, toucans and other forest creatures live. From November to April, the swamps flood and anacondas move into the area.