5-Day Tambopata Amazon Tour: Macaw Clay Lick & Wildlife

Canopy walks, river kayaking, a native family visit, and macaws at the clay lick before sunrise

A 5-day tour of Tambopata National Reserve departing from Puerto Maldonado with a bilingual naturalist guide, lodge accommodation, and transport included. You'll cross a 35-meter canopy tower, zip-line 190 meters, kayak the Madre de Dios River, visit Monkey Island to see capuchin and black monkeys, hike three kilometers to Lake Sandoval, fish for catfish and piranhas, tour a native community, explore the Taricaya Rescue Center and butterfly farm, and arrive at the macaw clay lick before dawn on the final day. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular concerns, or pregnancy. Moderate fitness is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Amazon Lodge Activities

• Transport to Puerto Capitania
• Boat to Paradise Amazon Ecolodge
• Registration at lodge
• Walk to Canopy Tower
• Birdwatching at Canopy Tower
• Zip lining adventure
• Traditional Amazonian lunch
• Relax on hammocks
• Kayaking at sunrise
• Visit Monkey Island
• Sunset viewing
• Alligator-spotting boat cruise
• Dinner and relaxation at lodge

Day 2: Lake Sandoval Exploration and Night Walk

• Amazonian breakfast
• Cross river to checkpoint
• Hike to Lake Sandoval
• Lunch at Lake Sandoval
• Boat ride on Lake Sandoval
• Return to lodge
• Evening nocturnal wildlife walk
• Dinner at lodge

Day 3: Native Community Visit and Fishing

• Amazonian breakfast
• Walk to native community
• Visit indigenous family and artwork
• Lunch at lodge
• Boat trip for sport fishing

Day 4: Taricaya Reserve Projects Visit

• Visit agroforestry and mahogany project
• Tour Taricaya Rescue Center
• Walk on canopy walkway observation platform
• Visit Taricaya Turtle Project
• Tour butterfly farm
• Learn about community development initiatives

Day 5: Macaw Clay Lick and Departure

• Depart lodge early morning
• Boat trip to Macaw Clay Lick
• Observe parrots and macaws
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Transfer to Puerto Maldonado

The experience

The tour starts with a 40-minute boat ride from Puerto Capitania to Paradise Amazon Ecolodge, where you'll spend the first two nights. On day one, you walk 200 meters to a 35-meter canopy tower built into a massive Lupuna tree: your guide points out bird species and vegetation from the platform. After that, you zip-line down a 190-meter slide with safety instruction, cross a 100-meter suspension bridge, and return to the lodge for a traditional Amazonian lunch. At sunrise the next morning, you kayak the Madre de Dios River with a safety boat alongside, then travel 15 minutes to Monkey Island, where you'll see capuchin monkeys, black monkeys, and white monkeys in their natural habitat. You return to the lodge by 4:30 p.m. to watch the sunset, then take an evening boat cruise to spot caimans by their eye-shine in the darkness.

Day two centers on Lake Sandoval. After breakfast, you cross the river at a checkpoint and hike three kilometers through the reserve, watching for giant river otters and other wildlife. Lunch is on the lakeshore. Then you row to the lake's center to see anhingas, cormorants, and hoatzins. At 6:30 p.m., you walk again in the protected area to observe nocturnal animals before returning to the lodge for dinner. Day three takes you to a native community of former hunters and artisans (you can purchase handmade crafts if you wish) followed by an afternoon fishing trip where you'll catch catfish, sardines, and piranhas. On day four, you visit the Taricaya conservation projects: an agroforestry system growing mahogany and cedar, a rescue center for animals confiscated from illegal trade, a 90-meter suspension bridge atop a 300-year-old tree (45 meters high) used as a bird-monitoring station, a turtle repopulation project, and a butterfly farm established to teach about insect biology.

The final morning departs at 4:30 a.m. for the macaw clay lick. A 90-minute boat ride up the Madre de Dios River brings you to a strategic viewing spot where you'll wait for parrots and macaws (blue-headed parrots, scarlet macaws, and parakeets) to arrive at the clay lick around 5:30 a.m. You return to the lodge by 7:00 a.m. for a final breakfast, then transfer back to Puerto Maldonado timed to your flight or bus departure.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal to the lodge and back.
• accommodation at Paradise Amazon Ecolodge for nights one and two and Collpas Tambopata Inn for night four.
• entrance fees to Tambopata National Reserve and natural areas.
• all meals at the lodges.
• a professional bilingual guide in Spanish and English throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

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

Operated by Paradise Yakari Amazon Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Puerto Maldonado without a car: the lodge arranges all transport between the clay lick, Lake Sandoval hike, and community visits, so you move between activities without coordinating separately.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What's included in the 5-day tour price?

The tour includes all accommodation at Paradise Amazon Ecolodge and Collpas Tambopata Inn, entrance fees to Tambopata National Reserve and other natural areas, private transportation from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal to the lodge and back, a professional bilingual guide in Spanish and English, and all meals at the lodge.

Do I need my own transportation to get to Puerto Maldonado?

Airport or bus terminal transfers are included, so you don't need to arrange transport from Puerto Maldonado to the lodge. The operator will pick you up and drop you off according to your flight or bus schedule.

What animals will I actually see on this tour?

You're guaranteed to see capuchin monkeys and other monkey species on Monkey Island, caimans on the night boat cruise, and a variety of birds including parrots and macaws at the clay lick. Lake Sandoval is home to anhingas, cormorants, hoatzins, and giant river otters. The reserve holds over 650 bird species and 1,500 butterfly species, though sightings vary by day and season.

Is the macaw clay lick visit worth waking up at 4:30 a.m.?

The macaw clay lick is the centerpiece of day five. Parrots and macaws arrive around 5:30 a.m. to eat mineral-rich clay, and the early hour is when you'll see the most activity. If you miss this departure, you won't see the clay lick.

What's the Taricaya Rescue Center, and why visit it?

Taricaya is a rehabilitation facility where animals confiscated from illegal trade are cared for and prepared for release back into the forest. The center also runs conservation projects including a turtle repopulation program, a butterfly farm, and a canopy walkway. It shows how local communities work to protect endangered species.

Can I fish for piranhas, and is it safe?

Yes, day three includes an afternoon fishing trip on the Madre de Dios River where you can catch catfish, sardines, and piranhas. The guide and crew manage the fishing, and safety protocols are in place.