Amazon tour Puerto Maldonado: Sandoval Lake & canopy walk

Three days deep in the Tambopata rainforest, from forest floor to canopy

A 3-day guided tour from Puerto Maldonado into the Tambopata National Reserve, staying at an eco-lodge and traveling by foot and boat to Sandoval Lake, Monkey Island and a canopy walkway. The itinerary moves through the rainforest at ground level, then by water, then overhead, with a local guide who speaks English or Spanish. Airport or bus station pickup and all accommodation are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and rainforest introduction

• Reception and transfer to office
• Boat transfer to hostel
• Welcome meeting with fruit juice
• Room installation and rest
• Two-hour guided forest walk
• Lunch at the lodge
• Visit Monkey Island by boat
• Night search for white alligators and capybaras
• Dinner and rest

Day 2: Sandoval Lake exploration

• Breakfast at the lodge
• 3 km walk to Sandoval Lake
• Rowing boat ride on the lake
• Bird and monkey watching
• Return to lodge for lunch
• Night walk to see nocturnal animals
• Dinner and rest

Day 3: Canopy walk and departure

• Early morning canopy walkway walk
• Bird watching from platforms
• Breakfast at the lodge
• Return to city
• Transfer to airport or bus station

The experience

You arrive at the Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal and get picked up for the drive to the Monte Amazónico office, then a one-hour boat ride upriver to the lodge. After settling in, a two-hour walk with a local guide takes you into the dense forest: trees over five hundred years old, toucans, macaws, monkeys, snakes and butterflies moving through the canopy and understory. The lodge sits inside the 278,000-hectare Tambopata National Reserve, so the animals and the scale of the place are real. That night you go out with a flashlight along the Madre de Dios River looking for white caimans and capybaras, the largest rodents on earth.

Day two centers on Sandoval Lake, a three-kilometer walk through the forest to reach it. The lake is one of the largest in the reserve and home to piranhas. You travel it by rowing boat, watching for giant otters (nearly two meters long, endangered), caimans over four meters, and a run of bird species: cormorants, macaws, jacanas, herons. Lunch happens back at the lodge. At night another walk searches out nocturnal insects, amphibians and reptiles.

On the final morning you start at 5:30 a.m. for the canopy walkway. A platform walk suspended over 30 meters high that gives you a view down into the forest and across to the Madre de Dios River. From there you see toucans, macaws, tanagers and orioles from above. Breakfast follows, then the transfer back to the city and to the airport or bus station.

What’s included

• Three nights at the eco-lodge.
• airport, bus station or hotel pickup in Puerto Maldonado.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• boat transport on the Madre de Dios River and Sandoval Lake.
• guided walks with a local English or Spanish-speaking guide through the forest, to Monkey Island, and along the canopy walkway.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (17 to 50 years) · Senior (51 to 60 years) · Youth (11 to 16 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (3 to 4 years): free · Under 3: 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 refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Monte Amazonico Lodge

Is this one for you?Small groups and families with children from age 3 work well here. The pace mixes walking, boat time and lodge rest, so you're not hiking all day. The three-day length gives you enough time to move through different parts of the reserve (forest floor, water and canopy) without the commitment of a longer expedition.

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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 (11 to 16 years); Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (3 to 4 years): free. Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What animals might I see on the Sandoval Lake boat ride?

Giant otters (nearly two meters long), large caimans over four meters, and multiple bird species including cormorants, macaws, jacanas and herons. The lake is also a piranha habitat.

How much walking is involved each day?

Day one includes a two-hour guided walk through the forest trails. Day two has a three-kilometer walk to reach Sandoval Lake, plus a night walk to spot nocturnal animals. Day three starts before dawn for the canopy walkway, which is a platform experience rather than a hike.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch is included each day. Breakfast is provided on all three days, and dinner is served at the lodge each night.

What is the canopy walkway like?

The walkway is suspended 30 meters high and gives you a view down into the forest and across the Madre de Dios River. You observe birds like toucans, macaws, tanagers and orioles from the platforms.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes, pickup is included from the Puerto Maldonado airport, bus station, or your hotel within the city. The guide speaks English or Spanish.