Macaw Clay Lick & Ziplining: 3-Day Tambopata Rainforest Tour

Zip through the canopy, then watch macaws gather at dawn on a clay lick 27 meters above the forest floor.

A 3-day tour from Puerto Maldonado into the Tambopata rainforest centered on the macaw clay lick, where dozens of birds gather to feed on mineral-rich palms. Day one includes ziplining and suspension bridges high in the canopy, then a night at Sandoval Lake lodge. Day two focuses on the macaws at dawn, followed by a jungle walk, lake swimming and a canoe ride. Day three returns to Puerto Maldonado by foot and boat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Canopy, Native Visit, Sandoval Lake

• Pick up and boat transfer
• Visit native family and lunch
• Climb tower and cross suspension bridge
• Zip-lining adventure
• Cross hanging bridge and glide cable
• Boat to Sandoval Lake and enter reserve
• Walk to Sandoval Lodge and caiman search

Day 2: Macaw Palm Lick and Lake Activities

• Early visit to macaw palm lick
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Walk to see flora and mammals
• Return to lodge for lunch
• Swim in lake and canoe tour
• Return to lodge for dinner
• Nocturnal animal hike

Day 3: Return to Puerto Maldonado

• Breakfast and walk back to Puerto Maldonado
• Transfer to airport or bus station

The experience

You arrive at Puerto Maldonado airport or bus station and transfer by boat an hour downriver to the Tambopata National Reserve. Before reaching the lodge, the day builds: a visit to a native family to learn their way of life, then a climb to a 27-meter tower where you cross a suspension bridge strung between trees that reach 89 meters tall. From there you zip-line twice (once over 190 meters, then again for 160 meters) gliding above the canopy at a height of 37 meters. The operator guarantees the equipment and the safety. The adrenaline is on you. After ziplining, you walk an hour and a half into the reserve to Sandoval Lake lodge, where you sleep near the water.

Day two starts before dawn. You walk to the macaw clay lick, a site where macaws and parrots gather to eat the mineral-rich dead palms: calcium, sodium and potassium they need for digestion. Watching dozens of birds arrive in their full color is the centerpiece of the tour. After breakfast back at the lodge, a jungle walk may turn up monkeys, deer, peccaries, tapirs, sloths or anteaters depending on the morning. Lunch follows, then you swim in Sandoval Lake and paddle a canoe around it to see the birds and plants that live along the shore. An optional night hike after dinner lets you spot nocturnal animals: night birds, spiders, tarantulas, frogs.

Day three is the return: an early walk back to Puerto Maldonado and then to the airport or bus station. If your flight or bus leaves late, you can stay in town. The lodge provides rubber boots, a first aid kit, all meals (vegetarian on request), and a professional guide who speaks English or Spanish. Entrance to Sandoval Lake is included. Entrance to the Tambopata National Reserve costs extra.

What’s included

• Rubber boots and first aid kit.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• all meals with vegetarian options.
• two nights at Sandoval Lodge.
• entrance to Sandoval Lake.
• airport or bus station pickup and transfer to the river port.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 16 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by IZI PERU

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're arriving in Puerto Maldonado with two or three days free and want the macaw clay lick as your centerpiece. The early morning timing is what makes the viewing reliable, and the ziplining and lake activities fill the rest of the first day so you're not waiting around. The 3-day length lets you spend a full day exploring the reserve on foot and by canoe after the macaws, rather than rushing back the same afternoon.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

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

The macaw clay lick is a site within the Tambopata National Reserve where macaws and parrots gather to eat mineral-rich dead palms. The palms contain calcium, sodium and potassium that aid digestion, drawing the birds reliably at dawn when you watch them arrive.

How high are the ziplining cables and what do they pass over?

The two ziplines run at a height of 37 meters above the forest floor. The first covers 190 meters and the second covers 160 meters, both strung between trees that reach 89 meters tall, so you travel through the canopy itself rather than above open ground.

Where do you sleep on this tour and what is Sandoval Lake lodge like?

You stay at Maloka Sandoval Lodge, located near Sandoval Lake inside the Tambopata National Reserve. The lodge provides rooms where you sleep both nights of the tour, and meals are served there between activities.

Do I need special fitness or experience to do the ziplining and suspension bridges?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The operator does not recommend it for pregnant travelers. The ziplining and bridge crossing are part of the day one itinerary, and the operator guarantees safety throughout.

What animals might I see besides the macaws?

On the jungle walks you may encounter monkeys, deer, peccaries, tapirs, sloths and anteaters. Evening and night hikes can turn up nocturnal species including night birds, spiders, tarantulas, scorpions and frogs.

Is lunch included, and are there options for dietary preferences?

All meals are included across the three days. Vegetarian meals are available on request, so let the operator know when you book.