Tambopata Reserve 4-day Amazon lodge tour: All-inclusive

Four days in the rainforest: suspended bridges, Sandoval Lake, Monkey Island, and a zip line through the trees

A 4-day all-inclusive tour of the Tambopata Reserve from Puerto Maldonado, staying at an eco-lodge deep in the Amazon rainforest with a live guide, meals, and activities built in. You'll walk the forest floor and suspended bridges 30 meters up, visit Sandoval Lake to spot giant river otters and crocodiles, encounter monkeys on an island across the Madre de Dios River, zip-line over 40 meters through the canopy, fish for dinner, and search for caimans at night. The tour picks you up from the airport or bus station by noon and returns you to Puerto Maldonado around 10:30 a.m. on the final day. Entrance to Sandoval Lake is paid on-site ($15 USD).

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and rainforest introduction

• Pick up at airport or bus station
• Travel to lodge in the Amazon
• Welcome meeting with tropical juice
• Receive room and rest
• Two-hour guided rainforest walk
• Lunch at the lodge
• Visit Monkey Island and feed monkeys
• Evening caiman and capybara spotting
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 2: Sandoval Lake and night walk

• Breakfast at the lodge
• Walk to Sandoval Lake entrance
• Explore Sandoval Lake and wildlife
• Return to lodge for lunch
• Relax at pool and watch sunset
• Night walk to observe nocturnal animals
• Dinner and rest at lodge

Day 3: Zip lining and fishing adventure

• Walk on suspended bridges early morning
• Breakfast at the lodge
• Zip lining over 40 meters high
• Return to lodge for lunch and rest
• Afternoon fishing in Madre de Dios River
• Dinner with caught fish

Day 4: Departure from Tambopata Reserve

• Early breakfast at the lodge
• Pack and prepare to leave
• Transfer to Puerto Maldonado center
• End of tour and departure

The experience

The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. in Puerto Maldonado. If you arrive by overnight bus from Cusco, time it to land by 9:00 a.m. If you fly in, the operator will wait at the airport until noon. A one-hour transfer takes you to the lodge in the wild Amazon, where you'll spend all four nights. After a welcome drink and room assignment, a local guide leads a two-hour walk through dense rainforest to spot trees and wildlife. That afternoon, you cross the Madre de Dios River to Monkey Island, where you'll see squirrel monkeys, brown capuchins, saddleback tamarins, and white capuchins, and you can feed them. At dusk, the guide searches the riverbanks for caimans using a flashlight to catch the reflection of their eyes. With luck, you'll also spot capybaras, the world's largest rodents, weighing up to 60 kg.

Day two centers on Sandoval Lake, one of the largest in the reserve. After breakfast, you walk roughly 3 kilometers to the lake entrance (where you pay the $15 park ticket on-site). The lake itself is a habitat for piranhas and home to giant river otters nearly two meters long, jaguarundi cats, common otters, and the prehistoric Hoatzin bird. The largest recorded crocodile here measures over 4 meters. You return to the lodge for lunch, then have time to swim in the pool and watch the sunset before a night walk to observe insects, amphibians, reptiles, and nocturnal animals.

Day three is built around two activities. Early morning brings a walk on suspended bridges strung 30 meters above the ground among tall trees, offering a view of the rainforest canopy and the Madre de Dios River from above. After breakfast, you'll zip-line over 40 meters through the trees on a safety harness the guide explains before you start. Back at the lodge for lunch and rest, the afternoon takes you fishing in the Madre de Dios River: anything you catch will be prepared for dinner that night. On the final morning, you'll have an early breakfast, pack, and depart for Puerto Maldonado, arriving around 10:30 a.m. Book your onward bus or flight in advance.

What’s included

• Eco-lodge accommodation for four nights.
• meals and snacks throughout the tour.
• drinking water, milk, hot chocolate, and tea at the café.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• transportation from Puerto Maldonado airport or bus station to the lodge and back to the city center.
• rainforest walks and suspended bridge walks.
• visits to Sandoval Lake, Monkey Island, and the Madre de Dios River.
• zip-lining through the canopy.
• fishing in the river.
• and night walks to observe nocturnal wildlife.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 13:00

AgesAdult (10 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

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 4 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Mega Expeditions

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to stay deep in the rainforest for four full days with everything arranged: meals, guide, activities, and lodging all included, so you focus on the wildlife and the forest rather than logistics. The all-in pricing means no surprises on-site except the $15 lake entrance fee.

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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: Child (5 to 9 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What's included in the 4-day Tambopata tour price?

The tour includes all accommodation at the eco-lodge, meals and snacks, a live guide in English or Spanish, and transportation from Puerto Maldonado to the lodge and back. Activities (rainforest walks, Sandoval Lake, Monkey Island, zip-lining, fishing, and night walks) are included. The only cost on-site is the $15 USD entrance fee to Sandoval Lake, paid when you arrive there on day two.

How do I get to Puerto Maldonado to start the tour?

You can take an overnight bus from Cusco, timed to arrive by 9:00 a.m., or fly into Puerto Maldonado airport. If you fly, the operator will wait for you at the airport until noon. Either way, you'll be picked up and transferred to the lodge.

What animals will I see at Sandoval Lake?

Sandoval Lake is home to giant river otters (nearly two meters long and endangered), the largest recorded crocodile (over 4 meters), jaguarundi cats, common otters, monkeys, and the prehistoric Hoatzin bird. The lake is also a habitat for piranhas.

Is the zip-line activity safe for someone who's never done it before?

Yes. The zip-line runs over 40 meters high through the trees, and the guide provides full instructions on the safety harness before you start. You'll glide through the canopy with all the safety equipment in place.