4-day Tambopata wildlife tour: Macaws, giant otters, jungle lakes
The Chuncho clay lick draws hundreds of macaws at once, a behavior found nowhere else on Earth.
A 4-day guided wildlife tour in Tambopata's National Reserve combines river travel, three remote lakes and the world's largest macaw clay lick, with lodge accommodation, meals and a guide included. You arrive at the airport or hotel and the operator handles pickup, transport along the Tambopata River, and all accommodation for the four nights. The itinerary moves between Finca Sachavacayoc lodge, Condenado Lake and Sachavacayoc Lake, with early departures timed to catch wildlife at peak activity: macaws at dawn, nocturnal creatures after dark.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and river journey to lodge
- Pick up from airport, hotel, or bus station
- Pack necessary items, store main luggage
- Boat journey up Tambopata River
- Spot wildlife along the river
- Enjoy vegetarian box lunch on boat
- Arrive at Finca Sachavacayoc
- Rest at accommodation
- Jungle walk introduction
- Night walk for nocturnal creatures
- Dinner at the lodge
Day 2: Chuncho Macaws and Condenado Lake
- Early departure at 4 am
- Boat ride upstream to Chuncho clay lick
- Watch macaws and parrots eat clay
- Breakfast buffet
- Spot capybaras, caimans, possible jaguar or tapirs
- Return to lodge for lunch and rest
- Visit Condenado Lake for wildlife viewing
- Night walk on return
- Dinner at Finca Sachavacayoc
Day 3: Sachavacayoc Lake wildlife exploration
- Breakfast at lodge
- Visit Sachavacayoc Lake for giant otters and monkeys
- Wildlife observation at lake
- Return to Finca Sachavacayoc
- Look for caimans along river
- Dinner at the lodge
Day 4: Return to town and departure
- Optional early walk or sleep in
- Boat journey back to city
- Spot wildlife during return trip
- Assistance or transfer to flight, bus, or hotel
What’s included
- Pickup from airport, hotel or bus station.
- four nights at Finca Sachavacayoc lodge.
- all meals at the lodge plus lunch on arrival day.
- coffee and tea.
- English or Spanish-speaking guide (one guide per eight people).
- boat transport on the Tambopata River to all three lakes.
- entry to Chuncho clay lick and Condenado Lake.
- jungle walks and night walks.
- parking fees.
Times
- Every day No fixed time
Information
Four-day wildlife tour in Tambopata with guide, meals and lodge stays: boat up the river to clay licks and remote lakes where you watch macaws.
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The experience
You get picked up from the airport, hotel or bus station and head straight to the river. A 2–3 hour boat journey up the Tambopata River gets you to Finca Sachavacayoc lodge, where you'll stay for all four nights. The boat ride itself is the first wildlife window: caimans, capybaras and birds appear along the banks. A guide travels with your group (one guide per eight people) and carries binoculars and field knowledge of the rainforest. You eat a vegetarian lunch in the boat, then settle into the lodge with a jungle walk to get your bearings before dark, followed by a night walk hunting for tarantulas and nocturnal creatures.
Day two starts at 4 am for the Chuncho clay lick, the largest in the world. Hundreds of macaws, three major species plus parrots, gather at dawn to eat clay, a behavior unique to this region. The early departure is the reason you see them. Arriving later means missing the show. After the clay lick you return for lunch and rest, then visit Condenado Lake an hour away by boat. The lake holds monkeys, caimans, hoatzins and a real chance to spot anacondas. Day three takes you to Sachavacayoc Lake, deeper in the jungle and known for giant otters, anacondas and spider monkeys. You spend the morning and afternoon there watching wildlife, then return to the lodge for a caiman spotting walk along the river before dinner.
The final morning offers an optional early walk around the lodge or a chance to sleep in. A 2-hour boat ride back to town gives one last window for wildlife spotting, and the operator arranges your transfer to the airport, bus station or hotel. Piranha fishing is available if you coordinate with your guide at certain spots along the river. Coffee, tea and all meals at the lodge are included. You pack light for the boat and leave main luggage in storage at the office.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (9 to 12 years). Children under 9 can't be included in the booking.
What's the Chuncho clay lick and why do the macaws gather there?
The Chuncho clay lick is the world's largest macaw gathering site, where hundreds of macaws and parrots come together at dawn to eat clay: a unique behavior found only in this part of the Amazon. The tour departs at 4 am to arrive before the birds leave, so you see the full congregation.
How many nights do I spend in the jungle on this tour?
You stay four nights at Finca Sachavacayoc lodge, the base for all three days of wildlife exploration. The lodge is where you return each afternoon and evening, with meals included.
What wildlife might I see on the Tambopata River boat journeys?
The river journeys (both the arrival trip and the daily outings to the lakes) offer chances to spot caimans, capybaras, monkeys, giant otters, anacondas, macaws, toucans and birds. Early morning and dusk departures increase your odds of seeing the more elusive species.
What meals and drinks are included in the four days?
All meals at the lodge are included, plus coffee and tea. You also get a vegetarian lunch in the boat on arrival day. Bar consumption is not included.
Operated by JunglePro. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 5 days ago
4-day Tambopata wildlife tour: Macaws, giant otters, jungle lakes
4d · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 700 per person
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