Wilds of Tambopata
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Peruvian Amazon |
| departures: | Daily departures throughout the year |
| price: | From £305 (5 days) excluding flights. Local payment £100. Domestic and international flights available |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Extend your stay in Peru with a 5-day visit to the Tambopata Candamo jungle reserve, a pristine area of Amazon rainforest, with excellent opportunities for wildlife watching.
Among several highlights is the overnight visit to the Chuncho macaw lick in the neighbouring Bahuaja-Sonene National Park.
Accommodation: Jungle lodge 2 nights, jungle camp 1 night, Puerto Maldonado lodge 1 night.
Among several highlights is the overnight visit to the Chuncho macaw lick in the neighbouring Bahuaja-Sonene National Park.
Accommodation: Jungle lodge 2 nights, jungle camp 1 night, Puerto Maldonado lodge 1 night.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | A short flight from Lima or Cusco to Puerto Maldonado, on the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers. Motorized canoe up the Tambopata river into the Tambopata Candamo Reserve. Look out for caiman, turtles and riverine birdlife. Reach the lodge after four hours.Introductory afternoon walk in nearby forest with our naturalist guide, and evening forest walk to observe nocturnal wildlife. (1 night jungle lodge, all meals) |
| Day 2: | Morning hike in the forest and, after lunch, we take boat upstream for one-night camping trip to Bahuaja Sonene National Park (to visit the Chuncho macaw lick early tomorrow). Take canoe tonight in search of caiman on riverbanks. (1 night camping, all meals) |
| Day 3: | Go early to the clay lick for a great wildlife spectacle: dozens of parrots and macaws gathered on the clay wall (to ingest mineral salts). After breakfast, explore the riverbanks on foot, then take the motorized canoe downstream to lodge. After lunch, there's the opportunity to cross the river and swim in the 'natural jacuzzi' of the Gato Waterfall, or to go river fishing. (1 night jungle lodge, all meals) |
| Day 4: | Head downstream to Puerto Maldonado and check into bungalows. After lunch we go up the Madre de Dios river to a clearing, then walk a trail to the beautiful Sandoval ox-bow lake. We board dug-outs and paddle on the palm-fringed lake, observing hoatzin, monkeys and, hopefully, a giant otter family that lives here. Chance also to fish for piranhas and swim. We can enjoy sunset here then return to Maldonado for a balmy evening in town.(1 night Puerto Maldonado lodge, all meals) |
| Day 5: | To airport and fly Puerto Maldonado to Lima for onward international flight. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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The lodge we stay at in the Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone was built using local materials and traditional techniques, there is no hot water or electricity – it is a small scale low impact operation. Responsible disposal of waste, recycling and low energy consumption are priorities. Local products are always used where possible, and staff employed at the lodge are from local communities.
The Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone, located south and east of Puerto Maldonado, comprises 1.5 million hectares. The Reserve Zone was created in 1990 by the Peruvian government working in partnership with local grassroots and international conservation organizations including the directors of the Wasai lodge. It protects the biological diversity of the entire watersheds of the Tavara and the Candamo Rivers and most of the watershed of the Tambopata River. This covers a huge diversity of forest habitats and wildlife, including pristine ox-bow lakes harbouring kingfishers, caiman and giant otters, spectacular waterfalls, clay licks visited by macaws, monkeys and tapirs, and rivers with white, sandy beaches. The lodge is involved in various ongoing projects. The lodge runs courses in eco-tourism and tropical ecology for local schools and businesses. Free courses are made available for some university and school students. There is ongoing research at the lodge on subjects such as biology, tourism and interaction with local communities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |