Four days in the Amazon basin, based at a comfortable jungle lodge and exploring tropical forest ecosystems, including a bird clay lick.
After your flight to the jungle town of Puerto
Maldonado in southeastern Peru, you will be met at the airport for a wonderful
three-hour boat trip along the Tambopata River to our jungle lodge. Following
your arrival at the lodge, you will be invited on a trail walk, during which
your naturalist guide will introduce you to the tropical forest habitat
surrounding the lodge.
After an early breakfast, we will board our launch for the 9-kilometer
ride upriver to the trailhead. We will spend an hour walking this trail, with plenty of time to observe Amazon flora and fauna along the
way.
At the clay lick, groups
of scarlet and red-and-green
macaws often gather to feed on clay
deposits.
After plenty of time to observe birds, we will
return to the river via another forest trail and take the launch back to the
lodge. On the trails it is
possible
to see howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys
and
squirrel monkeys.
After
lunch, guests can explore the trails
around the lodge, visit a nearby sustainable rainforest farm, swim at the
lodge’s swimming hole, or simply relax and enjoy the excellent lodge
facilities. In the evening, we will
return to the river in search of nocturnal
fauna, including caimans.
Today your guide will take you deeper into the
forest to visit the wetland ecosystem around a rainforest oxbow lake. The
Tambopata tropical forests around this picturesque lake are filled with typical
Amazon flora and fauna. The lake offers the perfect habitat for caimans and
other rainforest species. Back at the lodge, during the afternoon there will be
time for you to relax in a hammock or explore the trails in the protected
forests around the lodge.
Your stay in the forests of Peru’s Amazon basin
will end today with an early morning return by boat along the Tambopata River
to the town of Puerto Maldonado, for your return flight. This is an excellent
time of day to observe Amazon fauna along the riverbanks.
CLASSIC INCA TRAIL 4 days 3 nights
Follow in the footsteps of the Incas and hike the complete world-famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. The classic 4 day / 3 night Inca Trail to Machu Picchu follows a magical route surrounded by spectacular Andean scenery and dotted with fascinating archaeological sites. This 25-mile (40-kilometer) trek through a variety of landscapes is famous as one of the world’s great hiking routes. After walking for three days, on the morning of the fourth day, from high above the site hikers can enjoy their first view of magnificent Machu Picchu.
When is the best time to visit Amazon forests?
It can rain at any time in tropical and subtropical forests. For drier weather, the best time to visit the Tambopata and Manu forests accessible from Cusco is between mid-April and the end of October. The driest months are June, July and August. Different species of Amazon wildlife can be seen at any time of the year in the tropical forests of Peru.
Should I get a yellow fever vaccination before going to the rainforest?
Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for rainforest trips anywhere in Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
Is there malaria in the rainforest?
The US Center for Disease Control considers Puerto Maldonado to be a malaria risk area although it is reported as extremely rare. Avoid mosquito bites as much as possible by using insect repellent, long-sleeved clothing and long trousers rather than shorts, and consider taking malaria prophylaxis.
What will we do for drinking water at the jungle lodge?
Drinking water and other beverages such as coffee and tea are provided free of charge at our lodge, and sodas and alcoholic beverages are available for purchase at the lodge’s bar.
Should I pack rubber boots?
At our lodge, rubber boots in a range of sizes are available for use during excursions.
Is there electricity at the lodge, can I charge my electronic devices?
Yes. For example, at our Tambopata lodge recharging facilities for mobile phones, pads, and assorted batteries are available at midday and in the evening between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm.
Is there a phone available at the lodge(s)?
In the event of an emergency, lodge staff can contact the outside world by phone or internet.
Is a laundry service available?
Remember that it can take a long time for clothes to dry in a humid rainforest environment. Laundry services can be organized in the main towns (Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Iquitos) from which our Amazon itineraries depart. Ask our staff for more information.
Is smoking allowed in or around the lodge?
Smoking is not permitted in rooms, dining or communal areas, such as the bar. However, guests can smoke on the terraces of their rooms and in outdoor areas of the lodge.
What happens in the case of a medical emergency?
In the event of a medical emergency which cannot be dealt with by guides and staff trained in first aid, guests will be evacuated to the nearest town with a hospital or other medical facilities.