Deep inside the pristine rainforest and surrounded by its sounds.  Enjoy a canoe ride at night with flashlights to spot caymans on the river banks. We will observe exotic plants and insects, colorful butterflies, birds, monkeys and (with luck) perhaps even some of the large mammals. At the lake canoes will be available for paddling and observing wildlife on the shoreline.....

The trip is full of adventure, with possibilities to find wild animals and the most attractive landscapes: This program includes walks through the heart of the reserved area of Tambopata Candamo and the Bahuaja Sonene National park. 

There are not very many places in the world where different species  of  big macaws, parrots and parakeets meet together every morning to eat the mineral salts in the soil of the river banks . 

These places are locally called "collpas ", a quechua name. You will watch several species of macaw and many species of parrot and parakeet gather to eat clay in the first few hours after sunrise.

El Chuncho Clay Lick is probably the biggest collpa in the world, it  is a low cliff located along a tributary of the Tambopata, 5 hours upstream from Puerto Maldonado (40 minutes from WASAI Lodge). You should camp a day in advance in order to make an early morning visit to the observation point early in the morning.

Facilities include two beautiful lodges with 36 beds each. We have all the equipment to make your stay a comfortable and pleasurable experience. Our fleet of boats includes a large wooden motorized canoe big enough for 20 people, to medium sized and small boats and non-motorized canoes for paddling. We also have a wooden catamaran for pleasure trips on the river and an inflatable dingy for rafting. We have a four-wheel drive bus for land use, camping gear (tents, sleeping bags, portable stoves), fishing gear, mountain bikes, telescopes and binoculars for better bird and animal watching. We also have rubber boots, waterproof capes and flash-lights for personal use.

5 Day Sample Itinerary

Day 1
Arrive in the jungle town of Puerto Maldonado. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the Wasai Maldonado Lodge. After a refreshing drink you will make the 3-4 hour journey up the Tambopata River into the primary rainforest of the Tambopata Reserve Zone with the opportunity to see local communities and wildlife along the banks of the river. You will arrive at the Wasai Tambopata Lodge in the late afternoon. After refreshments you will go on a short introductory walk into the forest . In the evening you will go on a night walk to look for some of the nocturnal creatures of the forest.

Day 2
You will wake before dawn and cross the Tambopata River to walk to the parrot clay lick on the banks of the River Gato. You will watch parrots and parakeets gather and feed on the clay. On the walk you  may see animals such as monkeys and other interesting plants and insects. After breakfast you can relax in the beautiful surroundings of the lodge, go fishing or swim in a nearby waterfall. After lunch you will make the 1 1/2 hour journey further up the River Tambopata into the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. This journey is an excellent opportunity to see birds and animals such as capybara, jaguar and large caiman. You will arrive at the site of the Chuncho Collpa in the late afternoon and establish camp on the river beach. You will watch the sun set and can swim in the river or have a go at catching some of the abundant fish. In the night you will attempt to see animals visiting the clay river banks to eat clay - and the animals that hunt them such as jaguar and caiman  

Day 3
You will wake at dawn to the sound of Howler Monkeys and hundreds of parakeets wheeling  through the red morning sky. You will watch several species of macaw and many species of parrot and parakeet gather to eat clay in the first few hours after sunrise. You will have a simple breakfast on the beach followed by a short walk through the forest to look for birds and animals. you will travel back down the river to the Tambopata Lodge for lunch. in the afternoon you can go for walk, relax, go fishing or swimming or visit a local community. After an evening meal you will go   out onto the river  to get a close view of caiman (alligators).

Day 4
You will haver breakfast and them make the journey back down the Tambopata River to Puerto Maldonado. You will arrive at Wasai Maldonado Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you will Travel Down the Madre de Dios River and from there walk through the forest to the tranquil and beautiful Lake Sandoval. At the lake your guide will paddle you in a wooden canoe to look for Giant River Otters and birds such as Hoatzin and Aningha and you can fish for piranha. There is a wonderful sunset here . You will walk back through the forest to look for some of the nocturnal creatures of the forest and them travel back to the Lodge for a Final evening  meal.  

Day 5 Breakfast and transfer to the airport. 

4 Day Sample Itinerary

Day 1
Reception at the airport and transportation to the WASAI Maldonado Lodge, where you will receive a welcoming tropical fruit beverage. You will embark for a 3 to 4 1/2 hour motorboat trip up the Tambopata river to WASAI Tambopata Lodge & Research Center (box lunch on route). During the trip we will be able to observe the local farms, while groups of birds pass over the boat. Opportunity to see families of Capybaras, the largest rodents in the world. Reception, accommodation at the lodge, and lunch.

After a short rest we will have a brief introductory walk in the forest nearby to learn basic principles of ecology and hear some wildlife natural history . Return to the lodge for dinner.

After dinner we will make our first visit to the forest to observe the nocturnal life of insects, frogs of various colors, and an occasional encounter with nocturnal mammals. We will enjoy the diverse sounds of the jungle which will accompany our first night in Amazonia. Sleep in the lodge.

Day 2
Wake early (4 am) and travel up the Tambopata River for an our and half to the Bahuaja- Sonene National Park. You will see a magical sunrise and it is a great opportunity to see animals such as capybaras, tapir , Jaguar, and deer in the surrounding virgin forest. We will observe ( from a save distance) one of the greatest spectacle of the rainforest: Hundreds of parrots, parakeets and macaws of various species, enjoying their diet of  mineral salts on a river bank. We will have  a hot drink and a snack whilst watching birds and go for a short walk to look for animals such as monkeys. We will return to to the lodge to have a late breakfast, and rest.

After lunch we will enter the verdant jungle on a special trail to observe wild life. We will then enter the territory of peccaries, deer, and others, with the possibility to hear or see the tracks of them, or discovering a troop of monkeys traveling through the forest in search of food. Time permitting, we will be able to enjoy a relaxing swim in the cascade of the cat. After dinner we can make another trip through the jungle, search for caimans or relax in our lodge surrounded by exotic nocturnal sounds.

Day 3
After breakfast we will make a trip in boat to the WASAI Maldonado Lodge, in Puerto Maldonado where we will relax in our bungalows and enjoy a tasty lunch. After lunch we will leave and travel for twenty minutes on the Madre de Dios River, to the access trail to Lake Sandoval, a beautiful typical rainforest lake. 5 km hike to the banks of the lake. There we will board a canoe to paddle around the lake enjoying the beauty of the landscape and observing the wildlife, such as kingfishers, herons, hoatzins (unique pre historic looking birds) , monkeys, etc. If we are lucky we could see the family of giant otters which live at the lake. We will have the opportunity to fish piranhas and swim in the lake. Prepare yourself for a spectacular sunset.

It is time to begin our return hike to the Madre de Dios River to return to Puerto Maldonado. There we will stay in the modern and comfortable bungalows of WASAI Maldonado Lodge. After dinner we will be able to rest or go around the city on foot or on bicycle. We can enjoy the pool and its cascade surounded by verdant vegetation. Rest of the night free to enjoy the night life of this welcoming city.

Day 4
Breakfast and transportation to the airport.  

3 Day Sample Itinerary

Day 1
Reception  at the airport and transportation to the WASAÍ Maldonado Lodge, where you will receive a welcoming tropical fruit beverage. You will embark for a 4 hour motorboat trip up the Tambopata river to WASAI Tambopata Lodge & Research Center (box lunch on board). During the trip into the heart of the rain forest  we will be able to observe clouds of butterflies,  typical Amazon communities , while groups of birds pass over the boat and animals such as capybaras turtles and caiman.  Reception and accommodation at Wasai lodge.

Introductory  walk to understand rainforest ecosystems and see some of the amazing trees . Return to the lodge for dinner. We will enjoy diverse sounds of the jungle which will  accompany our first night in the Amazon. Sleep in the lodge.

Day 2 
Wake early (4.30 am) and travel up the Tambopata River for an hour to the Bahuaja- Sonene National Park. You will see a magical sunrise and it is a great opportunity to see animals such as capybaras, tapir , Jaguar, and deer in the surrounding virgin forest. We will observe
(from a save distance) one of the greatest spectacle of the rainforest: Hundreds of parrots, parakeets and macaws of various species, enjoying their diet of mineral salts on a river bank. We will have  a hot drink and a snack whilst watching birds and go for a short walk to look for animals such as monkeys.  We will return to to the lodge to have a late breakfast.

We will then have an Ethno botanical trekking through one of the trails, learning about medicinal plants. We will enter the territory of peccaries, deer, and others, with the possibility to hear or see the tracks of them, or discovering a troop of monkeys travelling through the forest in search of food. Lunch . In the afternoon we will be able to enjoy a relaxing swim in the cascade of the cat. After dinner we can make another trip through the jungle or search for caimans. 

Day 3
After breakfast we will return by boat to Puerto Maldonado to take our flight to Lima or Cuzco.