DAY 1: Welcome to the Amazon!

Arrive in Puerto Maldonado, capital of Madre de Dios, and join a 1-hour bus and 1-hour boat journey till the lodge. Your first taste of the Amazon culinary will be in the river while you let the city behind to enjoy the amazing jungle landscapes

Refugio Amazonas awaits – a spacious ecolodge, with bar, a massage center, and buffet service with the Tambopata National Reserve behind it. This eco-lodge is home of Wired Amazon, the first citizen science project which turns explorers into a citizen scientist.

Accommodation includes a 45-meter square room with mosquito nets, a private bathroom and an open wall facing the forest.

Your stay includes three meals daily, teas, coffee, guided excursions and activities, refreshments upon arriving, and transfers to and from the airport. We assign guides at 10:1

A thirty-minute walk from the lodge leads to the 34-meter scaffolding canopy tower. A banister staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. The tower has been built upon high ground, therefore increasing your horizon of the continuous primary forest extending out towards the Tambopata National Reserve. From here views of mixed species canopy flocks as well as toucans, macaws, and raptors are likely.

The light glares against the sheet, highlighting its white color against the dark jungle night. As the bright light flickers, moths begin to flutter towards it. You study them carefully, noting their shapes and patterns. By the end of the night, you might have discovered a new species unknown to science. Now, you get to name it yourself!

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

DAY 2: Refugio Amazonas

You might paddle around Condenado oxbow lake on a canoe, looking for lakeside wildlife such as hoatzin, caiman and horned screamers, hoping to see the otters which are infrequently seen here. You will also be rewarded with overhead sightings of macaws.

Meet the charismatic Don Manuel from the neighboring community of Condenado. Just five minutes downriver from the lodge he grows organically a variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. On this fruit-farm excursion, every plant and tree you see serves a purpose.

Along the ethnobotanical trail, you will find a variety of plants and trees that are used by the local population with at least the same variety of purposes. Learn about the medicinal (and other) uses of Ajo-Sacha, Yuca de Venado, Uña de Gato, Charcot-Sacha, Para-Para, among several others.

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3: Refugio Amazonas

Two hours from the lodge, deep in the Tambopata National Reserve you will stop at the Chuncho clay lick. After a brief walk (~5 minutes) you will have the chance to see dozens of large macaws feeding on the special sodium-rich clays of the riverbank.

The Chuncho clay lick probably attracts more large macaws than any other clay lick in the world and the sight of dozens of macaws taking flight is truly unforgettable. The details of our stopover will depend on the weather and the amount of macaw activity, as the birds don’t visit the clay lick when it is raining.

A few minutes hike from the lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil Nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) where the precarious remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil Nut gatherers can still be experienced.

We will be demonstrating the whole process of the rain forest’s only sustainably harvested product from collection through transportation to drying.

Nightly lectures prepared by the scientific researchers from Wired Amazon cover conservation threats, opportunities, and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve.

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4: Depart from the Amazon

It is time to say goodbye, as the expedition comes to an end.

Your visit will make a direct contribution to the scientific projects of Wired Amazon and their conservation efforts onwards learning about the biodiversity of the Tambopata National Reserve.

You will take the journey back to the city to the airport for your national flight onwards.

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 1: Welcome to the Amazon!

Arrive in Puerto Maldonado, capital of Madre de Dios, and join a 1-hour bus and 1-hour boat journey till the lodge. Your first taste of the Amazon culinary will be in the river while you let the city behind to enjoy the amazing jungle landscapes

Refugio Amazonas awaits – a spacious ecolodge, with bar, a massage center, and buffet service with the Tambopata National Reserve behind it. This eco-lodge is home of Wired Amazon, the first citizen science project which turns explorers into a citizen scientist.

Accommodation includes a 45-meter square room with mosquito nets, a private bathroom and an open wall facing the forest.

Your stay includes three meals daily, teas, coffee, guided excursions and activities, refreshments upon arriving, and transfers to and from the airport. We assign guides at 10:1

A thirty-minute walk from the lodge leads to the 34-meter scaffolding canopy tower. A banister staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. The tower has been built upon high ground, therefore increasing your horizon of the continuous primary forest extending out towards the Tambopata National Reserve. From here views of mixed species canopy flocks as well as toucans, macaws, and raptors are likely.

The light glares against the sheet, highlighting its white color against the dark jungle night. As the bright light flickers, moths begin to flutter towards it. You study them carefully, noting their shapes and patterns. By the end of the night, you might have discovered a new species unknown to science. Now, you get to name it yourself!

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner

DAY 2: Refugio Amazonas

You might paddle around Condenado oxbow lake on a canoe, looking for lakeside wildlife such as hoatzin, caiman and horned screamers, hoping to see the otters which are infrequently seen here. You will also be rewarded with overhead sightings of macaws.

Meet the charismatic Don Manuel from the neighboring community of Condenado. Just five minutes downriver from the lodge he grows organically a variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. On this fruit-farm excursion, every plant and tree you see serves a purpose.

Along the ethnobotanical trail, you will find a variety of plants and trees that are used by the local population with at least the same variety of purposes. Learn about the medicinal (and other) uses of Ajo-Sacha, Yuca de Venado, Uña de Gato, Charcot-Sacha, Para-Para, among several others.

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3: Refugio Amazonas

After a boat ride along the calm Tambopata River and a trek through the thick jungle, you’ve arrived at the secluded bluff. Hidden behind a blind, you watch and wait for the Parrot family’s smallest members. As the sun rises higher in the sky, tiny flecks of green and yellow and blue rush towards the bluff in swarms. Here at the Parakeet Clay Lick, this fascinating spectacle happens daily!

A few minutes hike from the lodge is a beautiful old growth patch of Brazil Nut forest that has been harvested for decades (if not centuries) where the precarious remains of a camp used two months a year by Brazil Nut gatherers can still be experienced. We will be demonstrating the whole process of the rain forest’s only sustainably harvested product from collection through transportation to drying.

Nightly lectures prepared by the scientific researchers from Wired Amazon cover conservation threats, opportunities, and projects in the Tambopata National Reserve.

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 4: Refugio Amazonas

As you navigate your bike along a narrow trail, you finally emerge from the forest, blinking at the unfamiliar sunlight. The view nearly takes your breath away. You’re perched on an Amazon overlook, high above the majestic Tambopata River. This view alone was worth the trip. But more than that, your Mountain Biking ride has been jam-packed with excitement, with new discoveries at every twist of the trail.

The rainforest is dense and silent, but you know that mammals are hiding all around the area. An incredible creature — a Giant Anteater, or maybe even a whole herd of jungle pigs — might’ve been here just a few hours ago.

Back at the lodge, you’ll find out what amazing wildlife has paid the camera traps a visit. This is the AmazonCam Tambopata: a unique way for science-lovers to learn about modern science and explore the jungle

You will have the option of a jungle night walk when most of the mammals are active but difficult to see. Easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.

Overnight: Refugio Amazonas
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5: Depart from the Amazon

It is time to say goodbye, as the expedition comes to an end.

Your visit will make a direct contribution to the scientific projects of Wired Amazon and their conservation efforts onwards learning about the biodiversity of the Tambopata National Reserve.

You will take the journey back to the city to the airport for your national flight onwards.

Meals Included: Breakfast

During this activity you will learn about Orchids in Peru and the project that we carry out in Refugio Amazonas, rescuing and relocating some species in order to investigate and conserve certain species.

You can visit the nursery and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the orchids in bloom (according to the season). After a proper introduction, you will be able to identify a wild orchid in the forest.

This experience will not only lead you to learn more about Amazonian orchids but also about their important ecological relationship.

Recommended for: Morning (Afternoon)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

As you crane your neck to see the top of the Canopy Tower, it doesn’t seem that high up. But when you ascend the staircase and reach the top platform, you realize just how high you are. Freed from the dense vegetation of the forest, you can see all the way to the horizon, framed by an endless sea of treetops.

Recommended for: Morning
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Moderate

At first, you were a little nervous about the Jungle Night Walk, taking uncertain steps onto the dark trail and fidgeting with your headlamp. But soon, your eyes adjust, and a new world opens up to you. While many animals sleep, others emerge, making the Amazon their own. These weird, otherworldly creatures of the night — giant insects, frogs, snakes, and more — are ripe for discovery.

Recommended for: Night
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

The light glares against the sheet, highlighting its white color against the dark jungle night. As the bright light flickers, moths begin to flutter towards it. You study them carefully, noting their shapes and patterns. By the end of the night, you’ve discovered a species totally unknown to science. Now, you get to name it yourself!

Recommended for: Night
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

After trekking away from the Tambopata River — past the hanging nests of Oropendola birds and fluttering fruit bats — you arrive at the Oxbow Lake. Separated by just a thin sliver of land from the river, this lake is a world away from those rushing waters.

Here, tranquility reigns. But the Oxbow Lake’s calm waters and beautiful landscape bely the wild creatures, from tiny to giant, lurking just below the surface, such as giant otters, caimans, and piranhas.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: Half-day
Difficulty Level: Moderate

This activity helps you learn how to become a keen birdwatcher. Due to the amazing diversity of the bird world here, Tambopata is the ideal place to discover a passion for birding!

During your outing with an expert guide, you’ll learn basic birdwatching techniques, including how to properly use binoculars and telescopes. You’ll also learn how to identify major families of birds, recognize sounds, and different habitats.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

If you’re already familiar with birding basics, you’re ready for the next step. On this excursion, we embark upon a more in-depth birding experience. With the help of our birding guides, you’ll learn how to distinguish between different habitats and species. Finally, you’ll start to better understand the behavioral patterns of your favorite bird species.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

This is the ideal activity for seasoned bird lovers. With the help of our professional birding guides, you’ll find the species that are still missing from your list. As a result of its protected status, our Tambopata home holds extremely diverse bird species. As we search for the sneakiest birds, get ready for an intense four hour birding session.

Recommended for: Morning, Afternoon, or Night
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging

As you sit, subtly hidden on a small river island, the Amazonian sun begins to light up the clay cliff. Suddenly, shrieks and caws fill the air as the jungle’s most charismatic birds swoop down to the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, or Collpa, as it’s known here. Soon, dozens of tiny parakeets, colorful parrots, and brilliant macaws perch and preen on the cliffs. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen — or heard.

Recommended for: Early Morning
Duration: Half-day
Difficulty Level: Easy

Deep within the dense forest, the only hints that the river lies below come from its soft, flowing sound and brief glimpses of water through the trees. As the air becomes fresher and lighter on the River Overlook Trail, it seems like you’re getting near. Then, all of a sudden, you break through the trees and see it: the vast, splendid Tambopata River in all its glory.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

As you walk down the path, the quiet is broken by the sound of Capuchin Monkeys in the fruit trees above. Nearby, a Morpho Butterfly flutters its bright blue wings, and hundreds of insect types march along the forest floor.

This unbelievable sight should come as no surprise: you’re in the world’s most biodiverse place, the Amazon, after all! And just as the animal world here is incredibly diverse, so too are jungle plants. Along our Medicinal Plants Trail, you’ll discover the amazing variety of Amazon plants — and learn about their traditional uses for healing.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

The morning sunlight glints through the canopy, lending the rainforest floor a mysterious look. Everyone studies the treasure map, searching for the city of the Leaf-Cutter Ants. Suddenly, a little girl spots something along the Children’s Rainforest Trail.

She’s made a discovery, and they’re all one step closer to solving an Amazon mystery! These children, coming from all over the world, never knew that nature could be this exciting.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Get a taste of local life in the Amazon.
In the fertile jungle garden, every plant bursts with growth and flavor. The skinny Papaya trees bear their heavy fruits, the Pineapples poke from spiky bushes, and lush Cacao trees hide their purple pods near the trunk.

This is a far cry from the cornfields of North America or the vineyards of Europe. On your Jungle Farm Visit, you’ll learn the ins and outs of organic rainforest agriculture. Even more than this, you’ll discover a local way of life.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Twilight descends early in the jungle. Under the thick tree cover of the rainforest, darkness falls quickly, when the light cannot slip through the foliage any longer. But here, in a canoe drifting gently down the Tambopata River, it’s another story. Freed from the dense jungle canopy, glistening sunlight streams down for much of the day.

Now, as afternoon slips into evening, you’re about to see one of the world’s most spectacular sunsets. The Sunset Cruise floats down the wide river, countless oranges and pinks reflecting off the water in lovely patterns.

Recommended for: Late Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

As curious children enter the ancient house, even the most lively among them fall silent. The place’s beauty and jungle mystery mesmerize them. This is the House of Tawa, the Amazon healer. As the guide’s story begins, children gather around the Circle of Fire. Finally, by the end of the evening, their love for the environment and their knowledge of the rainforest will be forever heightened.

Recommended for: Night
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

As you collect each camera’s data, your anticipation grows. What will you discover? The rainforest is dense and silent, but you know that mammals are hiding all around the area.

An incredible creature — a Giant Anteater, or maybe even a whole herd of jungle pigs — might’ve been here just a few hours ago. Back at the lodge, you’ll find out what amazing wildlife has paid the camera traps a visit. This is the AmazonCam Tambopata: a unique way for science-lovers to learn about modern science and explore the jungle.

Recommended for: Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Everyone, big and small, gathers around the guide as he shows off his “tattoos.” A rainforest tattoo — that’s not the kind of souvenir you wanted to bring home, right? But don’t worry.

This tattoo is far from the hardcore designs and painful parlors you’ll find in every city. Instead, you’ll discover the natural temporary “tattoos” of the Amazon Rainforest!

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Towering high up into the canopy, you crane your neck to see to the top of the immense Brazil Nut Tree. It’s one of the most magnificent trees you’ve ever seen. And somehow, dozens of these trees loom above you all around this forest grove.

In fact, you’re in one of the best-preserved Brazil Nut forests in this part of the Amazon jungle. But on the Brazil Nut Sustainability Trail, you won’t just admire these giant trees’ splendor. The Brazil Nut trees are actually heroes of the rainforest, providing a sustainable and eco-friendly living to many jungle dwellers.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

You climb higher and higher until you reach the top of the Canopy Tower. Suddenly, the whole jungle looks like your kingdom, stretching on as far as the eye can see. Now, your Aerobotany excursion begins: it’s time to unleash the drone! Soon, you’ll be flying high above the canopy.

Recommended for: Afternoon
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Moderate

After a day spent exploring the Amazon jungle’s incredible beauty, we do something a little different during the evening. As you relax at the lodge, our guides give you a taste of our rainforest initiatives. These Night Lectures enrich your experience and immerse you in fun, engaging stories and experiences.

Recommended for: Evening
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

There are some nutrients that Amazon animals just can’t get from leaves or fruits. While scientists still quibble about just what these are, it’s probably salt. After all, living far from the salty Atlantic Ocean, and separated from the nearby Pacific by some giant mountains, means that salt is hard to come by here in the Amazon Rainforest.

It’s barely in the soil, nor is it in the rain or the rivers! So jungle animals need to find a way to get their sodium. The way many animals do this is by, well…eating dirt. In fact, that’s where the Mammal Clay Lick comes in!

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

After a boat ride along the calm Tambopata River and a trek through the thick jungle, you’ve arrived at the secluded bluff. Hidden behind a blind, you watch and wait for the Parrot family’s smallest members. As the sun rises higher in the sky, tiny flecks of green and yellow and blue rush towards the bluff in swarms. Here at the Parakeet Clay Lick, this fascinating spectacle happens daily!

Recommended for: Morning
Duration: Half-day
Difficulty Level: Challenging

As you navigate your bike along a narrow trail, you finally emerge from the forest, blinking at the unfamiliar sunlight. The view nearly takes your breath away. You’re perched on an Amazon overlook, high above the majestic Tambopata River. This view alone was worth the trip. But more than that, your Mountain Biking ride has been jam-packed with excitement, with new discoveries at every twist of the trail.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging