Tambopata Tour 3 Days: Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick

Day 01: Puerto Maldonado – Tambopata River – Lodge – Night Walk

We pick you up at the Puerto Maldonado airport or bus station and drive for about 2 hours in a 4×4 to the Tambopata River, near the boundary of the Tambopata National Reserve. Our boat takes you 30 minutes upriver to the lodge, with good chances of seeing birds along the riverbanks. At the lodge you get a welcome drink and an introduction to the trip.

After lunch we walk into the primary forest behind the lodge, among huge trees, lianas and vines, while your guide talks about the main economic activities of the region. Howler monkeys, peccaries, brown capuchins and squirrel monkeys are often seen. Along the trail you will learn about medicinal plants such as quinine, once used against malaria, cat’s claw, dragon’s blood and ayahuasca, the master plant of the shamans.

After dark we go out with flashlights to look for insects, spiders, tarantulas, frogs, armadillos and sometimes snakes, and by boat with a spotlight to look for white and black caimans along the riverbank.

Day 02: Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick – Kayaking or Forest Walks

We wake up at 5:00 a.m. and take the boat upriver for an hour, passing the Tambopata National Reserve checkpoint at sunrise. Capybaras, the largest rodent in the world, are often seen on the way, and jaguars are occasionally spotted on the riverbanks.

Our destination is the Chuncho clay lick, one of the large macaw clay licks of Tambopata. From a discreet spot about 50 m (165 ft) from the clay bank, we watch red-and-green, scarlet and blue-and-yellow macaws and several smaller parrot species come down to eat clay, a loud and colorful spectacle. Afterward we return toward the lodge for a swim in the stream or in the Tambopata River and some time to rest.

In the afternoon you can go kayaking upstream or downstream on the Tambopata River, or into the Malinowski River, watching the landscape and the wildlife on the banks. After dinner we can make a fire on the riverbank to talk about the day, and your guide can share local stories about the Tambopata Reserve.

Day 03: Piranha Fishing – Boat Trip – Puerto Maldonado

You wake up to the sound of birds and, often, howler monkeys. After breakfast we go 30 minutes downriver to the Gato stream to fish for piranhas, usually with monkeys watching from the trees. The stream is also a great place to swim. We take a short walk to learn about a local farm.

After lunch we pack and take the boat back, then the car for 2 hours to Puerto Maldonado. We drop you off at the bus station or your hotel at around 4:30 p.m.