Tambopata Jungle Tours: Here’s Our Ultimate Guide

The adventure options for jungle tours in Tambopata can seem unreal. Imagine crafting, then trying out on the AMAZON RIVER, your own balsa raft!

Meanwhile you’re learning from an Indigenous community their secrets to survival in the world’s greatest rainforest. Another day you’ll mountain bike through the humid forest amid macaws, monkeys, and other magnificent species.

Since 2000, Tambopata National Reserve has been protecting nearly 275,000 hectares (1,060.6 square miles) of Amazonian rainforest, savannahs, and wetlands. It’s one of the greatest areas in the world for biodiversity.

And its inhabitants have devised amazing adventures for travelers to share and enjoy this special place.

Tambopata Jungle Tours

Where to Stay & What to Do

To arrive at Tambopata National Reserve, you must go through the city of Puerto Maldonado. This steamy, sometimes fume-y, frontier town blares chicha and lies beside the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers.

The main attraction for tourists here is the nearby virgen Amazon forest. Because of this, many visitors pass right through “Puerto”.

Close by is Caoba Lodge Tambopata. The lodge is 12.5 km (7.78 miles) upriver from Puerto Maldonado. The lodge provides plenty of adventure activities such as kayaking the Madre de Dios River and a jungle canopy walk. They also provide night walks (when wildlife is most active) and the obligatory visits to the Macaw Clay Licks. The clay licks attract hundreds of colorful birds and are a sight only seen in the Amazon!!

Also, perhaps the most unique place to stay near Tambopata National Reserve is Posada Amazonas. This lodge is run by the native Ese Eja community of Infierno.

The Posada offers a ton of adventure experiences. The ones that stand out to me are the jungle mountain biking tour and the rafting class. You create your own raft and try it out on the River, learning Ese Eja survivalist techniques along the way. 

Bonus Activity- Lake Sandoval

Lake Sandoval is another big natural attraction in the Tambopata area. The 3km (1.86 mile) long oxbow lake is a pristine refuge for all types of flora and fauna. Tropical trees reach 100 feet (30 meters) in height, and you’ll spot macaws, tapirs, monkeys, and other animals native to the Amazon.

The Lake is a 45 minute boat ride from Puerto Maldonado. Most lodges Caoba offer tours to Sandoval.

How to Get There

From Lima & Cusco

You first have to get to Puerto Maldonado in order to visit the Tambopata National Reserve. The flight from Cusco takes 45 minutes, or you can take the 1 hr, 45 minute flight from Lima. 

If you bus, the ride is 28 hrs from Lima and 10 from Cusco. The best bang for your buck would be to take an overnight bus from Cusco, and tickets can be found for S/ 40. Cruz del Sur, Movil, and Ormeno provide these routes.

From Brazil

If coming from/going to Brazil, the busride takes about 10 hours to Rio Branco.

Travel Advisory

Keep in mind the highway to Puerto Maldonado, from all of the mentioned origin cities, has an unsafe reputation.

Boat Options from Puerto Maldonado

From “Puerto”, most lodges offer boat service to their location. If you go on your own, the dock at Leon de Velarde is less than 1 mile (under 2 km) from the main plaza. This is the port for travelers to the Tambopata National Reserve.

There is only one public boat/week, which leaves at 7am on Fridays. The trip costs S/ 50. The Embarcadero Turistico, also close to the plaza, is used by some lodges and agencies now, too.

Top Tips for Tambopata

Logistics-wise, the most important thing is to have your lodging figured out before you go on any of the jungle tours in Tambopata. Don’t show up to the jungle without a room! You can decide on activities and experiences afterwards. 

Be sure to talk to a medical professional to get started on an anti-malarial treatment, and ensure you’re up-to-date on the correct vaccines.

And since this is the Amazon, be prepared for the weather (and bugs). It’s recommended to have a basic first aid kit, repellant, and hiking shoes or sandals.

Also bring sunblock, a hat, and rainproof poncho. I’d also consider insect bite ointment and a water filter. 

But the most important thing to bring is an openness and appreciation for a distinct, special corner of the world. You’ll have the chance to meet different cultures and ways of life. Plus you’ll witness species that live nowhere else as well as ages-old customs and cultures.

All of these depend on a healthy rainforest for survival.

Conclusion

If you want to go to Tambopata, you’ll be going to Southern Peru. This is home to world-famous sites like Machu Picchu and popular places like Ica.

Check out our 10 Days of Awesome Itinerary to plan your trip.

Comment below or write us at GringoInca@gmail.com for any questions :)