Day 1: Arrive Puerto Maldonado
On arrival into Puerto Maldonado, check in at the Butterfly House, before heading down river by boat to Reserva Amazonica. After a short briefing, you can check into your room and relax a little before your afternoon activity.
This afternoon there's a choice of 14 excursions, but as it’s your first day we recommend a guided walk along the trail route as an introduction to the environment with the chance to spot birds and observe exotic insects. In the evening, make sure you join the twilight river excursion on the Madre de Dios river, where you can discover more about the habits of the animals that are adapted to this dark world.
Dinner will be served at the lodge where you can share stories with fellow travellers and retire to your cabana to relax.
Day 2: Amazon
This morning you can opt to rise early or enjoy a lie in with breakfast served from 5:30am. This morning you will the chance to visit Lake Sandoval in the Tambopata National Reserve where you can glide across the mirror-like lake, looking out for sightings of the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, anacondas and side-neck turtles.
After lunch at the lodge, you'll visit the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. Ascending the first tower 29m above ground, you'll begin a tree-top rainforest journey through the canopy on a suspension bridge network which links 8 observation platforms. Look out for toucans, woodpeckers, monkeys and sloths in their natural habitat as your walk. Why not opt to extend your visit here and watch the sunset from the towers?
Back at the lodge, you'll have a nature presentation at the Eco centre before 'happy hour' drinks and dinner.
Day 3: Amazon
After breakfast at the lodge, you'll take a 45-minute boat ride to Gamitana Creek. From here, embark on a journey down stream through the winding dark-water creek, home to piranha, caiman, turtles and many species of bird, before returning to the lodge. Back at Gamitana you can take a short guided tour of the farm and see how the local farmers grow their crop in this environment, before heading back to the lodge again for lunch.
After lunch, head out on the 'Hacienda Conception' excursion to learn how local flora is used and the benefits of each plant before taking a 30-minute canoe trip to look for turtles, nightjars and exotic herons. This evening you can choose to make the ‘Rainforest by night’ excursion - a 2-hour trip that brings you up close to the animal kingdom after dark to hear nocturnal sounds and see animals that only come out at night!
Day 4: Return to Puerto Maldonado
After breakfast, head back to Puerto Maldonado by boat to continue your journey. Why not stop off at the Butterfly House on the way and visit the 3,700 species that reside here before you departure?
