Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge - 4 Days

Today we’ll wake up early, at around 5:30 a.m., and have tea or coffee before setting off to the famous Lake Sandoval (we’ll prepare a packed breakfast and snack for you to take on the excursion). 

After roughly 20 minutes of travel on the river Madre de Dios, we’ll arrive at the landing stage of Lake Sandoval. Then we’ll set off on a 3 km hike through the jungle, heading into the Tambopata National Reserve. Here we’ll see giant trees, snakes, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys and capuchin monkeys. We’ll also see plenty of colorful birds, including the Hoatzin (also known as the stink bird), kingfishers and snakebirds. Boarding small rowboats, we’ll then head out onto Lake Sandoval in search of giant river otters. We’ll also keep our eyes open for all the other animals that live on or around the lake. When our guide finds a nice spot for breakfast, we’ll sit and eat while we take in the amazing surroundings. Afterwards we’ll row back to the pier.

After lunch, our next excursion begins at 3:30 p.m., when we visit one of the two lookout towers of Corto Maltès Amazonía. These two towers are 20 and 42 meters high, and were designed especially for bird watching and spotting other animals that live in the canopy. From the towers, you’ll also have a great view of the sunset.

We will then head into the jungle when we visit a Brazil nut harvesting camp. Your professional jungle guide will take you there, showing you the tropical trees and medicinal plants on the 60 hectares of Brazil nut concession that Corto Maltés Amazonia stewards. It’s fascinating to see the camp, where harvesters stay for the duration of the season. The Brazil nut (known locally as castaña) is one of the most important economic activities in the Madre de Dios region. The trek and visit will take about two hours, and then we’ll return to the lodge.  

Once we’re back at the lodge, you’ll have some free time to enjoy the pool or a massage, get refreshed at the bar, or visit our souvenir shop, before we have dinner.

*The order and schedules of the excursions can be modified according to your guide, and as seen fit through coordination with the management by considering the physical condition of the passengers, and the climate of the moment.

After breakfast we’ll take a 20-minute boat trip downriver to a typical chacra, or farm, owned by a local family. Here we can see and taste different seasonal tropical fruits as well as other native products such as cacao, banana, cocona, breadfruit, noni, yucca, lime and more. The farm belongs to a traditional rural family, who, like many farmers in the region, sell their products in the main markets of Puerto Maldonado. 

After spending some time at the farm, we’ll return to our boat for a 20-minute ride to the land of a native Machiguenga family. The Machiguenga are one of the many ethnic groups that live in the Peruvian Amazon. A family of native Machiguenga will greet us on our arrival, and they will show us their traditional way of life, and the language and customs passed down by their ancestors. We will see their traditional clothes, hunting gear, handicrafts, and the music they play during ayahuasca ceremonies. They will also teach us how to use the natural materials of the rainforest to make tools, and what they use to make their houses, dresses and ornaments. They will also reveal some of their most important secrets regarding the use of medicinal plants in traditional medicine.

At 1 p.m. we will share a traditional jungle lunch with the Machiguenga family. An hour later, we’ll head back to the lodge to relax. At 8 p.m. we’ll gather in the dining room for another delicious dinner.

*The order and schedules of the excursions can be modified according to your guide, and as seen fit through coordination with the management by considering the physical condition of the passengers, and the climate of the moment.

Today we’ll wake up at dawn for a trip to a clay lick, which is particularly famous in this part of the Amazon. Due to the great location of the lodge, we only have to walk for 20 minutes to reach the clay lick, where we can watch three to five different types of parrots. They come to the clay lick to ingest a particular kind of clay, only found in certain areas of this region, which is vital for the metabolic regulation of these colorful birds. 

We’ll return to the lodge for breakfast and then head off in the boat to the city of Puerto Maldonado. One of our vehicles will be waiting for us at the port, which will take us to the main market. This is where the majority of locals buy their food and other supplies, and during our short visit, you’ll be able to see the wealth of produce that comes to this market every day. 

Sadly, this is the last stop on your adventure in the jungle. After visiting the market, we’ll take you to the airport for your onward flight, or to your hotel in the city should you decide to stay in Puerto Maldonado for longer. We’ll say our goodbyes, and we hope you had a great time and a rewarding experience in the jungle.

*The order and schedules of the excursions can be modified according to your guide, and as seen fit through coordination with the management by considering the physical condition of the passengers, and the climate of the moment.