Your Travel Experience with Peru Pro
Day 1
Flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado
Your journey begins with a flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (approx. 1 hour).
Transfer to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge
Arrival in Puerto Maldonado, the capital of biodiversity. Transfer by road to the pier and start your Amazon adventure with a 45-minute boat ride on the Madre de Dios River, which winds through the rainforest. The motorized wooden boat follows the winding banks to reach your eco-lodge, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, in the middle of the rainforest.
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed with a brief orientation, during which our à la carte excursions will be presented to you, so that you can tailor your itinerary to your interests. Afterwards, you can have lunch or check into your cabaña, located in Peru's first private nature reserve, which has been protected by Inkaterra since 1975 due to its sensitive environment.
After a short break in your rustic-luxurious cabaña, you will be ready to begin your exploration accompanied by your Inkaterra Explorer Guide. We recommend taking a walk on the trail system to gain a vivid insight into the complex biodiversity of the Amazon basin and the different layers of the rainforest. Stroll beneath towering trees such as the shihuahuaco while your ears tune in to the croaking, rustling, and calling of the exotic wildlife that inhabits this rich ecosystem. There are excellent opportunities for bird watching and observing lush flora. Keep your camera ready in case sloths or monkeys appear in the treetops.
Night Hike through the Rainforest
In the late afternoon, we highly recommend our leisurely Twilight River excursion, where you can observe how the jungle transforms from a daytime to a nighttime world: where diurnal animals and birds give way to species that are specially adapted to the darkness of night. You may also spot nightjars, owls, capybaras, and caimans lurking on the riverbanks.
From 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., an Amazon-inspired dinner is served in the main dining room, to which we invite you with a complimentary pisco cocktail. Back in your comfortable cabaña, you can listen to the fascinating sounds of the animals that inhabit the rainforest surrounding the lodge.
Day 2
Excursion: Lake Sandoval
Morning/mid-morning:
Sunlight filters through the dense trees as the jungle's inhabitants awaken from their slumber. Optionally, join them in the early hours of the morning with a breakfast buffet served from 5:00 a.m. This morning, visit Lake Sandoval, a mirror-smooth oxbow lake in the protected Tambopata National Reserve, accessible via a sunlit rainforest trail. Climb into a hollowed-out wooden canoe and paddle quietly through a stream to glide onto Lake Sandoval, lined with picturesque palm trees. This tranquil lake is home to many bird species, the endangered giant otter, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, side-necked turtles, black caimans, and many others.
Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica in time for lunch.
Rainforest hike
In the afternoon, we recommend climbing the exciting Inkaterra Canopy Walkway, a sophisticated and safe network of ecologically constructed suspension bridges spanning eight treetop viewing platforms above the forest floor. This is an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from above and get a sense of its vastness. Climb the first dizzying tower, 42 meters (138 feet) above the ground, and keep an eye out for colorful toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys, and three-toed sloths.
You can extend your stay at lofty heights with a drink at sunset on one of the towers – or spend a unique night in a specially designed treehouse cabin with surprising comfort (at an additional cost). After descending, enjoy a 30-minute Anaconda walk that leads across a 200-meter elevated wooden platform over a flooded Aguajales swamp.
In this lush ecosystem, you can observe various species of amphibians, birds, mammals, rich flora, and interesting trees.
Back at the lodge, you can sign up for a pampering spa treatment at our refreshing ENA Spa. (Additional charge).
À la carte dinner is served from 7:00 p.m.
Day 3
Boat trip to Gamitana Farm and Gamitana Creek
Morning:
Embark on a 25-minute boat ride to Gamitana Farm and Gamitana Creek to discover more wonders of the rainforest. The Amazon is a seemingly inexhaustible source of exotic fruits and vegetables, many of which have healing properties that support local communities in remote jungle areas. At the Gamitana model farm, surrounded by the sounds and scents of the Amazon, you can see how local farmers grow a variety of products and sample some seasonal forest fruits.
Canoe ride
Afternoon: A silent canoe ride through the flooded Amazonian forest. There you have a good chance of being surrounded by troops of squirrel, capuchin and howler monkeys. Keep your eyes peeled for the shy and elusive river otter as well as the incredibly well camouflaged three-toed sloth!
Then follow a dense jungle path under the canopy to reach Gamitana Creek. This winding, dark watercourse is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna, with many piranhas, caimans, turtles, and birds hiding in its murky waters and along its banks.
Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.
Day 4
Departure from the lodge
With a breathtaking variety of wildlife to be found in and around Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica—540 species of birds have been recorded on the lodge grounds—enjoy your last morning in this natural wonderland as parakeets chirp in the trees and agoutis scurry between the cabañas.
Check-out is at 10:00 a.m.; depending on your departure time, lunch can also be arranged today (at an additional cost). Board your waiting boat for the 45-minute return trip along the winding Madre de Dios River to the airport.
Please note that this four-day trip is a recommended itinerary. Activities and excursions can be selected à la carte upon arrival at the lodge and are subject to change depending on weather conditions at the time of your visit until arrival at the airport.
Return flight to Lima
You will board your return flight to Lima.