| Day
1: Arrive Puerto Maldonado and journey to the lodge
Following your early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado from Lima (1:20hours)
or Cusco (25 minutes), you will be met at the airport by your naturalist
guide and transferred to a motorized dugout canoe for the trip up the
Tambopata River to the lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes
from colonized deforested areas to virgin rain forest. A box-lunch is
provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the
rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory
walk into the "terra firme" forest behind the lodge (Trail
2), dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. Frequently seen
mammals on this trail are Saddleback Tamarins, Brown Capuchins, Agoutis,
Pacas, Blue-Morpho butterflies, Trogons, Toucans and many other species
of birds. Night in Tambopata Jungle Lodge.
Day 2: Trip to the Macaw Clay-lick (Collpa)
After breakfast you return to the canoe to continue the journey upstream,
a further 4 hrs, to an area deep within the Reserve Zone where the isolated
Collpa is situated. The Collpa is actually one of the large clay cliffs
lining the Tambopata River in this area. After lunch you and your guide
have the afternoon to explore the trail system in the area. Camping
on the beach near the Collpa.
Day 3: Full day at Collpa and exploring forest
trails
A pre-dawn start is needed to get to the clay-lick before the birds.
They arrive in search of minerals and salts and the digestive properties
of the clay particles themselves. On average several hundred Macaws
and smaller parrots visit the clay-lick daily, including Scarlet, Blue
and Yellow, Red and Green, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-headed parrots,
among others.
This clay-lick is considered one of the largest in the world After
lunch we will return to the trail system in search of some of the nine
species of monkeys present in the area, including Spider monkeys, Squirrel
monkeys and Dusky titi monkeys as well as the elusive large mammals
like Tapir, White-lipped peccaries and Jaguar. Camping on the beach
near the Collpa.
Day 4: Visit the Collpa and return to Tambopata
Jungle Lodge
A second opportunity to witness the wonders at the lick. You will return
to the Tambopata Jungle Lodge in the early afternoon in time for lunch.
After dark you will go searching for Caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal
animals by canoe along the Tambopata River. Night in Tambopata Jungle
Lodge
Day 5: Return to Puerto Maldonado
A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado
giving memorable views of the sun rise over the river. Lookout for the
early morning wildlife which is particularly active at this time. Howler
monkeys are frequently heard as they stake-out their territories. Your
guide will take care of you on arrival in Puerto Maldonado and will
deal with all the necessities at the airport prior to your departure.
Additional days at the Collpa: Consult us for any number of extra days
in the vicinity of the Collpa, before and after this program. These
can be guided or unguided according to your preference and interests.
During these days you can either; explore the trail system in more depth,
going further afield along trails not visited before; visit a small
lake hidden amongst the trees with a floating viewing platform situated
on it; take a trip up river to explore a clear forest stream teeming
with fish. Full board is included during each of these days.
TOUR INCLUSIONS
Your stay at the lodge is all inclusive from your arrival in Puerto
Maldonado until your departure:
- 2 nights accomodation at the lodge.
- 2 nights camping near the Collpa.
- All applicable taxes.
- Meals included from lunch on Day 1 to Breakfast on Day 5.
- Non-bottled beverages.
- Bilingual guides.
- All excursions mentioned in the itinerary.
- One night excursion on the river looking for Caiman.
- All land and river transportation from your arrival at and return
to the Puerto Maldonado airport.
IMPORTANT: As of Aug 01/98, INRENA began
charging an entrance fee to the Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone this
US$2.00 fee is not included in our program rates, and must be paid directly
by each participants at the moment of entering the reserved zone. The
fee for Macaw Lick Programs is $20.00 for each participant.
Note: Air tickets, Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone entrance fee, airport
taxes, expenses incurred by flight delays/cancellations, tips and drinks
bought in our bar are not included in our rates. |