5-day Amazon itinerary

We fetch you in the morning from Puerto Maldonado Airport to escort you via bus and then boat to Refugio Amazonas. Situated in a pretty chestnut forest, this eco-lodge is a stone's throw from Tambopata National Reserve, a real biodiversity hotpot! We recommend your first activity in the Amazon be to climb the high lookout tower and gaze across the canopy. From here you can look for wildlife and many colourful birds like macaws and toucans. In the evening we suggest joining the guided jungle walk to listen to the chorus created by the many nocturnal animals that call this part of the Amazon home!

On most clear mornings throughout the year, dozens of macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate at a clay lick near Tambopata River, creating a raucous and colourful spectacle that inspired a National Geographic cover story. We go and settle 50 metres away with a telescope to watch the birds fly in and out. Later, we walk around Lake Condenado to look for wildlife such as otters, hoatzins, capybaras and alligators. Still later there's the chance to visit a neighbouring organic farm to see what's grown locally, including fruits you didn't even know existed!

This morning we suggest visiting the nearby mammal clay lick where you can often spot herds of white-lipped peccaries (rainforest hogs) as well as deers, turkeys and parakeets. If you're keen for some exercise, why not go on a guided mountain bike ride through the jungle? There's a lovely nature trail that overlooks the river and makes for a perfect sunset spot. We suggest ending the day with another guided night-time walk. Who knows, you might be that rare and lucky soul who spots a wild cat like a puma or jaguar!

This morning you can visit a nearby brazil nut farm to discover how the seeds of immense chestnut trees (yes, brazil nuts aren't technically nuts) are harvested once a year in the region's most sustainable economic activity. Later, there's the chance to go on a fascinating guided walk into the rainforest to learn about the great variety of plants and trees the local population has used for years to heal both body and soul. In the evening, listen to researchers from the Wired Amazon Project discuss the opportunities and challenges they face in seeking to study and protect the biodiversity of the Peruvian jungle.

Today we take you back to Puerto Maldonado. The trip once again includes a memorable boat ride up the river, and then a one-hour bus ride. At the airport, we wave goodbye, unless you're heading to Lima to join us on a culinary and historical tour of that incredible city, in which case the adventure continues!