Puerto Maldonado / Sandoval Lake Lodge - 04 days/03 nights

Day 01                                                                     Puerto Maldonado – Sandoval Lake Lodge

• Meals: Lunch, Dinner
• Transfer airport Puerto Maldonado - lodge (seat-in basis)
• Sandoval Lake Lodge package (seat-in basis)

Transfer from Puerto Maldonado airport to the town office of the lodge to drop the excess luggage (only around 5 kg are allowed, if necessary the lodge provides bags). Afterwards, continue to the river port on the Madre de Dios River for a 25 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios River by motor canoe, which brings you to the end of the trail in to Sandoval Lake Lodge. From here the trail takes you on a 2-mile walk through secondary forest, until we reach a small canal where we board canoes and are paddled 220 yards through a flooded forest of 100-foot tall Mauritia palms. As the canal opens onto the shimmering surface of the lake, we transfer to a boat and are leisurely paddled across half the lake to the lodge.

**Remark: During the rainy season the access path to the lodge can be very muddy!

After lunch and a brief rest to avoid the early afternoon heat, we once again board the boat and set off to explore the entire west end of the lake. Here, in the flooded palm forest, we drift to the sounds of hundreds of Red-Bellied Macaws as they return to the palm forest for the night. We return to the lodge around nightfall for dinner.

After dinner we will return to the canoes to look for the large and extremely rare Black Caimans. If it is a clear starlit night, we will also be able to float in the middle of the lake and marvel at the brillance of the sky.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge or similar (standard room)

Day 02                                                                                                        Sandoval Lake Lodge

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Sandoval Lake Lodge package (seat-in basis)

A pre-dawn wake-up call will enable us to be on the lake for sunrise and a hopeful encounter with the family of Giant Otters which frequent the lake and are most active at this time of day. Most of the fish-eating water birds around the lake actively fish in the early morning as well, and this outing should provide excellent views, and photographs, of the prehistoric- looking Hoatzins. 

After returning for a late breakfast we set off into the cool understory of the tall virgin forest near the lake to see some towering wild Brazil Nut trees and a demonstration of how our hosts collect, open and commercialize this important natural product.

After lunch and an hour or so to relax we once again board the boat to explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might see one or more of the five species of monkeys which live in the forest near the lake, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey.

There is a final chance after dinner to try and spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night walk through the primary forest.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge or similar (standard room)

Day 03                                                                                                        Sandoval Lake Lodge

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Sandoval Lake Lodge package (seat-in basis)

Rising once again at dawn, we have a quick snack before boarding the boats to explore the western end of the lake in the hope of an encounter with Giant Otters.

After a late breakfast we explore some of the rain forest trails with our knowledgeable resident naturalist guide. As we walk the forest will be brought to life as your guide explains the ecology of the rain forest and its diverse flora and fauna.

We return for lunch, and then there is an optional rest for those who would like to escape the early afternoon heat. For those still full of energy, there is an option to independently explore some of the forest trails.

In the cooler late afternoon we will once again board the boat to explore the eastern end of the lake, and hopefully experience a spectacular sunset over the lake before returning to the lodge for dinner.

After dinner, there is a final chance to look for Black Caiman on the lake, or to go on a short night hike through the forest.

Lunch, dinner and overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge or similar (standard room)

Day 04                                                         Sandoval Lake Lodge – Puerto Maldonado – Lima

• Meals: Breakfast
• Sandoval Lake Lodge package (seat-in basis)
• Transfer lodge - airport (seat-in basis)
• Flight Puerto Maldonado - Cusco - Lima (not included)

After a dawn breakfast we take a final, shorter paddle around the west end of the lake to try and glimpse the Giant Otters.

Afterwards you will return to Puerto Maldonado, by boat and canoe across the lake and the small canal, take a 2-miles walk and finally travel 25 minutes in motor canoe down the Madre de Dios River until you reach the river port from where you will be transferred to Puerto Maldonado airport to catch the flight to Lima.

Extension night in Lima might be necessary depending on your international flight schedule.

**Remark: Activities in the lodge can be changed due to weather conditions.

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