Expedition Summary
Join us for one week of adventure with a touch of the Andes and Amazon exploration deep into the heart of the Tambopata Reserved Zone. We begin in Cusco, the southern capital of the Inca empire and without a doubt the most beautiful town in Peru. Here we embrace the local culture as we tour local cathedrals, ruins, marketplaces and marvel at the intricate Incan stonemasonry. We then spend 5 days in the wild jungles of the Tambopata. This is an ideal rainforest tour for nature enthusiasts. The Tambopata Reserved Zone extends over 1.5 million hectares of lowland Amazonian forest and cloudforest. This forest is rich in bird species with over 1.300 recorded (including 32 parrot species - 10% of the world’s total), 200 mammal species, 90 frog species, 1,200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of higher plants. Here, we will stay at two different jungle lodges: Posada Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center. We will see the world’s largest macaw clay lick, visit the canopy tower and oxbow lake at Posada Amazonas, hike to a macaw nesting colony and explore our jungle lodge’s intricate trail system with expert naturalist guides. We’ve got a great chance of seeing large Amazon mammals on this tour!

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Experience Required
No experience is required to participate in this trip.

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Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Lima
Upon arrival in Lima (150 meters, 500 feet), we will be met at the Lima International Airport and transferred to our hotel for the evening.

Day 2: Explore Cusco

Cusco at night. (Cusco, Peru)

In the morning, we will transfer to the Lima Airport to catch our flight to Cusco (3,400 meters, 11,500 feet). Upon arrival, we will be met by our Cusco guide and transferred to our hotel. Cusco is without a doubt the most beautiful town in Peru. It was considered the navel of the earth, the southern capital of the Inca Empire, an empire that at its peak stretched north to the south of Colombia, South to northern Chile and Argentina, and West across the Andes to the Amazon basin. The Incas were outstanding stonemasons and town planners. In Cusco we will be able to observe the skill and exquisiteness of this work on the many walls that serve as foundations to colonial buildings. The colonial buildings themselves are among the finest in the Americas. The thin air, the surrounding mountains and the Andean sky provide the perfect backdrop to Cusco’s cobbled narrow streets, its lovely buildings and plazas, its many hidden treasures and churches. It is not only culturally fascinating and beautiful to look at, but also extremely pleasant to wander around and be in the city itself. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a guided visit to the main sites of the city.

• Santo Domingo: This church is built over what once was the most magnificent temple in the Americas, Coricancha or Temple of the Sun. Its courtyards were filled with life-sized gold and silver representations of all the flora and fauna of the empire. Pizarro’s men looted the temple as part of the royal ransom of Inca Atahualpa, who was held prisoner in Cajamarca by the Spaniards and later killed. An earthquake destroyed the Santo Domingo church in 1950 revealing the Inca walls that were hidden or plastered over. These walls of the Temple of the Sun are the finest example of Inca stonework in existence.
• La Catedral:
  The cathedral, built in 1550 and located in the northeast side of the Plaza de Armas contains over 400 12th century paintings done by the members of the renowned Cusco School. The “Lord of the Earthquakes” altar weights over 52 pounds and is made of solid gold and studded with precious stones. The main altar is covered with sheets of silver.

• Plaza de Armas:
  The Plaza de Armas is called Huacaypata by the Quechuas, which means cry or moan. This name originated in the expressions of reverence and submission with which the religious or military ceremonies were carried out in this place. Colonial arcades and the remains of ancient Inca temples and churches surround the plaza.

• Sacsayhuaman:
  Located two kilometers from the city of Cusco, the immense walls of the Sacsayhuaman archaeological complex are made up of huge stones distributed in a zigzag pattern in three platforms with an average of 1,181ft in length. These platforms are connected by flights of stairs and doorways made of stone. One of these is 29 feet tall and 15 feet wide and weighs more than 100 tons. The largest stone block found in Sacsayhuaman stands 27.88 feet high and weighs 361 tons. Inca Pachacuti employed 20,000 men for the construction of this complex which took approximately 50 years to complete.

• Other Nearby Ruins:
  Other nearby ruins we may visit include: Qenko, Tambo Machay and Puca Pucara. Qenko is a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is a monolithic altar representing a puma. Tambo Machay is a small ruin comprised of a beautifully wrought ceremonial stone bath and is therefore popularly called “El Baño del Inca”. Puca Pucara is a red fort.

In the evening, we will enjoy a welcome dinner with a typical Peruvian folk show before retiring to our colonial hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Fly to the Amazon - Posada Amazonas

Macaw clay lick. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

An early morning flight takes us to the frontier town of Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is situated at the confluence of the mighty Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers and is a bustling, booming tropical frontier town. Its principal activities are gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism.

After a brief survey of the town we will depart on a 2-hour boat trip by motorized canoe to Posada Amazonas. The lodge is a comfortable yet unobtrusive 24 room lodge owned jointly by a Peruvian outfitter and the Ese’eja indigenous community. Depending on the arrival time of the plane we will have a boxed lunch aboard the boats or have lunch upon arrival at Posada Amazonas. During our voyage we may see bird species typical of the river or forest edge such as: Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers. When we arrive at Posada Amazonas we will unpack and unwind.

We will receive a short orientation and a complete briefing on the lodge and the Ecotourism Project before our afternoon visit to the canopy tower. The 35-meter tower is about 15 minutes walking distance from the lodge. The scaffolding tower is built so that we can safely climb using the internal staircase with verandahs on each side, and rest in platforms present every 2 meters. From the top we not only get spectacular views of the river and the surrounding forest but also excellent opportunities to observe birds including parrots, toucans and macaws. We will also explore the jungle surrounding the lodge with an Ese´eja native to learn how his people use the rainforest plants, animals and trees for medicine, food and construction. A video about the forest of Tambopata will be displayed after dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Amazon Exploration - Tambopata Research Center

Observing the rainforest animals. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

After an early breakfast we return to the Tambopata river for our 4 to 5 hour journey to the Tambopata Research Center and into the pristine heart of the reserve. After the first hour we will leave the final traces of human habitation behind as we cross the northern boundary of the 700,000 hectare, completely uninhabited nucleus of the Tambopata National Reserve. Differences in wildlife abundance will be noted immediately. We will begin to sight macaws, herons, kingfishers and cormorants frequently. Chances to spot capybaras, caiman, storks, ducks and other wildlife will also improve. Boxed lunch will be served on the boat.

We will arrive at the Tambopata Research Center in the early afternoon and there is good chance we will be greeted by the Chicos, our flock of semi-wild, rescued macaws. After a short briefing about the research center, we will hike the 1.5-mile Bamboo Trail, a trail famous for the abundance of rare birds that live exclusively in this habitat and are endemic to southern Peru. It is also the home of the frequently found Howler and Dusky titi monkeys. As we birdwatch our way through the trail we will end our hike at the rain forest overlooks which are advantageous spots to observe canopy birds like tanagers, jacamars, elaenias, guans, and oropendolas. We will return to Tambopata Research Center for dinner. After dinner, to cap off a fulfilling day we can have a frog walk through the forest, allowing the photo lovers if fortunate to take incredibly beautiful closeup images of American bullfrogs, horned frogs, tree frogs and an incredible variety of colorful insects. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Amazon Exploration - Tambopata Research Center
At dawn we will cross the river and enjoy the world's largest macaw clay lick where hundreds of parrots and macaws of up to 15 species congregate daily. The January 1994 issue of National Geographic features an article on Tambopata Research Center and the Tambopata Macaw Project. It begins with a description of the daily spectacle at the clay lick:

" When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in southeastern Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130-foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay lick throughout the day, but this midmorning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws."

Examining a macaw. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

We can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family: Red-and-green, Blue-and-gold, Scarlet, Red-bellied, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-headed Macaws; Mealy and Yellow-crowned Amazons; Blue-headed, Orange-cheeked and White-bellied Parrots; Dusky-headed, White-eyed, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. Around mid-morning, when the most intense clay lick activity is over for the day, we will return to Tambopata Research Center for breakfast.

After breakfast we will hike the 1.5-mile Ocelot trail, a trail that exemplifies the quintessential rainforest. Although at this time of day mammals and birds are not as active as in the early morning, we will concentrate on the forest itself and discuss general rain forest ecology. This forest, which is estimated to be 200 to 300 years old and includes truly huge Ceiba trees and Strangler figs is home to several mammals that are occasionally encountered: Saddleback tamarins, Squirrel and Brown Capuchin Monkeys and Collared peccary. This trail is one that most often sports ocelot, puma and jaguar tracks, although any one of these three large cats is extremely difficult to spot.

We will return to Tambopata Research Center for lunch and then embark on a 2-mile hike to the palm swamp, a nesting colony and preferred roost for Blue and Gold and Red-bellied Macaws. Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year round, the most exciting time to visit it is from October to March. During the nesting season, macaws land on the nests and stand there for several minutes, interacting with other individuals at less then 20 feet from our observation tower. The scenes at the swamp, especially with the late afternoon sun in our backs, make for prized photo opportunities. After a lazy afternoon with the macaws we will hike back to the lodge for dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Posada Amazonas

Returning from a jungle hike. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

We will wake up at dawn once again to visit the macaw clay lick and then return to the lodge for breakfast. After breakfast we will take a short hike to retrace one of our favorite activities before packing and saying goodbye to the staff. We will depart for Posada Amazonas, arriving at the lodge at mid-afternoon. In the afternoon, we’ll go with an Ese’eja guide to investigate the agricultural techniques of his community. We’ll learn how the mixing of many crops on one plot contributes to their sustainable agricultural techniques. We will spend our last night in the rain forest in this wonderfully designed lodge enjoying its happy hour as we ponder over the exciting happenings of the past few days. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Explore Lima, Depart for Home
In the morning, we will transfer to the Puerto Maldonado airport and fly back to Lima. We will have the afternoon free to explore colonial Lima on our own. We may choose to visit a few of the following Lima highlights before boarding our flights home that evening. (B)

• Plaza Mayor: The main square is the site of Spanish foundation by Francisco Pizarro.
• La Catedral:
  The Cathedral was built in 1625 in the Spanish baroque style.

• Government Palace:
  The Government Palace has a traditional and colorful changing of the presidential guard, not to be missed.

• San Francisco Church and Catacombs:
  San Francisco Church and Catacombs is Lima’s largest religious complex with a convent, museum of colonial art, cloisters and catacombs.

• Museo Nacional de Arquelogia y Antropologia:
  Once the best collection tracing the prehistory of Peru chronology, the museum highlights examples from the earliest archaeological sites to the arrival of the Spaniards. Here you can see original pieces from and scale models of Machu Picchu and Chavin.

• Museo Rafael Larco Herrera:
  This private museum has one of the most incredible ceramic collections in the world. It is said to include 55,000 pots.

• Collection Polli:
  We can also arrange a special visit to the Private Collection Polli for those who may be interested.

• San Isidro and Miraflores:
  The residential areas of San Isidro and Miraflores are worth exploring to admire the colonial architecture that pervades Lima’s urban living.

• Pacific Ocean:
  Enjoy a magnificent view of the Pacific from the coast.

In the evening, we will enjoy a welcome dinner with a typical Peruvian folk show before retiring to our colonial hotel. (B, L, D)

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Tambopata Research Center

Description

Nest hanging. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

Tambopata Research Center is located in a half hectare clearing (one acre) located in the Tambopata National Reserve directly adjacent to the Bahuaja National Park, in southeastern Amazonian Peru, 500 meters from the world's largest macaw clay lick. The Tambopata Research Center is a spartan yet comfortable 13 bedroom lodge built with the object of lodging tourists and researchers alike and of protecting the adjacent macaw clay lick. Because of its remote location in a Connecticut-sized tract of uninhabited wilderness, it contains stable populations of endangered wildlife.

The Tambopata Research Center is composed of four interconnected, thatch-roofed buildings designed after traditional low-impact native architecture. All buildings and interconnecting passageways are raised on four-foot stilts built from palm trunks. The main building is a 33 foot by 100 foot platform divided into 13 double rooms. Each bedroom is furnished with two beds draped in mosquito nets, a chair, a night table with a kerosene windlamp, and a table for luggage and clothing. Each room does not have a wall on the side that looks into the forest: it is also designed to have an optional, permanent, unobstacled view of the forest surrounding the clearing in order to maximize wildlife observation time. To the left of the main building a 20 foot-long, roofed passageway connects to the bathrooms containing flush toilets and shower stalls. To the right of the main building a 15 foot-long, roofed passageway connects to the dining room and meeting room which in turn is connected to the kitchen.

The small scale of its infrastructure and operations and the presence of researchers and naturalist guides, Tambopata Research Center is an excellent headquarters for in depth explorations of Amazonian nature and wildlife. Highlights include:

• Designed using traditional, low impact native architecture to provide the creature comforts necessary for enhancing the wilderness experience without compromising its authenticity.
• Unobstacled view of forest ten meters from lodge perimeter maximizes wildlife encounter possibilities.
• Daily departures with no minimum number of passengers assure utmost flexibility at great value.
• Buffet meals combine international, Peruvian and local cuisine. Vegetarians are welcome.
• Guides are young, English-speaking Peruvian biologists. Additionally, the presence of professional researchers at different times of the year may present ample opportunity to interact with them.
• An experienced, well-trained staff hired at a 2.5:1 tourist to staff ratio assures excellent service throughout your stay. Walks on trails are kept at a 6:1 tourist to guide ratio, increasing wildlife encounter opportunities.
• Natural history attractions include world’s largest known macaw clay lick, over twenty five identified macaw nesting sites, primates and other larger mammals, and a high bird diversity concentrated in seven distinct habitats that are easily accessible from TRC.

Access
Fly from Lima or Cusco on a daily scheduled commercial flight to Puerto Maldonado and travel by boat for two hours up the Tambopata River to Posada Amazonas. The following day, continue another four to five hours upriver to the Tambopata Research Center. The lodge is located less than a 10-minutes walk from the river.

Why Tambopata Research Center?

Observing the rainforest animals. (Tambopata Research Center, Peru)

If you are interested in a Tambopata Research Center, please read the following words from one of the Tambopata Research Center’s leading guides:

You have expressed interest in traveling to Manú. Manú is one of the premier wildlife observation destinations in Amazonia. Before you decide to travel to Manú, we would like to make it clear that access is unpredictable and expensive... and will generally appeal only to more adventurous tourists. For this reason, we have opened other destinations that will provide alternatives to allow more predictable, less expensive access to less visited, and surprisingly, virtually unknown rain forest areas, without sacrificing the quality of the wildlife observation experience.

Travel to Manú usually involves an expensive half-an-hour, chartered, twin-engine plane ride. The trip is very weather-dependent, as the departure of small aircraft from the Cusco airport is much more susceptible to rain than the departure of commercial flights that do not travel to the Manú airport.

The Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone, on the other hand, is arguably the most pristine tropical rain forest area in the world that is close to an international airport. Travel to Tambopata Research Center can be done on any of the daily commercial flights to Puerto Maldonado, where we board a boat for the seven-hour boat ride up the Tambopata River to the Tambopata Research Center in the navel of the completely uninhabited, untouchable, core section of the 1.5 million-hectare Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone.

Other than the difference in access, there are few noticeable differences in the quality of the wildlife observation experience between Tambopata and Manú, with the notable presence of South America's largest known macaw clay lick, less than 500 meters away from Tambopata Research Center. Hundreds of parrots and macaws, including the blue-and-yellow macaw, which is not known to descend to eat clay elsewhere, congregate to eat clay and socialize on most clear mornings of the year. Furthermore, Tambopata is the birthplace and current headquarters of the macaw rescue and reintroduction project, which was featured in the January 1994 issue of National Geographic magazine. Before deciding on your travel destination and tour operator, we suggest you thoroughly read this article, which speaks of the macaw project of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone.

Best regards,
Gissella Lozada
Tambopata Research Center

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