amazonian biodiversity drive

Transfer from the airport to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival from Lima or Cusco, we will welcome you at the airport and drive you ten minutes to the lodge’s Puerto Maldonado base. We will ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days and leave the rest of your luggage at the warehouse. Light duffels are provided if you don’t want to take your bulkier luggage with you. This helps us keep the boats and cargo light for your two overnight stays. We board a motorized boat for a two-and-a-half-hour boat ride from the Tambopata Port to the lodge, travelling upriver into the rainforest. Upon arrival, we will check in and take a short rest. In the late afternoon, we will go for a rainforest walk, enjoying the pristine natural scenery, and explore the forest canopy. Once darkness falls, we will look for elusive nocturnal creatures, like the impressive bird-eating tarantula, which can grow to be as big as your hand! Dinner will be served at the lodge.

Early departure at 4am. We’ll travel two hours upstream on the Tambopata River, where we will engage in some unique bird watching. It is important to arrive early so we don’t miss them! We’ll visit one of the natural wonders of the world, the spectacular Chuncho Clay-Lick, the largest in the world. Here, three major species of macaws and many varieties of parrots congregate to eat clay, a unique behavior that has only been observed in the Amazon. We will enjoy breakfast on the boat. During the journey to the clay-lick, we may also get the chance to see capybaras, caimans, and, if we are particularly lucky, a jaguar or tapir, two of the most exotic terrestrial mammals of the Amazon. We’ll stay in the clay lick area until we get to see the macaws. Return to the lodge for lunch. There are two lakes, known as oxbow lakes, or “cochas” in the vicinity of the lodge. We will visit either Condenado 2 or Sachavacayoc, depending on the weather and time of day. The lakes are rich in wildlife such as monkeys, caimans, and the prehistoric-looking hoatzin. We can observe macaws flying home to roost, and, if we are lucky, a family of giant otters. Floating on the lake until dusk is a magical experience. We’ll return to the lodge, looking for caimans and other wildlife on the riverbanks. Dinner at the Lodge.

Breakfast at the lodge and departure by boat to Puerto Maldonado, a two-hour boat ride downriver. We’ll take the Interoceanic Highway heading west, first driving past lowland rainforest until reaching Mazuko, the last settlement below the foothills of the Andes. As we climb slowly uphill, we will cross the Iñambari River and drive along the Araza River. Five kilometers beyond Quincemil, we will arrive at Kuporo, our lodge for the night. In the afternoon, we will have a chance to explore the property, hiking along an interpretative trail and observing the life of the cloud forest. This rainforest is different from the lowland alluvial ecosystem we visited during the first part of the trip. Dinner and overnight in one of the cabins, falling asleep to the sounds of the cloud forest and the rapids of the Araza River, which runs close by the lodge.

Leaving the cloud forest, we will slowly wind our way up into the Andes. The forested hillsides slowly thin out, as we enter the inter-Andean valley, full of brushy vegetation, reaching the tree line at about 3,700 meters above sea level. Here the terrain shifts into extensive grassland savannahs, with snow-capped peaks standing tall in the distance. Crossing our highest point at Pirhuayani Pass at 4,725 meters, the vast expanse of the Cordillera Vilcanota with its main mountain range looms into view directly in front of us. Passing the villages of Ocongate, Cattca, and others, we drop down into the Vilcanota Valley, south of Cusco. Passing Urcos, we head towards Cusco, our final destination. This road is considered the most scenic road in Peru, as it passes through areas of abundant vegetation and geological formations amidst splendid landscapes and amazing views. Depending on time and weather, we will make several stops along the way. We will complete our road trip in Cusco, the imperial city of the Incas, where you will meet your ongoing travel.