3-Day Puerto Maldonado Lake Sandoval and Macaw Clay Lick tour

• Travel insurance
• Alcoholic and soft drinks
• Personal expenses
• Tips for guides and staff

• Passport (copy)
• Mosquito repellent (high DEET)
• Light, comfortable clothes
• Long sleeves and long pants
• Fleece or jacket for cold mornings
• Rain poncho (especially Jan–Mar, but in the Amazon jungle it can rain at any time, any day)
• Hat and sunglasses
• High-SPF sunscreen
• Flashlight
• Binoculars
• Slippers
• Water bottle (to refill for free at the lodge)
• Snacks or other food (meals are enough, but bring your own snacks if you want extra. Nothing can be bought at the lodge)
• Camera, charger, extra battery
• Small amount of cash

This 3-day jungle tour from Puerto Maldonado is a great choice for budget travelers and backpackers looking for real Amazon wildlife. Stay at Collpas Tambopata Inn, a cozy eco-lodge deep in the rainforest. This tour includes a visit to the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, one of the top places to see colorful macaws, and a full-day tour to the beautiful Sandoval Lake in Tambopata National Reserve.

Our local guides will take you on exciting jungle hikes, kayaking trips, a canopy tower climb, and night walks to spot animals like monkeys, frogs, and maybe even a caiman or snake. It’s a fun, active, and affordable jungle tour, perfect for young travelers and nature lovers.

You’ll explore the best of Tambopata, with guided tours, all meals, entrance fees, and lodging included. The macaw clay lick experience is one of the most impressive wildlife shows in Peru. And with a chance to see monkeys, capybaras, otters, and more, this is a true jungle experience.

3-Day Macaw Clay Lick Chuncho + Sandoval Lake Jungle tour description

Day 1 – Arrival in Puerto Maldonado and jungle experience

Your 3-day Amazon jungle tour begins when we pick you up in Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to Tambopata National Reserve. After a 2-hour drive and a half-hour boat ride, you’ll arrive at Collpas Tambopata Inn. This remote eco-lodge is surrounded by monkeys and birds, located deep in the jungle near the edge of the protected reserve. After a welcome drink and short briefing, you’ll join a guided hike through the primary rainforest to learn about local medicinal plants and search for monkeys and birds. The hike ends with a visit to the 50-meter canopy tower, offering views high above the forest. In the evening, you can join an optional boat ride to spot caimans on the Tambopata River.

Day 2 – Visit the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick and kayaking adventure

This morning starts early with a highlight of your Puerto Maldonado jungle tour: the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick. As the sun rises, dozens of colorful macaws and parrots gather along the riverbank to eat clay — a natural spectacle you’ll watch from a safe distance while enjoying breakfast. After returning to the lodge, you’ll go kayaking on the Tambopata River or a nearby stream, where you may spot capybaras, turtles, or river birds. At night, your guide leads a jungle walk to look for frogs, spiders, and insects — sometimes even a snake or tarantula.

Day 3 – Explore Sandoval Lake and return to Puerto Maldonado

After breakfast at our local hostel, you’ll travel by boat and foot into the heart of Tambopata National Reserve for a full-day visit to Sandoval Lake. This peaceful oxbow lake is a top highlight of the region. After a 3 km hike through the rainforest, you’ll explore the lake by canoe, with good chances of seeing monkeys, exotic birds, and even giant river otters. After lunch by the lakeside, we return to Puerto Maldonado for your airport or bus station transfer.

Please note: If your flight or bus departs early on day 3, we may adjust the itinerary to ensure you don’t miss Sandoval Lake. In that case, we’ll visit the lake on day 1, right after your arrival, as long as you arrive in the morning. You’ll then be dropped off in Puerto Maldonado city before traveling by van and boat to the lodge, arriving in the early evening. This way, you can still enjoy all planned activities with maximum flexibility.

Activities included on this 3-day, 2 nights Puerto Maldonado tour

• Macaw Clay Lick Chuncho visit
• Kayaking on the Tambopata River
• Night walk in the jungle
• Sandoval Lake tour with canoeing
• Canopy tower climb
• Jungle hike with local guide
• Wildlife observation (birds, monkeys, frogs, insects)

What to wear and pack for your Puerto Maldonado jungle tour

The Amazon is warm and humid, but mornings can be cold, especially during boat rides to the lodge and the Macaw Clay Lick Chuncho. You’ll also feel the chill early in the morning when returning to Puerto Maldonado. Please pack a light jacket or fleece.

On the other hand, the heat and sun can be strong during the day. Sandoval Lake has no shade, and it can feel very hot. We recommend sun-protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and strong sunscreen. Also bring long sleeves and pants, quick-dry clothing, a rain poncho (especially between January and March), and mosquito repellent. Good shoes and a refillable water bottle are essential.

Why this 3-Day Macaw Clay Lick and Sandoval Lake tour is special

• You’ll visit two of the top places in the Tambopata National Reserve: the colorful Macaw Clay Lick Chuncho and the beautiful Sandoval Lake.
• You’ll stay at Collpas Tambopata Inn, a peaceful jungle lodge surrounded by nature, perfect for spotting monkeys and birds.
• This Puerto Maldonado jungle tour includes real adventures like hiking, kayaking, night walks, and more.
• You’ll be guided by friendly, local experts with years of experience.
• This is real jungle, not a zoo. We know where to go to find wildlife, but animals are always free in nature.

Good to know about our wildlife tours in Tambopata

Wild animal sightings in the Amazon are never guaranteed. You are entering a real, wild ecosystem. What you see depends on many things like the time of day, season, and weather. Our experienced guides will take you to the best places, like the Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick and Sandoval Lake, but nature is always a bit unpredictable.

Because of this, the itinerary may change. Heavy rain or river levels can affect boat travel or trail access. We’ll always do our best to follow the plan and make sure you have a safe and exciting experience.

During high season, we may have 2 groups (max. 12 persons) traveling together with 2 guides. One guide takes care of a maximum of 12 people. If there are more, a second guide will join. The two groups may share the same transport.

Animals around the lodge

At Collpas Tambopata Inn, you are in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It’s common to hear animals at night or spot monkeys near your room. Insects can sometimes enter your room, this is part of the real jungle experience.

Please do not leave food or sweets out in your room or outside. It will attract animals and insects. Store your snacks in sealed bags. Also, always shake your shoes before wearing them. Put them upside down when you store them, just in case.

More information about the Macaw Clay Lick and Lake Sandoval

Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick is one of the largest in the world. Every morning, dozens of scarlet, blue-and-gold, and green-winged macaws gather here to eat clay, which helps them digest their food. It’s loud, colorful, and unforgettable.

Sandoval Lake is a peaceful oxbow lake inside Tambopata National Reserve, home to river otters, monkeys, black caimans, and hundreds of bird species. You’ll paddle quietly across the lake, listening to the sounds of the jungle around you. It’s a true highlight of any Amazon visit.

The lodge, Collpas Tambopata Inn, is far from the city and deep in nature. With its friendly team, good food, and simple comfort, it’s a great place to relax between adventures. You’ll hear birds and monkeys from your room.