Transfer from Puerto Maldonado airport to the river port on the Madre de Dios River.
A 30 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios River by motor canoe brings you to the riverside trailhead to Sandoval Lake Lodge. From here the trail takes you on a 3km/2 mile walk through secondary forest, until we reach a small canal where we board canoes and are paddled 200m through a flooded forest of 30m tall Mauritia palms.
As the canal opens onto the shimmering surface of the lake, we transfer to a catamaran and are leisurely paddled across half the lake to the lodge.
After lunch and a brief rest to avoid the early afternoon heat, we will learn about the history of the lodge and the philosophy of its founders.
Then we once again board the catamaran 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. This macaw species is found locally in parts of the Amazon, always living in flooded palm forests such as the beautiful palm stand at Sandoval Lake. At 500-800 birds, this flock of macaws at Sandoval Lake is currently the largest reported in the world for this highly-specialized macaw.
As night falls we will 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 to marvel at the brilliance of the sky and listen to the sounds of the forest.
We return to the lodge for a short video or slide presentation and dinner. At any point, you could step out from the bar to admire the wide variety of nocturnal moths, beetles and praying mantis attracted to our black light in the lodge clearing.
For those with lots of energy, our guide will take us on a short night-walk into the forest behind the lodge.
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 who frequent the lake and are most active at this time of day.
Sandoval Lake offers abundant wildlife including over 40 species of birds resident to its lake margins, 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, of the prehistoric- looking Hoatzins, These are easy to observe and also photograph from the paddled canoes or catamarans.
After returning for a late breakfast we set off into the cool under story 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 catamaran to explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might see one or more of the six species of monkeys who live in the forest near the lake, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey and Squirrel Monkey.
Before dinner we will again enjoy an informative natural history video or slide presentation.
We will leave after dinner to try and spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night walk through the primary forest.
After an early breakfast we leave near dawn and we take a final, shorter paddle around the west end of the lake to try and glimpse the Giant Otters before returning by motor canoe for the 35 minutes return trip to the Puerto Maldonado Airport, taking advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. From here you fly to Cusco or Lima, where your jungle adventure ends.
Please note: The program may vary slightly so as to maximise your wildlife sightings, depending on the reports of our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the lodge.
The whole complex is housed in one structure and includes 25 double occupancy rooms with private bathrooms, hot showers, fans and mosquito nets.
Sandoval Lake Lodge is built out of ecologically-correct driftwood mahogany and is owned jointly by a nonprofit conservation group and five families of indigenous Brazil nut collectors.
There is a spacious dining room overlooking the lake, and there is electricity at certain times of the day so you can charge cameras etc.
These trips are designed to be open to people of all ages and abilities.
You need to be able to step into and out of a boat and the fitter you are the more you will enjoy the trip.
You need to be able to walk 3km/2 miles to get from the river to the lakeside lodge.
Walks are short in length but you may be on your feet for 2-3 hours as you stop to look at wildlife. There are shorter walks for those who don’t want to walk so far – your guide will talk to you about preferred activity levels.
There are also rides in boats/canoes/floating catamarans that can last up to 1.5 hours, depending on the tour.
Almost all dietary requirements can be catered for – please ask in advance.
The lodge’s dedicated kitchen staff serve up a mix of local dishes and international plates using food from the rainforest wherever possible.
This means a delight for the tastebuds as there are so many tasty treats growing around the lodge.
Breakfasts are usually early and there are fruit juices made from local plants – some of which you may have never heard of – along with teas and locally-grown coffee. There are usually cakes, jams and a choice of eggs, toasts and cereals.
Lunch and dinner are usually three courses – a soup to start followed by a hearty main and then pudding.
Fish, chicken and beef all feature, and there is always a vegetarian option, too (almost all dietary requirements can be catered for). Side dishes include yams and potatoes and rice, plus more rainforest delicacies.
Pudding is often fruit or a cake made in the local style.
Local native guides come from the community and/or the area surrounding the lodge. Some specialist guides do come from other parts of Peru.
They speak English and will bring the rainforest and lake alive for you. Each has a speciality/interest as well as a broad overview of the forest.
The lodge itself is staffed by members from the local communities.
A rich and inspiring Peruvian adventure blending family fun, cultural exchange, and meaningful community connections.
A perfectly organized five-week adventure through Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, blending remote trekking, rich culture, and unforgettable encounters.
Perched above Sandoval Lake, this eco-lodge tour takes place in one of the jungle’s most attraction locations.
Sandoval is located a mere 30-minutes motor canoe ride down river, yet offers an abundance of wildlife among a beautiful and secluded setting.
Sandoval Lake Lodge is ideal for people who are short on time yet wish to explore the Amazon.
From: $690 per person
Duration
4 days
Peru is made up of 3 distinct geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.
The costa or coastal region is a narrow ribbon of desert 2,250 km long, crossed by fertile river valleys flowing from the Andes. It takes up 11% of the country and holds more than 40% of the population.
The cold Humboldt current gives rise to a blanket of mist – the garua – which hangs above coastal cities like the capital Lima from May to November.
Heading east, you’re soon climbing above the garua and into the Andes. The sierra, or mountainous region, covers some 25% of Peru’s territory and contains 50% of the population. The sierra inhabitants are mainly Indigenous or Mestizo, and many still speak Quechua or Aymara.
The sierra contains dozens of 6,000-metre snow peaks and volcanoes, including Huascaran (6,768m) the highest mountain in the tropics. The deep valley basins contain most of the towns and arable land; the terracing and canal systems of the Incas and pre-Incas are often still used today.
The eastern Andes are heavily forested up to 3,350m and sweep down into the Amazon Basin.
Peru’s selva or jungle makes up almost two thirds of the country’s area, but holds only about 6% of the population: the only towns with significant populations are Iquitos and Pucallpa.
Peru is the perfect holiday destination for adventure travellers that want an amazing variety of activity, geography and cultural travel experiences.
The breadth of travel experiences in Peru is breathtaking – from trekking in the Andes to Machu Picchu to the tropical jungle of the Amazon, and plenty in between.
The people of Peru make it a special destination too, with its colourful and traditional street life and friendly locals.
Good kit is vital for every trip.
Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high-performance outdoor gear.
You can also read our blog about a day in the Amazon rainforest of Peru.
Please note: Guests should arrive in clothes which they do not mind getting slightly dirty or wet, and should wear footwear that is suitable to walk on a rainforest trail. Sun cream, insect repellent, hat and waterproof clothing should be carried in hand luggage and kept accessible for the journey to the lodge.
You may want to keep your binoculars and camera handy, too.
All bedding, toilet paper etc. is provided at the lodge (or camp, if camping).
Year-round, weather conditions are hot and humid and there is always the risk of rain
There is a ‘dry season’ in Tambopata and Manu between May and October. The average daytime high temperature is between 25°C and 34°C and the average nighttime low is between 16°C and 22°C. Heavy downpours typically occur every few days.
Around 80% of annual average rainfall – approx 2,000 mm in Manu and Tambopata and 1,400 mm in Iquitos – occurs in the wet season Nov-April.
On rare occasions, between May and September, cold fronts from Argentina – ‘friajes’ – can sweep into southwest Amazonia and push temperatures down to 9° C. (Friajes usually last between 1 and 3 days).
A rich and inspiring Peruvian adventure blending family fun, cultural exchange, and meaningful community connections.
A perfectly organized five-week adventure through Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, blending remote trekking, rich culture, and unforgettable encounters.
