Day 1    Puerto Maldonado - Lake Sandoval - Maloka Lodge
We will welcome you at the airport or bus terminal in Puerto Maldonado then stop by our office where you can leave your large luggage. Plan on taking a small backpack for your personal items. Then we'll transfer to the port "Puerto Capitanía" where we'll take a motorboat 35 mins down the Madre de Dios River. On the way, we have the chance to see turtles, birds, lizards, monkeys and caimans. After we pass the Sandoval Lake Reserve checkpoint we'll walk 5 km (1.5 hrs) until we reach Lake Sandoval where we'll paddle a canoe across the lake to our Lodge. After we settle in and have lunch, we'll explore the lake by canoe in search of giant river otters, black caiman, the prehistoric "shansho", herons, cormorants, kingfishers and the famous taricayas which rest on the dry fallen logs in the middle of the lake. We can also identify the Aguaje palm (Maurita flexuosa) among other plant species. In the afternoon we'll return to our lodge for dinner then return to the lake for a night caiman-spotting expedition. Night in the Maloka lodge.

Meals LD

Day 2    Palm Lick - Lake Sandoval - Giant River Otters
Early in the morning we will visit the macaw palm lick, 35 mins walk from the lake. We'll observe their customary ceremony of commotion before they begin feeding. Macaws and multi-colored parrots congregate at the Shebon lining palm (Attalea butyracea) and begin to extract the stem from the palm while making wonderful noises. We can also observe other species of birds from our lookout such as the eagles that try to catch them. After the show we'll go back to the lake to see more wildlife before returning to our lodge for lunch. After a short break we'll return to the lakeshores in search of 5 species of monkey such as the howler, monk and Titi Monkey "tocon" which can be found in the overhanging trees. We can get good views as many don't mind being close to us. In the afternoon we can find the famous Amazonian fish "Pirarucu" near the surface making loud noises with its giant fins. At dusk we can again look for the black caiman as other insects, birds and amphibians welcome the night with different songs. Dinner in our lodge. Night in lodge.

Meals BLD

Day 3    Lake Sandoval - Puerto Maldonado
After breakfast, we'll first take a canoe across Lake Sandoval followed by a nature walk back to the checkpoint where we'll take a motorboat upriver on the Madre de Dios to Puerto Maldonado. We'll pick up our baggage in the office and transfer to the airport or bus terminal.

Meals B