Hikers in the Amazon rainforest
3-day adventure

Amazon Experience

Peru
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Code: PRAE3EXT

3 days
Very easy

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Our local team

Our team in Peru has been running since 2012 and is lead by the highly knowledgeable José Quispe. He is passionate about his home country and showing others the amazing historical and natural phenomena that live there. Nothing is ever too much trouble for José and he will always be found with a huge smile on his face. He leads an incredible team, decked out in full Kandoo orange, they are hard to miss on the trail. They will do everything they...
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Kandoo's view

Just the name Amazon conjures up images of ancient tribes, dense untouched forest and incredible wildlife, and whether you visit the Amazon for just two days or much longer you will not leave disappointed. The sheer scale of the Amazon Basin is quite amazing: overall it is twice the size of India and at its widest it is 40km across.

But you must come here looking to enjoy the overall experience of the rainforest, not expecting a David Attenborough like animal sightseeing tour. The incredible images we see with David Attenborough often involve a cameraman spending weeks on end in a small hide and this isn't quite what most of our travellers have in mind.

What you will enjoy is canoeing through the flood plains of the forest, being woken in the jungle by the noise of a thousand birds or the cry of howler monkeys. Wildlife is hard to spot but incredible when you do find it. The tribes that live along the riverbanks are fascinating and once you relax into its beauty you will leave with an indelible memory of one of the world's unique places. We can arrange several trips to the Amazon including this 3-day extension.

Trip highlights

  • Meet the local tribes who call the rainforest home
  • Take a canoe trip through the forest flood plains
  • Hear the incredible cry of Howler Monkeys

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Gallery

Itinerary

  • Day 1

    FLY TO PUERTO MALDONADO

    Fly to Puerto Maldonado where you will be met by your naturalist guide and transferred to a dugout canoe for the 3 hour trip up the Tambopata River to the Tambopata Eco Lodge. On the journey the vegetation changes from colonized deforested areas to virgin rainforest. A box-lunch is provided on board. On arrival you'll have a welcome drink and meet the rest of the staff. In the late afternoon you set off for an introductory walk into the "terra firma" forest behind the lodge, dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx trees. After dinner there will be a night walk to find nocturnal animals, as about 50% of the animals in the rainforest are nocturnal.

    • Accomodation: Lodge
    • Meals included: Lunch / Dinner
  • Day 2

    HIKE TO LAKE CONDENADO

    After an early breakfast you and your guide will board the motorized canoe once again for the short journey to the trail head to begin a morning's exploration by foot and paddle canoe of the lake system of Condenado. This whole area is rich in bird and aquatic life and a family of giant otters lives in the vicinity of the lake. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide), relaxing and bathing in the Gallucunca, a cool clear stream beside the lodge. After dark you will go searching for caiman (alligators) and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River.

    • Accomodation: Lodge
    • Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
  • Day 3

    DEPART FOR PUERTO MALDONADO

    A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of the sunrise over the river. This gives you are last chance to look out for wildlife that are particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently heard, as they stakeout their territories. From the airport at Puerto Maldonado you can fly to your next destination in Peru, or back to Lima for your international connection.

    • Meals included: Breakfast

Trip information

Difficulty

A good level of fitness is recommended but this is not an overly strenuous programme and is achievable by anyone with a Kandoo attitude.  

Food & drink

Your Lodge accommodation is booked on a full board basis. The spacious and airy dinning room provides a buffet of Peruvian and international dishes to cater for all tastes. Breakfasts and dinners will be taken at the Lodge while a picnic lunch is provided for you to take out each day.  

Accommodation

On Arrival, you will be met and taken to the Tambopata Eco Lodge offices in Puerto Maldonado. Accommodation is in comfortable twin or double rooms with private bathrooms. The rooms are best described as "cabins", set amongst extensive tropical gardens with walls formed of screens that keep the insects out but allow a welcome flow of fresh air in. The lodge is extremely remote being 68km from the nearest town and provides the perfect location for excursions into the jungle. 

Luggage

There are storage facilities at our offices in Puerto Maldonado. So any non-essential luggage can be left before setting off for the Eco lodge. This makes travel on the Eco lodge boat more comfortable. You will be supplied with a duffle bag at the offices. If you arrive with your suitcases with what you need to the stay on top of your suitcase or back pack and you can transfer these essentials to the duffel bag provided.

How do I get there?

The quickest, cheapest way to reach Puerto Maldonado is to fly from Cuzco which takes roughly 2hr 15. Most flights are direct, however some will stop at Lima on route. Tickets are usually anywhere between $105-$155 each way.

Alternatively, if you wish to travel more responsibly, then there are other ways to reach Puerto Maldonado. Civa and Grupo Palomino offer direct routes from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, which take 8hr 30 and cost around $15 each way. 

Tips

May be offered to the guides or staff at the lodge, at your own discretion.

Formalities & health

Passport

Unlike many other countries where Kandoo operates, there is no requirement that your passport be valid for 6 months longer than your expected stay. As long as it is valid through your departure date, you are fine.

If you are coming into Peru from Ecuador, get your passport stamped for entry at the local immigration office nearest your border crossing. Most enter this way through Aguas Verdes in the Tumbes region. Make sure you find your way to the immigration office there, as if your passport is not stamped you will have to go back to the Ecuador border if your papers are inspected. You may also have trouble if you do not have a valid exit stamp from the country you left before coming to Peru.

Those entering overland from Columbia generally enter through Leticia. You will need to get your passport stamped in Santa Rosa, on the Columbia/Brazil/Peru border. Please keep in mind that Santa Rosa is rather under-policed, and tourists should avoid isolated places, and travel only in groups.

Lastly, if you are crossing into Peru from Bolivia by road, you will need to visit the immigration office for the Puno region, in Desaguadero.

Visa

British and EU nationals do not need a visa to come to Peru as a tourist. You can get permission to visit upon arrival at the airport, and the duration is usually up to six months. American citizens and nationals do not need a visa either so long as they have a valid US passport, but will generally only get permission to stay as a tourist for 90 days. Still, this is usually plenty of time.

Vaccinations

You must though consult your own GP or medical adviser. Your GP will understand your overall fitness levels and any health issues you may have, and will be able to give you much more specific advice about what vaccinations or other medications you need, and which you should not have. When in doubt, ask your doctor!

That having been said, the following is a list of common vaccinations that are useful to many travellers in Peru and surrounding countries, and some specifics about each.

Hepatitis A and B
Kandoo recommends all travellers to the Andes region are vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B.

Typhoid
Typhoid is also present in the region, and it is a good idea for all travellers to be immunised against it.

Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is a problem in the area, especially in regions like the Amazon, the areas around Cuzco (but not the city itself), Loreto, Madre de Dios, north-eastern Ancash, northern Apurimac, northern and north-eastern Ayacucho, northern and eastern Cajamarca, the far north of Huancavelica, most of Huanuco, the north and east of Junin, the east of La Libertad, most of Pasco eastern Piura and northern Puno, as well as San Martin and Ucayali. Anyone travelling to these areas should be vaccinated against yellow fever, unless given specific medical advice otherwise.

Lambayeque, Tumbes, and certain parts of Cajamarca and Piura are less at risk, and only those who can expect to be bitten by large numbers of mosquitoes specifically need to be vaccinated.

Lastly, you will not need yellow fever vaccination if you will be above 2300 metres of elevation for your whole stay, or if you will only be visiting Cuzco, Lima, Machu Picchu and/or the Inca Trail.

Rabies
Trekkers who will be spending a great deal of time out of doors, who will for some reason be dealing with bats, or who are otherwise at risk of being bitten by animals, should be vaccinated against rabies.

MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
If you have not already had the MMR vaccine and were born after 1956, you should have two doses.

Tetanus-diphtheria
This vaccine should be taken if you have not had the tetanus-diphtheria jab in the last ten years.

Insurance

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses. Most of our treks in Peru do not exceed 4700m with the exception of the Ausangate Trek which will reach 5200m. If you are only doing the Short Inca trail your trek will not exceed 3500m. Please ensure that your insurance policy covers you for trekking at these altitudes.

We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.

Health

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness, called soroche in Peru and also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) or hypobaropathy, is an illness caused by exposure to low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many climbers experience at high altitudes. AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Our routes have been designed to aid your acclimatisation wherever possible, but the following will also help your body adjust:

Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. There is no pressure on you to keep up with other members of your group.

Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day.

Diamox

There has been a lot of research on Diamox that shows is that it has been reasonably well proven to be helpful in avoiding AMS by speeding up the acclimatisation process. In the UK it is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor, but some doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The concern is that by taking Diamox, people believe that they are immune from AMS and can ignore the symptoms. In reality, although Diamox can help prevent the symptoms, should symptoms still develop it means that you are not acclimatising and you have to take notice. Diamox is taken before you start the trek to prevent altitude sickness, not once symptoms have developed.

Malaria

There is no risk of malaria in Cuzco or on our treks due to the altitude. However, there is a risk of malaria in rural areas of Peru below 2,000m. This would include Tambopata National Park, so if you are planning an extension to the Amazon Rainforest, you need to plan anti-malarial medication for this part of your trip. In addition to taking medication, we would recommend you take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved trousers and shirts at dusk and dawn when the mosquitos are active, and by using a DEET based mosquito repellent.

Dehydration

You can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating, and may even suffer from diarrhoea. As a result, you will have to drink much more water than you normally would and you should drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while climbing. Even when you do not feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum ??? preferably more. Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow climbers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic.

Medication

You will be advised by the lodge of what you should and should not do while at the lodge. Insect repellent is advised and malaria prophylaxis too. Yellow fever is uncommon. If you have a vaccination certificate bring it with you. Even though yellow fever is not officially required for travel to Peru, the disease is known to be present in the rainforest. Should you wish to be administered this vaccine then you must receive your vaccine at least 10 days before arrive in the rainforest.

Other information

Water Supply
Water comes from a holding tank behind the Eco lodge and is precious. You can use this for drinking and for brushing your teeth. Water straight from the faucet should only be used for washing and showering.
Bottled water is also available for purchase.
Do not walk in the forest alone, and do not stray from the marked trails.

Equipment & clothing

Clothing to bring

Forest Walks: Light, loose fitting long trouser, long sleeve shirts, wide brimmed hat, walking boots or walking shoes, trainers. Impermeable jacket or rain poncho.
Eco lodge trail excursions: Wellington boots are available in a selection of sizes for use.
Around the Lodge: T-shirts and sandals. It can be cold early morning, so bring a sweatshirt or light coat. Swimwear for bathing.

When on trails we recommend that you cover up fully (long pants and long sleeves), use insect repellent and tuck pants into socks.
Please use footwear at all times walking around the lodge complex.

Equipment to bring

Personal Items: We recommend the following items: Sunblock, flashlight and batteries, water bottle, medical kit, sunglasses, waterproof bags, insect repellent and a daypack.

Photography: To protect your cameras etc. it is a good idea to bring a water casing, as you will be visiting the rainforest and be in and out of boats. Wrap them in plastic bags and only take them out when you are actually going to be using them.

Price

Prices start from £404 / $505 per person

Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!

Contact us

Price includes

  • Return group transfer from Puerto Maldonado to lodge
  • Full board lodge accommodation
  • Hikes and excursions as per itinerary in an open group
  • Entry fee for Tambopata national reserve

Price does not include

  • Airfares and departure taxes 
  • Tips and gratuities to local guides and hotel staff
  • Meals & drinks not specified 
  • Items of a personal nature, such as laundry, wifi, and snacks
  • Additional services at Tambopata lodge (paid locally)