Introduction: Tambopata National Reserve
The Tambopata National Reserve (TNR) is part of a 3.7 million acre reserve in
southeastern Amazonian Peru created in 1990 by the national government working in
partnership with local grassroots and international conservation organizations.
This
reserve protects the biological diversity of the entire watersheds of the Tavara and the
Candamo Rivers and most of the watershed of the Tambopata River.The declaration and the
design of the reserve includes an underlying philosophy of sustainable development and
conservation of forest resources. The TRN protects habitats ranging from the Andean
highlands around the rivers' headwaters through some of the last remaining intact cloud
forests to the lowland rainforests of the Amazon basin. Over 1,300 bird species (including
32 parrot species - 10% of the world’s total), 200 mammal species, 90 frog species,
1,200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of higher plants are protected within this
reserve. The world's largest known mineral clay lick, where hundreds of parrots and macaws
of up to 15 species congregate daily to ingest the detoxifying clay, is also within the
reserve, less than 500 meters from Tambopata Research Center.
Adjacent the northwestern corner of the reserve is the Ese’eja Native Community, adding its 10,000 hectares of communally-owned and managed tropical rain forests to the Reserved Zone’s. Within this territory is Posada Amazonas, a community-owned lodge and tourism operation which is an excellent base from which to explore the endangered wildlife species within (including giant river otters).
To
help place the TRN in perspective, forests similar to those contained within this
Connecticut-sized reserve have world record diversities in bird, butterfly, dragonfly,
beetle and fly taxa. A world record 331 species of birds were seen and heard in one day in
southeastern Amazonian Peru by just walking on trails and paddling a canoe. Again, in only
six square miles of these forests scientists have recorded a world record 560 species of
birds, or 200 more species than in similar-sized patches of unhunted forests in the famous
but animal-poor Manaus region of Brazil. You will find that in the uniquely species- rich
belt of forests at the foot of the Andes the lodges of the Tambopata and Manu offer the
only unhunted, well-protected, rich soil sites.
Consequently, our sites offer some of the best probabilities in the world of
viewing jaguars, giant otters, monkeys, peccaries, and flocks of a hundred or more macaws.
In 1993, a team of scientists from a variety of disciplines presented the Peruvian
government a zoning plan for the huge Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone. The plan divided
the reserve into 5 categories of different intensity levels of management. The National
Park category was proposed for a 700,000 hectare portion of completely uninhabited forests
just south of TRC and the macaw clay lick. In July of 1996, the government declared half
of this area as the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. The rest of the reserve was declared a
national park or national reserve in September, 2000. Fortunately, Tambopata Research
Center and the macaw clay lick were included in the area directly across the river from
the National Park and are directly adjacent to it, and Posada Amazonas is well within the
lands owned and managed by the Ese’eja native community. The intangible nature of
National Parks in Peru, and the inalienable rights of Native Communities to their lands,
assures that some of the last remaining wild populations of large, spectacular Amazonian
wildlife will be safeguarded, guaranteeing the quality of our operations.
POSADA AMAZONAS
Posada Amazonas is a comfortable yet unobtrusive 24 bedroom lodge owned jointly by
Rainforest Expeditions and the Ese’eja Native Community of Tambopata. Thanks to its
accessibility, excellent wildlife observation opportunities, and first-class
accommodations, Posada Amazonas is the ideal short, economic, introductory nature tour to
Amazonia´s richest rain forests. The lodge was built combining traditional native
architecture and materials (wood, palm fronds, wild cane and clay) with modern,
low-impact, eco-lodge technology.
Guides are Ese’eja and
English-speaking Peruvian naturalists: the unsurpassable field lore of the former
complements the technical knowledge and communication skills of the latter. Our lodge
staff not only sets the regional standard for quality service but is also made up of a
majority of Ese’eja community members, providing valuable income from tourism to
their families. Canopy tower provides easy access to one of the world’s final
biological frontiers: the rain forest canopy. Natural history attractions include oxbow
lake with giant river otters, parrot and small macaw clay licks and small monkeys.
Opportunities for cultural interaction with the Ese'eja: guided activities include
ethnobotanical walks, visits to small scale farms, and other experiences we are developing
in association with our native partners.
SAMPLE 4-DAY ITINERARY AT POSADA AMAZONAS
DAY 1: PUERTO MALDONADO - POSADA AMAZONAS
Upon arrival from Lima or Cuzco, reception and transfer to our office in Puerto Maldonado.
Puerto Maldonado is situated at the confluence of the mighty Madre de Dios and Tambopata
Rivers and is a bustling, booming tropical frontier town. Its principal activities are
gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism. After a
brief survey of the town we will drive thirty minutes to the Tambopata river port in the
community of Infierno. We will board our boats for a one hour trip by motorized canoe to
Posada Amazonas. Depending on the arrival time of the plane we will have a boxed lunch
aboard the boats or have lunch upon arrival at Posada Amazonas. During our voyage we may
see bird species typical of the river or forest edge such as: Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing,
Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers, swallows
and flycatchers. When we arrive at Posada Amazonas we will unpack and unwind. Posada
Amazonas is a comfortable yet unobtrusive 30 room lodge owned jointly by Rainforest
Expeditions and the Local Community of Infierno. We will receive a short orientation and a
complete briefing on the lodge and the Ecotourism Project before our afternoon activity : 
the canopy tower. In
this activity, we will visit a 35 meter scaffolding tower that is 15 minutes walking from
the lodge. The scaffolding tower is built so that you safely climb using the internal
staircase with verandahs on each side, and rest in platforms present every 2 meters. From
the top you not only get spectacular views of the river and the surrounding forest but
also excellent opportunities to observe birds from the canopy including parrots, toucans
and macaws. A video about the forest of Tambopata will be displayed after dinner. (L, D)
DAY 2: POSADA AMAZONAS
We will be up at dawn for a visit to the Tres Chimbadas oxbow lake. After an early
breakfast we depart, fifteen minutes from Posada Amazonas by boat and a 30 minute walk
take us to the lake shore. From here we take a long, easy canoe ride around it. We will
look for giant river otters, turtles, hoatzin, and wading birds. The giant river otters
that are seen in Tres Chimbadas belong to a resident family of nine. Then we will return
to the lodge for lunch before embarking on our afternoon outing. In the afternoon we will
visit the community's ethnobotanical center. From this little shop, the community has been
registering the uses of medicinal plants from elders and planting, producing and
distributing them for over ten years. We will hike the trails around the center with one
of the residents who will explain to us the everyday uses of forest resources in medicine,
construction, food and fiber. We will return to Posada Amazonas for dinner and overnight.
After enjoying our popular happy hour and refurbishing your spirits with ours, you will be
up for an optional night walk to look for amphibians and insects (B,L,D ).
DAY 3: POSADA AMAZONAS
After
an early breakfast we will visit a clay lick. This clay lick is also a ten minute walk
from the lodge, but next to the river. Amazingly, the variety of parrots that visit this
clay lick is considerably different than the one inside the forest that we will visit
later in the day. Some of the large macaws, like the red and green macaw, and larger
parrots, like mealy and yellow crowned Amazons visit this lick, as well as the smaller
parrots and parakeets. From the blind we have constructed next to this lick, even the
amateur photographer can take good pictures of these wonderful birds. We will also have a
great opportunity to spot other spectacular wildlife, active at this time of the day, like
scarlet or blue and glod macaws and a great deal of other birds. When the activity dies
out we will visit a small parakeet clay lick that is a 45 minute walk away. Dozens and
sometimes hundreds of Blue Headed Parrots, Orange-Cheeked Parrots, Cobalt-winged
parakeets, and sometimes even the rare Rock Parakeet congregate here on clear days to
ingest clay. This congregation creates a riotous and colorful wildlife spectacle where the
greens, oranges, reds and blues of the parrots dance around the bank as each individual
parrot competes for their choice beakful of clay. At times, this spectacle lasts for
hours. After lunch, we will have a walk through a trail on primary forest with a community
member and our naturalist guide who will explain general aspects of rain forest ecology
and natural history, each with their own contrasting viewpoint. We will return to Posada
Amazonas where you will be able to reminisce on the happenning of the past three days
enjoying our happy hour's amazonian concoctions. (B,L,D)
DAY 4: POSADA AMAZONAS-PUERTO MALDONADO
After an early breakfast, we depart by boat back to the city of Puerto Maldonado, directly
to the airport, in time for our flight back to Lima or Cuzco. (B)
TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER 
The Tambopata Research Center is a spartan yet comfortable 13 bedroom lodge built by
with the object of lodging tourists and researchers alike and of protecting the adjacent
macaw clay lick. Because of its remote location in a Connecticut-sized tract of
uninhabited wilderness housing stable populations of endangered wildlife, the small scale
of its infrastructure and operations and the presence of researchers and naturalist
guides, Tambopata Research Center is an excellent headquarters for in depth explorations
of Amazonian nature and wildlife.
Designed using traditional, low impact native architecture to provide the creature
comforts necessary for enhancing the wilderness experience without compromising its
authenticity. Unobstacled view of forest ten meters from lodge perimeter maximizes
wildlife encounter possibilities.
Guides are young, English-speaking
Peruvian biologists. Additionally, the presence of professional researchers at different
times of the year may present ample opportunity to interact with them. An experienced,
well-trained staff hired at a 2.5:1 tourist to staff ratio assures excellent service
throughout your stay. Walks on trails are kept at a 6:1 tourist to guide ratio, increasing
wildlife encounter opportunities. Natural history attractions include world’s largest
known macaw clay lick, over twenty five identified macaw nesting sites, primates and other
larger mammals, and a high bird diversity concentrated in seven distinct habitats that are
easily accessible from TRC.
SAMPLE 6-DAY ITINERARY AT TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER
DAY 1: PUERTO MALDONADO
- POSADA AMAZONAS
Upon arrival from Lima or Cuzco, reception and transfer to our office in Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is situated at the confluence of the mighty Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers and is a bustling, booming tropical frontier town. Its principal activities are gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism. After a brief survey of the town we will drive thirty minutes to the Tambopata river port in the community of Infierno. We will board our boats for a one hour trip by motorized canoe to Posada Amazonas. Depending on the arrival time of the plane we will have a boxed lunch aboard the boats or have lunch upon arrival at Posada Amazonas. During our voyage we may see bird species typical of the river or forest edge such as: Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers. When we arrive at Posada Amazonas we will unpack and unwind. Posada Amazonas is a comfortable yet unobtrusive 30 room lodge owned jointly by Rainforest Expeditions and the Local Community of Infierno. We will receive a short orientation and a complete briefing on the lodge and the Ecotourism Project before our afternoon activity : the canopy tower. In this activity, we will visit a 35 meter scaffolding tower that is 15 minutes walking from the lodge. The scaffolding tower is built so that you safely climb using the internal staircase with verandahs on each side, and rest in platforms present every 2 meters. From the top you not only get spectacular views of the river and the surrounding forest but also excellent opportunities to observe birds from the canopy including parrots, toucans and macaws. A video about the forest of Tambopata will be displayed after dinner. (L, D)
DAY 2: POSADA AMAZONAS-TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER
We will be up at dawn
for a visit to the Tres Chimbadas oxbow lake. After an early breakfast we depart, fifteen
minutes from Posada Amazonas by boat and a 30 minute walk take us to the lake shore. From
here we take a long, easy canoe ride around it. We will look for giant river otters,
turtles, hoatzin, and wading birds. The giant river otters that are seen in Tres Chimbadas
belong to a resident family of nine. As we approach noon, animal activity decreases, and
we will continue travel up the Tambopata River for 4 to 5 hours into the pristine heart of
the reserve. After the first hour we will leave the final traces of human habitation
behind as we cross the northern boundary of the 700,000 hectare, completely uninhabited
nucleus of the Tambopata National Reserve. Differences in wildlife abundance will be noted
immediately: we will begin to sight macaws, herons, kingfishers and cormorants frequently
and improve our chances of encounters with capybaras, caiman, storks, ducks and other
wildlife. Boxed lunch on the boat. We will arrive at Tambopata Research Center in the
early afternoon, being greeted by the Chicos, our flock of semi-wild, rescued macaws. On
arrival, we will hold an orientation session. After this we will hike the 1.5 mile Bamboo
Trail, a trail that is famous for the abundance of rare birds that live exclusively in
this habitat and are endemic to southern Peru. It is also the home of the frequently found
Howler and Dusky titi monkeys. As we birdwatch our way through the trail we will end our
hike at the overlooks which are good places to observe canopy birds like tanagers,
jacamars, elaenias, guans, and oropendolas. We will return to TRC for dinner. After
dinner, to cap off a fulfilling day we can have a frog walk through the forest, allowing
the photo lovers to take beautiful macro shoots of american bullfrogs, horned frogs, tree
frogs and an incredible variety of colorful insects. (B,L,D)DAY 3: TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER
At dawn we will cross the river and enjoy the world's largest macaw clay lick
where hundreds of parrots and macaws of up to 15 species congregate daily. The January
1994 issue of National Geographic features an article on Tambopata Research Center and the
Tambopata Macaw Project. It begins with a description of the daily spectacle at the clay
lick: " When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in southeastern Peru and
strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most
dazzling wildlife gatherings is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a
pulsing, 130-foot-high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand
parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious
part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay lick throughout
the day, but this midmorning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the
macaws."
You can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family:
Red-and-green, Blue-and-gold, Scarlet, Red-bellied, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-headed
Macaws; Mealy and Yellow-crowned Amazons; Blue-headed, Orange-cheeked and White-bellied
Parrots; Dusky-headed, White-eyed, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeets and Dusky-billed
Parrotlets. This show will continue until the macaws sense danger, usually in the form of
an eagle, and depart simultaneously in an explosion of sound and color. Around
mid-morning, when the most intense clay lick activity is over for the day, we will return
to TRC for breakfast. After breakfast we will hike the 1.5 mile Ocelot Trail, a trail
which exemplifies the quintessential rainforest . Although at this time of day mammals and
birds are not as active as in the early morning, we will concentrate on the forest itself
and discuss general rain forest ecology. This forest, which is estimated to be 200 to 300
years old and includes truly huge Ceiba trees and Strangler figs is home to several
mammals that are occsaionally encountered: Saddleback tamarins, Squirrel and Brown
Capuchin Monkeys and Collared peccary. This trail is the one which most often sports
ocelot, puma and jaguar tracks, although any one of these three large cats is extremely
difficult to spot. We will return to TRC for lunch and then embark on a 2 mile hike to the
palm swamp, a nesting colony and preferred roost for Blue and Gold and Red-bellied Macaws.
Although there are different degrees of macaw activity at the swamp year round, the most
exciting time to visit it is from October to March, during the nesting season, when macaws
will land on the nests and stand there for several minutes, interacting with other
individuals at less then 20 feet from our observation tower. The scenes at the swamp,
especially with late afternoon sun in our backs, make prized photo opportunities. After a
lazy afternoon with the macaws we will hike back to the lodge for dinner. (B,L,D)DAY 4: TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER
After our second visit to the macaw clay lick at dawn we will have breakfast. Then we will embark on a hike of the Toucan Trail that visits terra firme forests. We will visit beautiful pristine creeks that wind their way through forested hills, in some cases following dry stream beds. The community of birds and other wildlife that lives in the hilly terra firme, is very different from that of the bamboo or mature floodplain. After a long, easy hike, we will return to the lodge for lunch. After lunch we will take a short five minute boat ride to a small, drying oxbow lake where we will spend the afternoon on a platform in the middle of the pond observing some of its birdlife, which may include hoatzin, duck, ibis, woodpeckers, chachalaca, parakeets, oropendolas and numerous flycatcher species. We will return to TRC for dinner and an optional second night outing. (B,L,D.)
DAY 5: TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER - POSADA AMAZONAS
We will wake up at dawn once again to visit the macaw clay lick and then return for breakfast. After breakfast we will take a short hike to our favorite activitiy before packing and saying goodbye to the staff. We will embark to Posada Amazonas, arriving at mid-afternoon. We will spend our last night in the rain forest in this wonderfully designed lodge enjoying its happy hour as we ponder over the exciting happenings of the past few days. (B,L,D.)
DAY 6: POSADA AMAZONAS-PUERTO MALDONADO
After an early breakfast we will return to Puerto Maldonado for our flight back to Lima. (B)
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
Daily departures by boat from Puerto Maldonado to Posada Amazonas and Posada Amazonas to
Tambopata Research Center, with no minimum number of passengers, assure utmost flexibility
at great value. Programs can be centered at the Posada Amazonas alone or can combine
Posada Amazonas with 1-4 nights at the Tambopata Research Center.
Rates
2006
| Rates are Per Person | |||||
| Program | Double | Single Supplement | Description | ||
| 3D/2N | $205 | $70 | 2N at PA | ||
| 4D/3N | $295 | $105 | 3N at PA | ||
| 5D/4N | $385 | $140 | 4N at PA | ||
| 5D/4N | $705 | $180 | 2N at PA + 2N at TRC | ||
| 6D/5N | $795 | $235 | 2N at PA + 3N at TRC | ||
| 7D/6N | $885 | $290 | 2N at PA + 4N at TRC | ||
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(Subject to change)
