The Amazing Amazon - Sandoval Lake Lodge (4 days)
4 days duration
The Amazon Basin extends from Guyana and Venezuela in the north to Bolivia in the south and from the Atlantic in the east to the Andes of Peru in the west. It enters no less than nine countries but occupies more area in Brazil than all the other eight countries combined.
The Amazon River at the heart of this catchment has more fresh water in it than any other river on earth. Other major rivers to be found in the basin are the Rio Negro, originating in Venezuela, the Rio Napa with its source in Ecuador and the Madre de Dios of Peru. These four rivers, with their various tributaries, drain the extensive rainforests of the Amazon Basin
Rainforest originally covered the entire Amazon Basin but due to logging the total area remaining is much reduced and shrinking by the day. The undisturbed parts of the forest are still home to many wild animals including Jaguar, Sloth, Tapir and many species of monkeys. There is also an abundance of bird, butterfly and plant species to be found here. Having said this you need to be aware that finding birds and animals in the forest is very difficult: when you visit, it will not be like what you have seen in the wildlife documentaries. The likelihood of seeing more than a few species of monkeys and birds is unlikely.
Many visitors to the Amazon Basin come away disappointed in that they were expecting to see more wildlife. If you go there expecting what you have seen in TV documentaries you too will be disappointed. It is not a question of the wildlife not being there, it is just very, very difficult to see.
The various points from which you can access the Amazon Basin all offer a very unique experience and a visit is well worth the time and effort because of the sheer magnificence of the rivers and the forests. Puerto Maldonado is the easiest part of the Amazon to access from Cuzco and Machu Picchu, being only a 35 minute flight from Cuzco.
Sandoval Lake Lodge is easily accessed from the city of Puerto Maldonado via a short motorised boat transfer. Constructed almost entirely of ecologically-harvested "driftwood" mahogany trees collected from the floods that naturally carry logs down river out of the Manu National Park. The lodge is one extended structure consisting of a large screened main dining / lounge room with 25 fully-screened double-occupancy rooms arranged in two wings. All rooms and communal areas have electricity, as well as kerosene lamps and candles.
| Day 1 |
Lima / Puerto Maldonado / Amazon Jungle |
Early this morning you board your flight from Lima Airport via Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado. On arrival you are met and taken to the river dock. A 25-minute journey down the Madre de Dios River by motor canoe brings you to the start of the trail to the lodge. This trail takes you past a flooded forest of 30 metre high Mauritia Palms. After lunch and a customary siesta, you board the catamaran and set off to explore the Sandoval Lake. Here, in the flooded forest it's possible to drift beneath babbling red-bellied Macaws as they return for the night. After dinner you may wish to return to the catamaran to look for the large black Caiman found here. (LD)
Depending on the time of year you will be offered a variety of activites which may include a possible encounter with the lake's giant otters or spotting some prehistoric-looking Hoatzins. These odd, leaf-eating birds are the size of chickens and sport bare blue faces, red eyes and punk rock crests!
You can also explore the eastern part of Sandoval Lake where you may see scores of the various species of monkeys that live here. In these inland black-water lakes and swamps there is usually excellent bird watching and you may also see the giant Queen Victoria waters lilies up close. (BLD)
| Day 4 |
Amazon Jungle / Puerto Maldonado / Depart Lima or Cuzco |
Early this morning you are taken to the airport for your flight to Lima, via Cuzco. On arrival in Lima your tours comes to an end. It is also possible to end in Cuzco. (B)
Inca Tours does not own any of the hotels, lodges or service providers utilised in making up the tours. As a result Inca Tours is only acting as an agent for the operators and as such does not accept responsibility for any negligence, omissions, errors or differences in standard experienced by passengers when utilising the operators' products or services. Please Note: for full booking terms and conditions please see the back of our booking form.
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