Peru: Amazon Jungle Short Break

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Please ensure you arrive in Puerto Maldonado no later than 1 pm. A lodge representative will welcome you at the airport. You will then head to the Amazon lodge's office in town (a maximum of 15 minutes by van) to pack the necessary gear for the next few days. Here you can leave most of your luggage in safe storage and continue travelling with a small pack with just the necessary items for your next two nights in the jungle. Then you'll take a motorised canoe upriver (approximately 30 minutes) to your jungle lodge in the Madre de Dios area. Once you arrive, there will be time to unpack and unwind. (L/D)

Start your day with a boat ride (approximately 30 minutes) followed by a short walk (between 25 and 45 minutes). You’ll arrive at an oxbow lake in the middle of the rainforest – the habitat of a family of giant otters. Along the way you’ll see a variety of jungle fauna – perhaps hoatzins, monkeys, macaws, black caimans, flying parrots, and, if you are lucky, a family of endangered giant river otters (pteronoura brasilienses). In the late morning you will head to the parrot clay lick where birds come here to feed on the salt in the clay. The macaws begin by ceremoniously circling the cliff area. Usually the feeding frenzy lasts 20 to 25 minutes. The salt from the clay is thought to detoxify the birds’ fruit diet. After lunch back at the lodge, you’ll head back out to the jungle to take a short walk and learn about the medicinal properties and practical uses of the plants. Return to the lodge once again to freshen up, then enjoy some dinner. After dinner there will be an optional night walk through the jungle. (B/L/D)

Visit a mammal feeding area in the morning. The mammals are known to feed at any time of the day or night, and they’re more timid than birds, with less regular routine. As a result, mammals are more difficult to see. This feeding area is visited by white-lipped peccaries, collar peccaries, deer, agouti, squirrels and tapir – see how many of these you can spot. For lunch you will head back to the lodge. In the afternoon, it’s time to visit a Brazil nut farm. Here you’ll be treated to a fascinating demonstration of the entire process of their production, from harvesting to completion. Enjoy a final dinner back at the lodge tonight. (B/L/D)

Depart the lodge this morning after an early breakfast. You will be taken from the port to the airport, at which point your trip comes to an end. Departure flights for today should be booked for after 11:30 am. (B)