You will arrive at Puerto Maldonado airport around noon from Cusco or Lima. Our transport will pick you up for transfer to the hotel, with time for lunch on your own.

Afternoon Birding: Your guide will meet you at 2:00 PM for an afternoon session birding the outskirts of the city and nearby rice paddies—a perfect way to adapt to the tropical climate. We may spot:

• Raptors: White-tailed Kite, Slender-billed Kite, Southern-crested Caracara.
• Parrots & Macaws: Blue-headed Parrot, Red-bellied Macaw.
• Woodpeckers: Spotted-breasted Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker.
• Tanagers & Others: Masked-crimson Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Red-breasted Blackbird.
• Water Birds: A variety of herons, egrets, and storks are expected.

In the evening, we’ll enjoy local cuisine and rest for the next day’s adventure.

Overnight: Puerto Maldonado.

We start early with a 45-minute drive to the port of Laberinto on the Madre de Dios River.

The River Journey: As we travel 3.5 hours upriver, you will see the gold mining operations on the right bank. Your guide will explain the environmental impact and why protecting the primary rainforest on the left bank is crucial. From the boat, we’ll scan for:

• Cocoi & Capped Heron
• American Wood Stork & Large-billed Tern
• Pied Lapwing & Sand-colored Nighthawk
• Amazon & Ringed Kingfisher
• Great Black Hawk, King Vulture, and Macaws flying overhead.

Arrival & Nightlife: We arrive at Los Amigos for lunch and settle into the lodge. After dinner, we’ll listen for nocturnal calls, including Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, Crested Owl, and Great Potoo.

• Evening: Presentation on Amazon Conservation by the Science Coordinator.

Overnight: Los Amigos.

We have four full days to explore this massive conservation area bordering Brazil. We’ll start at dawn, break for lunch/siesta, and head out again in the late afternoon.

Cocha Lobo (Oxbow Lake): One full day is dedicated to an all-day excursion to Cocha Lobo. We paddle in canoes to spot the impressive Giant Otter. En route through the towering forest, we’ll look for:

• Black-tailed Trogon, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, and Black-fronted Nunbird.
• Mixed flocks of Woodcreepers, Antshrikes, and Antwrens.
• Lakeside Specialists: Hoatzin, Sungrebe, Agami Heron, American Pygmy Kingfisher, and Pale-eyed Blackbird.

Bamboo Specialists: We’ll explore dense bamboo habitats to spot Peruvian Recurvebill, Bamboo Antshrike, Manu Antbird, White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher, and Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant.

Terra Firme & Brazil Nut Trails: In the upland forest (terra firme), we’ll search for Pavonine Quetzal, Pale-winged Trumpeter, White-throated Jacamar, and the range-restricted Black-faced Cotinga.

Pozo Don Pedro (Palm Swamp): This aguajal habitat offers residents like Blue-and-yellow Macaws, Point-tailed Palmcreepers, Sulphury Flycatchers, and large families of Hoatzins.

Gardens & General Trails: We’ll scan mixed flocks for White-winged Shrike-Tanager, Red-billed Pied Tanager, and Broad-billed Motmot. Near the lodge, we look for Paradise Tanager, Green-backed Trogon, and Emperor Tamarins.

Overnight: Los Amigos.

We leave the lodge early by boat for the return trip to Puerto Maldonado.

River & Highway Birding: As we navigate the river and transfer via highway to the airport, we’ll look for any species we may have missed, such as Red-breasted Blackbirds and Southern Lapwings.

Departure: Once we reach Puerto Maldonado, we will ensure you get on your return flight to Cusco or Lima safely.

End of Tour