Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

A transfer takes you to Cuzco Airport for the early morning flight to Puerto Maldonado. Arriving into the ‘Capital of Biodiversity’, you are taken by road to the pier and begin your Amazon adventure with a 45-minute boat ride through the rainforest, hugging the meandering banks of the Madre de Dios River to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica.

Settle into your palm-thatched cabaña after a short briefing; post lunch, retreat to your rustic-luxury cabin for a nap or swing in your hammock before choosing from the wide range of available excursions with your Inkaterra guide.

We recommend walking along the Trail System for an immersive introduction into the biodiversity of the Amazon basin. Walk along towering trees, like the shihuahuaco, as your ears tune into the croaks and calls of the exotic wildlife. There are excellent opportunities for birding and observing an abundance of flora. Keep your camera ready just in case sloths or monkeys appear in the treetops.

In the late afternoon, we highly recommend taking the gentle Twilight River excursion to witness the jungle transform from a diurnal to a nocturnal world. You may spot nightjars, owls, capybaras and caimans lurking on the riverbanks.

An Amazonian-inspired dinner is served in the main dining room from 7pm-10pm, where you can enjoy a complimentary pisco sour cocktail.

Accommodation: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge – Superior Room

The sunlight squeezes through the dense trees as jungle inhabitants awake from their slumber. Optionally join them in the early hours, with buffet breakfast served from 5.30am.

Visit Lake Sandoval this morning, a glassy ox-bow lake inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve, reached via a rainforest trail. Board a dugout wooden canoe to quietly paddle through a stream and glide onto Lake Sandoval, flanked by palms. This serene lake is home to many bird species, the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, anacondas, side-neck turtles, and black caiman. Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.

In the afternoon, we recommend climbing the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway, a sophisticated and safe 344m (1,135ft) network of seven hanging bridges. This is an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from the rooftop and gain a sense of its size. Ascend the first vertiginous tower 38m (124ft) above ground, keeping an eye out for bright toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys and the three-toed sloth. After descending, enjoy a 30-minute Anaconda Walk that follows a 200m (656ft) raised wooden platform over a flooded aguajales swamp. In this lush ecosystem, you may observe various amphibians, birds, mammals, abundant flora and interesting trees.

Back at the lodge, you can opt to enjoy a daily nature presentation in the eco centre or book yourself an indulgent spa treatment. An à la carte dinner is served from 7pm.

Accommodation: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge – Superior Room

Journey 25-minutes by boat to Gamitana Farm and Creek to unearth more rainforest wonders. The Amazon is an almost endless source of exotic fruits and vegetables, many with healing properties that support communities living in the remote jungle. At Gamitana model farm, you see how produce is grown by local farmers and sample seasonal forest fruits. After, follow a dense jungle trail to reach Gamitana Creek. This winding, dark-water creek is home to abundant flora and fauna, with piranhas, caiman, turtles and birds hiding in its murky waters and riverbanks. Return to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.

After, head 35 minutes upriver to Inkaterra’s sister lodge Hacienda Concepcion, built on an old cocoa and rubber plantation. This site formerly functioned as a medical centre, set up by Catholic missionaries in the 1950s, as well as a centre for ecological research. With more than 200 plant species here, you can see why the rainforest is considered the world’s largest pharmacy and learn about their uses and benefits up-close. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxing 30-minute canoe trip to look for turtles, sun grebes, nightjars and herons before returning to your lodge.

Under the cover of darkness, venture out for the Rainforest by Night excursion through Inkaterra’s ecological reserve. Armed with flashlights, duck under tree boughs as your senses heighten to the movements in the undergrowth and nocturnal forest sounds. With your Inkaterra guide, encounter animal activity and spot species that only emerge with the veil of nightfall.

Accommodation: Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge – Superior Room

With a staggering roster of wildlife in and around Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, enjoy your last morning in this natural wonderland as parakeets chatter in the trees and agouti mammals scurry between the cabañas. Check-out is at 10am.

Embark your ready-waiting boat for the 45-minute return trip along the Madre de Dios River until arriving at the airport (departure flight from Puerto Maldonado is NOT included).