Current as of: April 3, 2025 - 21:54

Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco) Trip Notes

  • Destination: Peru
  • Programmes: Trip Extensions
  • Activity Level:

    2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate

  • Ages: 16+
  • Trip Code: XPCP
  • Carbon Footprint: 73kg CO2e

Trip Overview

Explore the world’s largest rainforest, while staying deep within a private ecological reserve

Immerse yourself in the Amazon, staying in a luxury lodge deep within an expansive private ecological reserve. Pick and choose your adventures of discovery, following jungle trails, navigating the meandering Madre de Dios River by boat or rising early to experience the croaks and calls of a just-waking rainforest. The chance to stay in one of just 35 wooden cabanas means you’ll be right in the action, while the expert local guides bring the local Amazon flora and fauna to life better than anyone else.

At a Glance

  • 3 Premium nights (Amazon lodge)
  • Travel by boat, on foot, and one internal flight
  • Accompanied by expert local guides
  • Price from £1,329 (per person, shared room and travelling together)
  • Single supplement from £195
  • Sole traveller supplement from £195
  • This extension runs on a shared tour basis with Exodus and non-Exodus guests

 

Highlights

  • Fall asleep to the sound of the jungle, spending three nights in a Premium lodge
  • Explore the dense rainforest and its waterways on foot and by motorised canoe
  • Look out for mammals including giant river otters, wild boar, capybara and a variety of monkeys
  • Spot tropical birds, such as parrots, macaws, hoatzin and kingfishers
  • Learn about the diversity and medicinal properties of the vegetation

Is This Trip for You?

Itinerary and activities: This three-day journey is a suggested itinerary. Activities and excursions can be chosen on an à la carte basis on arrival at the lodge and are subject to change depending on weather conditions at the time of your visit. Activities and transfers to/from the lodge may be shared with other lodge guests.

Walking: There are some walks along jungle trails, which although well marked, can be muddy following rain. The walks are not particularly physically demanding but you should have a reasonable level of fitness.

Climate: The rainforest is generally hot and humid in the daytime and the high humidity can be uncomfortable at times, although nights and early morning and evening can be a little chilly. Mosquitoes are present and are particularly active after it has rained and at dawn and dusk.

Timings: There are some very early morning starts as the wildlife is often most active at dawn and dusk when the temperature is cooler.

Wildlife: Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings and factors such as poor weather can affect the likelihood of seeing wildlife. Many creatures are more elusive during rain and additionally some planned activities may be postponed or altered depending on the weather or river levels for safety reasons. Your guide may assume that you don’t want to go out in the rain but if this is not the case please make this known to your guide to make sure you don’t miss out.

Accommodation: Given the remoteness of the lodges, there is no mains electricity and service at meal times can be quite relaxed. Only the main buildings have power for a few hours a day. Lighting in your room will be by torch and lanterns/candles.

Group

There is no Exodus leader on this extension and no Exodus group as such. You have the services of a driver for any road transfers and a local specialist guide from the rainforest lodge.

The local guide meets you at Puerto Maldonado airport and travels with you to the lodge. The same person is normally your guide throughout your stay in the rainforest, accompanying you on excursions and activities. You are also given the contact details of our local partners in Peru in case of emergency.

Adult min age: 16

Min group size: 1

Itinerary

Land Only

  • Start City: Cuzco hotel
  • End City: Puerto Maldonado Airport

Land Only Itinerary

Day 1
Start Cuzco; fly to Puerto Maldonado; transfer to Amazon lodge by boat
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

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2
Explore the forest, rivers and lakes surrounding the lodge on foot, boat and canoe
Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

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

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3
Second day exploring the Amazon
Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

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

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4
Transfer to Puerto Maldonado Airport where the extension ends

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).

Meals included: Breakfast

Accommodation

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge

Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

Deep within a vast private ecological reserve, this luxury lodge completely immerses you in the rich biodiversity of the Amazon.

You’ll stay in one of the Superior cabins, which come with plush bathrobes, Andean rubber slippers, torches (flashlights), ceiling fans and citronella candles.

The resort is also stocked with excellent amenities. There’s a celebrated restaurant and bar (serving fresh, local ingredients) plus a spa on the banks of the Madre de Dios.

However, it’s the expert Inkaterra guides, who accompany you on the optional excursions, that truly make this resort standout. They know the jungle trails like no-one else, and have a special knack for spotting those hiding creatures that most others would miss.

Food & Drink

All meals are included during your Amazon stay. The food is a mixture of Peruvian and international cuisine.

Please do not drink the tap water or brush your teeth with it – it is not potable.

Weather & Seasonality

While the Amazon Rainforest is generally warm and humid, it can be subject to drops in temperature, especially in June and July. We recommend you take some warm clothing with you to the lodge in case of sudden changes in the weather.

Joining Instructions

A car collects you from your Cuzco hotel in early in the morning and takes you to Cuzco airport to catch a flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, you are met by a guide at the airport, who accompanies you by river to the lodge.

On the last day of the extension, you are transferred to Puerto Maldonado airport where the extension ends – if booking your own flights, you should not book an onward flight from Puerto Maldonado departing before 1pm at the earliest.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: Cuzco hotel
Location end: Puerto Maldonado Airport

What To Take

Essential Equipment

When flying to the Amazon, we recommend you pack a change of clothes suitable for the rainforest (and your essential items) in your hand luggage in case your checked baggage does not arrive with you. In this event, you should contact the lodge representative and the airline desk for assistance, and they will arrange for your luggage to catch up with you.

Before leaving Puerto Maldonado, your guide takes you to the lodge’s office in town, where you will split your luggage and take just what you need in a locally provided duffel bag. The rest of your luggage is stored securely at the office while you are in the jungle.

Please note, you should bring a small bag to carry what you need for the jungle – you should limit your packing to essential items only.

All bedding, mosquito nets (or mesh windows), and towels are provided at the lodge.

We recommend you pack the following for the rainforest:

  • Water bottle
  • Light-coloured long-sleeved cotton shirts or long-sleeved T-shirts for excursions (birds and wildlife are scared of bright colours and can recognize them from a distance)
  • Long lightweight trousers. Jeans not recommended!
  • Short-sleeved T-shirts and shorts for around the lodge
  • Rain gear (a raincoat or poncho is always useful)
  • Warm jumper in case of a sudden cold snap and for early morning boat excursions
  • Walking boots for the excursions (if the trails are muddy, you can use/hire rubber boots from the lodge)
  • Socks (two or three pairs)
  • Sandals for wearing around the lodge
  • Sunscreen, sunhat/cap and sunglasses
  • Insect repellent
  • Swimwear
  • Personal toiletries

Optional Equipment

  • Binoculars
  • Camera

Practical Information

Visa

Peru

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Peru. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Vaccinations and Health

Peru

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies, typhoid, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Additionally, Zika fever, a mosquito‐borne viral disease, is a known risk in Peru. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so you should take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Please check all vaccination recommendations with your doctor or travel clinic.

Amazon: If you are travelling to the Tambopata reserve in the Amazon rainforest, the risk of malaria is slight, but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice. We also strongly recommend that you obtain a yellow fever vaccination. Additionally, dengue fever and chikungunya are known risks in the Amazon region. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

Peru's time zone: America/Lima (UTC -05:00)

Electricity

Peru’s electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), B (three pins: two flat, one round) and C (two round pins) – 220V, 60Hz

Please note, there is limited electricity in the cabins.

Premium Amazon Rainforest Extension (from Cuzco)

Money

Peru's currency: Peruvian nuevo sol (PEN)

ATM Availability

We recommend either taking cash with you to change into soles locally or using ATMs to withdraw money in Peru as you go, so you are not left with excess at the end of your trip. It is a good idea to change a small amount into soles at the counters in the baggage hall upon arrival. Change is often in short supply, so ask for small denomination banknotes and try to break up any large notes at the earliest opportunity.

It is possible to obtain Peruvian sol before you travel but exchange rates can be lower than exchanging money locally in Peru.

Some larger establishments and hotels accept US dollars but the vast majority of places will only accept sol.

There is an ATM and currency exchange desk at Puerto Maldonado airport but it’s easiest if you bring some money from Cuzco.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

There isn’t a huge amount to spend money on in the rainforest as all meals are included, but you should bring a nominal amount with you from Cuzco for buying drinks, tipping and incidentals.

Tipping

If you are happy with the service you have received, you may wish to tip your guide or the lodge staff. If and how much you tip is entirely at your discretion but, as a guideline only, something in the region of US$10-US$15 for your local guide is a welcome gesture.

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony though practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Important Information

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.

Important Information

Your safe participation 

When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call us and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary. 

Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity. 

By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred. 

Seatbelts

All vehicles used by us should be equipped with working seatbelts, except where approved by us based on the vehicle type or journey. Wherever seatbelts are available, we require our customers to use them for their own safety, even where it may not be a legal requirement.

How to Book

  1. Check availability: Go online to check availability, or contact us by phone or email.
  2. Secure your place: You can provisionally hold a place on this trip, usually for between three and seven days.
  3. Complete your booking and payment

When you’re ready to book, go to our website for online bookings, book over the phone or you can complete a booking form (available online or on request by calling us). We accept all major credit and debit cards, or you can pay be cheque.

After booking

You will receive your booking confirmation letter and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements.

Full joining instructions, including local emergency numbers and details of how to reach the start point, will be sent to you approximately two to three weeks prior to departure. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier, please contact our office or your travel agent.

Trip Note validity

These Trip Notes are valid from the “Current as” date on page one. They will occasionally be updated after booking and before departure; if there are any updates that significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary, customers will be written to separately. They will also receive a link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes with their Final Joining Instructions before travelling.

The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. Where differences exist between the Trip Notes and our current brochure or website, the Trip Notes supersede the brochure and website. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary. Occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons – climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.

Licensing

Exodus is fully licensed and bonded as a tour operator. We hold Air Traffic Organisers Licence (ATOL) number 2582, issued and bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We are also bonded to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and we are members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and ABTA – The Travel Association. This means you can book your Exodus holiday with confidence, as all money paid to us for your trip is fully protected.