Sandoval Lake in Puerto Maldonado Peru

Journey to the Gorgeous Sandoval Lake

In Puerto Maldonado, near the Peruvian Amazonas, there is a lake surrounded by peaceful nature which is home to a huge amount of wildlife diversity. There, at the Sandoval Lake, you will come across a great number of things to do and see. From the birds, which you will pleasantly hear throughout the day, to the monkeys you might spot climbing the trees, you’ll have a chance to experience a delightful taste of the Peruvian wildlife.

The location of this tour is excellent! Not only will you get to canoe on the stunning lake and enjoy the magnificent nature that surrounds it, you will also get to relax and put your feet up at a lodge right next to the lake. There will be a hot meal waiting for us once we return from our adventures. If you want a real vacation in connection with wildlife, where you can enjoy nature, then this tour is for you!

Minimum number of participants: 3

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: PUERTO MALDONADO – SANDOVAL LAKE

After arriving in Puerto Maldonado (keep in mind that the flight ticket is not included), the transfer from the airport to the local port on the Madre de Dios river will be provided. We will be served breakfast by a local family at their home before setting off. We will then cruise down the river by boat for about 25 minutes and have a pleasant 1-1.5-hour trek through the forest, to a small canal which connects to the Sandoval Lake. A small canoe will take us along this canal for about 15 minutes, during which you will drift through a flooded forest, surrounded by 100 ft (30 m) tall Mauritia palms.

Once we reach the end of the canal, we will be entering onto the Sandoval lake, canoeing for another 15 minutes until we reach the lodge. Once there, we will enjoy a delicious dinner around 6:00 / 7:00 pm. We will then go for a short night walk to see what roams in the forest at night. We might, hopefully, encounter a variety of animals including tarantulas!

Max Altitude: 590 ft (180 m) above sea level Overnight stay at the Sandoval Lake Lodge
Day 2: SANDOVAL LAKE

This day will start bright and early, at 5:00 am, when the exploration of the Sandoval Lake and everything it has to offer begins. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! Around the lake we can spot a variety of beautiful birds and listen to the wonderful sounds they make. If we are lucky, we might even get to see some monkeys climbing around! After about 2 hours sightseeing around the lake, we will head back to the lodge to enjoy a nice breakfast. We will then have a bit of free time to relax.

After the break, we will go for a 2-2.5 hours hike. Trekking among huge trees will give us more chances to see some local bird species as well as learn about the medicinal plants gathered in the area, and about what the local environment has to offer.

After our trek, we will head back to the lodge and have about 1.5 hours of free time. Then, at around 4:30 pm, we will head back to the lake and step on a boat in search of Rio Giant Otters, Black Caimans, Turtles, Herons, Cormorants, Kingfisher, and even the for prehistoric bird called the Shansho (Hoatzin).

Max altitude: 460 ft (140 m) above sea level Overnight stay at the Sandoval Lake Lodge
Day 3:SANDOVAL LAKE - PALPA COLLPA - PUERTO MALDONADO

On day 3, we will have breakfast early in the morning, at 4:30 am. After enjoying our meal, we will explore the surroundings of the lake where a large number of palm trees, growing in the water, can be found. With so many trees in the water, a swamp area called Palpa Collpa, was created which now welcomes many different animals. Among these are several species of macaws and other parrots coming to enjoy the fruits of the palm trees, called Wuallo. Wuallo is a great source of sodium, calcium, potassium, and other minerals which help with bird’s digestion system.

From Palpa Collpa, we shall head back by canoe to the canal that brought us to the Sandoval Lake. From there, we can expect to hike for about 1-1.5 hours until we reach a checkpoint. This is where we will be stepping onto a boat to travel down the Madre de Dios river, returning to Puerto Maldonado, which will take us approx. 40 minutes. Once in town, we will share lunch with a local family at their home before being transferred back to the airport.

Max altitude: 590 ft (180 m) above sea level

Your “Sandoval Lake in Puerto Maldonado” tour will end this day in Puerto Maldonado. If you would like to stay in Peru longer and explore more, feel free to contact us. We are happy to modify our tours so that they meet your tastes and expectations.