There are many group tours or private guides available to share with you some of the wonders of the Amazon during your stay with us in Puerto Maldonado. At Anaconda Lodge you have the freedom to design your own tour, and we have a multitude of information and links with local agencies to assist you with this.
Below we detail some of the main attractions you might choose to include in your tour.

Stunning streams and lovely lakes
The rainforest around Puerto Maldonado has a vast network of rivers that serve as the most important way of transport for people and goods, as well as offer a habitat to many animals. One of the most popular attractions is Lake Sandoval, a beautiful oxbow lake close to the city (about 45 minutes by boat on the river Madre de Dios, plus a 5 km trek inland), that has boats available to tour the lake, an excellent opportunity for wildlife spotting because of the remarkable giant otters that live in its waters, along with the many bird species and monkeys that you will see swinging from branch to branch in the surrounding trees. Other popular lakes to visit are Lake Valencia and Lake Tres Chimbadas.

The native rainforest experience
The rainforest is ancient, and its native people carry many traditions and knowledge of the forest that are thousands of years old. Today native communities in the area continue to exist, although they have taken up many modern customs from interaction with the settlers. However, they have become aware of the importance of preserving their rich traditions, and there are also many NGO’s supporting their development while at the same time conserving traditions and knowledge. The main group of native people in the area are the Ese’Eja people, who live scattered in small communities in the Bahuaja-Sonene/Tambopata Candamo reserve. Many communities welcome visitors, and you could arrange a daytrip to the nearby town of Infierno (literally translates as “hell”), which is the hub of activities of the Ese’Eja people.
In Infierno as well as in other places in and around Puerto Maldonado, there is the possibility to take part in an Ayahuasca ceremony. Ayahuasca is a medicinal drink made out of 2 plants exclusive to the Amazon rainforest, which by means of its hallucinatory effect cures mental as well as physical illnesses. The drink is taken in a ceremony with a master of Ayahuasca, a natural medicine man with years of experience administering the medicine and offering support during the ceremony. The drink is said to put you into contact with your subconsciousness, make you face forgotten traumas and get in touch with nature. If you are interested in taking Ayahuasca, we will put you into contact with established masters of Ayahuasca to ensure you will have an experience that is truly curative and enriching.

Immerse yourself in the animal world
The incredible biodiversity is what brings most visitors here, and these are some of the ways to watch some of the animals that inhabit the rainforest.
Clay licks - These are also referred to as collpas, the Quechua word for these cliffs whose clay possesses minerals that are essential for the diet of macaws, parrots and many small mammals. The Tambopata-Candamo Reserve boasts one of the biggest macaw clay licks of Peru, and apart from this one there are several smaller ones along the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers.
Caiman seeking - Taking a tour along the riverbanks to spot caimans on the beaches is really exciting, and since you’re safely tucked away on your boat you needn’t have any fear of these fierce-looking reptiles.
Birdwatching - If birdwatching is your thing, you have come to the right place. There are hundreds and hundreds of species of birds in the rainforest here, such as the tropically colourful macaws and toucans, and also the endangered harpy eagle. Apart from visiting the colpas, there are special lookout towers that offer the perfect vantage point for spotting an amazing number of birdspecies.