Nestled deep in the Peruvian Amazon, the Tambopata Research Center stands as the Tambopata National Reserve’s most remote jungle lodge. Founded as a field base for macaw scientists, it pairs sustainable ecotourism with active rainforest conservation. Staying here places you alongside resident researchers, offering a front-row seat to ongoing field projects inside an undisturbed wilderness.
A highlight is the massive macaw clay lick, where bright swarms of macaws and parrots descend upon the cliffside at daybreak. The experience includes guided hikes, boat rides, and night walks looking for nocturnal animals. Between spider monkeys in the canopy, capybaras along the riverbanks, and occasional jaguar sightings, guests gain firsthand insights into native biodiversity. Perfect trip for wildlife lovers!
Within the protected core of the reserve, the lodge offers an immersive connection with nature. Open-front rooms look out directly over the canopy, letting you listen to the sounds of the forest from your bed. Even in this isolated setting, private bathrooms and amenities ensure a comfortable retreat after a full day of adventure.
Full itinerary: river wildlife on the boat ride in; the macaw clay lick at dawn; the 30 m canopy tower; the Bamboo Trail; a 5 km primate trail; a sunset boat ride; night walks; and evening talks by the lodge’s researchers.
Watch green-winged, scarlet, and blue-and-gold macaws come down to the Tambopata clay lick from a hide 50 m from the cliff.
The lodge reports a 35% jaguar sighting rate on the river in the dry season.
Join the lodge’s research in the field: camera traps, primate surveys, and an insect project in which guests have found new species.
Sleep in the only lodge inside the strictly protected zone of the Tambopata National Reserve, in a forest where wildlife has never been hunted or fed.
Activities guided by local naturalists in English or Spanish, in groups of up to 7 guests per guide.
All-inclusive experience: round-trip transfer from Puerto Maldonado airport by road and river, 3 nights at the lodge, meals as listed in the itinerary, activities led by naturalist guides.
Please note: This is a sample plan. At Tambopata Research Center, your guide picks each day’s itinerary from the lodge’s activity menu, depending on weather, river level, and the group’s preferences.
Itinerary
Day 1
Puerto Maldonado Airport / Boat Ride into the Reserve / Researcher Talk / Night Walk
ArrivalPuerto Maldonado airport (PEM) · Land by 12:45 PM
Road transferTo the river port · ~1h–1h20
Boat rideUp the Tambopata River · ~2.5–3h · Lunch on board
The team meets you at Puerto Maldonado airport and takes you to its base next to the runway. Pack what you need for 3 nights into the duffel bag provided and leave the rest of your luggage in storage.
A short drive takes you to the river port, where you board the boat for the long ride up the Tambopata River into the Amazon Rainforest. Lunch is served on board. Past the mouth of the Malinowski River, the last houses disappear, and the banks of the Tambopata reserve belong to capybaras, caimans, Orinoco geese, and macaws.
Reach the Tambopata Research Center in the afternoon. Before dinner, one of the resident researchers gives a talk on the projects running around the lodge and the threats the forest faces. After dinner, a guided night walk looks for frogs, insects, and tarantulas.
Meals included: Lunch / Dinner
Day 2
Macaw Clay Lick / Canopy Tower
Early startDawn at the clay lick · Breakfast is sometimes served at the lookout
Macaw clay lickHide 50 m from the cliff
Canopy tower30 m above the forest floor
Day 2 is the reason most guests choose to stay in the Tambopata Research Center. Early in the morning, sit quietly in a hide facing a riverside cliff where dozens of large macaws and hundreds of smaller parrots gather to eat clay. Green-winged, scarlet, and blue-and-gold macaws are the stars.
In the afternoon, climb the 30 m canopy tower near the lodge. From the platform, look out over the treetops for monkeys, toucans, macaws, and birds that rarely come down to the forest floor.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 3
Bamboo Trail / Primate Trail / Sunset Boat Ride
Bamboo TrailGuadua bamboo forest · Morning
Primate trail5 km through tall forest · Afternoon
Sunset boat rideOn the Tambopata River
The morning walk follows the Bamboo Trail, a habitat of dense Guadua bamboo with its own specialists: antbirds, the rufous-headed woodpecker, capuchin monkeys, and a tiny frog that lives inside the bamboo stems.
After lunch, a 5 km trail used by the lodge’s primate researchers crosses tall forest, creeks, and ponds. Squirrel monkeys, brown capuchins, and spider monkeys are the usual sightings on this Tambopata jungle tour; peccaries cross the path now and then. The day ends on the river at sunset, scanning the banks for wildlife.
Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast at the Lodge / Boat and Road to Puerto Maldonado
Boat rideDown the Tambopata River · Then road to the airport
DepartureBook your flight out of Puerto Maldonado from 11:30 AM
After breakfast, leave the lodge by boat and road for Puerto Maldonado airport, with one last chance to spot capybaras and caimans on the banks. Your luggage is waiting at the base.
Meals included: Breakfast
What is Included
Round-trip transfer (Puerto Maldonado airport ⇌ Tambopata Research Center), by road and boat
3-night stay at the Tambopata Research Center
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Refreshments on arrival
Luggage storage at the base in Puerto Maldonado and a duffel bag for the lodge (up to 15 kg per person)
Tambopata National Reserve entrance fee (US$ 75 per person)
Guided tours (macaw clay lick, canopy tower, Bamboo Trail, primate trail, sunset boat ride, night walks, and researcher talks)
Shared English- or Spanish-speaking naturalist guides (up to 7 guests per guide)
Not included
Flight tickets
Airport departure taxes and visa fees
Luggage over 15 kg (US$ 70 per extra piece)
Alcoholic drinks, bottled water, and snacks
Guide in German, French, Portuguese, or Italian for groups of 5 or fewer (US$ 110 per day)
Private or specialist guide
Travel insurance
Laundry
Tips
Extra nights caused by flight delays or cancellations
Spend the nights at the Tambopata Research Center, a rainforest lodge that started as a field base for macaw scientists by the cliff. Raised 3 m off the ground and set a short walk into the trees, rooms feature open wall fronts looking out over the canopy.
While most Tambopata National Reserve tours stay in outer buffer areas, this itinerary lets you sleep inside the strictly protected core of the reserve.
Amenities at the lodge include a buffet restaurant, bar, massage room, and hammocks for relaxation. Operating primarily on solar energy (at least 80%) with backup fuel, electricity is available 24 hours a day. Additionally, resident researchers live on site and present evening talks.
Tambopata Research Center
Every room includes Wi-Fi and a private bathroom with hot water, but there’s no air conditioning. Mosquito nets and ceiling fans are standard across all options, while upgraded room types add a minibar and personal fans fitted inside the net.
Standard
The lodge’s smallest room, at 21 m², with 2 single beds. It sits next to the common areas, only a short walk away from the restaurant and bar. It’s a simple base for days spent out in the forest.
Premium
Twice the size of the Standard, at 44.5 m², with 2 double beds, a hammock, and a reading table. A reading light inside the mosquito net lets you read in bed after dark.
Suite
54.8 m² with 2 queen beds and an indoor sitting area to rest between activities. Bathrobes, a vanity kit, and a filtered-water dispenser come with the room.
Deluxe Suite
The largest room at the lodge, at 84.8 m², with 2 queen beds and a sitting area. It adds a private terrace and an outdoor tub and shower, so you can bathe to the sounds of the forest.
Meals are a buffet at the lodge, as listed in the itinerary. Some breakfasts are served outdoors, at the clay lick or another lookout, so you don’t lose the best hours of the morning.
Tea and coffee are included. Beer, wine, and cocktails are sold at the bar. Bottled water and snacks are paid separately.
Dietary restrictions (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, food allergies and others) can be accommodated. Please provide your preferences/needs at the time of booking so that we can share them with the lodge team.
FAQ
Reviews
“We would like to thank you warmly for our stay at your lodge on the Tambopata River – this part of our two-month journey through Peru and Bolivia left a particularly lasting impression on us.
The transfer itself was already a good sign of your team's professionalism: the tightly scheduled trip from Puerto Maldonado to the lodge – timed to arrive before nightfall, with a guide waiting for us and a smooth journey by bus and boat – went completely smoothly despite our tight connecting flights.
Everything on site convinced us as well: comfortable accommodation right in the middle of the rainforest, good food, and a well-structured, packed excursion programme with tours in the early morning, afternoon and at night. We were thrilled every single time by what we got to see.
We'd especially like to highlight our guide Jordi: his knowledge of the flora and fauna, along with his patience in tracking down wildlife, made our stay truly special. Equally impressive was the state of the forest itself – untouched, clean, and home to an intact ecosystem ranging from big cats down to the macaws. It's clear how much care and responsibility goes into looking after this place.
We can recommend the lodge without reservation and would return at any time. It was definitely worth the admittedly long journey to reach it.
For people who love and appreciate nature—and who realize that the resort isn't located in Dubai (with all the trappings that entails)—a stay comes highly recommended. As for the complainers, they are welcome to stay home or vacation in Myrtle Beach.”
— Susanne Ratzenberger
“We stayed at the Tambopata Research Center in mid-September 2026, and it was genuinely one of the most memorable experiences of our trip to Peru. If you are looking for an immersive Amazon experience, I cannot recommend it enough.
We did the clay lick, canopy walk, night walk, bamboo walk and sunset cruise, and saw an incredible variety of wildlife, including macaws, countless species of birds, monkeys, insects, etc. We even came back from one of our tours one day to find a huge bushmaster snake right at the lodge.
Our guide, Carmen, was absolutely fabulous. She was incredibly knowledgeable, enthusiastic and clearly passionate about the Amazon. She could identify animals from what seemed like miles away just by hearing them! She gave us excellent recommendations about which tours to do, which was particularly helpful because what you see can vary significantly depending on the season and weather. She even combined tours for us based on what we were most interested in seeing, which made the experience feel very personalised.
I have seen a few reviews complaining that people didn’t see the wildlife they specifically wanted to see. I think it is important to remember that this is the Amazon. Wildlife cannot be summoned on demand. If you want a guaranteed sighting of a particular animal, go to a zoo! Part of what makes this experience so special is that you simply don’t know what you are going to encounter. The guides and staff do an excellent job of respecting the wildlife, and the tour groups are kept relatively small, which makes a huge difference because you get much more out of the experience than you would in a large group.
A few practical tips for anyone considering TRC:
Arrive later in the day if you can. We were on the first flight from Cusco and ended up waiting around three hours at the main office for the second group to arrive. It wasn’t particularly unpleasant as there is food available, Wi-Fi and charging points, but after that you still have roughly a 1.5-hour bus journey and three-hour boat ride ahead of you. It made for a very long travel day.
Be prepared for the luggage situation. You cannot take a large suitcase onto the boat, so you will need to leave it at the main office. The staff are very helpful about this and will ask you to repack what you need for the lodge and provide duffel bags. You also cannot wear boots around the lodge, so make sure you bring a pair of sandals or flip-flops.
Bring binoculars! The guides have telescopes, but having your own binoculars makes a huge difference. This is especially true at the clay lick, where you are sitting roughly 300 metres away from the macaws. We didn’t bring a pair with us, and it would have been nicer to be able to look whenever we wanted rather than waiting for the telescope to become available.
Be prepared for the realities of being in the Amazon. There will be bugs in your room, but the staff keep the rooms very clean and set up the mosquito nets for you each night. You can definitely hear your neighbors, so be mindful of your volume throughout the day and particularly at night. The lodge provides earplugs, which I would recommend using or bringing your own as the rainforest can be quite active overnight. We were actually woken up one morning by howler monkeys, and they are really loud!”
— Aleksandra Sajdera
“An incredible place, but some serious issues need improvement
Tambopata Research Center is in an extraordinary location, and I genuinely admire its conservation mission. We saw incredible wildlife and had experiences that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere. Unfortunately, several issues prevented our stay from living up to what I expected from a prestigious ecolodge like TRC.
Cleanliness was the biggest disappointment. We found what appeared to be blood or other stains on my bedsheet, my pillow, my wife’s pillow, and both of our mosquito nets. I absolutely do not expect luxury in the middle of the Amazon, but clean bedding feels like a very basic standard regardless of how remote the lodge is.
The quality of guiding also seems inconsistent. Our guide was friendly, but I expected considerably more attentiveness and interpretation. After the clay lick, he told us he would point out wildlife during the boat ride back but then slept for essentially the entire ride. He also returned to the boat without making sure everyone in the group had found their way back; three of us got confused about the route and had to find the boat ourselves.
More concerningly, he knew that I do not eat pork and told me that deli meat offered during our sunset cruise was turkey and safe for me to eat. I decided not to eat it because I wasn’t confident he knew what it was. The next morning, what appeared to be the same meat was served at breakfast and labeled as pork. Dietary restrictions should be taken much more seriously.
Compared with another guide we observed, who gave his guests interesting background about the animals and their behavior, our experience mostly consisted of having animals pointed out and named. Many questions were answered with “it depends” without much elaboration. For a research-oriented ecolodge of TRC’s reputation, I expected a more educational experience and a more consistent standard among guides.
Finally, we had concerns about food safety. My wife became very sick after dinner on our second night, with severe stomach pain and vomiting, and remained weak for the following two days. We suspect something she ate at dinner, possibly the fried catfish, although of course we cannot know the cause. The staff were kind enough to prepare vegetable soup for her afterward, which we appreciated.
Separately, I watched a macaw fly into the dining area and eat directly from a jar of Brazil nuts while staff watched and laughed. What appeared to be the same jar was later served to guests at lunch and dinner. Regardless of whether this was related to my wife’s illness, I don’t think food that a wild animal has eaten from should continue to be served.
I have mixed feelings writing this review because I really like what TRC stands for. The location, wildlife, and conservation mission are remarkable, and there were parts of our stay that we loved. But at this price point and with TRC’s international reputation, I expected higher standards of cleanliness, food hygiene, and guide professionalism.
I sincerely hope these issues improve, because TRC has the potential to offer an absolutely exceptional Amazon experience.
Trip type
Vacation
Travel group
Couple
Rooms: 2
Service: 5
Location: 5
Hotel highlights
Luxury, Great view”
— Haoxuan Liu
“Some of the negative reviews here genuinely make me laugh. Tambopata Research Center is deep in the Amazon, accessible by river and far from roads or cities. Of course costs are higher when food, supplies, staff, and resources all have to be transported this far into the rainforest.
I’ve seen complaints about insects, humidity, open-air rooms, rain, simple food, long travel times, and not seeing enough wildlife. But that is the Amazon. You are not staying at a conventional luxury resort, and wildlife does not appear on command.
For me, the remoteness is the entire point. Sleeping surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest, waking up in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, and experiencing wildlife in its natural environment is an incredible privilege.
You could absolutely find a fancier room or meal elsewhere for the same price—but it would not be in the middle of Tambopata.
This is a different kind of luxury: access to somewhere genuinely wild and extraordinarily remote. What a privilege it is to be out here.”
— Ripal Patel
“A once-in-a-lifetime experience in the middle of the rainforest. From airport pickup in Puerto Maldonado to the lodge and back, everything was exceptionally well organised. Communication was clear throughout, with the team always explaining what would happen, where to be and what to take care of. The staff at both HQ and the lodge were incredibly attentive, making the entire stay feel completely carefree. At this price point, this is the level of service you expect, but it is still impressive to experience it in such a remote setting.
The food was another highlight: very well curated and balanced, with plenty of options at every buffet and, surprisingly, we never had the same dish twice.
One thing to consider when booking: I would not recommend the standard rooms, as they are very close to the common areas, dining room and kitchen, making them noticeably noisy beyond the expected sounds of the rainforest. The more remote rooms are definitely preferable.
Special kudos to our guide Manuel, who created a great atmosphere within the group and shared our excitement for every animal we encountered. He had an impressive breadth of knowledge and genuinely went the extra mile to create an amazing experience, even taking us to the tower at night outside the regular tours. An unforgettable experience, and one I would highly recommend.”
— Ben
“Our experience at Tambopata Research Center was truly exceptional. We spent several days at TRC as part of a trip focused mainly on birdwatching and nature, and the place far exceeded our expectations.
The most impressive thing is, without a doubt, the location. Getting to TRC takes time, but that very distance is what makes it possible to be in an extraordinarily well-preserved area of the Amazon. You feel like you are truly inside the jungle, surrounded by an enormous diversity of life.
For us, the highlight was the wildlife. During our stay we were able to see an impressive number of birds, including several species of macaws, toucans, guans, trumpeters, owls, falcons, motmots, tinamous, and numerous species of antbirds and other forest birds. The visit to the Collpa Chuncho at dawn was one of the most memorable moments of the trip. We also had excellent sightings simply from the lodge and during the walks along the trails.
I especially want to highlight our private guide, Jakson, who accompanied us throughout the trip. His knowledge of the birds, the animals, their sounds and the Amazonian ecosystem is extraordinary. In addition, he always showed great respect for nature and enormous patience in helping us observe and identify species. For someone truly interested in birdwatching and nature, having a good guide makes a huge difference, and in our case Jackson was a fundamental part of the experience.
The lodge is comfortable considering how remote its location is, the food was very good and all the staff were kind and attentive. I also want to thank Mariela for her help with the organization and booking before the trip.
TRC is not simply a hotel in the jungle. It is a place for those who want to truly get to know the Amazon, spend time observing it and understand a little better the enormous biodiversity of Tambopata.
After a week between Refugio Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center, we returned with an enormous number of sightings, photographs and memories. Without a doubt, one of our best nature experiences in Peru and a place that is worth the trip.
Totally recommended, especially for bird and nature lovers.”
— Lucía
“For the real authentic Amazon experience that supports ethical eco tourism this is a must visit. The guides were amazing , staff super friendly , food was outstanding ! This experience truly allows you to be one with nature in so many ways”
— Kim Burke
“Stayed for our honeymoon in 2012, it was such a fantastic trip! The indigenous guides were so amazing and showed us so many animals and insects, especially the spiders!!! Would highly recommend”
— Sean P
“One of the most unique experiences we’ve had! You are deep in the heart of the Amazon and truly feel immersed in nature. Our guide Dino was awesome and taught us so much about the rainforest-he is like a walking encyclopedia, and his love for the forest really shows. Also very unique to listen to nightly talks from the research team-it really adds to the experience. Food was great and staff very friendly.
Bring lots of bug spray and an adventurous spirit!”
— Lauren Kuenstner
“We stayed last february for 4 nights in the TRC lodge. I never could have imagined that I would explore the amazon in such confortable and immersive way. The lodge itself is such a luxurious place, in the middle of nowhere! The food was nicely curated everyday to offer new bits and pieces of the Peruvian cuisine. The absolute highlight of our stay here was for sure the activities and our guide Carmen, who accompanied us everyday! We were able to choose our everydays activities with our very reduced group and our guide. Carmen guided us on very activity, spotting and explaining what animals we saw and interesting facts about our surroundings. Her knowledge and excitement were so infectious that it would even make the sightings even more special! We had never experienced luxury travel before and this experience made us feel so lucky and fortunate. The service was so welcoming and helpful. I forgot my airpods in the lodge the day we left, and they sent them over to me the day after- which I was so grateful for, because the lodge is very very remote. Thank you so much for the experience and the team who helped us have such an unforgettable time! Hope to be able to be back to the TRC someday ❤️”
