I have not been but hear many people like the visit to Tambopata Research Center.

Thanks, that is the one I am reading on right now with the macaw clay licks.

I went to Tahuayo in May, which is a secondary wet season which makes touring easier as you can canoe thru flooded forest rather than hike. If you have a sharp-eyed guide you see quite bit from the canoes, especially wild monkeys if you go early in the morning. There is also a trail grid but you can't really walk it in the wet season, however behind the main lodge we were able to walk to an owl monkey nest. They also have an excursion in the wet season that goes to the terra firma and poison dart frog valley, and as far as I know they also will still visit Dorilla, their semi-habituated wooly monkey that now lives in the forest. No clay licks that I know of on the tourist circuit around Iquitos, you will see pairs of macaws and flocks of parrots flying overhead. The parrots are also in the trees around the lodge but are hard to spot because they are green in a green canopy! Tahuayo is on a tributary and in the wet season you will get dolphin going by the lodge. They have a canopy tower and zip line, which is worth doing as you can birdwatch up in the canopy for the mixed flocks (Paradise tanagers!)

I'm thinking about a second trip to the Peruvian Amazon (first was to Ceiba Tops out of Iquitos and later the Manu Cloudforest) in order to spend more time on the river and to visit some macaw and parrot licks. We really enjoyed being on the river and are seeking more time on the water in addition to great wildlife watching.

I have the Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center http://www.andeantrails.co.uk/Amazonrainforestcc.htm on my wishlist although I gather access to this lodge is now achieved in a day and includes a road and boat transfer whereas a couple of years ago it was a 2 day trip upriver from Puerto Maldonado and required an overnight stay at an intermediate lodge.

I am now considering a combination of Tambopata lodges to access both the macaw and parrot clay licks - maybe Tambopata Research Center with either Posada Amazonas or Refugio Amazonas. A comparison chart of the facilities offered by these 3 lodges is here is here, http://www.perunature.com/compare-rainforest-jungle-lodges-peru.html

I agree that the Inkaterra Tambopata property looks wonderful, however I do wonder how the wildlife viewing compares to that at the above lodges.


Happy planning,


Pol

Hello

Thanks for your information. We were looking at the Manu reserve also, but the stopped the plane flights due to a safety issue, so now it is a long day journey in with stops at a lodge before you get further in. I found the lodges along the Amazon River at Iquitos, are larger, more people and swimming pools etc. I think takes the feel away. The Tambopata Posada Amazonia and the T. Research Center sounds really good with lots of animals /birds and a canopy tower. I would have love to have the canopy bridges though.
The Tahuayo lodge a 4 hour boat ride south of Iquitos has got
really high reviews and the man who owns it is in Florida and
will answer any questions and you book through him. They have a zip line canopy. The Moon travel book rates the lodge
one of the highest. The only thing they don't have any macaw licks, if that is a priority, hoping you see them when you are
there.

Also, thanks to the other reply for the info. at the Tahuayo lodges, sounds like you really enjoyed it. It is a big decision which way to go, north or south and which lodges, since we can only do this once. I sure love the Inkaterra, but luxury is not what you are going there for and if you hardly see any wildlife it would be a waste, though they do have the canopy bridges and a tree house you can stay in, which would be really unique, if not windy/rain. Thanks again for all your help. Joanie

I wouldn't be put off by the road trip if you are keen to visit Manu. We did the drive over the Andes and down into the Manu Cloud Forest and thoroughly enjoyed it - the journey through rural Peru is a bonus. The driver had his breakfast at a town called Paucartambo which was a Spanish colonial administrative centre, the old square of which still exists. We had time to check out some local shops, sit in the square and even followed a local wedding parade (at a discrete distance).

We stayed at Cock of the Rock Lodge (there were at least 2 other lodges close by) and spent a marvellous day with our guide travelling to the Madre de Dios River where we could walk for a while along the road and then ride again. Saw the cock of the rocks twice, what an amazing bird. The bird life was very good, it was a good opportunity to identify trees whilst overlooking the canopy and we saw an emerald boa near the side of the road. My photos are here, https://picasaweb.google.com/Treepol/SouthAmericaPeruInclManu - the last 15 are of the drive into the cloud forest and down near the river.

I also found this trip report useful for Manu and the photo link leads to amazing macaw lick photos, http://www.fodors.com/community/south-america/final-tr-cuzcoenvirons-and-amazon-manu-wildlife-center-long.cfm

I'm off to check out Tahuayo Lodge


Regards,


Pol

May is not a busy time at Tahuayo, there weren't more than about 5 to 10 people at any time (they have two Lodges, the upriver one "ARC" is on a darkwater stream, and feels more remote). Although the cook is much much better at the main lodge.

Some of my photos of ARC
www.picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann/ARCLodge

Main Lodge
www.picasaweb.google.com/kiwifann/TahuayoLodge

Hello, Over the past three years I have stayed at 5 different lodges along the Tambopata river ( I work with several native communities in the area).
Puerto Maldonado is only a 30-minute flight from Cusco and 1.5 hour flight from Lima. The reserve is very-well protected through ecotourism efforts (giving economic value to the forest as a standing entity through tourism). You will get less of a "touristy" feel in this area as opposed to Iquitos.
It sounds like you are hoping to see wildlife and for that the Tambopata Research Center is the best. the lodge is located deep within the reserve and surronded for miles by undisturbed primary forest. Keep in mind, to visit this lodge you need a minimum of 4 nights. You will stay at Refugio Amazonas (also owned by Rainforest Expeditions www.perunature.com) for one night on the way up and on the way down to break up the long journey upstream. Lodging is comfortable but not luxury. The bathrooms are shared and one wall of your room is open to the jungle (don't worry, its on a raised platform so animals can't get in and they have very good mosquito nets over the beds).
This is ecotourism so in order to reduce their impact on the environment, they minimize they use of electricity by only turning it on in the evenings and an hour before lunch.
Here you can see many varietys of macaws and parrots, also several species of monkeys and whatever else you encounter along the way. The guides pick you up from the airport and are with you the eintire time. Most of them are local to the area, speak good English and are extrememly knowledgeable of the plant and animal species in the area.
I cannot say enough good things about this lodge. Check out TripAdvisor, it is the top rated lodge and has great reviews.
Inka Terra has only slightly more comfortable accomodations but it is still a "lodge" not a hotel...so if its the incredible wildlife you're looking to see, I would make the extra journey and head to the TRC.
Good luck and enjoy your trip!

Hello, thanks so much everyone for your input. The Tambopata Research Center sounds like what we are after for the wildlife. I was just concerned no private washrooms and having to get up in the night to go. lol

Thanks again. Joanie

Hello Pol

I saw your pictures, amazing trip. Where is the canopy bridges? I thought there were just towers in Manu.

There is a new lodge Refugio Romero Rainforest Lodge in Manu with only 8 rooms, it looks interesting, but do not know much about it or the tours there. They are trying to get flights back into Boca this spring, which will be good. Thanks again, Joanie

Hi,

the canopy walkways were at an Explorama property out of Iquitos and it was an amazing experience to walk among the treetops.

Sorry I haven't heard of Refugio Romero Rainforest Lodge, but I would be very happy if the Boca airstrip re-opened.

Regards,


Pol

Hi Pol

I have just been in contacted with the company and they plan
on getting flights back again in May, she will let me know when they are running again. The Romero Lodge use to be an old hunting lodge, the lady sent me some pics of it. Eight rooms with washrooms. You can get private guides also. It is the only lodge in the Manu reserve, which is interesting, should be a lot of wildlife. It will be a very hard decision whether to do the Manu with air going or the Tambopata research center, both different experiences, but both have the wildlife and macaw licks. It is a 6 hour boat ride from the one lodge to the reserve and Manu is a lot shorter boat ride, I think. Still asking a lot of questions to the agent at the Manu area. Joanie

Hi Joanie

I'm a biologist who spent 3 months volunteering at the Tambopata Research Centre in 2002. If you go in the dry season, the macaws and parrots on the licks are just mindblowing. You really do need to go far into the park to see natural forest and wildlife, the area around Puerto Maldonado is highly disturbed farmland & secondary forest, and although it's teeming with insects and some birds, you won't see any of the animals and huge trees typical of primary forest. Just be aware that all animals are relatively scarce in tropical rainforest - don't expect jaguars and tapirs around every corner - in 3 months I saw jaguar prints twice, and tapir once. But you will see several species of monkeys, loads of birds, and will get the most out of it if you also appreciate the plants and insects.

Hello

Thanks so much for writing about your stay in Tambopata. We both love birds and lots of monkeys and would love to witness
the macaw lick. We are planning to go next year in October, would that be good for the lick? It sounds like Tambopata Research center is a good choice, as you are deeper into the forest. Not sure if the new ocean highway effects that area or not. We will only get into the amazon basin once , as we
are an older couple now, and is very hard to decide which area, whether Iquitos, at Tahuayo or Tambopata or Manu at the
Romero and Manu learning center. Man is suppose to be excellent for wildlife. Would love to go up a canopy tower also, as a different view of all the birds up in the trees and flying. Though I am scared of heights, but would do it. I wish there were canopy bridges at these lodges, but only the
Inkaterra lodge has one, but they are so close to the town I doubt you would see or hear many birds/monkeys. Any other help you can give will be appreciated. Thanks so much, Joanie

You can browse photos taken at Tahuayo on their website, to get an idea of what it is like at any particular time of year.

I can't believe they have a harpy eagle, puma and jaguar!!