A MAGNIFICENT ENCOUNTER with a Wild Tapir

Stories

A face to face encounter with a wild Tapir

Photographing the wildlife

When photographing wildlife in the AmazonRainforest, much preparation and hard work are needed to get the pictures you want. You need to know what you want to shoot and determine the best way to capture it with the equipment at your disposal. This often requires knowledge of the subject’s behavior and natural history. However, sometimes the best shots are those that come with pure luck like this face-to-face encounter with a wild tapir.

While in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest in the National Reserve of Tambopata, I wanted to photograph and document many species and interactions between organisms. I was particularly interested in the gruesome lifecycle of the cordyceps fungus.

This insect-parasite deposits one of its spores on its insect host, it germinates and takes control of the insect’s nervous system, eventually killing it and feeding on it to grow and develop into adult cordyceps. I had recently spotted a patch of grass on a dried-up riverbed where hundreds of ants had succumbed to this deadly fungus.

Cordy fungus

     An unfortunate victims of the Cordyceps fungus

An incredible Wild Tapir Encounter

It was around 2 pm and I had returned to this spot to get some close-up shots of this interaction. I had only brought my 90mm macro lens to keep my rucksack light (in 98% humidity, heavy loads are a real drag). After a 30-minute walk through the jungle, I arrived at the spot where the fungus was and started snapping away.

After about 35 minutes I start to hear grunting noises in the forest. It sounds like something is moving leaf litter around. I often see peccaries (a type of wild pig) in this area so I assume a couple of them are foraging for food and ignore them, focusing instead on my ant-eating fungus. But the noises are getting louder and louder: the peccaries must be getting closer, I think!

Suddenly, I see a crazy-looking insect resembling nothing I have ever seen! Just as I’m about to snap it, bushes rustle right in front of me. I am startled: the cool-looking insect had distracted me from the surrounding noises! Slowly I catch a glimpse of a large animal that slowly emerges from the bushes…

I still think the culprit is a peccary, and it is getting closer… The shape of the animal becomes a bit clearer as it continues to emerge from the vegetation. It is not a peccary, only something much bigger and gray looking! I see an oddly shaped nose and…. Oh my! A fully-grown tapir (Tapirus terrestris), on the dried-up river bed, only 10 meters away from me, staring straight at me! I get a rush of excitement: I have never seen a tapir; they are very shy and more difficult to spot than the jaguar, and it is even rarer to spot them inside the rainforest. The few sightings are normally from a boat along the river.

What a learned that day…

During my stay at the jungle ecolodges of Rainforest Expeditions. Their field guides working there had told me that tapirs posed no threat to humans, as they are strictly vegetarian and generally non-aggressive.

BOOK: TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER

So, I start shooting with my macro lens. I wish I had brought a longer lens to get closer to my subject. But this soon stops being an issue: the tapir starts walking towards me! It is moving slowly and cautiously, but it continues approaching. Tapirs may be placid, but this one is massive, and I start to get a bit nervous. Tapirs are renowned for their poor eyesight, maybe this one hasn’t seen me?

What if it gets a fright and charges at me? Animals can be unpredictable. With these thoughts going through my head, I try to remain calm and keep snapping. The tapir is getting so close that it is almost filling my camera frame! It is now five meters away. I try to remain calm, silent, and composed and continue taking photos.

Three meters! My camera frame is now too small for the 300kg, ice-age-like prehistoric-looking mammal.

Two meters! I take a couple more shots and put my camera down, ready to jump out of its way. I am looking right at him, we are at the same eye level as I am crouched down.

Tapir among the bushes

Face to face with a Tapir

Tapir by Louis Guillot in Tambopata Peru

Encounter with a wild Tapir in the rainforest

Time seems to freeze

The tapir gets even closer, it is now one meter away, having a staring contest with me. I am not exaggerating, I can smell its breath, and it is not very pleasant. Then… the tapir stops. Both stationary we lock eyes for about ten seconds. What a magical moment.

Encounter with wild tapir at night

Wild Tapir walking at night – Photo by Paul Bertner

After the pause, the tapir walks right past me, sniffs my bag, and disappears into the forest gracefully. I am left dumbfounded as to what has just happened. I find it amazing that such a large mammal can creep on you without being seen and then disappear into the jungle just as quickly. The tapir is a truly elusive and awesome animal. It was an unforgettable encounter with wild tapir.

When you have the opportunity to visit the Peruvian Amazon jungle to make wildlife photography, you must ensure that to have an experience like this (wild tapir encounter), the location of the place you visit is the most appropriate to maximize your options to see more wildlife.

The Rainforest Expeditions lodges are strategically located within a private reserve such as Posada Amazonas, with an extensive portion of the Tambopata National Reserve at their back as Refugio Amazonas or even within the Tambopata National Reserve and facing the Bahuaja Sonene National Park as the Tambopata Research Center.

Also, make sure that the tour operator you take has responsible practices with the place and its local population.

Can’t stop reading stories about the fascinating tapir, do not miss the following blog:

Embracing the Charm and Conservation of Tapirs in Tambopata

By Louis Guillot

I am a wildlife photographer studying zoology at the University of Bristol, UK. In 2016-17, I worked on a research project on parasitic wasps at the London Natural History Museum, reporting to the Head of Entomology, Dr. Gavin Broad. In summer 2017, I volunteered for the Tambopata Macaw Project and fell in love with the area. I took many photos during my time as a volunteer and learned much about jungle life. Also, I was sponsored by GoPro and shot videos and photos for them, which feature on my Instagram page. 

You can follow my jungle stories on my Instagram page: louis_guillot (https://www.instagram.com/louis_guillot/). 

See my photos on my online portfolio: https://louisguillot.smugmug.com/

Contact me here: louisjmguillot@gmail.com 

Keep an eye out for my next blogs.

  • What our guest say

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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! Read all

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! Read all

The lodge was fantastic; they were very attentive to our needs. The dining staff brought special bread for my wife because of her celiac disease and offered to prepare dishes specifically for her to meet her dietary needs. The lodge guides were truly knowledgeable and went out of their way to help us see all the local wildlife. I especially loved the mosquito net service they provided. I was worried we’d be eaten alive, but their setup is fabulous; I had no concerns once I saw how they installed the impenetrable nets and curtains. The meals were as good as—or better than—anywhere else we ate in Peru. We saw the following animals: macaws, parrots, parakeets, pale-winged trumpeters, tamarins, caimans, capybaras, and a ton of insects on our night hike. Read all

We had an excellent guide who was very knowledgeable about the local animals, birds, and plants. I learned a lot. We also participated in the Wired Amazon experience and just received the video clips of the animals that walked by - ocelots, agoutis, ... some amazing animals. It was fun to set up the camera traps, and now I'm inspired to get one for our backyard. Read all

Refugio Amazonas was one of the most memorable and immersive experiences of our entire trip to Peru. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we had entered a completely different world. Waking up to the sounds of the rainforest, exploring the Amazon with knowledgeable guides, spotting wildlife, and disconnecting from everyday life created an experience we will never forget. The guides and staff were exceptional throughout our stay. Everyone was warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the rainforest and the guest experience. Their enthusiasm and expertise added so much to every excursion and activity. For this type of Amazon adventure, Refugio Amazonas felt top-tier. The wildlife experiences were remarkable, the setting was beautiful, and the overall level of immersion was exactly what we were hoping for when we added the Amazon to our Peru itinerary. Read all

Wow what an experience! If you want to be fully immersed in Amazon life in a wonderful , comfortable eco lodge, and not have expectations of a 5 star city hotel (I'm not sure why you would, but some reviewers seemed disappointed it wasn't!) you will love this. You will be in a group, 6 in ours, but you don't all have to do the same activities, you just join another group. Plenty of spaces to chill and downtime if you need it...its hot and humid! There's a fan in the room and I heard the superior rooms have a fan under the mozzie net. Take a torch! We were never bitten, used deet repellent only. They provide rubber boots if you want them, some of the trails were very muddy, but we managed in our walking boots. We loved the open wall to the jungle, despite some bugs, but not too many surprisingly. Sooooo much wildlife, all sorts of monkeys, otters, turtles, caiman, different birds, capybara etc. Luis M was our guide, a local, and he could spot a spider from 5 metres I'm sure... great sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, loved him. We spent 3 nights 20th-24th April, it rained on a couple of occasions but not much. Perfect holiday for an immersive wildlife experience! Read all

Beautiful lodge in the rainforest, very well maintained and clean. We had a lot of fun and excellent guides. The rooms and facilities were top-notch! Read all

We stayed at Posada Amazonas Lodge in May 2026, and it was a truly unique experience. It’s important to note that the concept is unlike a traditional hotel: the rooms (the lodge has around 30 in total) are built entirely of wood and open completely to the rainforest, with no windows. The walls are about two meters high, and everything is open-air, meaning you can hear your neighbors as well as the sounds of the forest throughout the night. There is a hot-water shower with drainage flowing through wooden beams beneath the floor, and the beds are protected with mosquito nets. The food is delicious and nutritious, and one pleasant surprise was the excellent Wi-Fi connection (Starlink) available both at the lodge and on the boats. The logistics are flawless from the moment you land in Puerto Maldonado, including a short car ride (accompanied by a security company) followed by a forty-minute cruise along the Tambopata River. The staff is incredibly friendly. Our guide, Luis M. (a member of the local community that manages the lodge), was simply outstanding, with eagle-eyed vision for spotting wildlife and always wearing a smile. Tour highlights: Canopy Tower: a 42-meter tower rising above the treetops with panoramic views. We loved seeing the river, the rainforest, and even the distant Andes Mountains on the horizon. We returned at night during a nocturnal wildlife tour, where we spotted tarantulas, white sloths, and tree frogs. Lake Tres Chimbadas: a peaceful catamaran ride (without a motor) where Luis showed us a group of red-bellied monkeys, giant otters, and caimans. The scenery and tranquility are incredible. Trek to the “Great Tree”: a forest hike where we saw deer, jaguar tracks, a three-toed sloth, and more wildlife. At the end of the trail, we reached the gigantic ceiba tree: around 500 years old, approximately 60 meters tall, and with an impressive 11-meter base diameter. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the true Amazon! Read all

An exceptional experience that truly exceeded all expectations. What impressed me the most is that here they genuinely want to make your stay as comfortable as possible — and that, to me, is what real high-level service is all about. The guide really tries to fill every excursion with emotions and memorable moments, turning simple activities into meaningful experiences. The kitchen team puts great effort into variety and introduces you to Peruvian cuisine — it feels like a small гастрономic journey. Housekeeping works like invisible bees — you don’t notice them, but everything is always perfectly taken care of. Another big highlight is the comfort level: stable electricity and surprisingly good internet both on the way and at the lodge, powered by Starlink. Having this level of connectivity in the middle of the jungle is something truly special. From reception and the bar to the boat driver — everyone is genuinely warm and happy to have you. You can really feel that each person is a small but important part of one big system delivering outstanding eco-tourism service. Bravo — achieving this level of service in the wild is not easy, and it shows. This experience was very valuable for me and my family. I won’t get tired of thanking you for the emotions you gave us. Highly recommended. Dear travelers — don’t hesitate. Go, enjoy the incredible nature and the level of service. This is something you will remember for a lifetime. Read all

We had the most amazing time at Refugio Amazonas for 3 nights, with a huge thanks to our guide Juan Carlos! On the first afternoon we sat down and planned our activities, which we loved! We came face to face with hundreds of birds, tarantulas, leaf carrying ants spanning 10 meter motorways to work and deliver the leaves to the ant house for food, parasites, and even leaves that cause natural dyes on oxidation - we learned so much. Carlos was genuinly interested in showing us everything the jungle had to offer, humorous and caring too. Carlos knew anything and everything about what was around us, pointing out things and creatures that the untrained eye would miss, carrying a telescope at all times for us to see the birds, ensuring we got magical videos on our phones using the telescope! Read all

Many thanks to Refugio Amazonas for an unforgettable experience! Brenda and team were so wonderful and accommodating, and Alan was a great guide. Thank you for a memorable experience! :) Read all

We had an excellent time at Tambopata research center. We are tourists like most who now visit the center, but it’s great to know that you can support research and the local community by visiting a place like this. Our guide for our trip, Esau, was extremely knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job. He described it as a hobby and he would get very excited if you spotted a specific bird or a tree. His specific knowledge about each and every creature in the forest was very impressive and I would recommend asking for Esau to be your guide in the future if you plan to visit. The hotel itself is unique. You are in the middle of the Amazon rainforest - the accessibility to nature is second to none. There are no windows in the hotel rooms. We had bugs in our room, of course, but the mosquito nets keep everything out and, actually, we both slept very well. The bar staff, Harrison, is very knowledgeable with drinks and works very hard. The food isn’t the best you’re ever going to have, but you have to remind yourself you are in the middle of the rainforest and that it takes a 6 hour round trip to get to the nearest town, and so the job that the hotel does in respect of the food is actually intuitive and very good. I would recommend this hotel to my peers and I would love to visit again in a few years time. Read all

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