Stories
Three Great Reasons To Visit Tambopata: Jaguar
Just this week we saw a record THREE jaguars on one boat ride on the Tambopata! Three great reasons to visit Tambopata!
The first thing you have to know, is where is Tambopata?
The Tambopata National Reserve is nestled in the southeastern region of Peru, deep within the heart of the Amazon rainforest. To reach this pristine and remote area, travelers typically start their journey by flying into the city of Puerto Maldonado, the capital of the Madre de Dios region. Puerto Maldonado is well-connected to the rest of Peru by domestic flights from Lima and Cusco.
From Puerto Maldonado, visitors embark on a river journey by boat, venturing deeper into the Amazon basin to access Tambopata National Reserve. Note there are 2 rivers in the region but only the Tambopata River is the one that crossed the national area.
The journey along the Tambopata River is not only an immersive experience in itself but also the gateway to exploring the breathtaking biodiversity and lush landscapes that define Tambopata’s unparalleled natural beauty.
Having said that, why should you visit Tambopata while you are in Peru?
Here are 3 reasons to visit Tambopata
1. Encounter the Elusive Apex Predator
Tambopata southeast of Peru, offers a rare but the best opportunity to witness one of the world’s most elusive apex predators, the jaguar, in its natural habitat. These magnificent big cats are notoriously difficult to spot due to their solitary and elusive nature. A visit to Tambopata presents a chance to catch a glimpse of this iconic creature in the wild, an experience that is both thrilling and awe-inspiring.
2. Immerse in Pristine Rainforests
Tambopata is home to lush, pristine rainforests teeming with biodiversity. While on the quest for jaguars, visitors are treated to a sensory feast of vibrant flora and fauna, from colorful birds to exotic plant species. Exploring Tambopata’s rainforests is an adventure in itself, and the opportunity to encounter jaguars only adds to the allure of this biodiverse paradise.
3. Support Conservation Efforts
Your visit to Tambopata contributes directly to the conservation of jaguars and their habitat. Tourism revenue supports vital conservation initiatives aimed at preserving these magnificent creatures and the delicate ecosystems they inhabit. By choosing to explore Tambopata, you actively participate in the efforts to protect this charismatic species and the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest. Your visit becomes a meaningful contribution to the conservation of the jaguar and the entire ecosystem it represents.
Now our 3 reasons to visit this part of the Peruvian Amazon
During a photo tour, we saw these awesome jaguars, part of the Amazon rainforest wildlife. To not disappoint, the next day a big group of travelers saw two more jaguars along the shore. This is a record for the area, while two have been seen on one trip more often, three have only been seen once before years ago. Check out the images below:



Three great reasons to visit Tambopata
When traveling to Peru, come visit Tambopata to see these jaguars and experience the Amazon.
How to plan your Amazon travel to see this and other Amazon wildlife
- Go on a hike or on a boat journey along the Tambopata River in the rainforest with a trained guide: They have eagle eyes, at least, ours have.
By Phil Torres
NOW READ: 4 Tips to Increase Your Chances of Spotting a Jaguar in the Amazon: A Guide for Visiting Tambopata in Peru
-
What our guest say
-
- Valuation Excellent
- 5/5
Paul H August 2026
FineSpitz August 2026
Jack Looney August 2026
Ching Han Toh August 2026
Maggie Kwok August 2026
Jim July 2026
Kai Liao July 2026
asbraziller July 2026
Tom K July 2026
Maria Carrero June 2026
Lauren Kuenstner June 2026
Adam C June 2026
We had an excellent 5 night stay at TRC with two couples. The remote Lodge and accommodation are unique especially with the open walls to the jungle in the rooms. The guides were first rate with superb knowledge and their ability to spot fauna in the dense jungle was incredible. We saw many species of monkeys; macaws, parrots, tapirs, etc.. even lucky enough to spot a jaguar. Food and service was really good. While not cheap it was I think very good value for money. We really enjoyed all the hikes and citizen science activities as well, he trips on the river and the clay licks. Overall amazing experience! As it’s the jungle not a zoo, you can’t guarantee that you’ll see everything all the time so allow enough days to properly explore. Read all
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. Read all
This was an excellent experience!! Highly recommend if you’re interested in visiting the Amazon Rainforest and Tambopata region. Especially happy with our guide Miguel, who was highly professional, informative, and organized. It was an immersive adventure and we got to see so many unique plants and animals. 10/10! Read all
Amazing experience at Refugio Amazonas. Rooms were comfortable and clean. Great buffet spread every day. Staff were friendly and attentive. Our guide Alan was very informative. Overall would definitely recommend a visit! Read all
We stayed 3 nights at Posada Amazonas during our summer trip to Peru, and it was definitely one of the biggest highlights of the whole journey. The staff were incredibly warm and welcoming. Our guide, Joss, was professional, friendly and amazingly knowledgeable. Sometimes it honestly felt like he could communicate with the animals — he could spot black caimans or giant river otters from hundreds of metres away! The excursions were unforgettable. We saw beautiful macaws, giant river otters, capybaras, sloths, tarantulas, an anaconda, different species of monkeys, toucans and so much more. I especially loved the rainforest walks and joined both the daytime and night walks. Every walk felt completely different, and you never knew what you might find. What also made the stay special was the lodge’s involvement in scientific and environmental projects. There was a talk every evening, and we learned a lot about the rainforest and its wildlife. We also joined the “Discover New Species” activity and helped search for possible new species of tiger moths — such a fun and memorable experience. The lodge itself is definitely rustic luxury rather than a city-style 5-star hotel. There is no air conditioning or hair dryer, but the hot shower, fan and hammock in the room were all very comfortable and suited the rainforest setting perfectly. And surprisingly, the internet connection was excellent — even the boats had Starlink! One of the things I appreciated most is that Posada Amazonas is a collaboration between Rainforest Expeditions and the local Indigenous community that owns the land. Many community members are directly involved in running the lodge, and you can really feel how much the staff care about and are connected to this rainforest, which is part of their ancestral home. If you are looking for an authentic, educational and truly memorable Amazon rainforest experience, I highly recommend Posada Amazonas. We absolutely loved our stay. Read all
The Tambopata Research Center (TRC) offers a well-organized immersive rainforest experience within the Tambopata National Reserve. The TRC and its accommodations put a spin on the term creature comforts by keeping guests comfortable while they commune among the creatures within the rainforest. I appreciated, through what I observed and the interactions I had, the attentiveness of the TRC team members. They knew their guests and seamlessly organized a lot for our benefit. The center assigns guests to a small group with a dedicated guide. In my case, Erick Arguedas was a superb ambassador for all things living in the rainforest, in part because it was the environment in which he grew up. His role was to ensure we got the most out of our visit. Being a long-term TRC guide gave him the expertise he needed to easily fulfill this role. Read all
Our stay at Refugio Amazonas was a great experience from beginning to end. The entire trip was very well organized, and having a tour guide with you throughout the experience made everything easy and enjoyable. Our guides, Dennis and Tuto, were excellent. They both spoke English very well and did a fantastic job explaining the different birds, trees, plants, and animals we encountered. Their knowledge really made the excursions much more interesting and helped us appreciate the Amazon on a deeper level. The expeditions were definitely a highlight. I highly recommend the clay lick, sunset cruise, observation tower, river boat tour, and night walk. Each activity offered something different, and we were able to see so much wildlife. The food was also excellent. Everything was fresh and tasted great. I especially enjoyed the protein dishes, fresh fruit, and yuca potatoes. Considering how remote the lodge is, we were very impressed with the quality of the food. The rooms are very open to nature, which is part of what makes the experience so unique. We saw monkeys right from our room, along with many birds and lizards. We even had a frog visit our room at night—which was definitely an interesting Amazon experience! 😂 One thing to be aware of is that the walls between rooms are quite thin, so you can hear your neighbors at times. Overall, the entire experience was absolutely worth the trip. If you’re visiting the Peruvian Amazon, I would strongly recommend Refugio Amazonas. The wildlife, guides, excursions, food, and being completely immersed in nature made this one of the highlights of our Peru trip. 🌿🦜🐒 Read all
Our stay here was one of the favorite parts of our trip to Peru. One of the most memorable parts of the stay is how wonderful the guides were. We had two different guides during our stay: Jos and Jorge. Jos had an amazing connection with the birds, knowing all the bird sounds by ear, he could imitate most of them. His passion for the birds was evident when we went out to see them, and during a visit to look for macaws at the clay lick, he moved locations just so we would have the opportunity to see them. When we viewed them up close through a new blind that had been built, his joy was as much as ours, delighting as if it was his first sighting. Jorge had a beautiful spirit that he shared with us during our time with him. Growing up in the community there, he had so much knowledge about the plants and trees. He introduced us to a medicinal plant, and had stories about some of the different trees. We felt well cared for by both guides. We also enjoyed the nightly science talks, teaching us about some of the ongoing projects which helped us feel more connected to the area. The food was wonderful, and all the staff were extremely helpful throughout our stay. Read all
Amazing location and truly deep jungle. This organisation has three lodges and this is the nearest to Puerto Maldonado but don’t think that the wildlife here is any less than the lodges further along the river. We saw a LOT of different animals, birds and variety of colours. Well worth the stay. Read all
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
-
December 02, 2015 Gateway into the Amazon by Nicole Lizares...
Nicole Lizares works for conservation organizations in the Philippines and recently joined us for an expedition to the Tambopata Research Center. Below is an article published by ...
Read more -
September 15, 2015 Butterfly Wings & the Rise of Color...
Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera and all members have scales covering their bodies and wings (in Latin, lepis means to scale and ptera means wing). With over 1...
Read more -
October 11, 2021 A new species in honor of the conservation of the...
Apu mooreorum Grados, 2021 a new species in honor of the conservation of the Amazonian rainforests of Tambopata For more than 20 years, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has s...
Read more
