How to Get to Tambopata

The Amazon jungle offers great possibilities to see wildlife and has amazing adventures, and there’s no better area to travel to than visiting a national reserve in Peru. But how to get to Tambopata? Here, we give you a few basic steps on how to get it there.

Step One: By Air

To get to the Tambopata National Reserve and most of the area’s jungle lodges, you first need to go to Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is the gateway city to the reserve and the capital of the Madre de Dios state. There are daily incoming flights to Puerto Maldonado. These flights arrive from Lima or Cuzco in Peru, at least three times a day.

The flights from Lima depart from the Jorge Chavez Airport Domestic Flight Terminal. The trip takes about one hour and a half, and most of these flights stop in Cuzco before continuing on to Puerto Maldonado. Flights from Cuzco depart from the domestic terminal of the Velasco Astete Airport, and the trip takes around 30 minutes.

To take an expedition with us, please note we have a fixed departure to/from Puerto Maldonado. To fit on it please book a flight arriving before 1:00 pm. If you will visit Tambopata Research Center please book a departure flight after 12:30 midday on your last day of adventure.

You’ll take in spectacular views of the endless Amazon rainforest, even while flying into Tambopata.

Step Two: By Land

Once you arrive in Puerto Maldonado when looking for Amazon rainforest places to stay, you can book with us, but most other lodges and tour companies will be waiting for you at the airport’s arrivals terminal. From there, you hop on a bus for a quick stop at the company’s office, before continuing on to the river port.

On our expeditions usually, this means a bus ride of about 45 minutes to an hour.

Step Three: By Water

Once at the port, you’ll board boats — comfortable motorized canoes called botes — to continue to the lodges along the river where your lodge is located. In our case, all our lodges are located along the Tambopata River. Most lodges are one to 3.5 hours away by boat from the port in this river, while in the Madre de Dios, you can find lodges very close to the city around 15 to 20 minutes away from the river port.

Boat schedules are designed to meet your flights, but you shouldn’t arrive after 13:00 (1:00 p.m.) because then you might have to travel by boat in the dark to get to your lodge. Keep in mind, there is a legal basis of river transportation where lodges have a limited hour to navigate in the river for travelers’ safety. In our case, we have only 1 departure at 1 pm from our Puerto Maldonado offices.

Boat rides are great and are actually a favorite activity for many travelers. On the beautiful, pleasantly breezy ride, you’ll probably see Capybara and Caiman — and with lots of luck, even a Jaguar!

What Else Should I Know About Tambopata Travel?

Now that you’ve learned all about getting to Tambopata, maybe you’d like to know more about the area. Learn all about Tambopata Travel here, and see maps of Peru and the area here!
Tambopata is seasonal, and it has a great variety of lodges and tours. Find our travel tips on when to go and what to see here!
You might also be interested in learning more about the Tambopata National Reserve, the area’s most pristine stretch of rainforest. Check out more info on the Reserve here!
Finally, Tambopata has become a top tourism destination due to its natural beauty and the rainforest’s incredible biodiversity. Discover some of Tambopata’s top wildlife here!