3-Day Lake Sandoval Tour Review (Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge)

Thinking about booking the 3 Day, 2 Night Lake Sandoval Tour with Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge? I recently went and here’s everything you should know.

Intro

The Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge sits right on the Madre de Dios River and offers several tours during your stay. We opted to do the 3 Day, 2 Night Lake Sandoval Tour (with Corto Maltes Amazonia) which had so many inclusions and trek through the Amazon jungle, and not to mention a relaxing boat safari out on Lake Sandoval.

To best prepare you for your own Amazon Jungle adventure with Corto Maltes Amazonia, this post will go over my experience on the 3 Day Lake Sandoval Tour and provide all the information you need to know, including tips!

Booking with Corto Maltes Amazonia

You can book your stay with Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge (includes the 3-Day Lake Sandoval Tour) by clicking here, or search availability for your dates in the widget below:

Corto Maltes Amazonia Map

The above map shows the location of the Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge and Lake Sandoval.

HOW TO USE THE ABOVE CORTO MALTES AMAZONIA MAP:

3-Day Lake Sandoval Tour Experience

Day 1: Arrival, Rubber Camp & Caiman Safari

Arrive at Puerto Maldonado and Check-in

We arrived at the Puerto Maldonado airport at 1:15 PM, where a Cortos Maltes Amazonia representative waited for our arrival to shuttle us to the office in town. At the Cortos Maltes Amazonia offices, we checked in and settled our remaining balance. We also dropped off our large luggage hardcases. We had packed smaller duffle bags to last us the 3 days and 2 nights at the lodge and so we can bring a lighter load on the boat.

Arrive at Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge

Then we took a short drive to the Madre de Dios River where we boarded a long wooden boat. We glided along the river, with our first look at the lush Amazon Rainforest. Tall and thick trees lined the edges of the river, where I began to get excited that I was in the most famous rainforest in the world!

We got to the Corta Maltes Amazonia lodge around 2:30 PM, where we were led to the dining area to eat our welcome lunch.

Heading to Corto Maltes Amazonia • photos by Jeanie A

Our Amazon Bungalow

After lunch, we were brought to our bungalow where we were given some information about our stay. Notable information we did not realize was that there is no electricity after 9 PM. Luckily we did bring our own rechargeable flashlights and power banks to “survive” the electric-less nights lol.

Another important note is that you can only connect to Wi-Fi when at the Main Building (where the Dining area is too). So access to the internet in the bungalow is not possible. Be prepared to disconnect for a few days! This actually made our time in the Amazon more in touch with nature and away from our busy lives.

Oh we also had a couple of noisy neighbors: macaws!

Our Amazon Bungalow • photos by Jeanie A

Amazon Trek to the Shiringuero Camp

At around 3:40 PM, we met up with our tour guide (who’s the same guide for the entire 3 day tour), and we began our first trek through the Amazon rainforest! DO NOT FORGET TO APPLY BUG REPELLANT any time you leave the safety of the bungalow!!

On this Amazon trek, we stopped at a ton of plant species where our guide gave us interesting facts and information. Learning about all the flora and fauna was definitely a highlight of our time in the Amazon since it IS the most biodiverse rainforest in the world! It’s impossible to not want to learn more about this fascinating ecosystem and the life it holds.

Around 4:45 PM, we got to the Shirenguero Camp which really is a replication of a rubber camp where you can learn how rubber (or latex) is collected and processed into products we use today. Here we also saw a small little bat on the ceiling of the camp hut, which was a nice little surprise!

First Amazon Trek • photos by Jeanie A

Freshen Up

We got back to our bungalow around 5:10 PM, where we freshened up and re-applied our bug repellant for the night activity, the Caiman Safari! Before meeting up though, we explored the lodge grounds a bit and watched the sunset at the river dock. Amazing!

Exploring the lodge grounds & Watching the Sunset • photos by Jeanie A

Caiman Safari

At around 6:15 PM, we met with our guide and boarded the long wooden boats again and glided back into the Madre de Dios River. We stalked the edges of the river looking for wildlife, and most importantly, caiman! We spotted several caiman and bird species, including a potoo!

It was a bit hard for us to spot wildlife, especially at night, but our boat guides definitely did all the wildlife spotting! They were experts and spotted animals that still took us awhile to find even when they pointed right at it lol. I definitely appreciated their expert skills and guidance.

Caiman Safari: Spotted Caiman & Potoo bird • photos by Jeanie A

Dinner & Bed Time

After the Caiman Safari, we had our included dinner and headed to the bungalow after. Before sleeping, it’s very important to put the mosquito net over the bed. As an extra precaution for creepy crawlies at night, we also tucked the net into the bed underside to further protect us. Also, the electricity was turned off promptly at 9 PM, where are handy-dandy little but strong flashlights came in clutch!

Day 2: Lake Sandoval & Lookout Tower

This morning was a super early morning, where we were on the long wooden boat by 5:20 AM to head to Lake Sandoval. It was so early that we caught the sunrise on the river.

Heading to Tambopata National Reserve at Sunrise • photos by Jeanie A

Tambopata National Reserve

At around 5:30 AM, we got to the entrance to the Tambopata National Reserve. We applied more bug repellant and headed into the forest on foot. The trail here had wooden walkways raised above the muddy grounds, which I really appreciated as the ground was super damp and muddy.

Along the walk, we saw more interesting plants such as a palm tree with spikes or thorns on its trunk! Then we spotted some monkeys rustling in the trees above, lucky us and a strong start to our wildlife spotting.

We trekked for an hour until we got to a dock where we boarded a small rowboat and headed into the thick wet forest towards Lake Sandoval.

Tambopata National Reserve • photos by Jeanie A

Lake Sandoval

As we rowed through the forest, we spotted more caiman and birds before getting out onto Lake Sandoval. Being on the lake was so peaceful and we were seemingly the only ones out there. Because of this, you can truly hear all the wildlife living in the trees and the calm of the water hitting the side of the boat.

Lake Sandoval was for sure a highlight of the 3 Day tour, no wonder it’s called THE Lake Sandoval tour lol. We saw so many animals, from capuchin and howler monkeys, to the prehistoric hoatzin and tiger heron birds!

For breakfast, we went towards the edge and “parked” the boat among some trees. Our guide gave us our packed lunches which we enjoyed in true nature. Interestingly, our guide also mentioned how there are piranhas all around us, although we couldn’t see them. To prove his point though, we threw a piece of food right off the side of the boat, and a fury of splashes occurred! It was obvious these waters were infested with piranhas. Kind of nerve-wrecking but kind of cool too.

We were on the lake until about 9:30 AM and back to the Madre de Dios River at 10:30 AM. We headed back to the lodge the same way we got in.

Lake Sandoval • photos by Jeanie A

Relax & Lunch

We got back to the lodge around 11:30 AM where we decided to spend some time relaxing in our hammocks and at the pool. Lunch was served at 1 PM, and after which we explored more of the lodge grounds. And the Amazon Rainforest ended up living up to its name as it started to POUR out of nowhere! We got some pick-me-up coffee and relaxed to the sounds of the falling rain before we met up with our guide again for our next Amazon trek.

Relaxing at the Amazon Lodge & Day 2 Lunch • photos by Jeanie A

Amazon Trek to the Lookout Tower

At 3:30 PM, we met up with our guide, and since it was just pouring, the grounds became all muddy and slippery. The lodge provides rubber rain boots for exactly these situations, so we put on our rain boots and our rain coats and headed into the forest. Luckily the heavy rain stopped so it was more like sprinkling when we started our trek. The grounds were still muddy and hard to walk but thank goodness for the rain boots!

We trekked through the forest for about an hour until we got to the lookout tower at 4:45 PM. Then up we went! We climbed up the flights of stairs up the tower and got to the top. The rains had all stopped, and the sun started to peek through the clouds. We got some amazing views of the jungle canopy from above, and the sun glistening through the misty skies made the views so magical. We simply soaked in the views.

The sun started to get a bit lower so around 5:20 PM, we headed back down the tower and to the lodge where we made it back right at nightfall.

Lookout Tower • photos by Jeanie A

Dinner & Bar

Once back at the lodge, we enjoyed our last night at the lodge enjoying some drinks at the bar. When in Peru, you do got to get the Pisco Sour! Then dinner was served at 8:30 PM.

Last Night in the Amazon • photos by Jeanie A

Amazon Trek to the Parrots Clay Lick

At 6 AM, we met up with our guide for our last Amazon trek. We got back in our rain boots since the grounds were still muddy from the day before. We then got to an observation hut a safe distance from the clay lick where we waited a bit for the parrots to come.

At about 6:45 AM, the first few parrots started arriving, which then quickly became entire flocks! Their behavior of licking this specific clay for metabolic regulation is so fascinating and exciting to see! We saw a couple of parrots species, with the most common ones appearing being the parakeet parrot.

We then headed back to the lodge, where we continued to see more amazing Amazonian wildlife, such as the saddleback tamrin, a vulture drying its wings, and a giant snail!

Parrot Clay Lick & Our Last Amazon Trek • photos by Jeanie A

Breakfast and Return Puerto Maldonado

Once we got back to the lodge, we had breakfast then said our farewell to the lodge. We then boarded the long wooden boat and took it back to Puerto Maldonado.

Heading back to Puerto Maldonado • photos by Jeanie A

Check-Out & Local City Market

Once back in Puerto Maldonado, we went back to the Offices to pick up our luggage from the storage. Then for our very last stop on the 3 Day Lake Sandoval Tour, we stopped at a local market and observed the many produce and shopping stalls. After walking through the market, our guide then dropped us off right at the Puerto Maldonado airport where we said our goodbyes and parted ways.

Puerto Maldonado Local Market • photos by Jeanie A

Overall Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

What an amazing 3 days spent exploring and experiencing the Amazon jungle and Lake Sandoval! We had such an awesome time, that I wish we had opted for a longer tour. Our guide was also very personable and extremely knowledgeable where we learned so much from him, and were able to be comfortable asking “dumb” questions. I also loved that he showed us a “cheat sheet” of animals, as well as knew the name of every animal we saw so that we can track what exactly we were seeing.

The food and service at the lodge were also top notch! The food was really good and service was fast and easy. There weren’t many other parties during our visit, so it felt like we had our own personal service. I’m so glad I chose to go with Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge and on the Lake Sandoval Tour. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience trekking the iconic Amazon rainforest and seeing just how diverse it is was such a highlight of my travels.

The lack of electricity at night and Wi-Fi connectivity did not in any way hamper our experience. Instead they made us realize that simplicity and being disconnected is something everyone should experience every now and then.

Guide pointing and showing us Amazon animals • photos by Jeanie A

Tips to Make the Most of Your Adventure

1. Pack Light

You’re only going to be in the Amazon Rainforest for 3 days and 2 nights, so if you’re on a longer Peru or South America trip, then you’re not want to bring EVERYTHING with you to the Amazon. So at check-in in Puerto Maldonado, take out only the essentials you need from any hard case luggage you have, and put it into a lighter duffle bag. The hardcase luggage will then stay safely in the luggage storage at the offices which you retrieve at the end of your Amazonian stay.

Also bring light clothes, like breathable tops and trail pants or shorts for the hot days, and pajamas for the 2 nights. There is a full en-suite bathroom but try to only bring the bare necessities to last you the 3 days.

2. Bring Bug Repellant Spray And Lotion

The Amazon Rainforest is most famously home to TONS of mosquitos. So be prepared and bring sufficient Bug Repellant. We brought both a spray (mostly for the body) and a lotion (for the face and neck area) and they worked wonders for us! I can’t recommend the ones I got enough – linked below – because I came out the Amazon Rainforest nearly unscathed by mosquito bites and I wore TANK TOPS! We applied pretty frequently too so it’s best to go with full bottles.

• Bug Repellant Spray (with DEET)
• Bug Repellant Lotion

3. Bring a Hat

Bringing a hat is a must to protect your head from any falling leaves or brush from the trees above. Additionally, it will help protect you from the sun.

4. Bring a Personal Fan

It is HOT in the Amazon Rainforest so to help keep cool, bring a personal fan you can “wear” and forget about. I brought my neck fan which simply hung around my neck and blew air into my face. This also helped blow away any mosquitos near my face too! I brought the below fans that I switched between depending on the activity:

• Portable Neck Fan

5. Bring Hiking Shoes

Of course you’ll be trekking through lush forest grounds and through dirt and mud, so bring comfortable hiking shoes!

6. Don’t Need to Bring Rubber Rain Boots

It does rain in the Amazon Rainforest which results in muddy and damp grounds, but luckily the lodge has a bunch of rubber rain boots that their guests can use! So you can still keep your load light and not bring your own rain boots (unless you want to!).

5. Keep Bugs Out Your Shoes

Your shoes will undoubtedly get dirty from the rainforest grounds, so to keep your bungalow clean, don’t wear your shoes inside. Instead, take them off and leave them outside on the porch. BUT to keep any creepy crawlies out of them, bring a plastic bag to store your shoes in and tie the bag so nothing enters. Alternatively, you can bring two small towels and stuff them into each shoe.

7. Bring a Raincoat or Poncho

As mentioned, it can rain in the Amazon. In case it rains during your visit, bring a raincoat or poncho to keep you dry. I brought a light North Face jacket and that worked perfectly.

8. Expect no Wi-Fi Connectivity in Your Bungalow

The lodge does have Wi-Fi but it does not reach out to the bungalows. You can only connect to Wi-Fi when in the main building, where the Dining Room and Bar is located.

9. Expect Electricity OUtages & Bring a Portable Charger/Power Bank

Promptly at 9 PM at night, the electricity is turned off. So if you’re someone that likes to charge their eletronics overnight, then bring your own portable charger/power bank to use when the electricity is out.

10. Bring a Small Flashlight

When the lights are out, and you still need some light, bring a small flashlight! It will also be super useful when you have to use the restroom in the middle of the night. I brought a small but very powerful flashlight and it worked wonders. The one I brought is linked below:

• Compact Flashlight

11. Bring a Camera

Of course your camera phone will take sufficient pictures, but if you got a compact camera, then definitely bring it! And even better if you have a zoom lens to capture close photos of all the wildlife you’ll spot.

12. Bring Binoculars

The guide actually had binoculars that we were able to borrow, but if you want to bring your own to help spot wildlife in the trees, then bring your own!

Final Words: Absolutely Worth It!

The 3 Day, 2 Night Lake Sandoval Tour with Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge is not to be missed! It was the perfect Amazon Rainforest adventure, especially for first-timers like us. The tour includes amazing jungle safari spotting wildlife and all sorts of flora and fauna, cultural immersion and a private Amazon bungalow. The guide’s knowledge, amazing authentic foods, and iconic Amazon Jungle made the experience memorable and definitely worth it!

What was the highlight of your visit to the Amazon Rainforest?
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