Wild Amazon Bird Photography Expedtion 5 Days / 4 Nights Tambopata National Reserve Peru Birding Tour

Day 2: Wasaí Lodge & Tambopata National Reserve | Macaw Clay Lick & Canopy Tower

Photography Focus: Macaw photography, parrot flocks, canopy birds, flight shots

Pre-Dawn: Macaw Clay Lick Photography (5:00 AM – 8:00 AM) Depart before sunrise to the famous Blanquillo Clay Lick, one of the best macaw photography locations in the Amazon. From a camouflaged blind, photograph:

• Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna)—hundreds arriving in raucous flocks

• Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)—brilliant red against green forest

• Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus)

• Chestnut-fronted Macaw (Ara severus)

• Mealy Parrot, Yellow-crowned Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot

• White-eyed Parakeet, Dusky-headed Parakeet

Technique: Fast shutter (1/1000s+) for flight shots; wide-angle for flock composition; telephoto for individual portraits.

Morning: Canopy Tower Photography (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) Ascend our 40-meter canopy tower for eye-level bird photography of species rarely seen from the ground:

• Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus)—weaver of hanging nests

• Russet-backed Oropendola

• Ivory-billed Aracari, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Curl-crested Aracari

• White-throated Toucan, Channel-billed Toucan, Toco Toucan

• Paradise Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Opal-crowned Tanager

• Masked Tanager, Yellow-bellied Tanager at fruiting trees

Afternoon: Tambopata River Boat Safari (3:30 PM – 6:30 PM) Silent electric boat exploration for riverside bird photography:

• Agami Heron (Agamia agami)—the "unicorn of Amazon birds"

• Zigzag Heron, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Rufescent Tiger-Heron

• Green Ibis, Capped Heron

• Amazonian Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher

• Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias)—stunning display when alarmed

Accommodation: Wasaí Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Photography Notes: This is THE day for macaw photography—bring extra memory cards; 70–200mm for clay lick flight shots; 400mm+ for canopy tower

Day 3: Tambopata National Reserve Camping | Deep Amazon Immersion

Photography Focus: Antbirds, manakins, woodcreepers, nightjars, nocturnal birds

Morning: Forest Trail Photography (6:00 AM – 11:00 AM) Trek into primary rainforest within Tambopata National Reserve for antbird photography and mixed flock documentation:

• Antbirds: Dusky-throated Antshrike, Bluish-slate Antshrike, Spot-winged Antshrike, Goeldi's Antbird, White-throated Antbird

• Antpittas: Thrush-like Antpitta, Amazonian Antpitta

• Woodcreepers: Long-tailed Woodcreeper, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Elegant Woodcreeper

• Manakins: Blue-crowned Manakin, Band-tailed Manakin, Fiery-capped Manakin, Round-tailed Manakin

• Tyrannulets: White-lored Tyrannulet, Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet, Slender-footed Tyrannulet

Afternoon: Transfer to Riverside Camp (2:00 PM – 4:00 PM) Boat to our exclusive campsite on a Tambopata River beach, deep in the reserve. This is wilderness bird photography at its finest—no other lodges, no light pollution, pure Amazon.

Late Afternoon: Beach & Riverine Photography:

• Black Skimmer flocks at sunset

• Yellow-billed Tern colony

• Orinoco Goose, Muscovy Duck

• Pied Lapwing, Collared Plover

Night: Nocturnal Bird Photography (8:00 PM – 10:00 PM) Spotlighting session for night birds:

• Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl

• Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

• Common Potoo, Andean Potoo—cryptic birds that perch vertically on branches

• Ocellated Poorwill, Rufous Nightjar, Blackish Nightjar, Common Pauraque

Accommodation: Riverside camp (comfortable tents with mattresses, sleeping bags provided)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Photography Notes: Macro lens for insects; flash with diffuser for night birds; tripod essential; rain protection mandatory

Day 4: Tambopata National Reserve | Oxbow Lake & Mammal Photography

Photography Focus: Waterbirds, giant otters, primates, raptors, landscape photography

Pre-Dawn: Camp Sunrise & Early Birds (5:30 AM – 7:00 AM) Capture sunrise over the Tambopata River with Scarlet Macaws and Crested Oropendolas flying overhead.

Morning: Lake Condenado Oxbow Lake (7:30 AM – 12:00 PM) Boat exploration of this pristine oxbow lake—a bird photographer's paradise:

• Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)—primitive, leaf-eating birds with chicks that climb with wing-claws

• Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)—"snake bird" drying wings

• Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Fasciated Tiger-Heron

• Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule

• Limpkin (Aramus guarauna)—specialized snail-eater

• Pied-billed Grebe, White-tufted Grebe

• Amazonian Kingfisher fishing

Mammal Photography Bonuses:

• Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)—endangered, highly social, photogenic

• Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger)—basking on logs

• Howler Monkeys, Capuchin Monkeys, Squirrel Monkeys, Tamarin Monkeys

• Brown-throated Sloth, Silky Anteater

• South American Coati, Kinkajou (night)

Afternoon: Forest Edge & Raptor Photography (3:30 PM – 6:30 PM)

• Gray-headed Kite, Plumbeous Kite, Double-toothed Kite

• Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-Chestnut Eagle

• Slate-colored Hawk, Great Black Hawk

• Roadside Hawk, Laughing Falcon, Bat Falcon

Evening: Return to camp for dinner and night photography session.

Accommodation: Riverside camp
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Photography Notes: 600mm+ recommended for shy lake birds; polarizing filter for water reflections; burst mode for otter action sequences

Day 5: Return to Puerto Maldonado | Final Birding & Departure

Photography Focus: Lodge garden birds, missed species, departure logistics

Early Morning: Wasaí Lodge Garden Photography (5:30 AM – 8:00 AM) Final opportunity for hummingbird photography and lodge garden species:

• Wire-crested Thorntail (Discosura popelairii)—male has extravagant crest

• Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi)

• Gray-breasted Sabrewing

• Glittering-throated Emerald

• Versicolored Emerald

• Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

• Long-billed Starthroat

Other Garden Birds:

• Silver-beaked Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager

• Crested Oropendola at nests

• Speckled Chachalaca, Spix's Guan

• Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Razor-billed Curassow (with luck)

Mid-Morning: Breakfast and image review session with guide.

Transfer to Puerto Maldonado Airport (11:00 AM departure) for flights to Lima/Cusco.

Meals: Breakfast

PRICING & INCLUSIONS

Tour Price (Per Person)

Table

Copy

Group SizePrice (USD)

1 person$2,450

2 people$2,150

3–4 people$1,950

5–6 people$1,750

Price based on double occupancy; single supplement: $350

What's Included

✅ 4 nights accommodation (2 nights Wasaí Lodge, 2 nights riverside camp)
✅ All meals from Day 1 dinner through Day 5 breakfast
✅ Professional bilingual bird photography guide specialized in Amazon birds
✅ All transfers from Puerto Maldonado airport return
✅ Boat excursions (silent electric boat, motorboat)
✅ Canopy tower access
✅ Macaw clay lick blind access
✅ Camping equipment (tents, mattresses, sleeping bags)
✅ Tambopata National Reserve permits
✅ Purified water throughout (bring reusable bottle)

Not Included

❌ International/domestic flights to Puerto Maldonado
❌ Travel insurance (mandatory—proof required)
❌ Photography equipment (rental available: lenses, tripods, flash)
❌ Alcoholic beverages
❌ Tips for guides and staff
❌ Personal expenses

BEST TIME TO VISIT

This Amazon bird photography tour operates year-round, but optimal periods are:

• April–June: Post-rainy season, full clay lick activity, lush vegetation, fewer mosquitoes

• July–November: Dry season, peak macaw activity at clay licks, best for boat navigation, giant otters most visible

• December–March: Rainy season, excellent for fruiting trees and tanagers, fewer tourists, dramatic skies

Peak Bird Activity: May–September (highest diversity, best light)