Sandoval Lake Full Day

My experience of one of the jungle day trips around Puerto Maldonado was much more basic than I expected from the photos and descriptions online. The reality was mainly a long, hot walk along a prepared trail, followed by a simple boat ride on the lake and then the same route back again. It did not really feel like going deep into the jungle or exploring untouched rainforest. The heat was one of the biggest difficulties. I strongly recommend taking plenty of cold water and, most importantly, a large umbrella for shade. In my experience, a hat was not enough for this kind of heat. You also need enough time to stop and rest during the walk. Wildlife sightings were quite limited during my visit. I saw only a few birds and monkeys, and most animals seemed to be hiding from the heat. The lake was peaceful, but smaller and simpler than I had imagined from the advertising. Some access points, wooden steps and getting in and out of the boats were also not particularly comfortable, so anyone with mobility problems should keep this in mind. There were small rest areas with very limited food and drink, and at times people seemed to be stopping mainly because they were tired rather than because there was much to see. The experience was not terrible, but it was definitely very different from the impression created by many promotional photos. I think visitors should go with realistic expectations: it is a simple nature excursion, often very hot and physically tiring, and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.

+4

Excellent experience that we recommend for its variety of activities in a single day: boat ride on the Madre de Dios River, walking crossing, and detailed explanations by our excellent guide Darwin about the wildlife and flora encountered, visit to Sandoval Lake where we observed several caimans, different monkeys, and birds like kingfishers and others. We thank Darwin again for his explanations as a confirmed guide and his patience.

Don't have your hopes up too high - you need to be lucky to spot animals. If you don't see any, the trip is rather mediocre, although the boardwalk path is nice. I imagine if you do spot animals, it's a lovely trip overall.

Darwin is a very good, insightful guide who takes the time to find the animals and provide as many explanations as possible. Great experience!