Day 1 - arrive Puerto Maldonado - Posada Amazonas Lodge
Transfer to the Lima or Cuzco airport for your flight departing to Puerto Maldonado. The Posada Lodge staff will meet and transfer you to the Posada general office to drop off excess baggage. Puerto Maldonado is situated at the confluence of the mighty Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers and is a bustling, booming tropical frontier town. Its principal activities are gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism. After a brief survey of the town we will depart on the 2 hour boat trip by motorized canoe to Posada Amazonas. Depending on the arrival time of the plane we will have a boxed lunch aboard the boats or have lunch upon arrival at Posada Amazonas. During our voyage we may see bird species typical of the river or forest edge such as: Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, a several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers. When we arrive at Posada Amazonas we will unpack and unwind. Posada Amazonas is a luxurious yet unobtrusive 24 room lodge owned jointly by Rainforest Expeditions and the Ese'eja Native Community of Tambopata. We will receive a short orientation and a complete briefing of the lodge and the Ese'eja Ecotourism Project before our afternoon activity: Ethnobotany. In this activity, we will hike the trails around Posada Amazonas with an Ese�eja native, who will explain to us the everyday uses of forest medicine, construction, food and fiber. Evening excursion with over night at Posada Amazonas Lodge. (L/D)

Day 2 - day & night excursions - Posada Amazonas Lodge
After breakfast depart for a short hike (1/2 hour) to the Tres Chimbadas oxbow lake where we will paddle around the lake by catamaran in search of giant river otters and other aquatic wildlife. In area around the naturally created lakes a variety of birds known for wet marshy regions as this can be viewed on a daily basis. Species that are commonly viewed include: Hoatzin, Greater Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, kingfishers, Wattled Jacana, Black Capped Donacobius and the Red-Capped Cardinal. Others that are less viewed but also present include the Horned Screamer, the Sungrebe and the Rufescent Tiger Heron. After lunch we will visit an Ese�ja farm. This small community of about 400 habitants combine their traditional use of forest resources with some occidental influences to produce a lifestyle that is noticeably different from their ancestral ways, as well as from those of other rain forest residents. There main source of income is generated by Brazil nut along with surplus crops. They as well still live some what primitively to, western standards, by hunting & fishing along the Tambopata river. However hunting was traditionally done in the past with bow and arrow, now by shotgun. As well, fishing with bow and arrows and harpoons has been partially replaced with line fishing. With these new tools of locating food and as well with their permanent settlements have diminished the large mammal, bird and fish population and made it difficult for Ese�ejas to maintain their traditional lifestyles. Rainforest Expeditions works very close with this community to assist and help maintain the influx of tourism and as well to bring light to the increase need to respect the natural history of the Ese�ejas people. Afternoon return to the Posada Lodge. Overnight at Posada Lodge. (B/L/D)

Day 3 - day & night excursions - Posada Amazonas Lodge
Early morning starts with a trip to a local Macaw lick near the Posada Lodge. Here you will have the opportunity to view a variety of species which visit the clay lick such as the Red-bellied & Chestnut-fronted Macaws, Mealy & Yellow- crowned Amazons, Blue-headed Parrots and White-eyed Parakeets. The large macaws can also be viewed, but less frequent and usually in small numbers. Afterwards return to the Posada Lodge for breakfast. Later that morning your time will be spent exploring one of the lodge�s trails in primary rain forest and learning the traditional Ese�eja uses of plant and animal forest resources. After lunch the you can visit to a 35 meter observation tower. Here you will get a birds eye view of the inhabitants of the trees and below. Return to the Posada Lodge. Overnight at Posada Lodge. (B/L/D)

Day 4 - return to Puerto Maldonado
Early departure boat/bus to the Puerto Maldonado airport for your flight to Lima or Cuzco.