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From Laberinto we'll motorboat up the Madre de Dios River to the town of Los Amigos where we begin a 6 day adventure with an emphasis to explore oxbow lakes and natural waterways full of piranha, caiman and electric eels. We'll use these waterways to reach Laguna Caracol, J's Oxbow and Unnamed. We'll paddle at least 4 of these waterways, some no more than 2 meters and up to 20 meters across. We'll hammock camp in the forest at key locations for wildlife and raft down the great Mother of God River returning to Laberinto. Expect murky water, muck and off the beaten path camping locations. This area is also known for large mammals such as tapir, peccary, jaguar as well as exotic birds such as wattled jacanas, macaws, kingfishers, rails, spoonbills and hoatzins.
Duration
Difficulty
Adventure
Walking Distance
Rapids Class
Rafting Distance
Rafting Duration
River Speed
Water Quality
Bugs?
6D5N
3.5 of 5
7 of 10
3km+/2mi+
1-2
113km+/70mi+
2-6 hrs
0-11kph/0-7mph
Murky
Yes
Day 1 Cusco or Puerto Maldonado - Laberinto
We leave Cusco in the morning and take a private car 9 hrs to the gold mining town of Laberinto.
Day 2 Madre de Dios River - Los Amigos Biological Station - Madre de Dios River Camp
We take a motorboat up the Madre de Dios river to the Los Amigos Biological Station then raft 4 hours down the Madre de Dios River to our first campsite. Night hammock camping. * Night at Los Amigos Research Station Option (Add a day)
Day 3 Madre de Dios River Campsite - Primary Forest Hike - Laguna Huitoto - River Campsite
From our first campsite we walk 45 mins through primary forest to packraft Laguna Huitoto then return in the afternoon. Night hammock camping. * Night at Huitoto Lake Lodge Option (Add a day)
Day 4 Madre de Dios River - Caiman Canal - J's Lake
We float 10 mi to Caiman Canal then paddle 1.5 mi to J's Lake. Night hammock camping.
Day 5 Inambari Confluence - Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado
We raft another 5-6 hrs arriving back in Laberinto and either stay a night in this town or transfer 1 hr to Puerto Maldonado. Night in a basic Hostal.
Day 6 Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado - Cusco
We leave Laberinto (or Puerto Maldonado) in the morning for an all day private car trip back up through the Andes to Cusco arriving in the late afternoon.
Baby Caiman at J's Lake
Related Raft | Boca Colorado to Laberinto 8 Days | Manu to Boca Colorado 9 Days | Manu 3 Days | Manu 4 Days | Manu 5 Days | AmazonDay 1 Cusco - Laberinto
We leave Cusco at 6 am towards the southeast in our private car(s) up through Tinki near Ausangate then down until our surroundings turn green to lush to Mazuko then another 1.5 hrs to either Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado on the Madre de Dios River. We'll stay the night in a basic hostal and have dinner at a local restaurant.
9 hrs
9 hrs
Hostal
Meals LD
Leave from Puerto Maldonado
Option to arrive in Laberinto from Puerto Maldonado (1 hr) on this day or early the following morning.
Day 2 Madre de Dios River - Los Amigos Biological Station (CICRA) - River Campsite
From Laberinto we take a 4.5 hrs motorized boat up the Madre de Dios river past the Inambari confluence and to the Los Amigos Biological Station (CICRA). Here we will have lunch before rafting 4 hrs to our first campsite on the Mother of God River. There we will go over the basics of hammock camping in the jungle, set up camp and have time for a late afternoon or night walk. During the night we may hear night birds, countless species of crickets, frogs, tapirs, agoutis etc. Night hammock camping.
4 hrs
4 hrs
Hammock
Meals BLD
Stay a night at Los Amigos Biological Station
Known primarily as a research station, the Los Amigos Biological Station now also offers guided tours. In addition to meals, Los Amigos offers 40 km of established trails, 5 nearby oxbow lakes, presentation facilities and a library. With a total of 4,369 species recorded so far, you are assured experts in the fields of mammals, reptiles and birds. In fact, management at Los Amigos would first like to know what you are interested in before your arrival at the lodge. We will spend a day here until the following morning after breakfast when we will continue our adventure.
Bushwhack / Packraft the overgrown Bamboo Canal
Note: Bamboo canal to Caracol is considered "expeditionary" and passage is not guaranteed. This will depend on river level, vegetation and group's ability. Caracol's outlet canal is another possible entrance + other options.
Day 3 Madre de Dios Campsite - Primary Forest Hike - Laguna Huitoto Packrafting
Early this morning after breakfast we walk 45 mins through untouched and protected primary forest to our put in location for Lake Huitoto. We'll paddle the entire length of the lake (2 mi) to Huitoto Island where we have a good chance of seeing the acrobatic Spider Monkey or Howler Monkey up close. Returning to our put in location we can possibly see 4 meter Black Caimans, both adult and baby Wattled Jacanas and Taricaya Turtles as well as Red-Capped Cardinals, Donocobius, Grey-Necked Wood Rails, Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, Great Egrets and a variety of Herons. We'll return to our campsight in the afternoon for another night in this special place. Night hammock camping.
45 mins
1 hr+
Hammock
Meals BLD
Stay a day at Huitoto Lake Lodge
The lodge offers 4 bungalows (dbls/tpls), a spacious dining area and 3 meals along with their cool and refreshing limonade. They also have trails to nearby ceiba trees (giants) and lion monkeys "leoncillos". In the lake there are motorboat excurisons to see the family of giant otters, giant caiman and spider monkeys which live on Huitoto Island. Our group will most likely be the only ones visiting. This is a very private experience.
Day 4 Madre de Dios River - Caiman Canal - J's Lake
This morning from the Madre de Dios River we'll raft another 10 miles to another waterway where we will exit the main river and paddle "Caiman Canal" upstream spotting kingfishers, parrots and caimans, some as small as a foot and others near the river a full 3+ meters in length. We'll paddle this canal a total of 1mi (1.6km) to reach a caiman pathway which has been smoothed out over the years which leads us over a bank to J's oxbow lake. On the bank we will pick out trees to set up our camp followed by lunch. In the afternoon we'll paddle J's Lake to find the Wattled jacana, flycatchers, hoatzins and possibly the local troop of Black-capped squirrel monkeys! At our campsite we can find small caiman in both the lake and canal sides. Tonight we can either have a night walk along the banks or night paddle in either the lake or canal. The caimans' glowing eyes will pop with a flash of your torch. Tonight we hammock camp between the canal and lake with chirping crickets, frogs and grunting caiman just a few meters away. Night hammock camping.
2 hrs
1 hr
5 hrs +
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 5 Inambari Confluence - Laberinto - Cusco or Puerto Maldonado
This morning after breakfast we will paddle Caiman Canal back out to the Madre de Dios river and continue rafting until we reach the Inambari confluence where the joining river more than doubles the width. After a total of 5-6 hrs we will arrive back in Laberinto. Here we'll check into a hostal for a cool shower, a nap or organizing gear. We can try "Paco Frito" (fried Pacu) at a local restaurant then it's our choice to stay a night or return to either Cusco (9 hrs) or Puerto Maldonado (1 hr) in the evening. An overnight bus to Cusco leaves at 8 pm and arrives in Cusco at 6 am.
6 hrs
Hostal
Meals BLD
Return to Puerto Maldonado
Option to return to Puerto Maldonado from Laberinto in the afternoon or the following morning (1 hr).
Day 6 Laberinto - Cusco
We leave Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado in the morning and arrive at your hotel in Cusco in the late afternoon stopping for lunch along the way.
9 hrs
Meals BL
| Group Size | All Included | No Gear | No Gear / Meals | Transp. Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1100 | $1000 | $950 | Private / Local |
| 2 | $800 | $700 | $650 | Private / Local |
| 3 | $750 | $650 | $600 | Private |
| 4 | $700 | $600 | $550 | Private |
| 5 | $700 | $600 | $550 | Private |
| All Included | No Gear | No Gear / Meals |
|---|---|---|
|
• All Packrafting Equipment • All Camping Equipment • Meals - 5B / 6L / 5D • Hotel Reception • RT Private Car Transfer Cuz - Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado • 03 Nights Camping • 02 Night Hostals • English-Speaking Guide |
• Meals - 5B / 6L / 5D • Hotel Reception • RT Private Car Transfer Cuz - Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado • 03 Nights Camping • 02 Night Hostals • English-Speaking Guide |
• Hotel Reception • RT Private Car Transfer Cuz - Laberinto or Puerto Maldonado • 03 Nights Camping • 02 Night Hostals • English-Speaking Guide |
| All Included | No Gear | No Gear / Meals | Optional |
|---|---|---|---|
|
• Light Sleeping Bag • Backpack (Daypack) • Change of Clothes • Light Jacket • Raincoat / Poncho • Flashlight / Batteries • Hat / Sunblock / Sunglasses • Insect Repellent • Toilet Paper • Snacks • Water Bottle • Swimsuit |
• Packraft / Paddles / PFD • Dry Bag 50l+ • Hammock w/ Bug Net • Rain Tarp • Light Sleeping Bag • Backpack (Daypack) • Change of Clothes • Light Jacket • Raincoat / Poncho • Flashlight / Batteries • Hat / Sunblock / Sunglasses • Insect Repellent • Toilet Paper • Snacks • Water Bottle • Swimsuit |
• Cook Kit / Gas • Meals (4B / 4L / 4D) • Packraft / Paddles / PFD • Dry Bag 50l+ • Hammock w/ Bug Net • Rain Tarp • Light Sleeping Bag • Backpack (Daypack) • Change of Clothes • Light Jacket • Raincoat/Poncho • Flashlight/Batteries • Hat / Sunblock / Sunglasses • Insect Repellent • Toilet Paper • Snacks • Water Bottle • Swimsuit |
• Camp Chair • Binoculars • Long Camera Lens • Afterbite |
• Prices are per person according to your group size.
• All prices are for your own private group. We will not "pool" your group with other groups.
• We require a deposit which we refund 100% with the return of all undamaged equipment.
• We have included prices for those wanting to bring their own camping gear and/or meals. For all 3 options your transportation, lodging and guide are included. Contact us if you will be bringing specific gear for adjusted prices.
• "Private" transportation is a 4 passenger sedan for your group only (2 or more cars can be booked). We leave Cusco in the morning with time for stops for breakfast, lunch, photos etc. We will arrive in Laberinto in the early afternoon.
• There are also options for local transportion for groups of 1-2 with slightly lower costs. Contact us for more info.
• Contact us if your group is larger than 5 people for more options.
Cancellations: We are not responsible for natural occurances, delayed or cancelled flights, political protests or personal sickness.
Refunds: Tours and deposits (partial payments) are 100% refundable if cancelled within 2 months of your reserved start date. Partial refunds of 50% are available up until 2 weeks of your reserved start date. This is to protect us from any loss as we operate 1 group at a time. If we have reserved your dates then denied availability to another we are unable to fully refund a deposit or full payment according to specified time limits.
Gear: Our equipment is expensive and has to be imported so we require a 100% refundable deposit (specified in "Rates") in case of any loss. This is 100% refundable at our office in Cusco following our trip provided that all gear is returned and undamaged. This includes replacing any lost items, repairing holes in packrafts or mosquito nets etc. We're in this together and any lost or damaged gear in the field can make for a difficult trip. Please follow our simple guidelines for gear care.
Gear Care: Please review the following helpful guidelines in order to avoid any additional fees.
1. For our jungle trips and after arriving to our campsites on the river bank, simply deflate your raft. Please do not carry your raft into the forest. At most campsites there are bamboo thorns which can put holes in your boat. Your guide is responsible for taking care of your boat at campsites. Please do not under any circumstance carry a fully inflated packraft into the forest!
2. Keep a list of provided gear and check this list every morning before rafting. You are responsible for any gear items left behind at campsites. Your guide is unable to check all items for all group members. If something is missing please bring it to your guide's attention.
3. Be mindful of your boat's inflation volume (tightness). It can get hot in the jungle and regulation is very important as to prevent any warping to your packraft.
4. No smoking in your boat or in your hammock. You do not want to sink or let any bugs in.
Safety: We are not responsible for any injuries, sickness or accidental death. Sorry, we've got to put it out there but know that we have not have had any issues thus far. Although the jungle has been portrayed as a dangerous environment with flesh eating disease, hungry piranhas and man-eating caimans, this is not the case. You are more likely to hurt yourself with your own machete or with a nasty fall. As with any forestal environments there are precautions to take such as watch where you step and what you touch. Be aware of your surroundings always. Listen to your guide's instructions both on the river and at camp and most of all, have a humble attitude. The Amazon commands the greatest respect from the most experienced campers to local guides to the indigenous for good reason. For experienced rafters, the river may not act according to your experience creating eddies where they shouldn't be or unexpected moments of turbulence from below the surface.
Machete Safety: Always swing your machete away from your body, never towards your limbs and especially your legs. Be aware of anyone in close proximity and warn others nearby of anything you need to cut down. Do not cut anything towards your arms or hands such as small sticks, cordage etc. Always cut out and away. If you are unsure of any machete work, let your guide help or do it for you.
River Safety: No experience is required for most of our rafting trips as we mainly stick with class 1-2+ whitewater. Please consult with us before booking as we are not responsible for river levels and changing conditions nor are we responsible for your boating skills. In most cases there is a road which follows our river so at any time you do not want to continue, let your guide know. Not to worry, we prefer calmer rivers for sightseeing as opposed to wild and rocky adrenaline rushes.
Conclusion: Whew! We don't like these things either and appreciate you taking the time to read this. Glad that's over now let's just have fun! We are sure it will all go well, but if you have any questions or concerns just let us know. We are happy to help.
