Las Piedras from Monte Salvado to Lucerna Packrafting and Hammock Camping Expedition 9 Days

Duration
Difficulty
Adventure
Wildlife
Walking Distance
Rapids Class
Rafting Distance
Rafting Duration
River Speed
Water Quality
Bugs?

9D8N
2.5 of 5
7.5 of 10
8 of 10
2km/1.2mi+
1-2+
212km/132mi
6hrs+/day
4-9kph/3-6mph
Excellent
Yes

Day 1    Puerto Maldonado - Lucerna - Las Piedras
We leave our hostal in Puerto Maldonado at 8am in our private car/van and drive north to Alegria where we take a different, logging road to the port of Lucerna on the Las Piedras River. At the port we transfer by motorboat 5 hrs up the Las Piedras River and find a suitable camping location where we have the afternoon to go over our gear, set up our hammocks and have a briefing on our rafting and camping trip. At night we have options for night walks, relaxing in hammocks or group conversation by campfire. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 2    Boat Transfer to Monte Salvado
Very early we continue our boat ride upriver to Monte Salvado. We have the entire day to spot wildlife from the boat such as egrets, herons, parrots, macaws, caimans, flycatchers and guans just to name a few. In the late afternoon we reach the pueblo of Monte Salvado where we can meet the locals and set up our hammocks near the community. Tonight we can hear stories about the nearby uncontacted tribes and see firsthand Monte Salvado's collection of recovered indigenous arrows. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 3    Las Piedras Rafting - Oxbow Lake Exploration
Early this morning we'll again visit with the community before a rafting briefing and breakfast by the river. We'll set off on our personal boats on a gentle class 1-2 river which meanders through untouched primary forest jungle with numerous possibilities to see flocks and pairs of blue and yellow macaws, red and green macaws, parakeets, mealy and yellow headed parrots, hawks, shore birds and capybaras. In the early afternoon we can either explore an adjacent oxbow lake or trek up one of many creeks which flow into Las Piedras with clear water views of Metinus fish species and freshwater stingrays. During most of the day we can fish from our boats for Pacu, Piranha or Payaya as we raft downriver. Twilight and evening fishing from the river bank at our campsite is also possible depending on group preference. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 4    Las Piedras Rafting - Puerto Nuevo
Early this morning we'll hear the spooky calls of the Howler Monkeys then after breakfast we'll continue rafting Las Piedras in search of unsuspecting herds of capybara, squawking macaws, spider monkeys, oropendolas, Grey-capped and Social flycatchers, little blue herons and Blue-throated Piping or Spix's guans. In the afternoon we can stop in at the community of Puerto Nuevo to meet the locals. Continuing rafting we'll arrive at our campsite in the late afternoon where we may find the giant river otter near our camp. Tonight in the forest we'll hear night birds and possibly see a curious agouti come up to our hammock. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 5    Las Piedras Rafting - Santa Anita
This morning after breakfast we will continue rafting another 5 - 6 hrs scanning the canopy and riverbanks for wildlife along the way. We will likely find more capybara, sunbitterns, mealy parrots, sand pipers, scarlet macaws and black skimmers. During the hot afternoon we can paddle to a shady spot where we have an excellent opportunity to find a white caiman cooling itself. During the length of our trip we will be rafting right next to and floating above resting caimans which can be found in all shallows, nooks and crannies of the river. Today we will also have more creeks to explore and harder to reach smaller oxbows as well as cooler incoming tributaries. In the afternoon we'll reach the community of Santa Anita which is set on a cliff and offers a panoramic view "mirador" of the river and surrounding forest. Later we'll raft 2 small rapids before deciding on our campsite location. Tonight while camping in the forest we may hear or see peccaries, tapirs, nightjars or owls. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 6    Las Piedras Rafting - La Cachuela Falls
This morning after breakfast we will continue rafting for a half day. We will first reach the "La Cachuela" waterfall which stretches across the river and offers us a fun drop of 1-2 meters depending on the river level. Further down around the bend we have a short section of class 2 rapids followed by more opportunities for seeing troops of black-capped squirrel monkeys, caracaras, Amazonian kingfishers, cormorans, anhingas, black vultures, Pied Lapwings, Plovers, streak-necked flycatchers, rails and of course, the daily capybara sightings. Without a motor we often catch these guys offguard and watch as they scramble back up the steep banks and into the forest. This often requires mutliple attempts or can be unsuccessful altogether. In the afternoon at camp there are possibilities for catfish and red-bellied piranha fishing using small shore fish or freshwater clams as bait. At night enjoy biolumenescent moths, a possible giant praying mantis landing on your bug net or the distant breaking of branches by tapirs making their way to the river for their nightly dip. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 7    Las Piedras Rafting (* Lago Soledad Option)
This morning after breakfast we will wake up with the howler monkeys, have breakfast then continue rafting for a full day of wildlife sightings for the capped heron, hoatzins on overhanging tree branches, black skimmers and pairs of horned screamers on the beaches, manakins on protruding logs, toucans, aracaris or barbets, jumping piranhas, more caimans in the shallows, small cool waterfalls, more capybara, deer etc. We will raft a short rapids section before finding a spot for settting up camp. Each campsite is different but there are always fresh tracks left in the sand or mud by jaguar, tapir, peccary or ocelots. Options for night walks. Camping in primary forest means you can expect to hear at any given time multiple species of crickets, frogs, owls, night hawks or the occasional call of the Potoo. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 8    Las Piedras - Jungle Keepers Clay Lick
After breakfast we will continue rafting another full day still noticing new species. Capybara and caiman are still very commonly seen today. Parrots and macaws also are abundant. Snowy egrets, great herons, hoatzins can be seen crossing the river or perched near the banks. Flocks of noisy parakeets fill the trees and buzz while a nearby hawk waits. We finish rafting and set up camp across the river from the clay lick so we are assured to be there early tomorrow morning for the colorful show. Night hammock camping.

Meals BLD

Day 9    Las Piedras - Dos Cascadas - Lucerna - PEM (* LPAC Option)
At 5am this morning we can watch the clay lick come alive with activity beginning with white-eyed parakeets to yellow-headed Amazon and Mealy parrots and finally red and green macaws show up to have a lick of clay. The clay is negatively charged and aids digestion counteracting some of the toxins ingested with seeds. After breakfast we will paddle a short half day back to the port of Lucerna, stopping for a few minutes at 2 beautiful waterfalls which dump into Las Piedras "Dos Cascadas" where we can have a natural shower and wash any gear. At Lucerna our private car/van will be waiting for us to take us back to Puerto Maldonado and our hostal. Night in hostal.

Meals BL