I take my wildlife travel and photography seriously, so I did lots of research about what would be the right trip for my wife and I to visit the Amazon. There are so many places that look great on the internet competing for your dollar, it's easy to get it wrong, but harder to get it right. I started my search and quickly narrowed down to a couple of ideas and then started to send off some emails and download information off the web. Once I started to do that, there was only one place for us, Tambo Blanquillo, which I'll refer to as TB. We were planning a month in South America and have been to Peru before. So we were looking for a premier wildlife trip, that ran at our pace, with a team that was willing to make adjustments to suit our needs. Our final choice was a single night at the Cock of the Rock Lodge, then 3 days at Amazonia Lodge (both on the Manu Road from Cusco), then a full week at TB. We got Stefano and Luis from TB to arrange every aspect of the trip, from picking us up in Cusco, all the way until they dropped us at Puerto Maldonado 11 days later. Here's the review in detail: ARRANGING THE TRIP All of my email correspondence was answered quickly, and there was no pressure salespitch to sign up. Just helpful people answering questions and giving tips. The website was informative, tons of great pictures, and a downloadable wildlife guide which was really helpful. TB offer package trips for set lengths, ie 3/4/5 days etc, but also arrange that special trip - you only have to ask. TRANSPORT VIA MANU ROAD Leaving day from Cusco and our guide Darwin and our driver were on time in a roomy, modern van. Very clean, air-conditioned and spacious vehicle and we were really happy with the whole drive. It's a very long drive and the road is quite narrow and not for the faint-hearted. But our driver was incredibly safe and I noticed he even cleaned the vehicle out a couple of times when we got out for a stretch. Our guide, Darwin, made sure we exited Peru with some sightseeing on the way, and we stopped at Paucartambo for a nice walk around. COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE I was glad we chose to stay at the Cock of the Rock Lodge. I could have stayed a second night as there was loads of birds to see, but we easily saw our main target, the Cock of the Rock, and also a good display of hummingbirds and mammals at the lodge that evening and in the morning AMAZONIA LODGE After a short drive on the second day, we had to do a short river crossing in a motorised canoe to get to Amazonia Lodge. This was an extra stop I had planned for. It's a rustic little lodge but the hummingbird viewing is spectacular. We really enjoyed our time at Amazonia. It was lesser quality than Tambo Blanquillo but it was an easy three nights - nice easy walks, plenty of interesting things to see. We saw many people only stop for one or two nights and we were glad we stayed longer. The food was simpler than Tambo Blanquillo but we enjoyed it. TRANSPORT TO TAMBO BLANQUILLO If I have a full day of travel ahead of me, I always expect it to be tiring or boring. I have to say, our boat ride down to TB from Amazonia Lodge was the best travel day we have ever had in our life. The boat driver was great and circled back for photos for me a few times. We got a little rain but everything stayed safe and dry. Our driver navigated the many treefalls with ease and our safety was always his top priority. TAMBO BLANQUILLO - Accommodation TB has a variety of sleeping options, from simple tent sites, to a dormitory for the budget traveler to beautiful lodges. I got a guided tour of the dorm and was really impressed with how clean and well-arranged it was, including some great wildlife photos on the walls. The lodges are just amazing, for a place in such a remote location. Really spacious with a small reading/hammock area, a huge bed with canopy netting, and a roomy bathroom area out of site slight separate to the bedroom. We found the bedroom always immaculately clean and it contained everything we needed. TB has wonderful grounds -the gardens were really nice and it was great to see so many birds in the garden. TAMBO BLANQUILLO - Food We never went hungry at TB, and we were really happy with the quality of food. We've done some remote travel and sometimes quality of food is one thing you compromise. Happily at TB food was excellent, every time. At the end of the day, we also got to find a quiet spot in the main lodge for a chat with one of the team, or just read a book. We would have an evening cocktail or two to top off each wonderful day. TAMBO BLANQUILLO - Things to do TB really is a special place and things to do and see is really where TB stands out from the rest. There are 3 lakes, each having different features meaning different bird and animal life. A highlight was the resident Giant Otter population, which we spent about an hour observing as they calmly fished around us without a concern. The TB team will paddle you around the lakes on sturdy boats - they are like platforms fixed on top of two pontoons. We were generally on our own but I am sure the boats could easily fit 8-10 people with cameras. Very good for photographers as you can use a tripod safely, or get down low if needed. TB also has a massive platform way up high in one of the trees overlooking the lake. Very unique, and since we visited I see they have anew canopy walkway. It's these extras that sets TB apart from others. The extra investment for guests to get the most out of their trip. The highlight is the Macaw Clay Lick. There are only two decent clay licks in this part of the Amazon, and the best is right at TB. An amazing viewing facility that can easily house 50 observers, and you get it included at no charge when staying at TB - we went three times and twice we had it all to ourselves and our guide. Seeing 100 Green and Red Macaws flying close around you, and sometimes taking off at once is breathtaking. TAMBO BLANQUILLO - The Team For me, one of the things that made TB special was the team. Both Luis and Stefano made us feel welcome. Everyone was always very helpful and friendly. We knew we were always safe, and the staff worked behind the scenes quietly to make our experience the best it could possibly be. Our lack of spanish language was never a problem, the team were just fantastic. TAMBO BLANQUILLO - Guide We were fortunate to have the amazing Darwin as our guide. A local who grew up not far from TB, Darwin is truly a knowledgeable guide, but also an adventurous spirit. He gave us the tour that only someone who grew up in the jungle could give. His idea of fun on his days off is to go hiking through jungle looking for spots no-one has been before. A great sense of humour, he was a most professional expert who also understands the needs of photographers. TRANSPORT FROM TB TO PUERTO MALDONADO It's a long trip from TB to Puerto Maldonado to catch your flight out. It goes motorised canoe for a couple of hours, an hour van shuttle to the next river crossing, another quick motorised canoe ride, then a comfy van to the airport. It is a long day but we got a good breakfast and also a packed lunch and snacks which was a thoughtful and quality touch. The transfers were made with a minimum of fuss, and each vehicle we used was safe and we arrived in plenty of time for our flight. I will come back to this post and add some pictures. If you have questions, please ask me. Our time at Tambo Blanquillo was one of the best experiences ever with a fantastic group of people that have brought excellence to the wilderness. I would recommend them to anyone. Thank you Luis, Stefano, Darwin and the team. I hope our paths cross again.…
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