The Journey there and back

The whole journey includes: flying to Puerto Maldonado, a shuttle bus, stop off at the Rainforest Expeditions office, an hour long bus ride and a three hour river boat trip.  

You'll most likely connect to your flight to Puerto Maldonado (PEM) via Lima. Some have chosen to extend their trip and go via Cusco.

We ask that book your domestic flight (from Lima to PEM) with LAN airlines. There are two flights a day (outbound flights 2075 and 2081 and on return flights 2074 and 2080) which both arrive before 1pm. These are the flights that match up with the boat transfers and help us to limit the amount of work we pass on to Rainforest Expeditions, without whom this residency would not be possible. 

Landing at PEM airport

You will be collected at PEM airport by one of the Rainforest Expedition team, along with any of their regular guests.  

Occasionally, there will not be a boat scheduled on the day of your arrival so we will ask you to arrange accommodation in PEM for one or two evenings, we will help you to arrange this. The rates are very reasonable.

Note: if there is no Rainforest Expedition staff member at PEM airport to greet you, please ask the airport staff for help, they can call the Rainforest Expedition PEM offices (10/15 min drive away) to let them know that you have arrived. There's no need for concern, it's not a huge place.

Rainforest Expeditions office, PEM.

When you arrive at the office you will have an opportunity to leave some of your belongings behind, in a secure place (useful if you have been travelling either side of your residency).  

For the leg of the journey from the office to the lodge (bus and boat), it is requested that you use a soft case, e.g travellers back pack (please use or bring one with you).  If you have travelled this far using a hard case (one on wheels for instance) then at this point, repack the belongings you wish to take with you into your soft case.  

note: make sure that anything you do leave behind is well wrapped up, to protect against the humidity.  Plastic bin bags work well for this as well as for the items you take with you - clear bags even better so you can see what's in them without opening them up.

From the office, you will take an hour long bus ride to arrive at the river port.  

Here you will board the riverboat which will take you upstream to your lodge, Amazonas Refugio.

On the boat, your big case will be placed above you, up on the roof of the boat.  Your hand luggage should contain your waterproof, a warm layer, DEET/insect repellant, camera-phone, binoculars, flash light, water bottle.  Minus the warm layer, this will remain the same check list throughout the whole trip for any excursion.
  
On the boat, you will be given some lunch, then you should arrive at the lodge in time for dinner.

  

 On your return, you will take the boat and the bus back to Puerto Maldonado, in the early morning.  The boat ride will be shorter in this direction as you will be travelling downstream. 

You will stop off again at the Rainforest Expeditions office in Puerto Maldonado, where you will pick up any belongings you left behind, before heading to the airport.

Rainforest expeditions recommend scheduling your departure around midday as you will be back in the Puerto Maldonado city by 10am – 11am ( Estimated time).  

Flight information on Rainforest expedition website

Route from PEM airport to Refugio Amazonas