Inca: Natural Diversity in the Tambopata Surroundings

When planning a trip to Inca, it is also worth exploring nature in the wider region. The Tambopata National Reserve brings together an extensive protected landscape, great biodiversity, striking clay licks and tourist boat trips. This lets you connect your travel plans with a specific question: should your stay focus mainly on observing wildlife and plants, or would you like to include a longer boat journey?

Biodiversity in the Tambopata National Reserve

The Tambopata National Reserve was established in September 2000 through Supreme Decree No. 048-2000-AG and currently covers 274,690 hectares. An inventory attributed to SERNANP from 2011 lists a total of 1,260 species, including 93 amphibian, 648 bird, 108 mammal and 323 fish species. Birds are therefore the largest of the four groups listed individually; the figures also give an impression of the range of habitats and wildlife-watching opportunities in the reserve.

Animals found there include river otters, white-lipped peccaries, monkeys, macaws, parrots, whistling ducks, taricayas and motelos. Large trees such as lupuna and shihuahuaco, as well as aguajales, are also part of the natural landscape of the Tambopata National Reserve. Guided excursions explore the flora, fauna and landscape. The focus is therefore not only on individual animal species, but also on the different elements of the protected landscape.

Clay licks and views in the Alto Tambopata sector

The Chuncho Clay Lick is in the Alto Tambopata sector, in the district and province of Tambopata. It is known for macaw-watching. This makes it a specific nature attraction for anyone particularly interested in these birds, without guaranteeing a sighting. The Alto Tambopata sector also has an elevated lookout with sanitary facilities and an associated raised walkway that is almost 500 metres long.

Another striking destination in the surrounding region is Colorado Clay Lick. The clay cliff is in the Alto Tambopata sector on the left bank of the Tambopata River, in the district and province of Tambopata and within the Tambopata National Reserve. It is 50 metres high and 500 metres long. These dimensions offer a different kind of nature experience from observing individual animals: here, a large, clearly defined landform shapes the visit.

Planning boat trips and travel time

Tourist boat and catamaran trips are offered in the Tambopata National Reserve. The specific journey to Colorado Clay Lick is a separate matter: it starts at the landing stage of the native community of Infierno and covers 113 kilometres by boat, with a stated journey time of eight hours. Travel conditions may vary, so check the conditions for this route in advance. If travelling with children or several generations, this long journey is a useful reference point when weighing up nature interests and the time available.

The Tambopata National Reserve can be visited year-round; the dry season from May to November is considered the ideal time to visit. As weather conditions vary from year to year, this seasonal guidance can help when choosing your travel dates. If you are mainly interested in guided wildlife watching or Chuncho Clay Lick, you can compare that focus with a boat journey to Colorado Clay Lick planned specifically into your itinerary: the options differ chiefly in their nature focus and, for the Colorado route, the long travel time.

Keep your travel plans in mind when choosing accommodation

If you are looking for a holiday rental in Inca, the region’s nature attractions can be part of your thinking about the kind of trip you want. Are you particularly interested in biodiversity and guided wildlife watching, drawn to the prospect of seeing macaws, or hoping to plan a long boat journey? These questions can help you define the kind of stay you want. They do not replace detailed route planning, but they provide a factual starting point for deciding which experiences should be your priority when planning the trip.

For planning purposes, it is worth considering the seasonal recommendation separately from the specific boat journey: May to November is the ideal time to visit the Tambopata National Reserve, while the eight-hour figure describes the journey to Colorado Clay Lick from the landing stage mentioned above. This makes clear which detail refers to the travel season and which to a particular route. Wildlife watching, landscapes and river travel offer different ways to shape your trip to Inca and the wider region around your own interests.

Discover more destinations: Sandoval, Manú, Repartición, Lucerna, Loyoboc, Madre de Dios, Filadelfia, Iberia.

Back to the main travel overview: Madre De Dios.