Where is Lake Sandoval?

Lake Sandoval is located in the Tambopata National Reserve, a place of almost 3000 square kilometers where flora and fauna are the real protagonists. The area is located in the Department of Madre de Dios, developed as a diversion from the river Madre de Dios

Lake Sandoval is a mirror of water, a spectacular treat for the sight and senses. Its waters, surrounded by palm trees (typical and exotic fruit from the jungle), are the habitat of an unimaginable number of fish, more than 6500 species live here, as well as caimans and beautiful giant river otters.

What to do in Lake Sandoval?

The Lake is the perfect place to spend a holiday of total relaxation and rest from the day-to-day routine, but lying down in a hammock and enjoying the landscape is not all that awaits you in this gorgeous destination. Total freedom is achievable here, with Lake Sandoval and its surrounds offering various activities.

A boat ride on Lake Sandoval: one of the wonders of this lake is that you can navigate the Lake on a paddling boat. Paddling through Lake Sandoval while enjoying the surrounding landscape, the sounds of nature and the company of black caimans and turtles will make you feel in total freedom.

Trekking around Lake Sandoval: when you visit the jungle it is always very exciting to walk its paths. You will see numerous animals moving freely from tree to tree and get to know the secrets of the enigmatic Amazon.

Whenever you enter the jungle, for your safety you will need to be accompanied by a guide since they know all the pathways and can escort you safely through the jungle.

Night walk: can you imagine walking through the dense jungle with only the moonlight? This is one of the most common and best-loved activities around Lake Sandoval. Entering the rainforest during the cover of night, you´ll be able to hear countless sounds of animals around you without being able to exactly pinpoint their origin or to know which animals you’re listening to. Do you dare? This is an excursion only suitable for the most intrepid souls.

Enjoy a good paiche (traditional river fish): the paiche is one of Lake Sandoval’s inhabitants and is a very important ingredient in the cuisine of this region. As traveling is also a way to get to know the gastronomy of a place, when you visit the Lake don’t hesitate to choose at least one paiche dish at lunch or dinner. If you’re a fish lover, you’ll enjoy the tastiness of this fish.

Panoramic views: Lake Sandoval’s 30 meters high suspension bridge was constructed a few years ago, offering unfettered observation of the immensity of the lake and its entire surroundings, one of the most beautiful local experiences you can have. At Denomades we make a visit to the suspension bridge on our three-day program tour to Lake Sandoval.

Meet unfamiliar animals: in addition to the fish that inhabit Lake Sandoval and friendly monkeys that climb onto your back, the region hosts innumerable animals. Some of them are completely unknown to foreigners, for example, the hoatzines (Opisthocomus hoazin) or the giant river otter, so always keep your eyes wide open, because you never know – you may discover an entirely new species.

How to get to Lake Sandoval  

The route to Lake Sandoval is an adventure in itself, mixing breathtaking landscapes and a great variety of means of transport that you need to take to reach this destination.

First, you will have to travel by plane to the city of Puerto Maldonado (if you are in Cusco, you can also travel by bus). Once here, you must go to the port to take a boat and navigate on the river Madre de Dios in an easterly direction for 30 minutes. Finally, you will arrive at the starting point of a walk of about an hour that will take you to the shores of the lake.

As we recommend in Denomades, to visit the jungle it is best to do it with a specialized guide. Being such an unfamiliar place, the pathways can be confusing and it’s sometimes difficult to know which direction to continue.

To make your visit a great experience, Denomades offers a Full Day Tour to Lake Sandoval, 2 Day tour to Lake Sandoval, and even 3 and 4 Day Tours. If you’d like more information, we recommend checking out all our activities and excursions in Puerto Maldonado.

For those who have never visited the jungle, and those who already know it and want to go deeper into the rainforest… Lake Sandoval is a destination for all tastes. Add it to your list of places to visit in Peru and start planning your next trip!