Bamboo Trail

It all feels a little surreal. As the afternoon light filters through thin, spindly leaves stretched out like fingers, you delve into the Bamboo Trail. Just to the left, the tranquil river glints through narrow green stalks. All around you, strange and unusual wildlife thrives — many animals who only call these bamboo forests home.

Who knew there was bamboo in the Amazon jungle? When you think of bamboo, vast Chinese forests and Panda Bears may come to mind. But here in the Southwestern Amazon Rainforest of our Tambopata home, bamboo species native to the Americas thrive. This bamboo, known locally as Guadua, loves the poorly drained upland soils in this part of the jungle. It dominates large swaths of the landscape with its incredibly fast growth — Guadua bamboo can grow several meters every year!

You emerge onto a panoramic overlook of the Tambopata River and rest, catching your breath. The majestic river sits before you, with a Macaw perched in the treetops. Back on the Bamboo Trail, a remarkable number of species lurks, from Antbirds to Rufuous-headed Woodpeckers to Capuchin Monkeys, often depending on bamboo thickets for food and shelter. These Guadua forests are the only place in the rainforests where you can find scores of birds and other animals.

Why You’ll Love the Bamboo Trail

• Find the “Bamboo Specialists”: Due to the bamboo forest’s unique soil, canopy, and food sources, many types of birds and other species specialize in bamboo. This means that they only live in bamboo thickets, making them a must-visit destination for bird lovers and wildlife-spotters.

Get the full birds list that you will find in our lodges (including bamboo specialists here)

• Listen for the Bamboo Frog: As you walk through a bamboo grove, you’ll hear a chorus of cricket-like sounds. This actually comes from tiny frogs living inside the bamboo stalks! Your expert guide may even be able to catch one of these colorful amphibians in a dead stalk.