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Only four hours by river from Puerto Maldonado airport, Heath River
Wildlife Center is the gateway to the largest uninhabited and unhunted
rainforest in the Amazon. An immensely photogenic macaw clay lick,
capybaras, oxbow lakes with Giant Otters, hundreds of birds and mammal
species and a lodge 100%-owned by the Ese'eja Indians of Sonene make the
Heath the best combination of nature and culture in the entire Amazon.
No other lodge in Tambopata is 100% owned and operated by a community of
lowland Indians.
Every person in Sonene speaks the original indigenous language, with
Spanish being a distant second used mostly in school and to trade with
outsiders and, now, to chat with pampered guests. Women from Sonene hold
daily crafts workshops at the lodge, teaching visitors tribal traditions
handed down through the millennia.
Two ecosystems : Rainforest and Savannah
4 days/3 nights
Day 1 - Puerto Maldonado to Heath River Wildlife Center
We meet at the Puerto Maldonado airport and drive through town to the
Tambopata River port. After boarding motorized canoes, we travel
downriver to the mighty Madre de Dios, which we follow for approximately
four hours to the Heath River. We then travel up this wild and intimate
river, which forms the wilderness border between Peru and Bolivia, and
arrive at the Heath River Wildlife Center. Note that the Lodge is
located on the Bolivian side of the Heath River so passports are
required to clear Bolivian passport control. (L, D).
Day 2 - Heath River Wildlife Center
We rise early in the morning to board a motorized canoe for the
10-minute journey up the Heath River to the macaw and parrot clay lick.
Brightly-colored parrots and macaws fly in by the hundreds to feed on
the clay that detoxifies certain seeds and nuts they eat. Marvel at the
cacophony of sound and color as Red-and-green macaws vie for the best
clay-eating position. A specially-designed floating blind allows for
proximity and complete concealment -- so you can even have breakfast and
coffee while the birds are performing their morning ritual.
When we return to the lodge, the guide leads us on an ethno-botanical
walk through the forest, pointing out flora used in the daily lives of
rainforest people. The guide explains how certain plants are used for
medicinal or healing purposes, which ones can be made into the best bows
and arrows, and how to select trees and leaves for home construction.
After lunch and a short rest, we hike through the rainforest to the
Pampas del Heath, the largest remaining undisturbed savanna in the
Amazon. The contrast is striking as we emerge from the mature rainforest
onto the grassland plain of the Pampas. (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Heath River Wildlife Center
We breakfast in the floating blind at the macaw and parrot clay lick for
a last round of looks and photos. Then we return to the lodge to explore
some trails.
After lunch we could visit the Ese'Eja native community of Sonene, where
there will be an opportunity to interact with the community and purchase
local handicrafts or explore the trails.
After dinner we'll explore the forest by flashlight, including a visit
to a small mammal clay lick if it is active. (B,L,D)
Day 4- Heath River To Cusco or Lima
Early morning departure to Puerto Maldonado. During the river trip back
downstream, families of Capybaras are often spotted on the banks of the
river. Weighing up to 120 pounds (55 kilograms), this giant, three-toed
relative of the guinea pig is the largest rodent in the world. If time
permits If time permits we will also Upon arrival, reception and
transfer to the airport for the flight back to Cusco or Lima. (B)
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Journey by the river
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