Sample Itinerary
Day One - Into the jungle
This morning we will pick you up and take you to the airport to catch a flight down into the jungle, to Puerto Maldonado. 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 Centre. You even get a bonus country in your passport as the Lodge is located on the Bolivian side of the Heath River so passports are required to clear Bolivian passport control!
Day Two - Parrots and Macaws
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-coloured parrots and macaws fly in by the hundreds to feed on the clay that detoxifies certain seeds and nuts they eat. We can marvel at the cacophony of sound and colour 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 enjoy theirs!
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 savannah in the Amazon. The contrast is striking as we emerge from the mature rainforest onto the grassland plain of the Pampas.
Day Three - Heath River Wildlife Center
We breakfast in the floating blind at the macaw and parrot clay lick for a last look at this extraordinary spectacle before 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 will then explore the forest by flashlight, including a visit to a small mammal clay lick if it is active.
Day Four - Last Day in the Jungle
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 (55kg), this giant, three-toed relative of the guinea pig is the largest rodent in the world. On arrival in Puerto Maldonado we will take you to the airport for a flight back out of the jungle.
Prices
A stay at the Heath River Wildlife Center can be added on to any of our holidays in Peru and you can stay for as long as you like!
Our price for the sample 4-day itinerary given here is £580 per person. This price is based on two people sharing a double or twin room and includes all the following:
- Three nights accommodation at the Heath River Wildlife Center
- All transfers
- All meals at Heath River
- Flights to and from Tambopata
- All entrance fees
- All activities while at the Heath River