Heath River Wildlife Center 4 Days (Puerto Maldonado, Peru)

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Location: Peru
Duration: 4 Days
Type: Peru Amazon Tours
Destinations: Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Heath River Wildlife Center.
Description: The Heath River Wildlife Center is located 4.5 hours from Puerto Maldonado is an area of great natural wealth. From here it is easy to observe an interesting Macaw Clay Lick, the capybara (the largest rodent in the world), wolf lake river, 480 bird species and 6 different species of monkeys.

There is a population of tapirs and jaguars as well. Heath is an excellent choice for those interested in observing the licks of Macaws less than a days access Hawai from the hotel from where you can admire the interesting spectacle of nature from a comfortable floating blind. It has been recorded up to 260 macaws visit the lick at a time. The hotel has a grid system of trails to see the different types of forests. One allows access to the Pampas del Heath which is another ecosystem similar to the plains or savannah African jungle.

Overview

Heath River Widlife Center

Heath River Wildlife Center

The Heath River Wildlife Center is located 4.5 hours from Puerto Maldonado is an area of great natural wealth. From here it is easy to observe an interesting Macaw Clay Lick, the capybara.

Day 1: Puerto Maldonado, Heath River Wildlife Center.
Day 2: Heath River Wildlife Center.
Day 3: Heath River Wildlife Center.
Day 4: Heath Lodge, Puerto Maldonado, Cusco (or Lima).

Itinerary

ITINERARY DETAILS

Day 1: Puerto Maldonado, Tambopata Heath River Wildlife Center

You will be met at your Hotel in Lima and taken to the Lima Airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. You will be met at the Puerto Maldonado airport and driven 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.

Day 2: Tambopata 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 ethnobotanical 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.

Day 3: Tambopata Heath River Wildlife Center

We breakfast in the floating blind at the macaw and parrot clay lick for the last round of looks and photos.

Then we return to the lodge to explore some trails.

Afternoon dedicated to exploring the trails.

After dinner, visit the Mammal lick where we will have good chances to see Tapirs.

Day 4: Heath Lodge – Puerto Maldonado Cusco (or Lima)

After a dawn breakfast, we paddle across the lake, perhaps encountering a family of macaws leaving their roost to forage or a troupe of monkeys greeting the day.

We hike back out to the river and return to Puerto Maldonado for the flight back to Cusco.