Heath River Wildlife Center

Only 4 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.

Though very traditional, the lodge in Sonene does not sacrifice comfort in the least. Guests enjoy roomy, private, double-occupancy bungalows with electric fans and en-suite facilities with hot showers. The combination of the most accessible wildlife and the warmth and uniquely traditional hospitality of our Indian hosts make Heath River Wildlife Center the Amazon’s best value in wildlife and authentic rainforest adventure.

Opened in 2,004; the Center’s 10 private bungalows are located on the east bank of the secluded Heath River, which forms a border between Peru and Bolivia. Trips to the Heath River Wildlife Center are normally combined with a stay at Sandoval Lake Lodge for some of the best value in wildlife viewing and an authentic rainforest adventure.

The Heath River Wildlife Center lies at the hub of one of the largest multi-national tropical reserve areas in the world. Peru’s Bahuaja-Sonene National Park which occupies the lands west of the Heath River Wildlife Center, Pampas del Heath National Sanctuary to the north and east of Peru and Bolivia, and the Madidi National Park of Bolivia which lies to the south.

Near the most accessible macaw clay lick in Peru, Heath River Wildlife Center provides an economical clay lick and rainforest experience, and the opportunity to interact with an indigenous rainforest community. The Heath River Wildlife Center presents a unique opportunity for visitors to see a spectacular clay lick visited by vibrant macaws and parrots just a short boat ride from the lodge –and from civilization. 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 close proximity and complete concealment –so you can even have breakfast and coffee while the birds are performing their morning ritual. No other clay lick in Peru offers such bang for the buck.

In addition to the clay lick, guests can explore Amazon primary rain forest with miles of well-marked forest trails and oxbow lakes accompanied by a guide. A highlight of the hikes is a visit to the Pampas del Heath, the largest remaining Amazonian savanna. This grassland plain is home to such endemic species as the Maned Wolf and Marsh Deer.