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By Root 1330 0

vegetation, it is likely that you have stumbled upon the elaborate mating ritual of one of the Amazon’s weirdest birds, the hoatzin. This is an oversized wild chicken with a blue face and a large crest on its head (hence the nickname ‘punk chicken’). Scientists have been unable to classify this bird as a member of any other avian family, mainly due to the two claws the young have on each wing. To evade predators, hoatzin chicks will fall out of the nest to the river and use their claws to help them scramble back up the muddy banks. The clawed wing is a feature no other airborne creature since the pterodactyl has possessed. The hoatzin’s appearance is outdone by its terrible smell (caused by an exclusively leaf-based diet, which necessitates their having multiple microorganisms in their stomachs to aid digestion), which may well be the first indication they are nearby. Good news for the hoatzin: their odd odor makes their flesh taste bad, so they are rarely hunted. In this age of rainforest depletion, they are one of the few native birds with a flourishing population.

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The spacious lodge is built on a hilltop about 30m above the lake and surrounded by primary forest. The lodge was built from salvaged driftwood; the owners pride themselves on the fact that no primary forest was cut during construction (this is also true of some other lodges, though not always mentioned). The rooms, with heated showers and ceiling fans, are the best in the area. The restaurant-bar area is huge, airy and conducive to relaxing and chatting. Book with InkaNatura (www.inkanatura.com); Cuzco (Map; 084-23-1138; Ricardo Palma J1 Urb Santa Mónica & Plateros 361); Lima (01-440-2022; Manuel Bañón 461, San Isidro).

Lago Valencia

Just off the Río Madre de Dios and near the Bolivian border, Lago Valencia is about 60km from Puerto Maldonado. At least two days are needed for a visit here, though three or four days are recommended. This lake reportedly offers the region’s best fishing, as well as good bird-watching and wildlife-watching (bring your binoculars). There are trails into the jungle around the lake. Lodges nearer Puerto Maldonado can arrange tours, as can independent guides.

Río Heath

About two hours south of the Río Madre de Dios and along the Río Heath (the latter forming the Peru–Bolivia border), the Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene (admission S30) has some of the best wildlife in Peru’s Amazon region, including such rarities as the maned wolf and the spider monkey, although these are hard to see. Infrastructure in the park, one of the nation’s largest, is limited, and wildlife-watching trips are in their infancy here. The park entrance fee should be paid at Sernanp (Click here) in Puerto Maldonado, because checkpoints along the way don’t sell tickets.

The simple, 10-room Heath River Wildlife Center (s/d 5 days & 4 nights US$915/1430) is owned by the Ese’eja indigenous people of Sonene, who provide guiding and cultural services. Trails into the recently created Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene are available, and field biologists have assessed this area as one of the most biodiverse in southeastern Peru. Capybaras are frequently seen, and guided tours to a nearby colpa (clay lick), a popular attraction for macaws and parrots, are arranged. Hot water is provided and park entrance fees are included. The first and last nights of tours are spent at Sandoval Lake Lodge (opposite). Contact InkaNatura (www.inkanatura.com); Cuzco (Map; 084-23-1138; Ricardo Palma J1 Urb Santa Mónica & Plateros 361); Lima (01-440-2022; Manuel Bañón 461, San Isidro).

Río Tambopata

The Río Tambopata is a major tributary of the Río Madre de Dios, joining it at Puerto Maldonado. Boats go up the river, past several good lodges, and into the Reserva Nacional Tambopata (admission S30), an important protected area divided into the reserve itself and the zona de amortiguamiento (buffer zone). The park entrance fee needs to be paid at the Sernanp office in Puerto Maldonado (Click here), unless you are on a guided tour, in which case you will pay at the relevant lodge