The forests of southeastern Peru represent some of the most pristine sections of western Amazonia. Primary lowland rainforests and savannahs meet cloud and elfin forests and natural forces such as rocky rapids and lofty glacier peaks protect the region from incursions by man. This amazing juxtaposition of climates creates an astounding array of natural habitats, unsurpassed in the world in terms of biodiversity as well as scenic beauty. The Tambopata Macaw Research Center (TRC) is located in the heart of this incredible region. Created to provide valuable knowledge about and help protect the area's macaws, the TRC is situated adjacent to one of the world’s largest known clay licks, or collpas, allowing participants to observe and photograph what many consider the Amazon's greatest avian spectacle, the morning gathering of parrots at the collpa. With ongoing research projects and resident scientists, visitors to the TRC can enjoy one of the best learning experiences available in the Amazon. In addition, there is a chance to spot more than 500 bird species, 11 species of monkeys, and wildlife rarely seen at other facilities such as the giant river otter, capybara, tayra, white-lipped peccary, agouti, ocelot, tapir and, with luck, the elusive jaguar.

We catch a morning flight from Lima to cross the eastern range of the Andes and arrive to Puerto Maldonado, a jungle frontier town located at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers. Here we board a covered, motorized canoe for the journey upriver to the Posada Amazonas, a charming jungle lodge operated by the native community of Ese’eja where we spend the night. The next day we continue to the research center's facility where we dedicate 3 days to observing the activity at the clay lick, exploring the various trails near the lodge and, possibly, watching the tree canopy or macaw nesting sites from special scaffolding towers. Led by resident biologists or naturalist researchers we learn about the complex symbiotic relationships that exist in a primary rainforest, as well as study and observe a variety of plant and wildlife species. We return by river to Puerto Maldonado and then fly to Lima.