Peruvian Amazon Nature Tour, The Amazon

The southern Peruvian Amazon region is a veritable wonderland of natural attractions. The best way to experience as many of them as possible is on a series of short, guided adventure treks. The home base for this tour is a jungle lodge near the border with Bolivia, and the first mini-trek is to Tres Chimbadas, a lake located 30 minutes by boat from the lodge. Time here will be spent on the lookout for exotic local residents, such as giant river otters, caiman, hoatzin, and colorful tropical birds. This tour is best done in the early morning, as otters are most active from dawn to about 9 AM. 

After a return to the lodge, it's just a 20-minute walk to the Parrot Clay Lick, a spot on the tall clay banks of a small river where colorful macaws congregate. There are many nearby vantage points to watch hundreds of vibrant parrots and parakeets descend onto the river bank and enjoy the mineral-rich clay (in the late morning is an ideal time to spot them). After a break for lunch, it's a quick 20-minute canoe trip downriver for an ethnobotany tour. Designed by the staff of Centro Ñape, a communal organization which derives natural medicines from plants found in the rainforest, this educational hike is led by a local guide who explains the various uses of Amazonian plants. After dinner, there's an option to go on a night hike to view nocturnal small animals, like tree frogs and spiders.