Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center - Peru Accommodations

Home  >  Destinations  >  South America  >  Peru  >  Accommodations >  Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center

Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center

	Eight hexagonal chalets above ground offer a cool breeze and lake view.

The Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center [ARCC] is situated is SE Peru on the shore of the pristine, wildlife-rich Lake Soledad, 110miles by motorized dugout (8 hours) up the remote Las Piedras River from Puerto Maldonado. Although the journey to get here is long, it is a comfortable and relaxing trip in large motorized dugouts equipped with reclining airline seats for sleeping or watching the scenery go by.

Comfortable chalets are equipped with lights, fans, electrical outlets and private bath with hot water.

The lodge and research center provide a base in the jungle wilderness for enjoying close up observation and photography of rainforest wildlife in comfort and style. Guests are accommodated in 8 charming, hexagonal chalets, each containing a comfortable double room with lights, fans and electrical outlets, a balcony, and private bath with hot water and lined in ceramic tiles and polished hardwoods. Enjoy delicious local cuisine in the spacious and airy dining area including fresh fish dishes, exotic fruit juices, and delicious vegetarian options. Relax and refresh at the bar or lounge in hammocks.

	Fresh catfish steam cooked in a bamboo stalk.

The ARCC is the focal point for important conservation initiatives in the region with world record bio-diversity of rainforest animals and plants. A spectacle of wildlife is found here including a resident family of giant river otters, eight species of monkey, hundreds of bird species, huge groups of peccaries, 15’ caimans, possible jaguar and anaconda sightings too. Activities include hikes on an extensive trail system through pristine forests, an ascent up to the rain forest canopy wildlife observation platform 120’ up in a huge ironwood tree overlooking Lake Soledad, paddling in small canoes around the lake, and excursions to visit any one of the six local macaw licks in the area.

A bird’s eye view from the canopy platform.

Amazon Rainforest Conservation Center Field Report - Aug 2003
The ARCC is open now and operating a small number of groups with absolute success. Wildlife sightings have increased since, 1. construction was finished two years ago, 2. protection of wildlife in our reserve has taken hold, 3. the extensive trail system is complete, and 4. our new paddle catamaran allows hours of extended lake touring in comfortable chairs to view otters, caiman, birds, monkeys and other wildlife from the water.

	Exploring Lake Soledad in small paddle canoes.

A recent group this summer recorded incredible statistics: 41 separate mammal sightings including 13 different species. Among them we saw 7species of monkey including 13 black spider monkey sightings! The otters too are guaranteed on a daily basis. With the catamaran we can watch them for literally hours a day, every day. We have 4 groups of white-lipped peccaries in the vicinity of the lodge, a group of 30, 100, 300+ and 400+!!! We are having problems with them eating our garden when they swarm through and under the lodge!! We find fresh jaguar tracks on the trails almost every day. We have a male and female that use our new trail system! We have had sightings in the forest and just last week a group watched a jaguar on the river at night for 10 minutes at 10 metres! We have good clay lick viewing now with special blinds set up including groups of up to 20 blue-headed macaws, a rarity in Tambopata and Manu. We also have an excellent bamboo habitat trail where we recently saw the rufous-headed woodpecker and red-billed scythebill. Venemos snakes are rare (thanks to the huge peccary population) and we have seen tapir, sloths, anteaters etc. like everywhere else too.

The long but easy ride up the Las Piedras River to ARCC.