Puerto Maldonado

The easiest gateway to the Peruvian Amazon

Puerto Maldonado is the ideal starting point for exploring the hidden treasures of the lush Amazon jungle. Located in the Madre de Dios region, less than an hour's flight from Cusco, it's the easiest gateway to the Peruvian Amazon: the moment you step off the plane you're already in the rainforest, and within a few minutes the excursion toward the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers begins.

The average temperature in Puerto Maldonado hovers around 25°C year-round, and the rainforest is home to many native plant and animal species, such as the maned wolf and the marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus).

The main ecotourism areas accessible from Puerto Maldonado are the Tambopata National Reserve, Bahuaja-Sonene National Park and the Manu Reserve.

Tambopata – Candamo National Reserve

This reserve sits at the confluence of the La Torre and Tambopata rivers and spans an area of 1.5 million hectares: it's home to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the Peruvian Amazon, with 151 dragonfly species, 1,122 butterfly species, 570 bird species and 29 tiger beetle species.

Bahuaja-Sonene National Park

Bahuaja-Sonene National Park spans more than 1.1 million hectares and is Peru's third largest, home to the country's only humid tropical savanna, covering the regions of Madre de Dios and Puno all the way to the border with Bolivia. The park is home to scarlet macaws, which feed on mineral-rich clay and mud exposed by river erosion: at these “colpas,” various birds, including macaws, parrots and parakeets, gather every day to eat the clay, creating a unique and colorful spectacle known as a “colpeo.” For about 25-30 minutes these birds ingest minerals that supplement their diet, a process that also appears to act as an antidote to the toxic effects of certain wild fruits.

The most notable species living in Bahuaja-Sonene Park include the giant anteater, the giant otter, the black caiman and the harpy eagle.

Lake Sandoval

This protected area lies 10 km from the city of Puerto Maldonado and is without doubt one of the main destinations in the surrounding region. Lake Sandoval is about 3 km long, 1 km wide and 3 meters deep, and is surrounded by vast marshes and wetlands where aguaje palms and other exotic plants grow. Among the main plant species are platanillos, ungurahui, kapok trees, mahogany and Mauritia palms, which grow up to 30 meters tall. The lake is also home to many bird species, including cormorants, toucans, macaws, parrots, white herons and horned screamers, along with a colorful wild fowl known as the “hoatzin” or “shansho,” recognizable by the crest of feathers on its head. Tapirs, turtles, otters (also known as “river wolves”) and various species of lizard, including the black lizard, also live here.