Madre de Dios · Amazonía · Peru
Experiences and local guides in Puerto Maldonado
Gateway to the Tambopata National Reserve: macaws on the clay licks at dawn, giant otters on Lake Sandoval and lodges along the jungle rivers.
Nature
Puerto Maldonado stands where the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers meet, on the Amazon lowlands of south-eastern Peru. To the south lies the Tambopata National Reserve, about 274,000 hectares of tropical forest, palm swamps, oxbow lakes and river beaches. The reserve has recorded more than 600 bird species, around 1,200 butterflies and close to 170 mammals, including jaguar, tapir, several monkey species and the giant otter. Its clay licks, bare clay banks along the rivers, draw macaws and parrots every morning.
Activities
- Lake Sandoval: boat ride on the Madre de Dios, a walk of about 3 km and a paddle canoe trip to look for giant otters, caimans, hoatzins and monkeys; doable as a day trip
- Macaw and parrot clay licks with a pre-dawn start: the parrot lick near town is a half-day outing, while the Chuncho clay lick takes several hours by boat up the Tambopata
- Guided night walks with torches on forest trails to look for frogs, tarantulas, insects and snakes
- Night boat trips to spot caimans and capybaras along the banks
- Observation towers and canopy hanging bridges, best for birds at sunrise
- Stays of 2 to 5 days in lodges on the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers, with birdwatching and interpretive trails
When to go
The dry season, May to October, brings less muddy trails and low rivers with exposed beaches; between May and August cold fronts called friajes can arrive, lasting a few days with lows near 10 °C. November to April is wetter, many trees bear fruit and monkeys and birds are plentiful. Clay licks are busiest very early, between 5:30 and 9:00.
How to get there
Padre Aldamiz airport (PEM) is about 7 km from the centre, with direct flights from Lima (around 1 h 40) and Cusco (about 50 minutes). By road, the Interoceanic Highway links Cusco and Puerto Maldonado in about 10 to 11 hours by bus, mostly overnight. Lodges usually pick travellers up at the airport; the rest of the way is by boat on the Madre de Dios or Tambopata rivers.
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Local operators identified in Puerto Maldonado (7)
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