Puerto Maldonado – Lakes, palms and butterflies
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado mitten im Urwald. Wald und grün, weiter als das Auge reicht.
Places of interest in Puerto Maldonado
During a trip you are usually asked about the sights: Puerto Maldonado has many. They are almost all outside and natural. But even in the city itself there are two places you should not miss. The first place is the Plaza de Armas, the main square. It simply belongs to every city and is appreciated accordingly by the inhabitants. As almost everywhere, it is geometrically designed, you can stay there under mango trees and palm trees and admire the architecture of the Japanese community in the middle of the square. The number two attraction is Puente Billinghurst. This bridge crosses the Rio Madre de Dios and is 723 metres long, thus the longest bridge of Peru and symbol of the city. It is also accessible to pedestrians and offers an enchanting view of the river and the landscape, especially in the morning and evening hours.
Blick auf den Fluss vom Stadtrand
Attractions
Around Puerto Maldonado there are several national parks and reserves. One of them is the Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene. It is known for its 180 mammal species, 600 bird species, 180 fish species and 1200 butterfly species – a paradise for nature lovers!
The flora is just as varied. In addition to palm trees and ferns, the rainforest also has Brazil nut trees, which are also used economically. A landscape in the national park is famous: Santuario Nacional de la Pampas de Heath, a humid savannah, a huge sea of grass interspersed with bushes that turns into a swamp during the rainy season.
The area is extremely rich in water, as evidenced by the rivers and lakes, including Lago Valencia, a shallow old water lake, in the surroundings of which you can enjoy a wonderful walk. The Lago de Tres Chimbadas is also worth a visit: it lies in the Tambopata National Reserve, is two kilometres long, 800 metres wide and in places 3.5 metres deep.
Giant otters, turtles and the black caiman live in it. Those who love birds and simply want to experience an impressive spectacle should definitely make a detour to the Collpa de Guacamayos de Colorado. At this mineral corner, parrots, macaws and falcons gather in the morning hours and nibble at the clay.
There it croaks and scurries in all tones and colors. By the way, there is still an indigenous people living near Puerto, the Ese Ejja. The municipality of Palma Real is one of its villages on the Rio Madre de Dios. There are no roads, traffic is limited to the rivers and hiking trails. The Ese Ejja live extremely simply from hunting, fishing and agriculture.
Peru’s longest bridge, the Puente Billinghurst.
Activities
While a stroll through Puerto Maldonado can be quite nice, the focus of the activities in Puerto Maldonado is on excursions. Local guides can be hired to explore the rainforest on foot, but a boat trip to Lago Sandoval will certainly be on the agenda.
The lake is three kilometres long, one kilometre wide and about three metres deep, making it a shallow water lake. It can be reached from Puerto Maldonado by boat and then on foot. With the palm trees on the shore, which are reflected in the smooth water, it has its own unique aesthetic. This sight is something for hobby and professional photographers.
Popular excursion destinations
Tours and excursions in Puerto Maldonado
Jungle Night Tour
River by Night: Jungle Night Tour
Watch the Amazon sunset from the river. Explore wild life like caimans and capybaras. When the night is clear, see the sky full of stars.
The Night River activity is one of the quietest and most peaceful activities in Puerto Maldonado. For this experience, travelers stay on the boat all the time.
The river is the perfect place to enjoy the majestic Amazon sunset with the color change in the sky.
When night falls, it is the ideal moment to get closer to the river, to find wild life. The most common animals are the white caimans and the capybaras (the largest rodent in the world), which usually move in groups of 4 or 5 animals.
Sandoval See
Day trip: Puerto Maldonado Sandoval Lake
– Visit a nature reserve to discover wild life.
– Canoeing on one of the most beautiful lakes in the area.
– Giant river Otter discovered.
This adventure starts early in the morning in Puerto Maldonado. First a short drive to the harbour and then a boat trip for about 45 minutes. After the boat has time for a walk deep into the jungle (about 3 km), keep your eyes open during the walk, because you have the possibility to discover animals like macaws, hawks, monkeys, reptiles etc. The canoe trip around the Sandoval lake begins. The lake is part of the Tambopata National Park. This is one of the most important protected areas in the country as it is home to some endangered species such as the Giant Otter and the Black Caiman.
After lunch in a local family house we return to Puerto Maldonado.
Zip Line, Monkey Island und Kajak
Day Trip: Zip Line, Monkey Island and Kayak
– Kayaking on the river Madre de Dios to discover wild life
– Zipper lining over the Amazon rainforest
– Walk around Rolling Island, where you can find three different types of monkeys.
This excursion starts early in the morning in Puerto Maldonado. First a short drive to the harbour and then a boat trip for about 30 minutes. This is where kayaking begins! There are big chances for wild life like white caimans or turtles.
After a while on the kayak we continue with the three-sky cable car to see the rainforest differently.
There is a lunch break before visiting Monkey Island. Rolling Island or Monkey Island is part of an Inca Terra Association project. They try to bring the monkeys back into their natural habitat after they have saved them from the black market.
Plaza de Armas
Travel tips
The journey also raises the question of accommodation: you can live in Puerto Maldonado itself, but also in the towns nearby or in lodges on the Rio Madre de Dios. By the way, a tip for those who bring a lot of time and want to see more: Puerto Maldonado is located on the Interozeanica, a road that leads from the Peruvian Pacific coast to the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil. Of course the trip takes a little time, but Bolivia or Brazil can also be reached by bus.
Puerto Maldonado is a small town that can also be explored by moped or motorbike. There are two moped and motorbike rentals in the city centre for around 50 soles a day. The hotel receptions can tell you how to get there.
Colpas de Guacamayos im Tambopata Nationalpark Foto: Carlos Santos
The best time to travel
In and around Puerto Maldonado there are roughly two seasons: the warm rainy season and the cool dry season. In fact, during the rainy season from December to March the temperature rises to almost 40°C, but the Antarctic winds in June and July can make it quite cool: 10°C. It is best to drive to Puerto Maldonado before or after the rainy season, when it is warm and the roads are better passable.
Current weather
In Thailand heißen sie Tuk Tuk, in Peru Mototaxi
Getting there
There are two ways to travel to Puerto Maldonado. On the one hand by plane from Lima or Cuzco. The flight takes about an hour and costs between 100 and 200 US dollars, depending on the season, back and forth. For lovers of slow travel, however, offers a bus ride. Although this takes almost 30 hours – you will be rewarded with the varied landscape of the coast and the Andes.
Region Madre de Dios
Puerto Maldonado
Population: 78 378
Surface area: 85183 km²
Area of the region Madre de Dios: 1 285 216 km².
Municipalidad
Hotels and accommodations in Puerto Maldonado
Despite its exceptional location in the middle of the rainforest, there are almost 100 hotels and accommodations in Puerto Maldonado. From a simple and cheap hostel to a well-equipped lodge in the middle of nature.
Hotel Rulman
Hotel Rulman
Cheap hotel directly in the center, on the main street. Despite the location, the simply furnished rooms are quiet. Staff & service very friendly and helpful.
Wasai Puerto Maldonado Hostel
Wasai Puerto Maldonado Hostel
Simple and affordable dormitories. The hostel is located directly on the river. Very popular with pack bakers. All are very friendly.
Hotel Jose Antonios Inn
Hotel Jose Antonios Inn
The Hotel Jose Antonios Inn offers an outdoor and indoor pool as well as free Wi-Fi accommodation in Puerto Maldonado.
Amazon Planet
Amazon Planet
The Amazon Planet is a lodge surrounded by nature and wildlife in their natural habitat.
Rio Madre de Dios ( River Mother of God )
Puerto Maldonado
Good pizza here.
The South in Peru
…or Streetfodd on Al Carbon