The Jungle of Puerto Maldonado
Madre de Dios is a province located in the southeastern part of Peru. Its capital Puerto Maldonado is located one hour from Lima or 30 minutes from Cusco by plane. This area concentrates the largest number of lodges and has two areas protected by the government: The Tambopata National Reserve, and The Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve.
The Tambopata National Reserve has among its main attractions the sighting of birds such as the Macaw, mammals such as the Capybara and Otter, reptiles such as snakes and small alligators among the vast variety of animals that live in it.
Getting to a lodge takes between 1 to 2 hours navigating the Tambopata River depending on your location. Pick-up is from the airport from where you then go to the main base in the city to leave your luggage and take the essentials for your trip. It should be noted that the boats have a limited load capacity, so tourists are requested to carry only 1 suitcase.
From the beginning the jungle welcomes you with a lot of wildlife. During the tour to the lodge of choice you will hear the song of the birds and see animals on the banks of the river drinking water, eating or resting.
The lodges have very comfortable rooms and all the services. Food is included and let’s not forget the bars with a variety of cocktails with ingredients from the area.
A very sought-after option is to be able to spend the night in a room in the treetops. Waking up with the sun rising on the horizon and the brightness of the dew is a relaxing experience.
Among the activities you can do are night walks through the forest, to discover the habitat of many species at night such as frogs, insects, small bats, tarantulas, among others. You can also tour the river to see small alligators which can be seen from afar when the light of the flashlights is reflected in their eyes.
Another activity is the day walk through the jungle until you reach nearby lakes. ,There you generally navigate through its waters to observe birds, otters and fish for piranhas. We can also go to the observation towers to see the entire jungle in its splendor.
The Manu reserve is much further inland. It takes 1 day by boat to get there. Usually explorers and scientists go, but there are also tourists who want to have closer contact with nature and animal life. The lodges have basic amenities and electricity for hours. In the Manu you will be able to see other types of animals such as small Ocelots, larger mammals such as the Sachavaca, flocks of parrots feeding in Colpas (mounds of mud on the banks of rivers), bird watching, among others.
If you want to visit the jungle of Puerto Maldonado, make sure you are vaccinated against yellow fever, bring mosquito repellent and long-sleeved polo shirts. Comfortable footwear for walks is important, the lodges provide you with high boots but it will depend on the availability of sizes.