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    Puerto Maldonado

    Peru

    Puerto Maldonado

    City

    Puerto Maldonado is the capital of the Madre de Dios region and is located on the Río Madre de Dios in the Amazon lowlands.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Peru
    7. Amazon Region (Tambopata)
    9. Puerto Maldonado
    Puerto Maldonado is the capital of the Madre de Dios region and is located on the Río Madre de Dios in the Amazon lowlands. For most travelers, the city primarily serves as an arrival point: from the airport, transfers and boats continue to lodges along the rivers. From the Plaza de Armas, you can see the Río Madre de Dios and the Billinghurst Bridge.Flights are available from Lima and Cusco.The German Foreign Office advises against night bus journeys, specifically citing the Puerto Maldonado–Cusco route where intercity buses have been attacked.

    Sights in Puerto Maldonado

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    1Mercado Modelo

    The central market is the best spot to get a taste of daily life in Puerto Maldonado before or after the rainforest. Between stalls of fish, tropical fruits and herbs, buy Brazil nuts, called Castañas here, and sip a freshly pressed pineapple or Camu Camu juice.
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    Restaurants in Puerto Maldonado

    Exploring locally

    Getting ThereLATAM and SKY fly from Lima and Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. If you have time, take the overnight bus from Cusco, which takes around ten hours and arrives early in the morning.In the CityThe main mode of transport is Motocarros, three-wheeled motorcycle taxis that will take you anywhere for little money. The center around the Plaza de Armas is small and easily walkable.To the LodgesThe lodges will pick you up at the airport or bus station. After a short car ride, you'll take a boat up the Río Tambopata or the Río Madre de Dios; for more distant lodges, this trip can take several hours. No boats operate after nightfall, so plan your arrival not too late in the day.

    Accommodations in Puerto Maldonado

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    Nearby

    Amazon Region (Tambopata)

    Amazon Region (Tambopata)

    The Amazon lowlands begin in the Departamento Madre de Dios in southeastern Peru. The city of Puerto Maldonado is accessible by short flights from Lima and Cusco and serves as a starting point for stays in lodges within and around the Tambopata National Reserve. There, you can observe parrots and macaws at clay licks, monkeys, caimans, and numerous bird species. Before your trip, inform yourself at your foreign ministry about health risks in the lowlands and recommended vaccinations.
    Tambopata National Reserve

    Tambopata National Reserve

    The Tambopata National Reserve protects Amazon rainforest south of Puerto Maldonado and is the most easily accessible rainforest area in Southern Peru. Accommodations are lodges on the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers, which organize guided excursions, usually as multi-day packages.Lago Sandoval: an oxbow lake about 15 kilometers from Puerto Maldonado, which you explore by rowboat after a boat trip and a walk. Birds, monkeys, and caimans are often spotted en route.Clay Licks (Collpas): On riverbanks, parrots and macaws gather early in the morning to eat mineral-rich clay. The Collpa Chuncho is accessible by an early boat trip.An entrance fee is required for the reserve, which is often not included in the tour price.

    The Sacred Valley follows the Río Urubamba northwest of Cusco and was an important agricultural region for the Inca. The town of Pisac is located about 30 kilometers from Cusco, known for its handicraft market, especially on Sundays, and the terraces and temples of the Inca site on the mountain above the town.On the high plateau above the valley are the circular terraces of Moray, which the Inca presumably used for agricultural experiments, and the salt pans of Maras, where salt still evaporates from a spring today. At the western end of the valley lies Ollantaytambo, with the train station to Machu Picchu.Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray, and Chinchero are included in Cusco's Boleto Turístico.The valley lies lower than Cusco and is well-suited for the first days of acclimatization.
    Cusco

    Cusco

    Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and is now the starting point for almost every trip to Machu Picchu. Under Pachacútec, a planned city with religious and administrative areas emerged. The Spanish retained the layout and built their churches and palaces on the Inca walls. Since 1983, the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage site.The heart of the city is the Plaza de Armas with its Cathedral and arcades. The Santo Domingo Monastery stands on Qorikancha, the Inca Sun Temple, whose walls are still visible. On Calle Hatun Rumiyoc is the famous twelve-angled stone, above it the artisan quarter San Blas. The Mercado San Pedro is the city's main market. Above the city lies the Inca site of Sacsayhuamán with its mighty stone walls, the venue for Inti Raymi on June 24.Cusco is located at around 3,500 meters: Take it easy for the first few days.For Sacsayhuamán and the Inca sites in the Sacred Valley, you'll need the Boleto Turístico, available as a ten-day general ticket or as partial tickets. Qorikancha and the Cathedral are not included.
    Cusco and Sacred Valley

    Cusco and Sacred Valley

    The region around Cusco is the heartland of the Incas and Peru's most important travel destination. The former Inca capital, Cusco, is situated at around 3,500 meters, its center has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983. Northwest lies the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba with the ruins and markets of Pisac, the Inca town of Ollantaytambo, and the terraces of Moray and Maras. At the end of the valley is Machu Picchu, accessible by train to Aguas Calientes.

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