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Puerto Maldonado

Puerto Maldonado is a small town in the southern Peruvian Amazon that’s just a half-hour plane ride from Cusco. The nearby lodges offer travelers an accessible and affordable experience in the Amazon.

Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado

More about Puerto Maldonado

Puerto Maldonado is a wonderful option for travelers who have a limited time frame or budget. It’s easily reachable from Cusco and has quality lodges in the surrounding jungle. Visitors have a good chance of seeing wildlife, including monkeys, birds, caimans, turtles, and capybaras.

Two protected areas spread out around Puerto Maldonado. The Reserva Nacional Tambopata is a 679,500-acre (275,000-ha) reserve that protects the rainforest all the way to the Bolivian border. It acts as a buffer zone around the Parque Nacional Bahuaja Sonene, which is almost 2.5 million acres (1 million ha) large.

The jungle lodges are set in two main areas along the edge of the Reserva Nacional Tambopata. One group is about an hour’s boat ride down the Río Madre de Dios from Puerto Maldonado. The other group is about 3 hours up the Río Tambopata.

When visitors arrive at the airport in Puerto Maldonado they are typically picked up by their lodge and transported up a river by motorboat. The lodges here are comfortable and provide travelers with intimate access to the Amazon rainforest. Most offer trips and activities, including bird watching, piraña fishing, and nature walks. Prices usually include transportation, lodging, and food.

Puerto Maldonado initially developed as a result of the rubber boom in the early 20th century. After the rubber boom ended, logging and gold mining became the dominant industries—these industries continue on today, although tourism is beginning to play an increasingly important role.

The city’s name is actually the result of two explorers who both had the same last name of Maldonado and explored the Río Madre de Dios. Juan Álvarez Maldonado was a Spanish explorer who came here in 1567 on a hunt for gold. He made it to the Río Heath, the present-day Bolivian border, but lost over 200 men and returned to Cusco several months later half-crazed and claiming to have found a wealthy city in the jungle. Several centuries later, Colonel Faustino Maldonado returned to the area with the goal of mapping out the region. He died along the Río Madre de Dios, but carved his name on a tree at the junction of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers, which is where the town is now located.

Puerto Maldonado HIGHLIGHTS

Moments to look forward to

Accommodations

Incredible Stays

Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Tambopata
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Tambopata
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Tambopata
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Tambopata

The Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica Tambopata is a beautiful jungle lodge in Peru’s Amazon rainforest. Set just outside Puerto Maldonado, this hotel has comfy bungalows, good food, and instant access to nature.

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Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Tambopata
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Tambopata
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Tambopata
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Tambopata

The Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion is a lovely jungle lodge near Puerto Maldonado. The grounds are beautiful, the rooms comfortable, and the food tasty. What’s not to like?

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Inotowa Expeditions Lodge
Inotowa Expeditions Lodge
Inotowa Expeditions Lodge
Inotowa Expeditions Lodge

The Inotawa Lodge is nestled in the thick jungle of the Tambopata National Reserve. This lodge will put you nearby some of the reserve’s most scenic lakes, as well as the reserve’s famous parrot-covered salt licks.

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Amazon Field Station by Inkaterra

Amazon Field Station byInkaterra in Puerto Maldonado provides adults only accommodations with a garden, a restaurant and a bar. The property provides a 24-hour front desk, airport transportation, luggage storage space and free WiFi throughout the property. At the hostel, each room comes with a closet. Rooms are complete with a private bathroom equipped with a shower, while certain rooms at Amazon Field Station byInkaterra also offer a seating area. Guest rooms include bed linen. The nearest airport is Puerto Maldonado International Airport, 15 miles from the accommodation.

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Tambopata Research Center
Tambopata Research Center
Tambopata Research Center
Tambopata Research Center

The Tambopata Research Center is located seven hours from Puerto Maldonado. This secluded jungle lodge offers travelers an unparalleled experience in the Peruvian Amazon.

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Refugio Amazonas
Refugio Amazonas
Refugio Amazonas
Refugio Amazonas

Refugio Amazonas is an eco-lodge that’s about 4 hours from Puerto Maldonado. The lodge is comfortable, secluded and set within the Peruvian Amazon.

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Posada Amazonas Lodge
Posada Amazonas Lodge
Posada Amazonas Lodge
Posada Amazonas Lodge

The Posada Amazonas Lodge is a 45-minute boat ride from the town of Puerto Maldonado. The lodge is well integrated with the local community and offers guests authentic experiences in the Amazon rainforest.

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