PUERTO MALDONADO
Puerto Maldonado is a city in southeastern Peru, founded originally for the collection of wild rubber. It is in the Amazon forest, 55 km. (34 mi.) west of the Bolivian border, on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios Rivers, a tributary of the Amazon River. The chief industries in Puerto Maldonado are logging, gold dredging, Brazil nut collecting, boat building and eco-tourism. Padre Aldamiz airport near the city is used to import eco-tourists. A ferry crosses the river, linking the main road from Cusco to the Peruvian towns of San Lorenzo, Iberia and Iñapari.
Nearby are the Manu and Tambopata-Candamo National Parks and Bahuaja-Sonene National Reserved Area. These are some of the most pristine primary rain forests in the world. There are several tourist eco-lodges within the reserves which are accessed by boat from Puerto Maldonado. One of the main (dry season only) attractions are the hundreds of macaws which congregate at various "colpas" (clay licks), daily to eat clay.
The main lodges of the city are: Sandoval Lake Lodge, Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, Posada Amazonas & Tambopata Research Center, and Manu Wildlife Center.
The average temperature is 77ºF and 24ºF and it is at 1,640 feet over sea level.
The main festivities of the city are:
- February: Carnivals
- June 24: San Juan
- Movable Date: NDO EDN DARI Festival - Earth Party
Best Tours including a Puerto Maldonado visit:
- Total Peru - 22 days.
- From the Andes to the Rainforest - 16 days.
- Peru's Mystic Experience - 15 days.
- Royal Tour - 14 days.
- Peru and Comfort - 12 days.
- Machu Picchu & Rainforest - 11 days.
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