Puerto Maldonado on 03/11/10 by Estelle Wagner

Puerto Maldando, founded at the turn of the century and named after an explorer, is still captivating those with a taste for adventure and exploring today in the 21st century. While it originally drew adventurers looking to make their fortune by panning gold in the Madre de Dios River, along which it lies, or in the latex industry, today it functions as the gate to the Amazon jungle. Though this small jungle outpost is one of the most important cities in the southern Amazon, it maintains its frontier-town look and feel. 

 Three national parks are accessible from the town, where so many jungle adventures begin: Tambopata National Reserve, Manu National Park (also called Pampas de Heath), and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. These three jungles, composed of virgin rainforest, make up the most biodiverse land on earth. It’s also famous for being home to the largest Macaw clay lick on the planet as well. Many animals need vital minerals that they can’t get from their diet, and so they eat a special kind of clay rich in the minerals they need. Huge numbers of these animals, in this case Macaws, congregate in these areas to glean the important minerals from the clay. Thousands of unique animals and plants found in this area are wholly endemic, meaning that they can’t be found anywhere else and live only there. Many plants and animals that populate this part of the world have yet to even be discovered by science.  

For anyone interested in nature, ecology, animals or adventure, there is a plethora of activities to do in and around the area. Both nearby lakes offer fishing and swimming, and, like the prominent Madre de Dios River, are easy spots to look for unique birds, plants, fish and animals. The vast richness of Peru’s tropical rainforest is just a short journey away and can involve any number of incredible options from river excursions to trekking to gold panning to flora and fauna tours and pretty much anything else you can imagine. At least nine unique indigienous groups live throughout the area and some allow visitors to learn about their culture, myths, and traditions and to experience a medicinal ritual. Puerto Maldonado is the starting point for all travelers who wish to explore this incredible region, and the best place to put your bag down is Tambopata Hostel. An affordable, comfortable hostel with friendly owners in a renovated hostel and garden, you can explore the town and all of the amazing opportunities it offers from Tambopata Hostel. Remember that this is a protected area and do your best honor that by throwing away garbage, even if you don’t see others doing so. This magnificent place is here because of ecological protection efforts, so that we can enjoy all the wonders is offers- let’s keep it that way for generations to come.