PUERTO MALDONADO

Altitude: 183 m | Climate: 24–32°C | Hot and humid, rainiest December–March
How to get there: Flight from Lima (1.5 hours) or Cusco (30 minutes); road from Cusco (10 hours)

More accessible than Iquitos, Puerto Maldonado offers some of the richest biodiversity on the planet in the Tambopata National Reserve.

The macaw clay lick is an unmissable spectacle: you leave at dawn, hike to a lookout facing a clay cliff, and wait. Then, slowly, hundreds of macaws and parrots arrive — blue, red, green, yellow — perching and feeding in a cacophony of color and sound.

The Sandoval Lake is another highlight. After a 5 km jungle walk — sometimes on wooden boardwalks over marshes — you reach the tranquil lake. There, you’ll paddle silently in a canoe, spotting giant river otters, caimans, turtles, and countless bird species.

The eco-lodges here are top-tier — comfortable rooms (some even with jacuzzis), excellent food, and expert naturalist guides who know the forest intimately. Night walks reveal an entirely different world — tarantulas, glowing insects, colorful frogs, and eyes shining back at your flashlight beam.

Practical tip: Lodges are 1–3 hours away by boat; the further you go, the more wildlife you’ll see. Bring long-sleeved clothing, repellent, boots, binoculars, and a camera with good zoom. Nature shows itself on its own time — patience is key.