HAVE A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE with Nature and Wildlife

Stories

Travel To Puerto Maldonado : The Ultimate Guide On What To Do And Where To Stay

You have finally decided to travel to Puerto Maldonado and visit the Tambopata National Reserve in Madre de Dios, well known as the capital of biodiversity because it concentrates a significant amount of wildlife. Species that are very accessible to see because of the pretty healthy rainforest that it has.

Connecting with nature is the possibility of being able to walk through the forest, listen to its voice and meet its inhabitants in perfect harmony, follow these tips and you will be leaving a positive impact on the Peruvian Amazon.

How to get to Puerto Maldonado city?

The city of Puerto Maldonado is southeast of Peru, next to Cusco in the Madre de Dios region, the 3rd biggest department of Peru.

To get to Puerto Maldonado (PEM), you can fly from Lima taking a direct flight of 1.5 hrs. From April 2021, you will be able to fly from Cusco in just 30 minutes to get to Puerto Maldonado at the Padre Aldamiz Airport.

You can also drive or take a bus or car from Cusco, but we do not recommend the road as there are at least 10 hours in the dry season from May to September.

Where to stay in Puerto Maldonado?

In Puerto Maldonado city you will find 2 types of accommodations: hotels and ecolodges.

Hotels usually include breakfast and transfers from the airport. So you have to find where to eat and what to do.

The jungle lodges are ALL-INCLUSIVE.

  • We recommend

Hotel Cabaña Quinta or Hotel Wasai, are 3* hotels, very well located and closer to the main square where all you need is close including restaurants, ice cream stores, and nightlife.

Double rooms come from around USD per night per 2 people, and you can find them on main online platforms such as Booking.com. But contact them directly as they might offer you the same or better price as every accommodation.

There are also nice properties outside the center such as Enai Hotel, located in the Madre de Dios riverbank, so you will need to cross the river to get there and every time you would like to chill around the main square. It has a swimming pool and will let you enjoy amazing sunset views on the river.

  • The Jungle Ecolodges

The ecolodges are designed for the ones who look for a deep exploration of the Amazon rainforest. They will include everything: land and river transportation to/from Puerto Maldonado airport, activities, and excursions, all meals, and accommodation.

But if all of them include the same, what is the difference in the experience and prices? I can resume this on 3 things:

  • Location

Some lodges located in the Madre de Dios River are settled in secondary forest, next to or where the land was used for agriculture or next to road connection, so very easy to access. Most of the lodges in the Tambopata river are accessible only by boat and have the Tambopata National Reserve in its backyard.

  • Wildlife

Because of its location, you will have more or fewer chances to find wildlife. Through undisturbed rainforest, you have higher chances to see unique wildlife including the elusive jaguar, a harpy eagle nest, or 4 to 5 species of monkeys including the spider monkeys. check out our how-to choose an amazon jungle lodge for better tips.

jaguar by lucas bustamante

Jaguar in the riverbank in the amazon when you travel to Puerto Maldonado

  • Their commitment to sustainability

If you get this far, you are an explorer who cares about nature and is committed to changing the world, you have not traveled this far only for the Instagram picture, but for making a positive impact on the Amazon rainforest conservation and the well-being of its native communities. Many ecolodges work closely with local communities or develop science and conservation projects. Ask for results, participate actively in one of those if you have the chance.

  • Where to eat in Puerto Maldonado?

In Puerto Maldonado, we have plenty of options right now, the city has grown so fast after the implementation of the Interoceanic Highway that you can find traditional or gourmet cuisine, but since you are here, we highly recommend trying traditional food first and the author’s cuisine based on local ingredients.

We recommend: Burgos Restaurant, Cafeteria La Semilla and Puzanga Bar

Don’t forget to pass by Gustitos del Cura or Copazu Ice Cream store, artisanal ice creams based on local fruits. Both are located in the main square.

  • What to do in Puerto Maldonado and Tambopata?

First of all, REMEMBER this is not a place to enjoy the sun and stay in the swimming pool all day, if you are looking for that, then there are very nice places in the north jungle or the central jungle too. Tambopata is a place for explorers, for adventurers looking to discover the Amazon rainforest.

You will not find respectable places with animals to touch, feed, or carry for the picture. Wildlife here is unpredictable, they do not get closer to you for the picture. This is NOT a zoo and all tour operators are very committed to respecting nature and its wildlife.

What to do next?

Having said that, here are the Top 5 excursions and activities you should NOT MISS when visiting Tambopata

1. Visit a Macaw clay lick

The 2 most famous are Colorado and Chuncho, the first one inspired a National Geographic cover in 1994, the second one has been very active in the last 2 years. Better for you if you can visit both.

macaw clay lick in Tambopata Research Center

Macaw clay lick near Tambopata Research Center

2. Climb a canopy tower or visit a canopy walkway

Having the chance to see the rainforest from the canopy, it’s a unique experience, as most of the famous wildlife is active on this level of the forest. A 35-meter-high, at least, will be perfect to observe the Amazon as the birds do.

3. Visit an oxbow lake

These were part of the main river and many species have made their home in its calm waters, including piranhas, caimans, and giant river otters.

Giant River Otters

Giant river otters 35% probability to spot them

4. Join a night walk

The Amazon rainforest is completely different by night, just the amazing soundtrack will make this experience unique, besides the numerous creatures you can find at night.

nightwalk in the Amazon Rainforest

Jungle night walk

5. Actively participate in science and conservation projects

As you have chosen a sustainable project where to stay, then do not limit yourself and become a citizen scientist. Did you know you can discover a new species for science in the Amazon and name it?

 

Most lodges include all these activities at the nightly price, and you do not need to worry about any extra. At least ours does.

If you stay in Puerto Maldonado, remember that you will have to organize your tours and excursions. Always look for local operators with experience, seriousness, and commitment.

  • What our guest say

    • Valuation Excellent
    • 5/5

Maria Carrero June 2026

Lauren Kuenstner June 2026

Adam C June 2026

Perry Killam June 2026

Brad Taylor-White June 2026

Sue_szb April 2026

Beam May 2026

David Staro May 2026

Serg Averkin April 2026

Carlotta May 2026

Asha S May 2026

Laurence W April 2026

We stayed last february for 4 nights in the TRC lodge. I never could have imagined that I would explore the amazon in such confortable and immersive way. The lodge itself is such a luxurious place, in the middle of nowhere! The food was nicely curated everyday to offer new bits and pieces of the Peruvian cuisine. The absolute highlight of our stay here was for sure the activities and our guide Carmen, who accompanied us everyday! We were able to choose our everydays activities with our very reduced group and our guide. Carmen guided us on very activity, spotting and explaining what animals we saw and interesting facts about our surroundings. Her knowledge and excitement were so infectious that it would even make the sightings even more special! Read all

One of the most unique experiences we’ve had! You are deep in the heart of the Amazon and truly feel immersed in nature. Our guide Dino was awesome and taught us so much about the rainforest-he is like a walking encyclopedia, and his love for the forest really shows. Also very unique to listen to nightly talks from the research team-it really adds to the experience. Food was great and staff very friendly. Bring lots of bug spray and an adventurous spirit! Read all

The lodge was fantastic; they were very attentive to our needs. The dining staff brought special bread for my wife because of her celiac disease and offered to prepare dishes specifically for her to meet her dietary needs. The lodge guides were truly knowledgeable and went out of their way to help us see all the local wildlife. I especially loved the mosquito net service they provided. I was worried we’d be eaten alive, but their setup is fabulous; I had no concerns once I saw how they installed the impenetrable nets and curtains. The meals were as good as—or better than—anywhere else we ate in Peru. We saw the following animals: macaws, parrots, parakeets, pale-winged trumpeters, tamarins, caimans, capybaras, and a ton of insects on our night hike. Read all

We had an excellent guide who was very knowledgeable about the local animals, birds, and plants. I learned a lot. We also participated in the Wired Amazon experience and just received the video clips of the animals that walked by - ocelots, agoutis, ... some amazing animals. It was fun to set up the camera traps, and now I'm inspired to get one for our backyard. Read all

Refugio Amazonas was one of the most memorable and immersive experiences of our entire trip to Peru. From the moment we arrived, it felt like we had entered a completely different world. Waking up to the sounds of the rainforest, exploring the Amazon with knowledgeable guides, spotting wildlife, and disconnecting from everyday life created an experience we will never forget. The guides and staff were exceptional throughout our stay. Everyone was warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the rainforest and the guest experience. Their enthusiasm and expertise added so much to every excursion and activity. For this type of Amazon adventure, Refugio Amazonas felt top-tier. The wildlife experiences were remarkable, the setting was beautiful, and the overall level of immersion was exactly what we were hoping for when we added the Amazon to our Peru itinerary. Read all

Wow what an experience! If you want to be fully immersed in Amazon life in a wonderful , comfortable eco lodge, and not have expectations of a 5 star city hotel (I'm not sure why you would, but some reviewers seemed disappointed it wasn't!) you will love this. You will be in a group, 6 in ours, but you don't all have to do the same activities, you just join another group. Plenty of spaces to chill and downtime if you need it...its hot and humid! There's a fan in the room and I heard the superior rooms have a fan under the mozzie net. Take a torch! We were never bitten, used deet repellent only. They provide rubber boots if you want them, some of the trails were very muddy, but we managed in our walking boots. We loved the open wall to the jungle, despite some bugs, but not too many surprisingly. Sooooo much wildlife, all sorts of monkeys, otters, turtles, caiman, different birds, capybara etc. Luis M was our guide, a local, and he could spot a spider from 5 metres I'm sure... great sense of humour and a wealth of knowledge, loved him. We spent 3 nights 20th-24th April, it rained on a couple of occasions but not much. Perfect holiday for an immersive wildlife experience! Read all

Beautiful lodge in the rainforest, very well maintained and clean. We had a lot of fun and excellent guides. The rooms and facilities were top-notch! Read all

We stayed at Posada Amazonas Lodge in May 2026, and it was a truly unique experience. It’s important to note that the concept is unlike a traditional hotel: the rooms (the lodge has around 30 in total) are built entirely of wood and open completely to the rainforest, with no windows. The walls are about two meters high, and everything is open-air, meaning you can hear your neighbors as well as the sounds of the forest throughout the night. There is a hot-water shower with drainage flowing through wooden beams beneath the floor, and the beds are protected with mosquito nets. The food is delicious and nutritious, and one pleasant surprise was the excellent Wi-Fi connection (Starlink) available both at the lodge and on the boats. The logistics are flawless from the moment you land in Puerto Maldonado, including a short car ride (accompanied by a security company) followed by a forty-minute cruise along the Tambopata River. The staff is incredibly friendly. Our guide, Luis M. (a member of the local community that manages the lodge), was simply outstanding, with eagle-eyed vision for spotting wildlife and always wearing a smile. Tour highlights: Canopy Tower: a 42-meter tower rising above the treetops with panoramic views. We loved seeing the river, the rainforest, and even the distant Andes Mountains on the horizon. We returned at night during a nocturnal wildlife tour, where we spotted tarantulas, white sloths, and tree frogs. Lake Tres Chimbadas: a peaceful catamaran ride (without a motor) where Luis showed us a group of red-bellied monkeys, giant otters, and caimans. The scenery and tranquility are incredible. Trek to the “Great Tree”: a forest hike where we saw deer, jaguar tracks, a three-toed sloth, and more wildlife. At the end of the trail, we reached the gigantic ceiba tree: around 500 years old, approximately 60 meters tall, and with an impressive 11-meter base diameter. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience the true Amazon! Read all

An exceptional experience that truly exceeded all expectations. What impressed me the most is that here they genuinely want to make your stay as comfortable as possible — and that, to me, is what real high-level service is all about. The guide really tries to fill every excursion with emotions and memorable moments, turning simple activities into meaningful experiences. The kitchen team puts great effort into variety and introduces you to Peruvian cuisine — it feels like a small гастрономic journey. Housekeeping works like invisible bees — you don’t notice them, but everything is always perfectly taken care of. Another big highlight is the comfort level: stable electricity and surprisingly good internet both on the way and at the lodge, powered by Starlink. Having this level of connectivity in the middle of the jungle is something truly special. From reception and the bar to the boat driver — everyone is genuinely warm and happy to have you. You can really feel that each person is a small but important part of one big system delivering outstanding eco-tourism service. Bravo — achieving this level of service in the wild is not easy, and it shows. This experience was very valuable for me and my family. I won’t get tired of thanking you for the emotions you gave us. Highly recommended. Dear travelers — don’t hesitate. Go, enjoy the incredible nature and the level of service. This is something you will remember for a lifetime. Read all

We had the most amazing time at Refugio Amazonas for 3 nights, with a huge thanks to our guide Juan Carlos! On the first afternoon we sat down and planned our activities, which we loved! We came face to face with hundreds of birds, tarantulas, leaf carrying ants spanning 10 meter motorways to work and deliver the leaves to the ant house for food, parasites, and even leaves that cause natural dyes on oxidation - we learned so much. Carlos was genuinly interested in showing us everything the jungle had to offer, humorous and caring too. Carlos knew anything and everything about what was around us, pointing out things and creatures that the untrained eye would miss, carrying a telescope at all times for us to see the birds, ensuring we got magical videos on our phones using the telescope! Read all

Many thanks to Refugio Amazonas for an unforgettable experience! Brenda and team were so wonderful and accommodating, and Alan was a great guide. Thank you for a memorable experience! :) Read all

We had an excellent time at Tambopata research center. We are tourists like most who now visit the center, but it’s great to know that you can support research and the local community by visiting a place like this. Our guide for our trip, Esau, was extremely knowledgeable and showed great passion for his job. He described it as a hobby and he would get very excited if you spotted a specific bird or a tree. His specific knowledge about each and every creature in the forest was very impressive and I would recommend asking for Esau to be your guide in the future if you plan to visit. The hotel itself is unique. You are in the middle of the Amazon rainforest - the accessibility to nature is second to none. There are no windows in the hotel rooms. We had bugs in our room, of course, but the mosquito nets keep everything out and, actually, we both slept very well. The bar staff, Harrison, is very knowledgeable with drinks and works very hard. The food isn’t the best you’re ever going to have, but you have to remind yourself you are in the middle of the rainforest and that it takes a 6 hour round trip to get to the nearest town, and so the job that the hotel does in respect of the food is actually intuitive and very good. I would recommend this hotel to my peers and I would love to visit again in a few years time. Read all

Join To Our Newsletter

Write your e-mail

Join