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Home > Madre de Dios Tourist Information > Around Puerto Maldonado
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Lago Sandoval / Tambopata-Candamo Reserva Nacional / Other attractions / Jungle Tours / Jungle Lodges / Accommodation in Jungle Lodges / Independent Travel
Lago Sandoval, relatively close to Puerto Maldonado, is a beautiful, large, ox-bow lake. It is popular with young locals who come to bathe here, and it can get busy at weekends. It is also possible to see wildlife here, including giant river otters, although these are best seen in the early morning or late afternoon, meaning that you must spend the night here. There are two lodges on the lake, the Sandoval Lodge and the Mejía Lodge, which are described in the Jungle Lodges section. It is also possible to camp on the lakeshore. It is possible to visit the lake in one day, although this is not really recommended, as much time will be spent getting to and from the lake and it is possible that you will not be able to go out onto the lake as all the boats may be in use by the guests at the lodges. It is sometimes possible to buy food from the Mejía Lodge, although not always, so it is better to bring food if you are not staying the night at one of the lodges. Bring plenty to drink, as bottled drinks are very expensive at the lodges.
The lake is 40 minutes downstream from Puerto Maldonado and then a one-hour walk through the jungle. A boatman and a peque peque will charge $20 to $30 for a return trip to the lake, including guiding you on the lake itself.
For visitors ideally wishing to travel to Manu, but without the time or money, the Tambopata-Candamo National Reserve offers a very good alternative. It is much easier to visit this area for short trips, and as independent travel is possible, it can be much cheaper. Although the area has had far greater human impact than in Manu, it is still one of the areas with the greatest biodiversity in the world. There are almost 600 species of birds and over 1,200 species of butterflies in the reserve, more than in any other area of this size in the world. There are many caiman, tapirs and other large animals, and there is much bird life. The macaw clay lick in the reserve is the largest in the world, and is probably the highlight of this area. Macaws must ingest a certain type of alkaline to combat the poison that they swallow from eating berries. This is provided by the clay in certain cliffs, such as that in the Tambopata-Candamo Reserve, and so macaws gather early in the morning to eat the clay. This provides a truly incredible sight as hundreds of green, blue, yellow and red macaws, along with thousands of smaller green parrots, cover the cliff face creating a riot of colour and sound.
Most jungle lodges can organise tours to the macaw lick, although the extra travel involved means that this is often expensive. Also, most lodges organise the macaw lick as a camping trip, allowing you to be there early in the morning to see the macaws gather. A couple of the lodges closer to the lick can arrange trips there from the lodges, meaning that you do not have to camp. If you want to stay at a jungle lodge and see the macaw lick you are probably better off staying at one of the lodges close to the lick.
There is an $18 entrance fee to the national reserve. The National Reserve was created in September 2000, prior to which it was a reserved zone, giving it only temporary protected status. The reserve measures 274,690 hectares, and it is part of the larger Bohuara Somene National Park, which has an area of 1,091,416 hectares.
Lago Valencia is another ox-bow lake about seven hours downriver of Puerto Maldonado. The lake is visited by few people, and so it is in relatively good condition for viewing wildlife. There are river otters, caiman, monkey and much bird life by the shores of the lake.
Down the Madre de Dios River, not far from Puerto Maldonado, is Monkey Island. This is a small island in the middle of the river, which is teeming with different varieties of monkeys. Although the island is artificial, with the monkeys having been introduced almost as a kind of zoo, being surrounded by so many monkeys is still very interesting.
Lago Soledad is a lake far up the Río de Las Piedras, and due to its distance it is still in a relatively pristine state. This is a good spot for seeing wildlife, including giant river otters, monkeys, caiman and capybaras.
You can hire a boatman to take you to any of the places around Puerto Maldonado, although for anything but a short trip it is advisable that you go with an official guide. This is essential if you are planning to enter the National Park. You can find boatmen in the port, and they will charge around $20 to $30 per day. If you are taking a boat ride, your boatman should get permission from the Capitania del Puerto before setting out, although for short trips he may not bother. For longer trips this is essential, however, so make sure all paperwork is in order.
There are no regular boat services up or down the Madre de Dios River, although there are boat services across the Madre de Dios River to the far bank.
Most people who visit the Puerto Maldonado area do so with the intention of spending a few nights visiting the jungle, generally to see wildlife. There are two main options for this. Either you can stay in a jungle lodge or you can organise a tour with a private guide.
A good way of seeing the jungle in relative comfort is by staying at a jungle lodge. Although mostly lacking hot water and electricity in rooms, the lodges have simple but pleasant rooms and good food. They also include guides to show you around the jungle area near the lodge, and further afield if you are interested. There are far more lodges around Puerto Maldonado than in Manu, and thus there are far more tourists. However, most tours tend to spend the majority of time around their lodges, so you are unlikely to see too many other travellers on your trip.
Staying in a lodge near Puerto Maldonado is cheaper than staying in a lodge in Manu, although it is still not cheap. The lodges further from Puerto Maldonado tend to be the most expensive, even though they may not be the most luxurious. This is because the fuel required for the boats is substantially more. However, the further from Puerto Maldonado, the more pristine the rainforest, and the better the wildlife that can be seen. Note that lodge prices do not include flights to Puerto Maldonado. Also note, as flights from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco leave early in the morning, tours are really one day shorter than claimed, e.g. a 3-day/2-night tour is really only 2 days long: the first day you will arrive in Puerto Maldonado in the morning and transfer to the jungle lodge, seeing some jungle. The second day you will have in the jungle. The third day you will get up early to catch the morning flight to Cusco. You are unlikely to see any of the jungle this day.
Jungle lodges provide all meals and water for drinking. Other drinks are for sale, although these are very expensive. If you want snacks or drinks you are best off taking them yourself.
All prices are per person per day.
$150 +
$100 to $150 per night
$50 to $100 per night
$5 to $10 per night
A good way to visit the surrounding jungle is by taking a private guided tour. This can work out cheaper than staying at a lodge and offers greater flexibility, although the comfort level is obviously lower. Additionally, the areas you can visit are obviously far more varied. If you wish to visit the Tambopata Candamo National Reserve, an official guide is essential, as all travellers must be accompanied by an official guide. Ask to see the guide’s identity card. Even if you are going to an area outside the reserve, an official guide is strongly recommended. There are many official guides in Puerto Maldonado, many working with jungle lodges. There are also many independent guides working from Puerto Maldonado. A list of official guides can be obtained from the tourist information office. Most guides charge between $30 and $50 per person, per day.
Information used with the kind permission of
www.llamatravel.com -
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Llama Travel Ltd (UK).
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