The department
of Madre de Dios is located in the southeastern part of the country.
It limits to the north with Ucayali, to the south and west with
Puno, and to the east with Brazil and Bolivia. Its territory comprises
parts of the High and Low Jungle, with hot and humid tropical weather,
and rains from November through April. The average temperature is
25ºC (77ºF). Madre
de Dios has an extension of 78,403 km² (30,272 sq ml) and a
population that hardly amounts to 50,000 people.
The capital is Puerto Maldonado,
in the province of Tambopata.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
IN MADRE DE DIOS
Reserva
Nacional de Tambopata-Candamo. This reserve is located
at the junction of the La Torre and Tambopata rivers. With an extension
of 5,500 hectares of virgin Jungle, it stands out for the richness
and variety of its different species of birds (above 600), butterflies
(over 900) and dragonflies (approximately 115).
Santuario
Nacional de las Pampas del Heath. With an extension of 109
hectares, this reserve was founded in 1983. It houses the priceless
lobo de crin (horsehair wolf).
Reserva de la Biósfera
del Manu. In 1973, UNESCO declared
this region a natural reserve. It has an extension of 1'881,200
hectares and is divided into three areas: the Parque Nacional del
Manu (1'532,806 hectares), an intangible territory; Zona Reservada
(257,000 hectares), an area for tourist activities; and Bajo Manu
(91,394 hectares), a free zone inhabited by different human groups.
There are beautiful lagoons in the region, such as, Valencia, Copa
Manu, Sandoval, La Pastora, Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Cocococha,
Tres Chimbadas y Amigos. The rivers that run through this territory
are Manu, Tambopata, Madre de Dios, La Torre, Manuripe, Las Piedras
and Tahuamanu.
This reserve is an ecosystem
that has had an unchanging evolution throughout thousands of years,
housing one of the biggest variety of flora and fauna in the world.
It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 bird species in the
park and over 200 mammals. There are between 2,000 and 3,000 plant
species, 10% of which are still unknown by scientists.
To go into the reserve
visitors must have the authorization of the Dirección del
Parque Nacional. Visitors need a travel time of, at least, a full
week.
WE SUGGEST TOURS
IN MADRE DE DIOS
Eco
Jungle 2Days/1Nights in Puerto
Maldonado.
Ecological
3Days/2Nights in Puerto Maldonado.
Eco
Magic 3Days/2Nights
in Puerto Maldonado.
Eco Adventure 4Days/3Nights in Puerto Maldonado.
Discovering
Tambopata 2Days/1Night.
Exploring Tambopata 3Days/2Nights.
Excursion to Gamitana 4Days/3Nights.
Manu Biosphere Reserve 5Days/4Nights.
Manu Biosphere Reserve 7Days/6Nights.
Manu Biosphere Reserve 9Days/8Nights.
