Peru offers almost anything: a deep-blue sea, the high mountains of the Andes, a kilometers-wide dessert and the beautiful Amazon Rainforest. When being in Peru, I would definitely not let the possibility pass to visit one of the jungle-lodges along the Madre de Dios River. Most of them are located just a 40 minutes boat-ride away from Puerto Maldonado, a town located on 500 m. above sea level in the middle of the Amazon. It is one of the easiest areas to reach from Lima and Cusco, and many people will therefore decide to go to Puerto Maldonado to have a first glance at the Peruvian Amazon. On a sunny Friday-morning, I packed my bags for my plane leaving Cusco at 10:45 for one of the most special journeys I had in Peru so far. I could not wait to meet the jungle again, which I have been fallen in love with 3 years ago while travelling to Bolivia.

The choice to visit Puerto Maldonado while travelling in Peru will be a very good one. Although I would definitely recommend visiting Manu National Park as well, visiting this part of the Jungle might often be quite more expensive and you will only be able to visit the area with a certified guide by your side at any time, as the area can be quite risky. Furthermore, Puerto Maldonado is luckily very easy to reach by bus (approx. 10 hours over a completely hardened road) or by plane (approx. 45 minutes). Both by bus and by plane will certainly be recommended, as both will provide you with a different but very special view over and along the Amazon Rainforest.

When visiting the Amazon jungle, you will be able to expect numerous different very special animal species, as well as the most delicious Peruvian and local dishes, and you will have very friendly people welcoming you with a big smile and passion to the place they have been born in and still love so much up to this day. I cannot blame them, as it is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places you will possibly find. The amount of lodges along the Madre de Dios River founded over the last 30 years has grown gradually, with a selection from very basic to quite luxurious. For my 3-day trip, I stayed at the Corto Maltes Amazonia, which provides very relaxing personal lodges entirely made from beautiful dark-brown wood and include a bedroom, hammocks on the veranda and a private bathroom. The lodges will definitely give you the ultimate jungle-feeling. Although you will spend a lot of time walking in the jungle with a private guide, there will also be some time left in afternoons to relax in the hammocks or drink a cocktail at the swimming pool.

In the near area, you will find very diverse Islands such as the Parrot Clay Click, the Monkey Island, the Tambopata Candamo Internatonal Reserve and the Sandoval Lake, all of which have their own special sights and will be home to different types of animal species. During your visit to the Amazon, you will have the opportunity to learn about the variety of trees and the special function they have for the rest of the world, guided by a guide whom also often have a great eye spotting monkeys, spiders and caimans. I will not promise you it will always be able to find all types of animals at all time, but it will definitely be worth the adventure to look for them.
Altogether, it will without a doubt definitely be worth your time to visit this special part of Peru. If you would like to have any more information about this area, or if you would like to know which tours are offered by Cultural Immersion, just have a look at the website or send an email with your wishes and needs; we will be more than happy to help you with creating the perfect jungle adventure!