RAYMI INC

LOCATION.

It was founded in 1902 and designated the capital of the department of Puerto Maldonado in 1912. It is located on the banks of the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers and is one of the main commercial centers of the Amazon. It is connected to the rest of the country and to Bolivia and Brazil through the Interoceanic Highway. 

HOW TO GET TO MADRE DE DIOS.

From Lima, the most comfortable and safe way is by plane. The direct flight duration is 1.40 hours and the cost is approximately $70 US dollars. (cheap flights through Skyscanner) .

TIPS .

Bring mosquito repellent.

Wear sunscreen .

Wear a hat.

Bring a bottle of water.

You can get tours much cheaper at the agencies around the Plaza de Armas. “Tambopata Rainforest Tours” ask for Kiara. 

. Sandoval Lake Tour, (guide, lunch, transportation, tickets) 90 new soles xp ($22 US dollars).

. Adventure Tour (guide, lunch, transportation, tickets and activities) 70 new soles xp $18 US dollars.

. On tours bring fruit and/or cookies to eat.

WHERE TO STAY:

We decided to stay at the Villa Hermosa Ecological Recreation Center in Tambopata, located on the tourist corridor. villahermosadetambopata.com , and we took daily tours, because we had read that if you went there for 2 or 3 days there was a lot of dead time (doing nothing) waiting for the time of activities and it was too expensive, villahermosadetambopata.com , is practically next to the jungle, they prepare very tasty breakfasts, they have a pool, necessary because of the heat. If you call directly they will give you a good discount, ask for Mr. Manuel Rubio.

Accommodation swimming pool.

With our hosts Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Rubio.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL :

When leaving Madre de Dios Airport, Padre Aldamiz, you can take a mototaxi and/or a taxi, the average cost to the city is 25 new soles ($6 US dollars) and the trip takes approximately 15 minutes, don’t forget to check the price before getting in.

Mother of God Main Square.

Mother of God motorcycle taxi.

After checking in and accepting some cold drinks from our hosts, we went out into the city to walk around the Plaza de Armas, the Malecón and cross the bridge over the Madre de Dios River. Then we went to have lunch of jungle food and buy the tours for the following days.

DAY 2: ADVENTURE TOUR . (Full day)

After an exquisite and abundant breakfast we headed (8.40am) to the meeting point on the boulevard near the Plaza de Armas, to check in and leave for the boarding point to take the boat and sail 40 minutes on the Madre de Dios River, the experience is unforgettable.

At 10am we arrived at the tourist hostel where a guide was waiting for us to do the kayaking or canoeing activities on the Madre de Dios River. It was excellent! An experience you cannot miss.

The next activity was to go to the monkey island where we walked and interacted with them.

At 1pm we had lunch at the hostel.

After a short break we went to the Hanging Bridge and Zipline, (the cherry on the cake), it was an unforgettable experience, you practically walk on the trees at about 30 meters high, you can admire the beauty of the jungle with 100% adrenaline (you will not forget it).

We return to Madre de Dios around 5:30 pm, where you can appreciate the beauty of the jungle sunset over the Madre de Dios River.

On the boulevard you will find good restaurants, you can ask the guys at the agency, they will give you very good information on where to go to eat delicious and cheap food.

Sailing on the Madre de Dios River, starting the Adventure tour.

Walking to the Hanging Bridge and Zipline.

View of the Madre de Dios River, it is a flower called bellflower.

At the tower waiting in line to cross the suspension bridge.

Just a board at 30 meters high.

Suspension bridge over the Tambopata forest, Madre de Dios, Peru

DAY 3 SANDOVAL LAKE TOUR: . (Full day)

Again after a delicious and well served breakfast (in fact we are going to gain weight) we headed (8.40am) to the meeting point Plaza de Armas boulevard, to check in and leave for Puerto Acosta to board the boat and sail on the Madre de Dios River , at 9:50 we arrived at the checkpoint to register the entrance, from there we walked until we reached the pier where we got into a canoe where we sailed towards Lake Sandoval, we  observed different types of ecosystems, in this beautiful lake we can find families of otters or river wolves , they are in danger of extinction, turtles, butterflies, monkeys, many birds around all of them in their natural habitat .

At 1:00 pm we had lunch and took a well-deserved break. Around 3:00 pm we boarded the canoe to return to the checkpoint and from there take the boat on the Madre de Dios River and return to the city. Approx. 5:45 pm.

Entering Lake Sandoval.

Control booth for Lake Sandoval.

By canoe on Lake Sandoval.

After lunch and a well-deserved rest.

Preparing for the return.

DAY 4 PIRAHNA FISHING TOUR : .

In the morning we went for a walk around the city of Madre de Dios, we went to the Mirador de la Enfermedades de Puerto Maldonado (Biodiversity Lookout) whose base resembles the shape of the roots of the trees in the Amazon rainforest. The prices are very reasonable . Going up is a challenge , but every step you take is worth it. At each break there are posters of the flora and fauna of Madre de Dios.

From the top the view is spectacular, you can see the entire city, the intercontinental bridge, the Madre de Dios Rivers and the mouth of the Tambopata . 

Biodiversity Observatory of Puerto Maldonado 

View of Mother of God.

From there we went to the market to buy souvenirs and then we went to have lunch in a typical neighborhood where there are several restaurants, one better than the other between Junín and Lambayeque streets. We went to the typical restaurant “La Cocona”

Juanes, made with rice, eggs, goose meat and seasonings. 

Tacacho with Cecina, consists of roasted or fried plantains served in the form of round meatballs.

After a delicious lunch, we head (3 pm) to the tour agency and they take us by car for approximately 10 minutes along the interoceanic highway from Puerto Maldonado to the height of the town of Madama, we enter by a road of approximately 8 minutes until we reach Lake Anaconda (Yacumama) where we take a canoe to start fishing for piranhas , watching the sunset and seeing hundreds of parrots and macaws that return to sleep on the palm trees that surround the lake, it is incredible, 6:30 pm return to the city. After fishing the Piranhas are returned to Lake Yacumama.

Fishing for Pirahnas.

Piranhas.

Yacumama Lake.

DAY 5 RETURN TO THE CITY OF LIMA.

As the song says, “everything has its end…” We spent some extraordinary days in the city of Madre de Dios, a safe city, with friendly people, good food and lots of nature. It’s not a goodbye but a see you soon.