Tourist brochure of Madre de Dios

Collpa de guacamayos

<Festivities Province of Tahuamanu

Tahuamanu

Mombire Ayanda Carnival Felstival / February

(01)574-8000 24 horas / hours iperu@promperu.gob.pe

Should you require further information on Madre de Dios, please contact us:

In the whole department.

City of Iñapari 3 h by car from Puerto Maldonado, via the transoceanic highway.

In the adjacent rural properties it is possible to do different activities such as horseback riding and boat rides on the Colibrí lagoon. It is also possible to visit the Bélgica native community that has a shiringa forest and a parrot clay lick by the Javerija river.

City of Iberia 2 h 30 min by car from Puerto Maldonado, via the transoceanic highway.

The road towards this place is rich in natural landscapes. One of the highlights of the city is the main square design as it displays the principal economic activities of the zone such as the shiringa (natural rubber) extraction.

<Folklore The traditional dances of Madre de Dios represent scenes of the animal life, myths, legends, and mysteries of the jungle. The most popular ones are the Changanakuy, the Otorongo, and the Suri.

Handicraft� Jungle plants, fibers, seeds, and roots are used in the handicraft of the zone. It is possible to find pieces that are fabricated since ancient times such as pona bows and arrows embellished with feathers; traditional costumes made from the bark of yanchama trees, seeds, and feathers; necklaces, earrings, and bracelets made from seeds. Peruvian law forbids and punishes any extraction, transportation, commercialization, and exportation of any plants or animals, alive or dead, and/or objects made of their parts, unless holding an authorization from the DGFFS (General Directorate of Forestry and Wildlife).

Gastronomy Among the typical dishes of Madre de Dios are: Tacacho con cecina: roasted or fried banana served with grilled pork meat. Asado de picuro: the exquisite meat of an Amazonian rodent roasted over charcoal.

There are parades along the main streets of the city and activities such as the Miss Carnavales de Madre de Dios beauty contest, marching bands competitions, traditional costumes and bullfighter costumes contest. There are parties every weekend at traditional venues where the carnival is celebrated and the unsha (tree with toys hanging from it) is taken down according to the tradition of the region. River otter festival / from 25th to 30th May It is celebrated in the whole department, mainly in Puerto Maldonado.

Different activities are organized in order to raise awareness about the protection of this Madre de Dios emblematic species. Feast of Saint John / June 24th In the whole department.

The Feast takes a symbolic character as it is the celebration of water as a vital element throughout the entire Amazon. This celebration takes place in the community of El Prado, it includes a guided visit to the trail Trocha Carachamayoc and at the Bajo Tambopata Tourist Corridor. The traditional dish of this festivity is juane.

Jorge Chávez International Airport National Departure Lounge, International Arrivals Lounge, and South Mezzanine Telephone: (01) 574-8000 iperulimaapto@promperu.gob.pe

Madre de Dios Aníbal Solimano / Promperú

Enrique Castro-Mendívil / PROMPERÚ

Caldo de carachama: soup made from a fish called carachama. It is served with banana and sachaculantro (jungle cilantro). Arroz amazónico: mixture of rice, beans, and chunks of chicken meat, pork and sachaculantro. Timbuche: meat with stew and uncucha (similar to Sudado). Juane: made mostly of cassava or rice with palillo (curcuma longa) and chunks of hen meat. It is wrapped in bijao leaves. Inchicapi: hen soup with Brazil nuts and rice. Pescado ahumado: It is generally made with fish species such as black prochilodus, sábalo, pacu, gamitana, chambira, or sea bass.

Cusco Traveller Point BCP Portal de Harinas 177, Main Square Telephone: (084) 25-2974 iperucusco@promperu.gob.pe Velasco Astete Airport (Main hall) Telephone: (084) 23-7364 iperucuscoapto@promperu.gob.pe

Anniversary of Puerto Maldonado / July 10th Province of Tambopata, city of Puerto Maldonado.

During this week different competitions take place such as kayac, zipline, canopy, regattas, and moto races; there are as well food tastings and beauty queen contests. Madre de Dios tourist week, SINE DO END DARI Festival “Fiesta de mi Tierra” / September 27th Province of Tambopata, city of Puerto Maldonado.

Different cultural expressions take place during the Madre de Dios Touristic week such as dance contests, traditional food preparation, and mystic ceremonies (offers to mother earth and ayahuasca sessions), as well as a congress of ayahuasca investigators. Anniversary of Madre de Dios / December 26th In the whole department.

The celebrations start the night before with ceremonies, serenades, and dances. On the main day there are civic parades, sport tournaments, artisanal and Christmas fairs.

peru.travel The information contained in this brochure has been updated in October 2014. In order to create it, PROMPERÚ has used official information sources and has been assisted by the Fair Trade and Tourism Regional Offices. ©PROMPERÚ. All rights reserved Calle Uno Oeste 50, Lima 27-Peru www.promperu.gob.pe Hecho el Depósito Legal en la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú Nº 2014-18486 Printing office: Rapimagen (Jr. Callao 465 of. 201, Lima 1) Lima, October 2014 FREE DISTRIBUTION. NOT FOR SALE. Sandoval Lake

�Location Madre de Dios is located in the Amazonian rainforest, southeast part of Peru, along the border with Bolivia and Brazil. ALTO PURÚS NATIONAL PARK

Extensión:

Altitud:

2 2 Madre 85 183 km / 52 930 mi de Dios

Las P i

183 - 500 masl

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e dras river

Tah ua manu

(Puerto Maldonado - Boca Manu)

Province of Tambopata

Iberia San Lorenzo Alerta

Puerto Maldonado MANU NATIONAL PARK

�Distances from Puerto Maldonado

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Border

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M

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Planchón Las Piedras

Collpa de Guacamayos Chuncho

60 5

a

8

Quellouno

Destination

Km/miles

Time (by car)

Iñapari (Province of Tahuamanu)

244 / 151

3h

Salvación (Province of Manu)

180 / 111

8 h to the populated center Boca Colorado + 1 day 4 h (by river)

Shintuya

Cocha Salvador Salvación

Echarate

Pillcopata

AMARAKAERI COMMUNAL RESERVE

Patria San Pedro Acjanaco

Paucartambo

Urubamba

Cusco

Boca Colorado

Lima-Puerto Maldonado (1 h 30 min) Cusco-Puerto Maldonado (30 min)

Geography and Climate Madre de Dios presents three and four-level flood plains, the lower ones are subjected to floods every year and are generally swampy.

Huepetuhe

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143 Santa Rosa 6 TAMBOPATA Inambari-Mazuko 4 NATIONAL RESERVE 7

Lanlacuni Bajo

International borderline Department borderline Department capital city Province capital city District capital city Town Asphalted road Non-asphalted road Trails Kilometers/Miles Airport

Laberinto

Quincemil

Access routes Lima-Arequipa-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado: 2,180 km / 1,354 mi (34 h) Lima-Nasca-Abancay-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado: 1,621 km / 1,007 mi (31 h) Cusco-Puerto Maldonado: 530 km / 329 mi (10 h) Puno- Puerto Maldonado: 625 km / 388 mi (11 h)

Puerto Maldonado

Amarakaeri

Atalaya

The Collpa (clay lick) is the meeting point of guacamayos (macaws). It is formed on the banks of the Tambopata river due to the processes of erosion that originated soils rich in mineral salts. It is about 50 m / 164 ft high and 500 m / 1640 ft long, reason why it is considered the largest one of the Peruvian Amazon. Every morning it is possible to find six different species of macaws, parrots, and parakeets.

Marcapata

Bahuaja Sonene

SONENE NATIONAL PARK

Airfield Natural Protected Area 1. Sandoval Lake 2. Tambopata National Reserve 3. Manu National Park 4. Collpa Colorado 5. Valencia Lake 6. Collpa Chuncho 7. Bahuaja Sonene National Park 8. Pusharo Petroglyphs 9. Cocha Salvador 10. Pakitza

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Inside the Tambopata National Reserve, 120 km / 74 mi from the city of Puerto Maldonado (10 h by motorboat).

This collpa is famous for having spectacular nature. It was formed on the banks of the Tambopata river due to the erosion that unveiled soils rich in mineral salts and organic components. Every day after 5 am, flocks of birds arriving to the collpa can be clearly observed from the Tambopata river island.

Sandoval lake

Inside the Tambopata National Reserve, 10 km / 6 mi from the city of Puerto Maldonado (25 min by motorboat). To reach the lake it takes a 5 km / 3 mi walk from the riverside (1 h 30 min on foot).

It is about 3 km / 1 mi long, 1 km / 0,62 mi wide and in between 0,5 to 3 m (1,64 to 9,84 ft) deep. Its waters are around 26 °C (79 °F) degrees and have a huge ichthyological fauna. A great variety of birds live here and it is possible to see tapirs, turtles, river otters, as well as different types of lizards such as black caimans and white caimans.

Valencia Lake 60 km / 37 mi from the city of Puerto Maldonado (4 h by boat).

The lake is 15 km / 9 mi long, 800 km / 497 mi wide and between 0,5 to 15 m (1,64 to 49,21 ft) deep. It is a privileged place thanks to its flora and ictiologic fauna. There are dusky-legged guans, turtles (charapa and yellow-footed tortoise), lizards, monkeys, cormorant, herons, and more. The Huarayos natives as well as the colonist inhabitants of the surrounding areas are able to make a living from fishing tiger shovelnose catfish, palometas, golden dorados, piranhas, and paiches due to the richness of its waters. These latter species are not original from the zone; these were brought to the lake.

Bahuaja- Sonene National Park 90 km / 55 mi from the city of Puerto Maldonado (from 4 to 5 h by boat).

This national park was established to protect the only tropical humid savanna in Peru. It is located in between the departments of Madre de Dios and Puno, in the provinces of Tambopata, Carabaya, and Sandia. It has an extension of 1,091,416 ha / 2,696,949 acre. Among the most important animals found there are the maned wolf, the marsh deer, the giant anteater, the river otter or giant otter, the bush dog, and the black caiman.

DEC

NOV

OCT

SEP

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

MAR

FEB

Precipitation level

JAN

Warm Max. temp: 35 ºC / 77 ºF Min. temp: 8 ºC / 24 ºF

47 km / 29 mi south of the city of Puerto Maldonado (2 h by motorboat). It is possible to take an alternative route: 18 km / 11 mi by land (on a 4x4 vehicle) to the community of Infierno and then a 2-hour 60 HP motorboat ride on the river to reach the reserve.

It is located between the basins of Madre de Dios and Heath rivers, and has an extension of 274,690 ha / 678,774 acre. It has immeasurable biodiversity wealth as there have been registered 632 bird species, 1200 butterfly species, 169 mammal species, 205 fish species, 103 amphibian species, and 67 reptile species. It has the typical flora of a tropical region. Previous authorization from the National Service of Natural Protected Areas - SERNANP is required to get in.

Province of Manu

Alegría

Limonal Boca Manu

Romero

BOLIVIA 57

sP

Inside the Tambopata National Reserve, 150 km / 93 mi from the city of Puerto Maldonado (12 h by motorboat).

49

river

Tambopata National Reserve

Tambopata

Collpa de Guacamayos Colorado

Iñapari

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Acr

Capital:

Lima

Tourist attractions

BRAZIL

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Manu National Park

The town of Atalaya is located 240 km / 149 mi from the city of Cusco taking the Cusco-Paucartambo highway (9 h by car). After a 6-hour trip through the Alto Madre de Dios river you reach Boca Manu (district of Fitzcarrald) then you get into the park (Manu river sector). Also, it is possible to reach the town of Boca Manu by taking a small aircraft from the city of Cusco (45 min).

Manu

This national park encompasses the entire Manu river basin that covers the territories of Cusco and Madre de Dios and has one of the greatest concentrations of life on the planet. It has a record variety of birds (over 800 species, e.g. the harpy eagle and the Andean cock-of- the-rock.), mammal animals (around 200 species), and an incredible variety of unsorted species of bats, insects, and reptiles. The number of plants is also amazing: around 2000 species, including giant orchids and trees that are over 45 meters high (148 ft) with a 3-meter (10 ft) diameter. Most of these species are unique in the world. Furthermore, there are over 30 native populations in this zone that have their own traditions, cultures, and languages such as the machiguengas, the amahuacas, the yaminahuas, the piros, the amarakaeríes, the huachipaires, and the nahuas.

Cocha Salvador

85 km / 52 mi from Limonal (4 h by river). It is one of the most beautiful and vast lagoons that shelters one of the most stable families of river otters in Manu. Around the lagoon there are trails systems, touristic camps, and the Casa Machiguenka lodge managed by members of the Machigenka community. The use of catamarans in Cocha Salvador is allowed in order to observe the fauna and sail on its mirror-like waters.

Pakitza

98 km / 60 mi from Limonal (4 h 30 min by river). This area features an excellent trail system that allows visiting the favourite forests of birdwatchers. There is as well a collpa of mammal animals that is frequented by a lot of species all the time.