Planning a trip to Amazon Basin
Puerto Maldonado
In Puerto Maldonado, there's a small booth at the airport that can give very limited information on the city and jungle lodges. Most visitors leave for the southern jungle from Cusco, so if you spend a few days there first, it's worthwhile to pick up more complete information on Puerto Maldonado and the rest of the jungle at the main Tourist Information Office at Mantas 117-A, a block from the Plaza de Armas (tel. 082/263-176). Anyone traveling to Manu or Tambopata with an organized expedition should be able to get all the necessary information from the tour organizer.
¿Qué Frío? -- The weather in the Madre de Dios region is usually extremely hot and sticky, as you would expect. But the southern jungle's proximity to the Andes produces periodic cold spells called friajes, which originate in the South Pole, from June through September. When they hit, friajes drop the temperature to 48°F (9°C) for a period of 2 or 3 days. It's a good idea to pack a jacket and even some gloves on the off chance that the jungle turns cold on you.
Entry Requirements
Preventive Medicine for the Jungle
Yellow fever vaccinations are a wise idea before visiting the jungles of southeastern Peru. Even though the only reported outbreaks of yellow fever in the last couple of years have been in the northern Amazon around Iquitos, local authorities in Puerto Maldonado make sure that visitors who want to be protected are. At the airport arrival terminal, yellow fever shots are administered by Health Ministry nurses.
Other vaccinations worth considering are those for Hepatitis A and typhoid. Malaria pills are also a good idea, especially if you're planning to venture deep into the jungle. You should carry your vaccination records with you while traveling in Peru. Speak to your doctor or consult the World Health Organization or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.
Getting There
Puerto Maldonado
The Aeropuerto Internacional Padre Aldamiz Puerto Maldonado (tel. 082/571-531) is 8km (5 miles) outside of the city. Flights arrive daily from Cusco and Lima on LAN (tel. 01/213-8200; www.lan.com) and Star Perú (tel. 01/705-9000; www.starperu.com) starting from $105 one-way from Cusco, $135 one-way from Lima. Health Ministry nurses are on hand to vaccinate visitors against yellow fever (fiebra amarilla). To get from the airport to town, the best bet is a motocarro (a motorcycle rickshaw), which costs S/5 to S/7.
Adventurous budget travelers with bountiful patience and perseverance, particularly those looking for a new warrior experience and the bragging rights that go with it, can travel by truck to Puerto Maldonado from Cusco. The journey takes at least 3 days in the dry season and up to 10 days in wetter conditions, and the route traverses more than 500km (310 miles) with zero comfort to speak of; it's certainly one of the worst (if not the worst) roads in Peru connecting two points of obvious interest. It costs about $15 and will provide you with stories for months, but you will definitely suffer for the dubious privilege. Trucks leave from Plaza Tupac Amaru in Cusco and arrive in Puerto Maldonado at the Mercado Modelo on Calle Ernesto Rivero. Take the challenge at your own risk; though the scenery is said to be astounding, the trip is not something I can recommend.
Fast Facts
Puerto Maldonado -- Banks on the Plaza de Armas include Banco de la Nación, Jr. Carrión 233 (tel. 082/571-064), and Banco de Crédito, Arequipa 334 (tel. 082/571-001). Only Banco de Crédito changes traveler's checks. There are also casas de cambio along Jirón Puno. Credit cards are not widely accepted in Puerto Maldonado, so you should plan on bringing cash for incidentals if you've already booked a lodge or tour program.
For required exit stamps to travel to Bolivia via Puerto Heath (a trip of 3-4 days by boat), visit the Peruvian Immigration Office at 26 de Diciembre 356, a block from the Plaza de Armas. It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm.
For medical attention, go to Hospital Santa Rosa, Jr. Cajamarca 171, at Velarde (tel. 082/571-019). The police can be found at Jr. Carrión 410 (tel. 105 or 082/571-022). The post office is on Av. León Velarde 675 (tel. 082/571-088). There's a Telefónica del Perú office at Jr. Puno 670 (tel. 082/571-600).
Getting Around
Puerto Maldonado -- Quick, easy, and cheap, motocarros are everywhere; most rides in town cost S/2. Ferries cross the Ríos Madre de Dios and Tambopata daily. If you just want to cruise across the river you'll have to negotiate the price, but expect to spend about S/20 per person.
