Is the capital of Madre de Dios department, and the gateway to the national parks and reserves located in the area, as well as to its different centers of hospitality on the Madre de Dios, Tambopata and Manu rivers, strategically situated near lagoons, lakes and water holes (all meeting places for animals), where you can better appreciate its natural beauty.
 
Sandoval Lake is located at 8 kilometers from Puerto Maldonado, at the right banks of Madre de Dios River. You will find the aguaje in its surroundings swamps (kind of typical tree from the Amazonian jungle). This place has a varied fauna and exotic flora, and a very rich ichthyologic fauna due to the suitable temperature of its waters (26º C). Here you can enjoy a refreshing swim or take a canoe ride to watch vegetation and birds.
 
In 1973, the Biósfera (Biosphere) del Manu area was declared by UNESCO as a Natural Reserve. It has an extension of 1,881,200 hectares with beautiful lagoons and rivers.
 
It is an ecosystem with an unchanging evolution throughout thousands of years, housing one of the biggest varieties of flora and fauna in the world (more than 1,000 bird species in the park and over 200 mammals).
 
 
 
This park sets the world record for the number of bird species seen in one day at one spot with 324 species. 40 kms away from Puerto Maldonado and 3 hours by motored canoe by the Tambopata River you will find the Tambopata-Candamo National Park (274,690 hectares). It is known for possessing the greatest diversity of mammal, tree, insect, and bird species in the world as well as the world record of butterfly species.