MADRE DE DIOS DEPARTMENT

HISTORY:

According to priest Pío Aza, the name of Madre de Dios comes from a legend in Paucartambo (Cusco) regarding the image of Virgin Mary, found on one of the riversides of that department. According to some investigations, the first inhabitants were Arahuaco, no less that 4000 years old.These inhabitants practiced a tribal culture, based on fishing, hunting, and, agriculture.Most likely, the Ashaninkas and Amueshas are their descendants.This region was not conquered by the Spaniards, but, they extracted resources such as: wood, gold, coca, fruit, and, medicinal plants.
The Madre de Dios region has a rich and varied culture, that expresses itself in music, dances, textiles, pottery and carved wood. The originality of the techniques employed and their varied linguistic families are outstanding.
Shipibos are an example of cultural expression. At nighttime they gather around a bonfire and listen to legends and myths told by the elders while they smoke mapachu (wild tobacco) wrapped in their cushmas.

ALTITUDE:

Capital:Puerto Maldonado (183 masl / 600 fasl)
Lowest point: 183 masl / 600 fasl (Puerto Maldonado)
Highest point: 500 masl / 1640 fasl (Boca Manu)

CLIMATE

The city of Puerto Maldonado has a hot and wet climate. The average annual maximum temperature is 26ºC (77ºF) and the minimum is 8ºC (24ºF). The rainy season is from December to March.

DISTANCES FROM THE CITY OF MADRE DE DIOS

Salvación(Province of Manu) 1 hour to Puerto Laberinto by road and 3 days by river Iñapari(Province of Tahuamanu) 244 km (152 miles) / 4 hours by car.

ACCESS ROUTES

By land:

Lima – Arequipa – Cusco – Puerto Maldonado: 2180 km / 355 miles (51 hours by bus)
Lima – Nasca – Abancay – Cusco – Puerto Maldonado: 1621 km / 1007 miles (49 hours by bus)
Cusco – Puerto Maldonado: 527 km / 327 miles (30 hours by bus)

By air:

Regular flights from Lima (1 hour and 30 minutes) and Cusco (30 minutes)

MAIN ATTRACTIONS IN MADRE DE DIOS

Reserva Nacional de Tambopata-Candamo. This reserve is located at the junction of the La Torre and Tambopata rivers. With an extension of 5,500 hectares of virgin Jungle, it stands out for the richness and variety of its different species of birds (above 600), butterflies (over 900) and dragonflies (approximately 115).

Santuario Nacional de las Pampas del Heath. With an extension of 109 hectares, this reserve was founded in 1983. It houses the priceless lobo de crin (horsehair wolf).

Reserva de la Biósfera del Manu. In 1973, UNESCO declared this region a natural reserve. It has an extension of 1'881,200 hectares and is divided into three areas: the Parque Nacional del Manu (1'532,806 hectares), an intangible territory; Zona Reservada (257,000 hectares), an area for tourist activities; and Bajo Manu (91,394 hectares), a free zone inhabited by different human groups. There are beautiful lagoons in the region, such as, Valencia, Copa Manu, Sandoval, La Pastora, Tambopata, Madre de Dios, Cocococha, Tres Chimbadas y Amigos. The rivers that run through this territory are Manu, Tambopata, Madre de Dios, La Torre, Manuripe, Las Piedras and Tahuamanu.

This reserve is an ecosystem that has had an unchanging evolution throughout thousands of years, housing one of the biggest variety of flora and fauna in the world. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 bird species in the park and over 200 mammals. There are between 2,000 and 3,000 plant species, 10% of which are still unknown by scientists.

To go into the reserve visitors must have the authorization of the Dirección del Parque Nacional. Visitors need a travel time of, at least, a full week.

Lago Valencia is located at 60 km (37.3 ml) from Puerto Maldonado. In the four hour ride on motor boat it is possible to see gold seekers working at the bank of the Madre de Dios river; the native settlements of the Huarayos; and a great variety of flora and fauna. The lake holds corvinas, dorados, doncellas, among other fish species. The most representative native communities located in this region are the Amaralari, Arasaeri, Kisambaeri, Pukirieri, Sapiteri, Toyoeri, Wachipari, Arawak, Machiguenga and Piro-Mashko.

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