13:49 | Puerto Maldonado (Madre de Dios region), Dec. 26.
The biodiversity-rich jungle region of Madre de Dios celebrates its 107th anniversary of political creation, which constitutes a perfect occasion to promote its tourist attractions located in southeastern Peru.
Established on December 26, 1912, this region was named after Madre de Dios River, on whose banks Puerto Maldonado —the region's capital— is erected.
Madre de Dios covers an area of 85,300 square kilometers and is the third largest region in Peru, after Loreto and Ucayali. It is also the least densely populated region in Peru, with approximately 1.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Among the most outstanding attractions to visitors are:
Puerto Maldonado
It was founded in 1894 and recognized as Madre de Dios' capital city in 1912. Located at the confluence of Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers, this city is home to more than 77,000 inhabitants. It is one of the main commercial hubs in the Amazon.
Pope Francis highlighted its spectacular natural and cultural attractions, as well as the Catholic faith of its people, during a visit on January 19, 2018.
Butterfly House
Hundreds of Amazonian butterflies of different species can be found at the butterfly house. The place offers a unique and educational experience.
Tambopata National Reserve
A must for nature lovers, Tambopata National Reserve is one of the best choices to welcome the New Year surrounded by infinite amazon biodiversity.
This captivating protected area boasts countless species, such as giant otters, jaguars and macaws, just to name a few.
Visitors can take in all this flora and fauna along Tambopata's tourist routes.
The reserve even caters for thrill-seekers, offering adrenaline-packed activities like kayaking, rafting, among others.
Attractions also include observation towers, zip-lining and hanging bridges for a 30-meter-high view of Peru's breathtaking rainforest.
Sandoval Lake
This lake is located in the National Reserve of Tambopata, a world wildlife sanctuary surrounded by lush vegetation in Madre de Dios.
Sandoval Lake is home to thousands of species of birds, the giant otter, the black caiman, macaws, turtles and cranes, many of them in danger of extinction. It is like a warehouse for Peru's natural wealth, where nights are filled with sounds coming out from the jungle.
The variety of marine fauna is another feature of the lake, boasting 6,500 species of fish, including the famous paiche, served in the most refined regional dishes for its delicate and tender meat.
Sandoval Lake can be accessed via the Madre de Dios River from Puerto Maldonado. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes by boat then 1 hour 30 minutes on foot.
Valencia Lake
Valencia is a 15-kilometer lake, 800 meters wide and 15 meters deep. This is a very special area due to the presence of trees such as the pumaquiro, quinilla, cedar, lupuna (kapok), palm and chestnut.
Highlights of the local wildlife include bush turkeys, turtles (charapa and motelo varieties), lizards, monkeys, cormorants and herons.
The wealth of its waters allows both the native population, the Huarayo, and the settlers nearby to fish for wrasse, palomenta (bonefish), carp, piranhas and araipama (paiche), the latter being a species that was introduced into the lake.
Manu National Park
This huge 1.5 million-ha park has successive tiers of vegetation rising from 150 to 4,200 m above sea-level.
The tropical forest in the lower tiers is home to an unrivalled variety of animal and plant species.
Some 850 species of birds have been identified and rare species such as the giant otter and the giant armadillo also find refuge there. Jaguars are often sighted at
Manu National Park.
(END) LZD/MAO/RMB
Published: 12/26/2019