We took a trip to Puerto Maldonado a while back. It’s hard to imagine a more profound change in a shorter distance than what you will find when taking the 40 minute flight from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado. Mountains to jungle, cool to hot and humid. Llamas and alpacas to monkeys and butterflies. Ancient Quechua culture to 21st century gold rush. Despite all that change, there something distinctive Peruvian, despite all the diversity, the different worlds that make up Peru, you always know you’re in Peru.
We really enjoyed our trip. We took the trip about 6 months ago but Brianna talks about “Puerto” every week. When she gets mad she says “I’m going to take an airplane to Puerto and you’re not coming!”.
Puerto isn’t deep jungle like Manu or Iquitos ( both places I haven’t been ) but it’s still impressive. We took a tour on the river, walked about 2 miles through the jungle ( on a well carved-out path ) and then boarded a small boat for a tour on Lake Sandoval.
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- View over Lake Sandoval, Madre de Dios, Peru
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- With our new monkey friends.
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- Under the mosquito net. The insects didn’t bother us like we thought they would.
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- Now that’s a big tree!
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- In the pool…
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- Even in the middle of the Amazon jungle, Brianna managed to find a fair!
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- Piranhas don’t bite: that was only in the movies.
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- Lake Sandoval
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- On the river…
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- Beautiful butterflies are everywhere
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- Sunset over Rio Madre de Dios
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- Amazon jungle, seen from lake Sandoval
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- By the pool at the Anaconda Lodge
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- Peruvian Amazon jungle near Puerto Maldonado
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- Snoozing in the lobby at Lake Sandoval Lodge
Life in Peru 
Great pictures, we are hoping to get there this year (if we can find the time)
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