Are you planning a tour to Puerto Maldonado and want to learn more about the history of our Peruvian jungle? Then you’re in the right place. This city is located in the Amazon rainforest, specifically in the Madre de Dios department. This region borders Brazil, Bolivia, and the regions of Puno, Cusco, and Ucayali.
But what is the history of Puerto Maldonado? How was it founded? What is the origin of its name? In the following article, we will tell you everything about the origin of this city that you will want to visit, as it has many tourist attractions. Keep reading to find out more!
History of Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado has strong ties to the Cusco region and a great enthusiasm for jungle music. It is located in the Madre de Dios department and has grown tremendously in the last twenty years, evolving from a small civilization into a commercial and tourist city.
- Tambopata Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick 5 Days & Sandoval Lake
- Tambopata Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick 4-Day & Sandoval Lake
- Tambopata Tour Macaw Clay Lick 2 Days
- Tambopata Natural Reserve 5 Days with Sandoval Lake From Cusco
- Tour Tambopata Sandoval Lake Parrots Clay Lick Yacumama Lake 5 dias
- Tambopata Sandoval Lake & Monkey island 4 Days
- Tambopata Sandoval Lake 3 Days Monkey island
- Sandoval Lake Tour and Monkey Island 2 Days
- Tambopata Sandoval Lake Full Day Tour
- Tambopata Chuncho Macaws and Parrots Clay Lick Full Day
- SANDOVAL LAKE & CACHUELA PARROTS CLAY LICK
- BEST Piranha Fishing in the Yacumama Lake Half Day
- Canopy Zip Linning + Kayak Monkey island full Day
Being less accessible by the major rivers, the Madre de Dios region was one of the last to be explored during the late 19th-century rubber boom. Among the rubber magnates in the region was the Peruvian Carlos Fermín Fitzcarrald, who is associated with the founding of Puerto Maldonado, although he actually died about twelve years before the event.
Nevertheless, his story is relevant to the development of this region. While working with rubber on the Urubamba River, Fitzcarraldo became attracted to gold after hearing rumors from the Ashaninka and Machiguenga Indians about an Inca stronghold protecting treasures, possibly around the Purus River.
Starting from the Mishagua, a tributary of the Urubamba River, he managed to reach its source and then walked along the ridge to a new basin that he believed to be the Purus, although it was actually the Cashpajali River.
In 1884, he returned to the region, but as Fitzcarraldo descended, he gradually realized that the river was not the Purus, a fact confirmed when he encountered a Bolivian rubber gatherer.
Although he had mistaken the river, Fitzcarraldo had discovered a link connecting the two major Amazon basins, which meant more rubber to exploit and the beginning of the end for the indigenous tribes of Madre de Dios.
Thus, the current Puerto Maldonado was identified as a strategic location. In 1901, a commission was created to explore the rainforest, and Don Juan Villalta led the expedition along the Tambopata River, starting from the province of Sandia. Villata officially founded Puerto Maldonado on July 10, 1902, as a station at the confluence of the Tambopata River and the Madre de Dios River.
But why is it called Puerto Maldonado? This name was placed in honor of Faustino Maldonado, who had explored this department in 1861 and drowned in the rapids of the Mamoré River. The Madre de Dios region was created by law on December 26, 1912, with Puerto Maldonado as its capital, and the city was formally recognized in 1985.
Economy of Madre de Dios: Puerto Maldonado
The main industries in Puerto Maldonado are logging, small-scale artisanal gold mining, Brazil nut collection, boat construction, and ecotourism. Although rubber collection ended long ago, the area was exploited for this substance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
However, South American production was affected by the industry developed in Southeast Asia. Currently, tourism and boat construction are the main sources of income in Puerto Maldonado’s economy.
Climate of Puerto Maldonado
Many people wonder, what is the best time to travel to Puerto Maldonado? And the answer is simple, any time. As Puerto Maldonado is located in the tropical Amazon basin, its climate is warm and humid at all times.
The average annual temperature in Puerto Maldonado is 26 °C locally, with a cold spell occurring when polar winds blow from the mountainous south. On certain occasions, the temperature can drop to 8 °C for several days.
In fact, there are many tourist spots to admire in the city of Puerto Maldonado, as it is close to Manu National Park, Tambopata National Reserve, and Bahuaja Sonene National Park, which are some of the world’s most pristine primary forests. They include several clay licks where hundreds of birds feed on clay.
Now that you know the history and some interesting places to visit in Puerto Maldonado, we invite you to spend a few days in this beautiful city of Madre de Dios. We hope you have enjoyed this information!