Top 17 things to do and attractions in Puerto Maldonado

Amazing place and amazing people. You can spend day or more with helping them. Enjoy preparing food for animals, cutting leaves fixing cages and so on. Beautiful animals with strong stories. You have to call or send them message via web form. They have a taxi driver who will drive you to shelter and back. It starts 7:30PM till 5PM. You can also just visit place as visitor but working there as a volunteer is really fun, but it’s work!!! Also amazing owner Magali will tell you all about shelter and story of every single animal. She really love them. Big thanks to all who put ❤️ into this project.

An incredibly special place! I visited for a couple of hours and learnt so much, I’d love to come back some time and volunteer. What important work they do and how well cared for the animals are as they are being rehabilitated. Please donate to help this wonderful place 🙏🏻

Volunteering at Amazon Shelter in Puerto Maldonado was a truly rewarding experience. The team deeply cares for the animals and works tirelessly every day to give them a second chance at life. It’s incredibly fulfilling to help—feeding monkeys and other animals, cleaning enclosures, and supporting a wide range of meaningful projects. The shelter’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild animals that have suffered from illegal trafficking, deforestation, and hunting. Many arrive injured or traumatized, and the dedicated staff creates individual recovery plans for each one. The experience opens your eyes and raises awareness about the harsh reality of animal abuse in the Amazon. What inspired me most was the passion of Magali, the founder, and her team. They also work to educate both locals and visitors on the importance of protecting the rainforest and its wildlife. Despite serious challenges—limited space, scarce funding, and many animals needing care—the shelter continues its work with heart and determination. However, donations are crucial to keep this mission going. I can only encourage everyone to support special places like this. It’s not about entertainment like many other places —it’s about making life better for animals in need.

A wonderful experience. Sebastian walked us through the sanctuary and told us about all the rescue animals. Very caring workers and volunteers. Wish I had more time on my trip to volunteer. Learned so much about the Howler Monkeys and all the birds. Definitely worth a visit.

If you are in Puerto Maldonado I highly recommend visiting here. They are doing some great work rehabilitating animals and releasing into the wild. The tour is fascinating, learning about how rescue centres like this work. Our girls age 6 and 8 also loved it! Do go and visit as they rely on funding from visitors. You will not regret it once you go and see the animals and hear their stories. I think they prefer it if they know when you are going to arrive, but we did just turn up and got a tour straight away. Thank you so much, we had a lovely time 🙏

We only had time for a brief visit before leaving PM, but what a fantastic place this is, and such valuable work they do. The sanctuary focuses on recovery, rehabilitation and reintroduction. It is possible to volunteer there or just visit to understand their work. We received a comprehensive tour and discovered a lot about the animals and the work they have to do to create a successful reintroduction, and some of the animal’s tragic back-stories. Entry fees (80s) goes directly to support their work.

What a fantastic place to visit and see the wonderful wildlife of the Amazon. The animals here have been rescued from all over the country from uneducated people who wish to keep these animals as pets and mistreat them. Or the dreadful people who kill their parents for meat or those who chop down the trees or mine the Amazon jungle. The answer is to educate people to not buy these animals as pets or for meat, and stop the corrupt Peruvian government from destroying the Amazon rainforest. So the next time you head off to the pet shop to buy an exotic pet, stop and think about how you are supporting the illegal pet trade and destroying the delicate ecosystem of the Amazon rainforest.

(Translated by Google) Exceptional natural environment. Outdated facilities. Do not confuse basic installation (as indicated) with dilapidated installation. We were the only ones Impression that the site has been abandoned for several years. 2 swimming pools out of 3 empty. The third not cleaned. Deckchairs all broken Bar closed. Bulbs removed outside. No night light to enter the room. No hot water. Bathroom in very poor condition (almost detached sink, no shower curtain...) Electricity cut off without notice at 8 p.m. Poor food and in minimal quantity. Very good guide even if the service did not conform to the presentation (nothing on the last day, botanical garden non-existent). Really pleasant day visiting the cliffs and the Tambopata reserve. (Original) Environnement naturel exceptionnel. Installations vétustes. Ne pas confondre installation sommaires (comme indiqué) et installation délabrées. Nous étions les seuls Impression que le site a été abandonné depuis plusieurs années. 2 piscines sur 3 vides. La troisième non nettoyée. Transats tous casses Bar fermé. Ampoules supprimées à l extérieur. Aucune lumière de nuit pour rentrer à la chambre. Pas d eau chaude. Salle de bain en très mauvais état (lavabo presque détaché, pas de rideau de douche...) Électricité coupée sans préavis à 20h. Nourriture médiocre et en quantité minime. Guide très bien même si la prestation n était pas conforme à la présentation ( rien le dernier jour, jardin botanique inexistant). Journée de visite des falaises et de la réserve de Tambopata vraiment agréable.

(Translated by Google) Somewhat far from the city, but an ideal place to connect with nature 🏞️ (Original) Algo alejado de la ciudad, pero un lugar ideal para conectar con la naturaleza 🏞️

Lots of interesting history/politics surrounding the construction of this bridge. Great conversation point for engaging with locals.

(Translated by Google) Very nice, I like its design 722 meters long, really impressive! (Original) Muy bonito, me gusta su diseño 722 metros de longitud, realmente imponente!

(Translated by Google) It is a beautiful place, it is a great giant bridge to record or take a photo. (Original) Es un lugar hermoso es un puente gigante estupendo para grabarse o tomarse foto

(Translated by Google) Very beautiful bridge where I passed on my trip from Porto Velho - Rondônia - Brazil to Cusco - Peru. This car trip is really cool, you can see the difference in architecture, vegetation and culture from one place to another. I'm extremely happy to have stopped by here, there are so many stories to tell... (Original) Ponte muito bonita onde passei na minha viagem de Porto Velho - Rondônia - Brasil com destino a Cusco - Peru. É muito legal essa viagem de carro, da pra ver a diferença da arquitetura, vegetação e cultura de um lugar para o outro. Fico extremamente feliz de ter passado por aqui, muitas histórias para contar..

(Translated by Google) It was quite an experience to walk across the entire bridge, the landscape is very beautiful and above all, being on the Madre de Dios River is incredible. (Original) Todo una experiencia pasar caminando todo el puente el paisaje es muy bonito y sobre toso estar sobre el río madre de dios es increíble

(Translated by Google) From the bridge you can see a beautiful sunset (Original) Desde el puente se puede apreciar un lindo atardecer

(Translated by Google) Maintenance works (Original) Obras de mantenimiento

(Translated by Google) Excellent place, very good service and very delicious Pizzas (Original) Excelente lugar muy buena atención y muy deliciosas las Pizzas

We had some hours to pass while we waited to fly out so we went to the butterfly farm. It’s not expensive and if you take your time and enjoy the butterflies it’s pretty nice. It’s small but we saw at least 8-10 different butterfly species

Small but a fun diversion if you're killing some time before a flight. Only a few minutes from the airport and the Rainforest Expeditions Office.

Pathetic attempt at a last-minute tourist trap. Several agencies, for some reason, insist on taking clients to this butterfly house on the way to the airport just 200mtrs away. We almost lost our flight because of this. The place itself is falling apart, and is pretty small. I suspect that they try to atay alive on the back of the cafe on the back. Nobody in our group stopped - what was the point? You'll either have time in the airport for a coffee & cake, or you really are desperate to get to your flight.

I love my photos from the Butterfly Farm, we are very happy we popped in before our flight! You get what you put into something, try to take a great photo of a beautiful butterfly, it’s fun!

If you arrive early for a flight out of Puerto Maldonado make sure to visit the Mariposario Tambopata - literally a 10 min walk (2 min drive) from the airport terminal. Defense worth a visit.

Great little stop off to see native butterflies before heading to Puerto Maldonado airport

Nice way to kill time waiting for a flight. Right at the airport.

We loved this place: decent portions, good prices, delicious food.

A very inexpensive restaurant with huge portions. Everything I tried was tasty.

Beat coffee in town (And apparently its a social enterprise for an orphanage) Pastel de Acelgas - delicious. Good service. Go and sit if you wanna eat in. Go to cashier desk if you wanna take out. Chocolate keke is delish.

Tasty food. Great service. Nice location. There is plenty of free parking. Didn't like the ice cream.

One of the best ice creams we had in Peru (especially lucuma and coco - not so sweet as in other places). Place is not very cosy, it's better to take away.

Great coffee, super-helpful staff, Excellent ice-cream

Food is good but not that good. The ice creams are not that tastefull. The service is good. To many homeless people get there to ask for money. The good news is that some money go to charity. At least is what they say.

Food was fine, but literally the rudest, most disgruntled waitress ‘greeted’ me when I came in to pick up an early dinner. Could not have been less interested and was terribly put out by my presence. I was the only person in the place, so I’m not sure what the deal was. Have eaten here many times over the years but will go out of my way to spend money elsewhere.

The açaí bowl and veggies bowls are so lovely. Big portion for the veggies/ salad bowls. Nutritious and delicious!

Nice healthy food and a great alternative to all other burger restaurants in this city. Had dinner and lunch here and both were delicious and refreshing! Slow service, but adds some charm to the experience.

The food was good, fruits were fresh, the avocado panini was a little small, smoothies are good, jugos are little tasteless. All okay but… We had to wait almost 2h for all what we ordered to come. That‘s a record even for Peru 😄

It's probably one of the best choice in Puerto Maldonado. The place is nicely located away from the noise by the river. It serves healthy salads, bowls, sandwiches, wraps, crepes and pizzas... So very much adapted to tourists looking for something different than Peruvian food. There is a very nice relaxing atmosphere with cool sofas upstairs and nice music. Downstairs, the major problem is the smell that comes from time to time from the gutters presumably. The second issue is that you can probably fit only about 25 people upstairs.

For in the Amazon this is a really nice restaurant with good food. Let’s say you get the food that you expect. It doesn’t disappoint. So for us it’s a nice place to eat! We have been there multiple times

The La Semilla salad was the best I’ve ever had! Perfect amounts of everything - I inhaled it! The chocolate crepes were also good but could use a touch more chocolate sauce.

This tower gives you a great view of the city and all it has to offer. The information bords inside are very informative. The windows on the tower could use a wash though.

We had some time to kill so decided to climb the mirador . It was just ok. Probably would have skipped it and do a hike instead . Tickets were 8 soles for foreiu

A panoramic view of Puerto Maldonado. 8 soles for a foreigner and 5 for Peruanos. It’s quite run down and clearly hasn’t been renovated in decades but worth a visit if you have time to get a lay of the land.

I have not had a chance to climb the obelisk yet, but it looks great!

The view is great even at night but the place it is not well maintained...you'll see some of the fotos damaged

Good view of the city with information panels on the way.

Nothing special but entrance fee is cheap

Really good selection of food and English menus so easy to understand. There was a fresh buffet of salads , banana chips etc and the steak in particular was excellent! Upstairs had a nice vibe and the staff were so friendly! Definitely recommend !

Nice place on 2 floors with fans , which makes it a very pleasant place to eat in the heat. The food and juices were excellent. Fast friendly service. Recommended.

Nice spot to relax and enjoy lunch. I recommend the second floor. The menu is expansive so it took a while to pick what I wanted. It all looked good. I ended up with the paiche wrapped in leaves. Very tasty! For lunch there is also a little bar of salad and fries (for those who enjoy that) as well as hot sauce.

I decided to go to Burgos's for my last night in Puerto Maldonado. Immediately I noticed the atmosphere was top notch, and the service was amazing; my waiter got to me within seconds of stepping inside the building and asked if I would prefer to dine downstairs or on the upstairs patio, I chose the patio. The menu is offered in both English and Spanish, which was helpful. I originally ordered the Pollo Canga, however for whatever reason it was unavailable that night, so I decided on Beef tenderloin with the regional sauce. It was amazing, 10/10. There is a salad bar, and sides are served buffet style. I got a plate of fries to go with my entrée and unfortunately they were quite cold. I also ordered a Pisco Sour that was so good I decided to get another after my meal. I did notice that I waited about 10-15 minutes for my drinks, but it was worth it. Overall, the best restaurant I've been to in Puerto Maldonado. Very hospitable to tourists and foreigners. Also, there was a very polite kitty that kept me company throughout my meal! 🐱

Food was excellent! Included is a buffet of salad, vegetables and a variety of chips. Very delicious and fairly priced. Really nice wooden decor, upstairs was a great vibe

Delicious grilled fish wrapped in leaf! Love the salad/ veggies buffet too!

I thought it was passable but nothing special. The fish was chewy, potatoes cold (as in buffet) and we all had to sit downstairs. Other places seem to have more atmosphere.

I had a wonderful stay at Casa Amazonas! The service was excellent and the restaurant offered a delicious vegetarian and vegan menu – truly impressive. The staff was humble, friendly, and always ready to help. A special mention goes to the real stars of the house: the cats Micina and Mandala, who made the experience even more unique and heartwarming. To top it all off, I enjoyed the yoga course with the French teacher “Domi” – she was both professional and full of positive energy, making each class a real pleasure. Thank you for everything!

The perfect place to end my time in Peru. So relaxing. The food was the best I had in Peru. The entire team was top notch. They could not have been more accommodating. The offerings i participated in were excellent. Piranha fishing and Sandoval Lake are must dos. I have never had a better massage. He is gifted. I would love to return one day with a yoga retreat or group of solo travelers so I could take advantage of more of the offerings and share this wonderful place with others..

A magical place in the jungle! We did 3 three days of deep relaxation without adventures in the wilderness but with intense yoga sessions into the depths of our being. A fantastic community from team to other guests facilitated this experience. The vegan gourmet cuisine was also exquisite. For cautious people: It is a place in the jungle. Don't expect AC, windows or thick walls. Instead, enjoy the contact with nature, community and your inner being.

I was staying nearby and heard their food was tasty so I came just for dinner. You do need to communicate ahead of time but it's no problem. I enjoyed the multi- course vegetarian meal and a couple drinks quite a bit. It was unusual and fun.

So far one of thee most beautiful places I’ve stayed! It’s so calm and so peaceful. Tom is an absolutely incredible host. Victor is an amazing cook! And the atmosphere is calm and peaceful and the perfect get away. Zero complaints! If you want a place to find your inner peace and relax this is the one ❤️. Animal sanctuary is just a 15 minutes up the road, which is an incredible experience.

Perfect. This place is perfect. You are deep in the Amazon Jungle, the air is filled with oxygen, the sounds of the jungle, and the beauty of all of the life all help you to relax and truly find peace. Tom was our host, he made everything smooth, and stress free. We also had some incredible conversations during meals. Maribel prepared some of the most amazing food and juice I’ve ever had, and Luigi helped with anything else. Everyone was always so happy to help and really made the whole trip so much better. I could not possibly recommend this place more!

Casa Amazonas is truly a rare treasure! It was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. While we were there, it felt like a place of serenity where time seemed to slow down. The property is stunning, with a simple elegance. What truly sets this place apart is the amazing team that welcomed us. Tom, Maribel, and Luigi offered such genuine attentiveness, care, and service. Their attention to detail was exceptional. The food was nourishing and absolutely delicious, and our rooms were comfortable and immaculate. They took care of everything, from transportation to our itinerary, ensuring that each experience was impactful and memorable. Every moment felt like a gift, and the entire stay offered a deep connection to both nature and ourselves. If you’re looking for a place to reflect, recharge, and truly reconnect with what matters, Casa Amazonas is perfect. I’ll definitely be back and highly recommend it!

(Translated by Google) Being in a city and 20 minutes away finding monkeys in the trees, listening to animal noises that you don't know, seeing a sunset is wonderful and its very friendly people are very nice, I recommend it. (Original) Estar en una ciudad y a 20 minutos encontrar monos en los arboles, escuchar ruidos de animales q no conoces ver una puesta del sol es maravilloso y su gente muy amigable es muy lindo, se los recomiendo

(Translated by Google) Departure of the boats to tourist points in the jungle. Super modest. (Original) Salida de los botes hacía puntos de turismo en la selva. Super modesto.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful boat ride seeing lizards and turtles (Original) Hermoso paseo en bote viendo lagartos y tortugaa

(Translated by Google) This is where the adventure begins :) nice overlooking place. (Original) C'est là que l'aventure commence :) jolie place en surplomb.

(Translated by Google) vrrrrr (Original) vrrrr

We saw only one monkey

Lake Yacumama is a beautiful and serene spot in the Amazon with a huge number of parakeets, macaws, and many other bird species. The boat ride is peaceful, and piranha fishing adds a fun, adventurous twist. We caught about 5, all big enough to eat. The guide cookies then up for us when we got back to the hotel. Sunset is breathtaking here. The scenery is stunning, and seeing wildlife up close makes it an unforgettable experience for nature lovers and thrill-seekers alike. Also came face to face with a black cayman which was incredibly exciting!

Amazing tour piranha fishing at sunset. The macaws were all nesting, saw a hummingbird nest, caimans - including one huge, very active and close. Such a beautiful experience.

Yacumama is a great place to see wild life , highly recommend this place if you have a chance make yourself a fabour

It’s a unique beautiful experience. Most people likely go as part of a piranha fishing tour. Not many piranhas were caught but the scenery stole the show. There were many macaws flying and nesting in the tops of dead palm tree trunks still standing leafless in the lake bed. Towering what seemed to be 40-50 feet above the lake, these dead trees are supposedly their only nesting spot. The sunset was beautiful but probably enhanced by fires, supposedly much of the atmospheric smoke is from Brazil. I was fortunate to see a toucan while waiting to walk to the lake. You never know when or what you may see when around the jungle and without warning. so be aware.

Amazing place. When I went there early in the morning, the landscape was in fog, which gave this place an extraordinary vibe. I reccomend visiting it. Fishing pirañas is one thing, but you can also watch caimans (a 3-meter black approached us) and birds.

Great place to fish piraña, and what a sunset

This is a good start tour for the jungle. Near city budget price, beautiful sunset and wild animals watching. The birds sound around the area was amazing.