Tourists come from around the world to discover Madre de Dios' treasure: Manu National Park. You can see wonderful landscapes, mysterious forests, beautiful lakes and wildlife.

Puerto Maldonado Basic Facts
Area or Surface: 85,183 km˛.

Main Resources: rice, yuca, coconut, rubber, wood, gold.

Population: 76,000 inhabitants. The capital is Puerto Maldonado and has 46,732 inhabitants.

Number of Provinces and Districts: 3 provinces and 10 districts.

Date of Department Foundation: December 26, 1912.

Ethnic Groups: machiguengas, mashcos, campas.

Typical foods: pataraschca, sopa de motelo, timbuche, masato, tacacho.

Fauna: reptiles (boa constrictor, shushupe, naka naka), lizards (white lizard and black lizard), birds (blue partridge, sharara, cushuri, herons, camungo, parrots, guacamayos), monkeys (frailecillo, pichicos), felines (jaguar, tigrillo, puma), and fish (zúngaro and paiche).

Flora: cedar and mahogany.

History
The territory of Madre de Dios, in the areas near the Cusco provinces of Paucartambo and Quispicanchis, was known since the Inca Era. First Inca Roca and then Túpac Yupanqui arrived to the higher part of the watershed of Alto Madre de Dios, incorporating it into the empire.

In 1566, Mr. Juan Alvarez de Maldonado, heading an important expedition, went through the territory of Madre de Dios and navigated this river. However, in 1860 the most important expedition was lead by Mr. Faustino Maldonado. After traveling the Ucayali and Urubamba Rivers, Maldonado arrived in Cusco. After staying two months in this city, he departed to Madre de Dios navigating by the Pińipińi, Madre de Dios, and Madeira Rivers with the purpose of going back to the starting point. However, he died after drowning in the Madeira. His son continued the expedition and completed the scheduled route with the other survivors.

By the end of the 19th century, the "caucheros" (rubber men) would go scout the territory in search of rubber and shiringa trees. The most famous rubber man was Fermín Fitzcarrald. In 1893 he discovered an isthmus, which has since been named after him as the "Varadero de Fitzcarrald".

Tourism
Puerto Maldonado is the capital of the department. Tourists come from around the world to discover Madre de Dios' treasure: Manu National Park. You can see wonderful landscapes, mysterious forests and beautiful lakes.

Its flora and fauna are unique and indescribable. Much of it has not even been classified yet. It covers more than a million and a half hectares, which hold a surprising variety of ecosystems of great scientific interest.