How To Get To Puerto Maldonado In Peru (2024 Guide)

The capital of the Madre de Dios region here in Peru, Puerto Maldonado is the main hub which all travelers will need to visit in order to reach the Tambopata Jungle.

As always it’s a good idea to plan ahead of how you will get here, so you can review your different options and also pre-plan any tours or activities that you are looking to do.

In this guide we’ll explore how you can get to Puerto Maldonado in Peru. This includes looking at the different ways, as well as reviewing which is the best option for saving money as well as for the shortest traveling time.

How To Get To Puerto Maldonado?

Quick Answer: Overall there are 3 main ways of accessing Puerto Maldonado, although there is also a special fourth way which we will discuss later.

Below we will take a look and review each option, which will help you decide if it’s the best way for you.

Flying Into Puerto Maldonado 

Flying is the easiest way, and for most travelers is worth the extra cost for the convenience. 

If you’re in Lima, then it makes sense to fly unless you are using buses to visit multiple destinations along the way (such as Ica, Arequipa and Cusco). Daily flights from Lima usually cost between $70-90 (without baggage), and will take roughly 2 hours to arrive into Puerto Maldonado. 

You can also fly from Cusco if you don’t fancy taking the bus. The price of a one-way flight is similar at around $100 (without baggage), and only takes an hour to get here. 

The best airlines to fly both of these routes are LATAM and Sky.

Taking The Bus To Puerto Maldonado From Cusco

Taking the bus is by far the cheapest option out of all in this article. 

You will first need to head to the main bus terminal in Cusco, where you can buy your ticket. Several companies cover the route, such as Maldonado Tours, Grupo Iberia and Palomino, and all have several departures throughout the day. We personally recommend heading on a late evening bus so you can sleep well and not lose daytime hours. 

The bus length is approximately 12 hours, and the price of a one-way bus ticket is between $15-30.

Taking The Bus To Puerto Maldonado From Brazil

It’s also possible to get to Puerto Maldonado from Brazil. 

This neighboring country has its border quite close to this city, which is roughly 3.5 hours away by driving (the border town is called Assis Brasil). 

Travelers that are already in Brazil will most likely end up in Rio Branco, where you can then take a 12 hour bus to Puerto Maldonado. The cost of a one-way ticket usually costs around $70.

Bonus Option: Heading With A Longer Jungle Tour From Manu National Park 

You’ll find some companies offer a combo tour of both Manu and Tambopata. 

We also offer a customisable tour when traveling from the Manu National Park. When booking your tour, you can opt to head downstream to the Tambopata Jungle after having explored Manu.

Get in touch with us to find out more about this option.

Getting To Puerto Maldonado FAQ

Here we’ll now answer some of the most frequent questions we get about getting to Puerto Maldonado.

How Long Is The Bus Ride From Cusco To Puerto Maldonado?

On average the bus ride from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado takes roughly 10 hours. Although the distance is 320 km between the two cities, you will need to travel around big mountains and through the jungle to reach Puerto Maldonado.

How Do I Get From Machu Picchu To Puerto Maldonado?

There is no direct way of getting from Machu Picchu to Puerto Maldonado. Instead, you will first need to return from the ancient site to the city of Cusco (which takes anywhere from 5-8 hours depending on your route). From here you can then either fly or take the bus to Puerto Maldonado.

How Long To Spend In Puerto Maldonado?

Given how remote the region is, as well as the amount of things to see and do, we recommend travelers to spend at least 4-5 days in Puerto Maldonado. This will be plenty of time to visit different clay licks, walk through the Tambopata Jungle, explore Sandoval Lake and also get to know the city highlights of Puerto Maldonado.

How To Get To Puerto Maldonado

And that’s all for this guide on how to get to Puerto Maldonado.

The gateway to the Tambopata Jungle, you’ll first need to visit Puerto Maldonado when exploring this region of the Peruvian Amazon. And once you’ve worked out the best way for you, you can then enjoy seeing many unique sights here such as the clay licks, spotting wild Jaguars and more!

Are you ready to explore the best highlights of the Tambopata Jungle? Check out our multi-day Jungle Day where you see rare animals whilst enjoying a more personalized experience.