Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the Peruvian Amazon

[EnLinea Media]

When many think of Peru outside Lima, what springs most readily to mind are the likes of the mighty Andes, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. But nearly half the country is part of the great Amazon rain forest and ecosystem, with two main cities: Iquitos (the "capital" of the Peruvian Amazon) in the north and Puerto Maldonado in the south.The latter, capital of the Madre de Dios region, is an hour and 40 minutes from Lima by air and just an hour from Cuzco. Though usually sweltering and humid, it’s an especially great place to experience eco wonders thanks to its... keep reading