Puerto Maldonado was originally set up in 1902 as an expedition station in the south Peruvian jungle. Today it is a real city with over 75000 citizens thanks to the rubber boom of 1880-1914. The main income for the city comes from logging and boat building, as well as eco-tourism and gold mining.

In the reserves around Puerto Maldonado, you can find more and more eco-lodges. Thanks to the growing wish of many travelers to experience the jungle and its wildlife in all comfort, tourism becomes a more important factor of income for many locals. The city is a preferred destination thanks to being easily reachable by plane and by car from Cusco.

Even though it is forbidden to trade and export in plants and animal parts, the local artisanal crafters sell handcrafts made from those.