Peru Guide
The Jungle
class="box">
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone
Arguably containing some of the world's finest and most biodiverse rainforest, the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone ($30 entry fee) is accessible from many of the lodges in the Puerto Maldonado region. Initially an area of less than 6000 hectares, it was transformed into a Reserved Zone mainly due to the scientific work of the adjacent Explorer's Inn lodge. In 1990, after further studies had proved the value of the forest in terms of biodiversity conservation, the reserved sector was expanded to almost 1.5 million hectares. In 2000 the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park was enlarged, and incorporated almost 250,000 hectares of the original Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone. Described by National Geographic as one of the planet's seven "iconic natural sanctuaries", it's not possible to visit the National Park, except for licensed operators coming down from the Alto Tambopata on rafting expeditions or on tours to one of the major macaw colpas (salt-licks) in the region. Like most licks, they attract wild birds and animals because they offer the salts, minerals and clay required for their nutrition and also function as digestive aids for these creatures. Although reducing the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone, the expansion of the National Park is something of a major success for conservation in Peru; yet, despite this there are fears that the Peruvian government has plans to open up the park at some future point to gas and oil exploitation. For more details, contact TReeS (c/o John Forrest, Tambopata Reserve Society, PO Box 33153, London NW3 4DR, UK), a UK organization maintaining strong links with the Tambopata area; they should be able to offer you detailed and up-to-date information on the situation and the environmental work going on there. They can also advise you about many of the lodges.