Tambopata-Candamo Reserve is located in the department of Madre de Dios, just half an hour's plane ride from Cusco. In this amazing biological reserve, three different ecosystems converge together: the Amazonian plain, the eastern slopes of the Andes and the Pampas ecosystem. This environmental diversity had allowed at least 11 different types of forests to co-exist leading to an incredible biodiversity.
The number of species identified until now have truly scored world records: 1,234 types of butterflies, 592 species of birds, 152 varieties of dragonflies, 135 kinds of ants, 127 species of amphibians, 103 types of mammals, 94 species of fish, 74 kinds of reptiles, 40 species of termites and 39 varieties of bees. , 5 species of turtles and tortoises, 4 of crocodile and 22 of small lizard. Finally 94 species of fish have also been identified!
Amongst these are 13 endangered species including the jaguar (panthera onca), the giant otter (pteronura brasilensis), the ocelot (felis pardalis), the harpy eagle (harpia harpyja) and the giant armadillo (priodentes giganteus).
Another of Tambopata-Candamo's attractions is the richness of its flora, as nearly 1400 species exist in the area. Indeed two 1 hectare sections of the reserve have been identified as amongst the richest pieces of land in the world, with one of them boasting 187 species of trees with a diameter greater than 2.5 centimeters, and the second one 207 species of plants, including trees, vines, bushes and aerophytes.
One of the highlights of the reserve is the Colpa de Guacamayos which is one of the largest natural clay licks in Peru. These copper-colored cliffs attract thousands of macaws and parrots each day who come to feed on the mineral salts contained in this area.
The Tambopata-Candamo Reserve can only be accessed by boat, usually from the town of Puerto Maldonado the capital of the Madre de Dios department. There are daily flights from Puerto Maldonado to and from Cusco usually arriving and departing early in the morning.
