Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bus & Taxi
Trucks, minibuses and
colectivos
(shared taxis) leave Puerto Maldonado for Laberinto
(1½ hours), passing the turnoff to Baltimore at Km 37 on the Cuzco road. They leave fre-
quently during the morning and less often in the afternoon from the corner of Ica and
Rivero.
Colectivos
to Iñapari (S30, three hours), near the borders with Brazil and Bolivia,
leave with
Mi Nuevo Peru
( 57-4325; cnr Piura & Ica)
when they have four passen-
gers. Other companies on the same block also advertise this trip. A minivan is a few soles
cheaper, but the journey is a significantly more uncomfortable, protracted experience.
From the new
Terminal Terrestre
(cnr Av Elmer Faucett & Av Aeropuerto)
buses ply
the new (and paved) Tranoceanic Highway (Carretera Interocéanica) southwest to Cuzco
and northeast to Rio Branco, Brazil. Numerous companies leave either during the morning
or at night (around 8pm) to Cuzco (S50, 10 hours). Options to Rio Branco are more scant
but include
Movil Tours
( 989-176-309),
departing Tuesday and Friday at 12:30pm (
S100, nine to 10 hours)
. It's advisable to buy your ticket as much in advance of travel as
possible.
Getting Around
Mototaxis
take two or three passengers (and light luggage) to the airport for S7. Short
rides around town cost S2 or less (S1 if you bag one of the
mototaxi
Honda 90s).
You can rent motorcycles if you want to see some of the surrounding countryside; go in
pairs in case of breakdowns or accident. There are several motorcycle-rental places,
mainly on Prada between Velarde and Puno. They charge about S10 per hour and have
mainly small, 100cc bikes. Driving one is fun, but crazed local drivers and awful road
conditions can make this option intimidating. Bargain for all-day discounts.
BORDER CROSSING: BOLIVIA VIA PUERTO
MALDONADO
There are three ways of reaching Bolivia from the Puerto Maldonado area. One is to go to Brasiléia in Brazil (see
boxed text,
Click here
) and cross the Río Acre by ferry or bridge to
Cobija
in Bolivia, where there are hotels,
banks, an airstrip with erratically scheduled flights further into Bolivia, and a rough gravel road with several river
crossings to the city of
Riberalta
(seven to 12 hours depending on season). From Iberia in Peru on the
