Either from the airport in Puerto Maldonado or Cusco it's a couple hours drive / overnight bus to Mazuko where we will procure a car to either the Inambari river (Puerto Carlos) or Ponal Lodge. After we arrive at our trekking start point (6 mi) we will begin walking due east along runoff/creek lines visible from sat views. After 3 or 4 miles we will begin to see more water filling the creek depending on the month (no earlier than April and no later than June) will determine the length of trek, but rest assured there is a wide canal / river mouth (30 - 40 ft wide) as we reach the Madre de Dios river 15.7 mi later. After reaching the river it's a 1.5 day rafting trip to Laberinto and bus stop to either Puerto Maldonado or Cusco.
KML file (Opens with Google Earth)
Duration
Difficulty
Walking Distance
Rapids Class
Raft Dist Total
Rafting Duration
River Speed
Water Quality
Bugs?
12-14D
4-5 of 5
9-16km/6-10mi
1-2
93km/58mi
5-7hrs/day
0-11kph/0-7mph
Tannic/Murky
Yes
Day 1-2 Cusco - Mazuko - Ponal
From Puerto Maldonado's airport or Cusco's bus station (3hrs / 8hrs) we'll take local transportation to the town of Mazuko then take a car to Puerto Carlos where we will cross the Inambari river by ferry then take another car towards the Ponal Lodge which is located between the Inambari and Madre de Dios rivers. A few minutes past the lodge (4.3mi) is where we will get off to start trekking east.
Day 3-6 Trekking (3-6mi) - Start of Navigable Canal
The rate we will move will depend mostly on the trees which can provide shade in primary forest systems. The less light to hit the forest floor, the easier it will be. Many times runoff can create trails which are far more easier to follow than having to dodge vegetation while maintaining a heading. In fact, that's what it looks like here. As soon as 1 mile in we have a visible break in the canopy and very possibly a a runoff trail to follow and this would be in accordance with an elevation graph of the proposed track. At 2 miles to 3 the trail becomes slightly more prominent until about 4 miles in where we begin to see wider and darker gaps about 25-30 ft in width proving there to be at least sections of water whether flowing, connecting or not. We will have to walk anywhere from 6 to 10 mi before we reach navigable water and without the need for continuous portages. This will depend on the month of the year (April/May) and is best just after the rainy season has ended and creeks are full. Hiking through jungle is no easy task and previous similar experience is highly recommended. The goal is to reach the creek by foot where packrafts will begin to work and the result will be a 15mi canal paddle under dense canopy, shade and isolated wildlife. We will decide as a group on a turning back point if need be and according to the difficulty of the terrain. Worst case scenario is that is becomes impossible in which case we can walk a few miles to either the Madre de Dios or Inambari rivers for packrafting to Laberinto or further down to Puerto Maldonado.
Day 7-14 Canal Packraft - Madre de Dios River - Laberinto
We will raft up to 15mi on the canal. There will be small log jams, hangups, mud, shallower sections etc. Logs can be pushed out of the way or you can walk along a log and drag your boat through. At times it could make someone claustrophic. This will be a long journey due to the lack of light and overwhelming sense of deep jungle. You will have to be toloerant of being wet for days at a time drying out only at night. This area is very remote where maybe only a handful of gold prospectors have been through here before. We will first experience patches of overhead light until we reach a major spoil tip with 4 mi to go where it continues to widen and eventually joins the Madre de Dios river near Lake Huitoto. From the main river we raft another 43 mi (1.5 days or full day leaving early) to Laberinto where there are hostals with showers and a night bus which leaves at 8 pm.
I took this pic packrafting a different canal 1 mi downriver from proposed canal outlet (Huitoto area)
Cost Estimates
Expect about $100 for a flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado and another $10 bus to Mazuko. From Cusco it's about $20 to Mazuko by bus. A car to the Inambari river is less than $10 per person. Food purchased at Peruvian supermarkets can be about $10 per day. There are no entrance fees for this trip. There are no fees for our agency for any of these expeditionary trips, no guide fees and also no guarantees on return times, points of interest or the assurance of any planned activities.
Gear
In the case that you will not be providing your own rafting equipment, camping equipment or cooking equipment we can rent these items. For this trip packrafts, dry bags, breakdown paddles, bug hammocks, tarps and cooking equipment will be neccesary and can be rented for a flat $220 for up to 14 days. We can also provide meals although cooking will be shared by the group. If your group will be flying in to Puerto Maldonado from Lima, further arrangements will be needed in order to transport the gear from Cusco, depending on the group size.
Risks
There is no shame in turning back. For this trip there is no real way to know what the terrain will be like with any certainty. We do know it is relatively flat and the canopy is dense which should make for better progress. My experience with these canals tells me there will be enough portaging in the beginning to test your patience, but this will prove to be worthwhile towards the middle and end of the trip. Although to most unfamiliar, the Amazon is not as dangerous as it is often portrayed. Animals are generally timid, jaguars curious but wary of people, caimans very shy and skittish and yes, you can swim in a piranha-infested lake without being chewed to bits. The real potential dangers are people hurting themselves with their own machetes, falling on uneven ground, ant bites, mosquito bites, allergic reactions etc. In most cases it may take days to reach the nearest clinic or "Centro de Salud" for any needed medical attention. We offer no guarantees for any of these expeditions for planned activites, definite costs or for your absolute safety.
Highlights
This will be an extremely immersive and challenging trek / paddle. You will have a great sense of accomplishment through completing this route as it requires at it's middle point being at least 6 miles away from any real open areas or passageways (roads or rivers). Along the way there will numerous possibilities for spotting unsuspecting wildlife and multiple days for learning skills useful for this region. You will have an intimate paddling experience through primary forest by the use of a canal which is anywhere from only a few feet in width to 30 ft or more.
