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Wind down the Madre de Dios river from the gold mining town of Boca Colorado 161km/100mi to Laberinto. See firsthand the effect of legal mining on the banks of the river followed by protected areas where established oxbow lakes host a variety of tropical flora and fauna. Here we can find even more species of monkey, exotic birds, piranha and caiman. Expect friendly faces on the main river and secluded canals into non-touristic areas of newly formed and ancient oxbows.
Duration
Difficulty
Adventure
Walking Distance
Rapids Class
Rafting Distance
Rafting Duration
River Speed
Water Quality
Bugs?
8D7N
2 of 5
7 of 10
1km/.6mi
1-2
161km/100mi
6 + 2 hrs
5-11kph/3-7mph
Murky
Yes
Day 1 Cusco - Mazuko - Boca Colorado
We leave Cusco in the morning and take a private car 8 hrs to the jungle town of Mazuko then Puerto Carlos where we cross the Inambari river by ferry then by truck to Boca Colorado arriving in the late afternoon. Night in a basic hostal.
Day 2 Boca Colorado - Madre de Dios
We raft 4-6 hrs down the Madre de Dios river to our first campsite. Night hammock camping.
Day 3 Madre de Dios (* Los Amigos Biological Station Option)
This morning we raft again down the Madre de Dios for 4-6 hrs reaching our next campsite on the main river. Night hammock camping or * Los Amigos Lodge Option.
Day 4 Madre de Dios - Huitoto Lake Concession Area
After rafting 4 hrs we reach an entrance into protected primary forest next to Huitoto Lake. Night hammock camping.
Day 5 Lake Huitoto Packrafting (* Huitoto Lake Lodge Option)
From last night's campsite we follow an overgrown, unmaintained path which takes us to the oxbow lake of Laguna Huitoto. We'll spend the rest of the day fishing or exploring the full length of this 2 mi+ long lake. Night hammock camping or * Option to stay a night at Huitoto Lake Lodge.
Day 6 Madre de Dios - Caiman Canal - J's Lake
This morning we return to the Madre de Dios river and float down to a natural canal which will lead us to our next campsite between the canal and a small, hidden oxbow lake. Night hammock camping.
Day 7 Madre de Dios - Laberinto - Cusco
This morning after breakfast we raft another 5-6 hrs arriving at the mining town of Laberinto. We'll check into a basic hostal for the night.
Day 8 Laberinto - Cusco
We leave Laberinto in the morning for an all day private car trip back up to Cusco arriving in the late afternoon.
Skimmer Beach
Related Raft | Manu Rafting and Camping to Boca Colorado 9 Days | Manu Rafting and Camping 3 Days | Manu Rafting and Camping 4 Days | Manu Rafting and Camping 5 Days | AmazonDay 1 Cusco - Mazuko
We leave Cusco at 6 am towards the southeast in our private car(s) up through Tinki near Ausangate then down until our surroundings turn green to lush to Mazuko then another 30 mins to Puerto Carlos on the Inambari River. We'll take a short ferry to cross the river then another 40 mins truck ride to the town of Boca Colorado on the Madre de Dios River. We'll stay the night in a basic hostal and have dinner at a local restaurant.
7-8 hrs
15 mins
40 mins
Hostal
Meals LD
Day 2 Boca Colorado - Madre de Dios River
Early morning we'll have breakfast near the local market and do any last minute shopping before heading down to the beach on the Madre de Dios River. We'll go over basic packrafting and rigging techniques we'll use for the next 6 days on mild, class 1 and 2 rivers, canals and lakes. At about 9am, we'll set off for a 4-6 hr float where we'll get our first sights of Amazonian river birds, giant trees and local goldminers on the banks. We'll pick a spot which looks interesting for our first night hammock camping.
4-6 hrs
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 3 Madre de Dios (* Los Amigos Biological Station Option)
Early this morning we'll wake up early to have breakfast before rafting another 4-6 hrs until we find our next campsight. Night hammock camping.
Full Day
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 4 Madre de Dios - Huitoto Lake Concession Area
This morning we raft on the main river for about 4 hrs until we reach an entrance into primary and protected forest where we make camp. In the afternoon and into the night we have the chance to hear or see peccaries, howler monkeys and bioluminescent moths. Night hammock camping.
4 hrs
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 5 Lake Huitoto Packrafting
This morning after breakfast we'll take an unused and usually overgrown trail 40 mins along the tail end of Lake Huitoto to a put in location on the lake. Here at this established lake which has been protected from gold miners we'll spend the rest of the day exploring the banks for rails, red-capped cardinals, taricaya turtles, giant black caiman, giant river otters, macaws, toucans, boas and spider monkeys. We will most likely be the only ones on the lake assuring a better probability of spotting shy creatures. We'll paddle the length of the lake arriving at Huitoto Island on the other side where spider and howler monkeys have taken over. In the afternoon we'll return to our campsite for another night next to the Madre de Dios River. Night hammock camping.
Full Day
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 6 Madre de Dios - Caiman Canal - J's Lake
This morning after breakfast we will again float down the Madre de Dios River 3 hrs until we reach "Caiman Canal" which we take 1 mile up to our final campsite next to J's Lake. In the afternoon we will explore the lake to find the Wattled jacana, squirrel monkeys, Hoatzins, flycatchers, kingfishers and caimans. We'll camp between the lake and Caiman Canal. In addition to countless insects, owls, night birds, crickets and frogs we can hear barking caimans only a few meters from our hammocks. Night hammock camping.
Full Day
5 hrs+
Hammock
Meals BLD
Day 7 Inambari Confluence - Laberinto - Cusco
This morning after breakfast we will continue rafting on the Madre de Dios until we reach the Inambari confluence where the joining river more than doubles the width. After 5 or 6 hrs we reach our final destination which is Laberinto, another gold mining frontier-type town. Here we'll check into a hostal for a cool shower before a night on the town. We can try "Paco Frito" (fried Pacu) at a local restaurant. Night in a basic hostal.
6 hrs
Hostal
Meals BLD
Day 8 Laberinto - Cusco
We leave Laberinto in the morning and arrive at your hotel in Cusco in the late afternoon stopping for breakfast and lunch along the way.
9 hrs
Meals BL
