When looking for a holiday rental in Loyoboc, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip. The experiences in the Las Piedras District offer two distinct themes for planning: lakes and boat trips on the one hand, and chestnut harvesting and processing on the other. The places and activities provide concrete starting points for deciding whether you want to focus primarily on landscapes and water or on a hands-on cultural experience.

Lakes and Boat Trips in the Las Piedras District

Lago Yacumama is located in the Santa Teresa sector of the Las Piedras District, in Tambopata Province. It is a former meander and an abandoned course of the Río Madre de Dios. A meander is a bend in a river; this description therefore identifies the lake as a former course of the Río Madre de Dios. Boat trips are offered on Lago Yacumama, and there are also environmental interpretation panels. This brings together two ways of experiencing the lake: a trip on the water and information about the environment. Anyone interested in nature will find not only a lake as a landscape feature, but also these two specific ways to engage with it.

Lago Valencia offers a different perspective on the district's waters. It is located in the Lago Valencia community, on the left bank of the Río Madre de Dios, and is 15 kilometres long and up to 800 metres wide. “Up to” refers to the maximum width, not a consistent measurement across the entire length. Visitors can swim in Lago Valencia. The boat route there runs 60 kilometres from the port of Puerto Maldonado; the stated travel time is approximately three hours and 30 minutes. This approximate duration can be planned as a separate block of time for the trip.

Get Involved in Chestnut Culture

Chestnuts are the focus at Castaña Amazon Park in the Las Piedras District. Visitors can learn about and use traditional tools and techniques for harvesting and processing chestnuts. The experience is therefore not limited to an explanation: the activity itself is part of it. You can also try Chapo, a typical jungle drink, during the chestnut activity. This brings hands-on cultural learning and a taste of local flavours together in the same activity.

Another opportunity to participate at Castaña Amazon Park is part of the “Sembrando vida” reforestation programme: visitors can plant a chestnut seed in the tree nursery. This offers a different focus from working with harvesting and processing. Anyone interested in chestnuts can choose between traditional techniques, trying Chapo, and planting a seed.

Which Travel Idea Is Right for You?

If you want to focus on water, you can choose between boat trips on Lago Yacumama and swimming in Lago Valencia as distinct activities. Those more interested in culture and hands-on participation can explore harvesting and processing techniques, as well as the planting activity, at Castaña Amazon Park. The information about the Lago Valencia route also helps you plan how much time to allow for the boat trip from Puerto Maldonado.

Discover more destinations: Manú, Filadelfia, La Torre, Iberia, Repartición, Inca, Madre de Dios, Lucerna.

Return to the main travel overview: Madre De Dios.