El Califa

Puerto Maldonado


The local restaurant in town: in the game for decades. An ocean of tables are attended with no-nonsense service. Portions are large, cheap and tasty, and you can try a variety of jungle classics, from chancho (rainforest pig) to parrillada de la selva (a barbecue of marinated meat, often game, in a Brazil-nut sauce).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Puerto Maldonado attractions

1. Puente Guillermo Billinghurst

0.42 MILES

This bridge, since 2011 carrying the Carr Interocéanica across the Río Madre de Dios – connects Puerto Maldonado by paved road to the outside world for…

2. Mirador de la Biodiversidad

0.57 MILES

Although this strangely cosmic blue building, surrounded by statues of locals in various poses of labor outside, was designed as a modern mirador (lookout…

3. Río Madre de Dios Ferry Dock

0.58 MILES

This dock close to the Plaza de Armas is a cheap way of seeing a little of the action on a major Peruvian jungle river (the Río Madre de Dios), which is…

4. Mariposario Tambopata Butterfly Farm

2.71 MILES

Peru has the greatest number of butterfly species in the world (some 3700) and you can see many of them here at this well-run butterfly conservation…

5. Hacienda Concepción Research Center

5.97 MILES

Formerly the ITA Aceer Tambopata Research Center, Inkaterra’s reconstructed lodge, 8km downriver from Puerto Maldonado, is an important research center of…

6. Baltimore

25.26 MILES

The community of Baltimore, just after Refugio Amazonas lodge, is the only real settlement on the river, and has a few simple hospedajes (homestays)…

7. Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene

29.09 MILES

About two hours south of the Río Madre de Dios and along the Río Heath (the latter forming the Peru–Bolivia border), Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene has…