Puerto Maldonado is a city located in southeastern Peru, in the Madre de Dios region, and serves as a key gateway to the Amazon rainforest. Situated at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers, it is one of the main entry points for exploring the Peruvian Amazon and nearby protected areas such as Tambopata National Reserve and Manu National Park. The city lies at an elevation of around 600 feet and has a tropical rainforest climate with high humidity and frequent rainfall.

Puerto Maldonado is connected to the rest of the country primarily by the Interoceanic Highway, which links it westward to Cusco and eastward to the Brazilian border. This highway has significantly improved land access in recent years.