Jungle Attractions

Amazonian Library

The library keeps Specialized books, photographic archives,newspapers and magazines, movies, maps, prints and paintings; italso displays objects of historical value and ancient editions of theBible. Local topics are its area of specialty. The library was built in1873 to be only one-story, but the second was built in 1903. Thesuccessive, large windows protected with iron grates stand out.

Port and Village of Belen

Its origins date back to the beginning of the twentieth century, andit is composed of homes built on top of balsa wood rafts that floaton the waters during the flood season. It is a traditional regionalstyle. With the passage of time and the increase in population, thestyle has changed and more houses are built on a fixed constructionon top of wooden pillars, some of them of two stories. During thedry season, people use both floors, but during the flood season,only the second floor used; since the entire lower zone of Belenremains under water, the population uses boats and canoes fortransport, which is why it is considered the “Venice of Loreto”. It ispossible to take boat rides on the Amazon and Itaya Rivers.

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Quistococha Tourist Center

The center is located near Lake Quistococha. The complex covers anarea of 369 hectares of natural forest and also an artificial beachwhere visitors can swim, sunbathe, and enjoy the white sand lovelylandscape. You can row a boat on the lake and hike the nearbyareas.

Boras of San Andrés

The inhabitants are originally from the area of the upper Putumayoat the border of Colombia, and attracted by rubber fever, theymigrated to the place where they live today. They still maintain theircustoms and cultural traditions, and their festivals and ceremoniesare associated with their myths and legends. They paint their bodiesfor their dances, the usual pattern among men and women being astylized snake. The “Fiesta del Pijuayo” and the “Danza de la Viga”are the most important festivals, when people wear masks torepresent mythical beings and to dramatize mythological episodesabout the origin of the world, humans and the Bora culture. You canpurchase local handicrafts in the area.

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Lake Zungarococha

It is located on the left bank of the Nanay River and is perfect forswimming or taking canoe rides through the beautiful countryside.Close to the lake is a small pond, Corrientillo, where you can eattraditional food.

Santo Tomas Village

It is situated on the banks of the canal that links the Nanay Riverwith Lake Mapacocha, an excellent spot to water ski and to takeboat or canoe rides. Nearby, there is a motocross track. The area isinhabited by a Cocama Cocamilla Indigenous community whosemain economic activities are fishing and ceramic making.

San Juan Artisanal Market

This market produces and sells a large diversity of regionalhandicrafts like knitted plant fiber articles, wood carvings, diverseceramic pieces with typical motifs, “llanchama” tree bark paintings,typical clothing, leather goods, typical drinks, and many others.There is a room for Amazonian culture exhibitions and woodenamphitheater for artistic presentations.

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Puerto Almendra

The El Huayo Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located there. It ismanaged by the Puerto Almendra Center for Forestry Research andTrainning. The center maintains parcels of representative treespecies of the Nanay River basin. You can walk the ecological paths,hike, and visit the local farms.

Province of Ramón Castilla

Cushillococha

This lake, connected to the Amazon River, is where you can practicewhitewater rafting, hike, fish, or swim. The waters, relatively darkand deep, up to 8 meters /26 feet, are rich in different species likethe gray and red dolphin, tarpon, boquichico, and yulilla. TheCuchillococha indigenious community of 1700 inhabitants is locatedon its shores. They are from the Ticuna people who live fromfarming, hunting, wild fruit and free picking and fishing. They arealso skillfull artisans and produce works from the chambira palmfibers, hammocks, and jicras a type of knitted bag of chambira palmfibers. El Huayo Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Caballococha

The city and the province play very important role in the border communication with the neighboring countries of Brazil and Colombia. Basic tourist services are available there.

Amazon River

The Amazon River springs up more than 5000 masl / 16.404 fasl inthe snowy mountain peak of Mismi in Arequipa and crossesextensive amounts of tropical jungle in an approximately 4500 km /2796 mile-route. It has more than 500 navigable tributaries, anaverage depth of 50 meters / 164 feet, and a width that varies from4 to 6 km / 2 to 4 miles. A large part of its meandering has nodefinite course; it has formed a complex of smaller rivers thatconstitute a network of canals with numerous islands.

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Comprising a large part of the provinces of Loreto, Requena, Ucayaliand Alto Amazonas, it has an area of 2´080.00 hectares making it thelargest in the country and in south america. It is also known as themost extencive area of protected floodable forest (vareza) in theAmazon Rainforest. It is bordered by two large rivers: the Marañonin the north and the Ucayali – Puinahua Canal to the south.Inside the reserve, there are three river basins: the Pacaya Riverbasin, the Samiria River basin, and the Yanayacuna – Pucate RiverBasin. There are also numerous lakes, gorges, canals, and oxbow. Ithas an annual monthly temperature between 20C (68F) and 33C(91F) and an annual rain fall of 2000 to 3000 millimeters, whichallows for its huge biodiversity: 449 birds species, 102 mammalspecies (among them the pink dolphin), 69 species of reptiles, 58species of amphibians, 256 fish species, and 1024 species of wildand cultivated plants. The reserve is a refuge for differentendangered species like the Charapa turtle, the spider monkey, thegiant river otter, the red macaw, cedar trees, and other.

Jungle Attractions - Loreto

Province of Tambopata

The “colpa” (macaw clay lick) is a place where macaws congregate, formed along the shores of the river due o certain erosion processes that allowed the formation of soil rich in minerals salts. It is approximately 50 meters / 164 feet high, 500 meters / 1640 feet long, and is considered the largest Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Every morning, six different species of macaw, parrots, and parakeets gather there. These colorful birds fly around the colpabefore starting the “colpeo”, which consists in eating the clay found on the cliff and serves as a nutritional supplement. After staying there from twenty-five to thirty minutes, they fly away to come back the next day. Occasionally, Brazilian tapirs, capybaras, and squirrels go there. At the top of the trees, different species of monkeys like the red howler, the caupuchin, the titi, and sometimes even spider monkeys can be seen.

Jungle Attractions – Madre de Dios

Sandoval Lake

It is approximately 3km / 2 miles long, 1 km / 0.6 miles wide, and 0.5centimeters / 0.1 inches to 3 meters / 10 feet deep. The waterremains at an average temperature of 26C (78.8F) and a hugeamount of fish live there. It is surrounded by aguajales, swampyareas where, among other exotic species, a native palm tree calledaguaje grows. Along with the local vegetation, you can see orchids,wild plantains, and mil pesos palm, giant kapoks, mahoganies, and30 meters / 98 feet aguaje palm trees. In this habitat lives a greatvariety of birds, like cormorants, toucans, macaws, parrots, hornedscreamers and herons. In addition, there is a colorful variety of wildhens called hoatzin or shansho which heads are topped withfeathers. With some luck, tapirs, turtles, and giant otters or “Riverwolfs” can be seen as well as different species of crocodiles, like theblack caiman.

Jungle Attractions – Madre de Dios

Bahuaja-Sonene National Park

This National Park was established in order to protect the onlytropical humid savanna that exists in Peru. The park is locatedbetween the Madre de Dios and Puno departments in the provinceof Tambopata, Carabaya, and Sandia. It has an area of 1´091.416hectares, and part of it is in Bolivia. The most important animals thatcan be found there are the maned wolf, the marsh deer, the giantanteater, the river wolf or giant otter, the bush dog, the blackcaiman and the harpy eagle.

Tambopata National Reserve

Located between the basins of the Tambopata and Health Rivers,the reserve covers an area of 274.690 hectares and is found in boththe Madre de Dios and Puno departments. The wealth of itsbiodiversity is immeasurable, and scientist have already registered632 birds species, 1200 butterfly species, 169 mammal species, 205fish species, 103 amphibian species, and 67 reptile species. Thevegetation is typical of tropical regions. To enter the reserve, priorauthorization from INRENA is required.

Jungle Attractions – Madre de Dios

Province of Manu

Manu National Park

Manu National Park is spread out between, Cusco and Madre deDios, covers an area of 1´692.137 hectares (or the entire Manu Riverbasin). Since 1977, the Manu National Park has formed the Nucleusof the Manu Biosphere Reserve; which was declared a NaturalWorld Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1987. Although no one isallowed to enter, visitors can stay in authorized lodges in theReserved Area and in that Cultural Zone Adjacent to the Park.The park has a great variety of animals species: more than 800 birdspecies like the harpy eagle, the jabiru stork, the Orinoco goose, theAndean cock-of-the-rock, and the roseate spoonbill, 200 mammalspecies like the common woolly monkey, the black spider monkey,the giant otter, the jaguar, the little spotted cat, the anteater, andthe Andean deer, and over a hundred bat species.In addition, there are trees over 45 meters high and 3 meters indiameter. The most characteristic species are the cetico, the topa,the cedar, the tornillo tree, the white kapok, and the mata palo.Today, 30 Quechuan speaking farming communities are spreadthroughout the Manu National Park as well as numerous Amazoniannative peoples such as the Matsiguenka, Amahuaca, Yaminahua,Piro, Amarakaeri, Huashipaire, and Nahua.s

Jungle Attractions – Madre de Dios

Main Square, City of Chachapoyas

It is surrounded by beautiful colonial homes with traditionalbalconies. In many cases, these houses have become hostels,restaurants, and business. The main attractions are the PalacioMunicipal (City Hall) and the house where Toribio Rodriguez deMendoza, a predecessor to independence, was born; today, it servesas the rectory and diocese headquarters. In the square, you canappreciate the Republican style bronze fountain.

Pozo de Yanayacu (Yanayacu Well)

The original name of the well was “Fuente Cuyana” (Cuyana Springs)and according to tradition, single men that arrived in the city anddrank its waters remained forever, attracted by the irresistiblecharm of its beautiful women. Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo came tothis place and , on a rock, sculpted the figures of a miter and acrosier, and the year.

Jungle Attractions – Amazonas

Yalape Archeological Remains

Located at 2700 masl / 8858 fasl, this Chachapoya archeologicalcomplex date back to 1100 to 1300 A.D. The area is calculated to befour hectares and features the classic circular constructionsdecorated with rhomboidal and zigzag friezes in high relief.

Laguna de Los Cóndores (Lake of the Condors)

It is also known as the Laguna de las Momias (Lake of the Mummies)since more than 200 mummies were found embedded on the side ofthe cliff located on its shores, all in good condition despite the hotand humid climate of the area. Along with the mummies around3000 objects belonging to the Chachapoya and Inca cultures werefound. The caves are decorated with prehistoric rock paintings.

Leymebamba site Museum

This modern museum exhibits the mummies and the objects foundat the Lake of the Condor as well as textiles, ceramics, and weaponsfound in the area.

Jungle Attractions – Amazonas

Kuelap Fortress

This impressive stone fortress was built by the Chachapoya peoplearound 800 A.D. It is located 3000 masl / 9843 fasl and is 6 hectaresin surface. There are three defensive platforms; the first is 20 meters/ 66 feet high and 680 meter / 2231 feet long. Its three entrancesare walled alley-ways that narrow as they climb up to the followingtwo platforms. Inside, there are 420 circular buildings decoratedwith rhomboidal and zigzag friezes.

Karajia Sarcophagi

These coffins are pre-inca tombs, some 1000 years old, implanted atthe top of a cliff. They are 2 meters / 7 feet tall , sculpted in mud,and are decorated with geometric motives. They probably served tohouse the remains of the supreme tribal leaders.

Jungle Attractions – Amazonas

Jungle Attractions – Amazonas

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