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peru.travel
Thursday, July 16, 2020
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Traveling to the Peruvian Amazon is living a unique and enriching experience. Entering this region and seeing how geography gives way to an endless green landscape of forests and rivers that are lost on the horizon is the starting point of an unforgettable journey where you will not only discover new cultures or incredible places, but it is also an opportunity to get away from the lethargy of the city and reconnect with yourself.
This region of Peru hosts throughout its territory a paradise of biodiversity that, how could it be otherwise, is complemented by a special gastronomy that captivates for its variety and flavors. Without a doubt, the Peruvian Amazon is the ideal place to continue expanding the mind with new sensations in the middle of all the power and magnitude that nature offers. Therefore, we invite you to go through a list of its most fascinating attractions that you must visit.
Kuélap (Amazonas)
This archaeological site located 93 km south of Chachapoyas is considered the most important in northeastern Peru and one of the most important tourist destinations. Its special location on top of a high mountain offers an impressive view of the entire Uctubamba valley that captivates with its beautiful landscape.
This fortress, which exhibits to this day the splendor of the Chachapoyas culture, constitutes a masterpiece of pre-Hispanic architecture and houses nearly 500 homes that shelter more than 3,000 people. As a curious fact, Kuélap contains three times more construction material than the Guiza pyramids in Egypt.
Condors Lagoon in Chachapoyas (Amazonas)
Located in the middle of swamps and slopes, this natural landscape is one of the most impressive in eastern Peru. On the stone cliffs that surround its waters, there are a large number of sarcophagus of the Chachapoyas culture. A few kilometers north, you will find the remains of an ancient town that would have been the place where this pre-Inca civilization lived.
Visiting this wonder of nature involves a demanding long hours walk through an extensive cloud forest, making it an ideal destination for trekking and adventure lovers.
El Sauce Lagoon (San Martín)
Crossing the Huallaga river, 50 km southeast of Tarapoto, is located the beautiful and highly visited Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon) –as it is also called-, ideal for cooling off in its waters, boating or practicing water sports.
Currently, it is the most visited tourist destination in the San Martín region for the beautiful landscapes and views it offers -especially during twilight-, and for all the activities full of adventure, adrenaline and pleasure that you can enjoy there. This destination offers a wide range of hotels and bungalows with a wide range of tourist services so that you can have an unforgettable experience.
Quistococha Tourist Complex (Iquitos)
To cool off from the hot climate of the Amazon, nothing better than enjoying a swim in the waters of the largest artificial lagoon in Iquitos located inside this recreational center that also includes a zoo. Ideal to go with the family, here you can also rent pedal boats or rowing boats to navigate the lagoon. You can also visit the zoo that shelters more than a thousand Amazon species, take a walk through the extensive natural forest, sit and watch the spectacle of clouds reflected over the lagoon while the sun is still shining.
The complex is located thirty minutes from the center of Iquitos and has restaurants with exquisite Amazonian food.
Credit: Alex Bryce / PromPerú.
Manu National Park (Madre de Dios)
This is a dream destination for those who enjoy the observation of wonderful species. The park is located between the Madre de Dios and Cusco regions. Surrounded by a lush jungle and a varied fauna, it houses a large number of ecosystems. In this beautiful place, you will be surprised with trees like the lupuna that reaches 45 meters high. Also, you can see a diverse number of birds, primates, amphibians, cats, fish and reptiles. In the same way, you will be able to make contact with some Quechua and Aymara communities.
To get there, the usual starting point is the city of Cusco. From here, the journey is made both by land and by river, and usually lasts about 20 hours. It is also possible to hire private planes: they arrive in less time, but the cost is higher. As a prevention, before visiting the Manu, don't forget to get vaccinated against yellow fever.
Boquerón del Padre Abad (Ucayali)
It is located 183 km from Pucallpa, in the province of Padre Abad. It is a geological fracture that has given rise to a narrow corridor with large rocky walls over one hundred meters high. Through this 3 km long canyon you will see beautiful waterfalls such as El Velo de la Novia and La Ducha del Diablo. Both are over 50 meters high and are surrounded by vast vegetation such as ferns, orchids, guavas and mangoes.
In the tourist circuit you will also discover an important archaeological legacy of pre-Inca cultures that include rock art samples.
Credit: PromPerú.
Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (Loreto)
Known as ‘La selva de los espejos’ (‘The jungle of mirrors’), due to the reflection that forms in the waters of the rivers that cross it, this natural complex - 183 km from Iquitos - is one of the largest protected areas in Peru and South America. It was created to conserve and protect the existing ecosystems in the low jungle of the Peruvian Amazon, promote the investigation of flora and fauna and boost the development of the communities that inhabit its territory.
In the reserve, you can find species such as the black maquisapa, the mono choro (woolly monkey), the river wolf and the paiche - one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. In order to preserve the great biodiversity of the area, access is only allowed to certain zones. The entrance doors to this wonder of nature are the cities of Nauta, Lagunas and Requena.
Sources: La República / El Economista América / Lánzate y viaja / Jungle experiencies
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