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San Martin
General Data:
Location: Northeast high jungle.
Extensión: 51 253 km2
Capital: Moyobamba (874 masl)
Altitude: - Minimum: 190 masl (Pelejo)
- Maximum: 3080 masl (Agua Blanca)
Relief: The territory of the department of San Martin is characterized by its diversity. The western side, it borders on the oriental edge of the Andean plateau and a rough relief presents. It has wide valleys and also the continuation of the Blue Mountain chain, with few elevation(increase). Finally, a small zone of jungle goes down with areas inundables and slightly rough.
Moyobamba
Moyobamba, capital of the department of San Martín, dubbed the City of Orchids, was the first city founded in the Peruvian jungle, shortly after the Spanish Conquest. It was the seat of the first religious missionary orders to be established in the area, and a foothold from where the Church set out to convert the natives to Christianity. It was also to serve as a base for the posterior colonization and development of the region.
The water that flows through the area forms waterfalls, lakes and rivers that provide a beautiful backdrop for the city. Visitors can explore the mouth of the Tioyacu River and even the underground river of the Cueva de los Huacharos cave. One can also take a dip in the natural hot springs at San Mateo, take a ride across the lake called Laguna Azul and climb up to the thundering Ahuashiyacu waterfall, deep in the heart of the jungle, or the Gera waterfall, which drops 120 meters down three separate falls.
Man has left his mark on this area since the dawn of civilization, building sites such as Gran Pajatén, a pre-Inca complex of circular slate buildings decorated with figures of flying condors. Due to its difficult access, tourism is not yet possible at the site.
Today, Moyobamba celebrates in June the Festival of San Juan, an excellent opportunity to visit the natural park called the Santuario de la Amazonía, on the eastern slopes of Andes. Travelers can also visit the native community of Wayku and watch the sunset over Las Puntas.
Tarapoto
Tarapoto, a city founded in 1782 by the Bishop of Trujillo at the time, Baltazar Martínez de Compañón, is one of the most bustling cities in the department of San Martín. Despite being a major trading hub, the city lies in the middle of an area redolent with history and extraordinary natural beauty.
Visitors who explore the areas around the city will soon discover how many waterfalls there are in the region. In fact, Tarapoto has been dubbed the 'Land of Waterfalls' due to the abundance of falls, some of which are the finest to be found in the country. The best example is Aguashiyacu, a 35-meter waterfall located 14 km northwest of the town. The falls, which mean 'the laughing waters', form a pool which is ideal for a refreshing swim in the balmy tropical climate.
Another waterfall which should not be missed is that of Huacamaíllo, considered the most striking example to be found in the region. To get there, visitors will need to set out on a two-hour stroll from the town of San Antonio de Cumbaza (18 km north of Tarapoto). This tour is ideal for those avid for contact with nature, as hikers will be able to spot different bird and butterfly species native to the area.
The Tunun Tunumba waterfalls ('from fall to fall' in the Quechua language) are formed by three consecutive falls which flow into a crystal-clear pool which is ideal for swimming. The site is reached by an hour-and-a-half walk from the village of Chazuta (42 km east), a hike through impressive landscapes which will give one the chance to skirt the Huallaga River and walk through steamy jungle.
Lake Venecia lies closest to Tarapoto (5 km away) and is ideal for fishing, swimming or boatrides. Lake Sauce, also called Laguna Azul, is another spot which is good for swimming and taking in natural landscapes. It is San Martín's foremost tourist attraction, not just for its beauty but also the fact here one can unwind or practice watersports.
Before returning, don't forget to visit the neighboring town of Lamas (21 km to the northwest), possibly the only town in the Amazon jungle that was not built on the banks of a river. The music, art and dances of these Quechua-speakers (although Quechua here has often blended with jungle dialects) has made this town the folk art capital of the Upper Amazon.
For history buffs, just 8.5 km from the city one will find the Polish rock carvings (the name means 'bare plain', so-called because of the area where they are found). These bas-relief carvings depict figures of plants and animals, particularly snakes. Archaeologists are still unsure of when the carvings were made.
The high jungle plateau, where Tarapoto and environs are located, hide amongst its leafy woods another gift of nature: more than 2,500 orchid species have been found, orchids held by many to be the most beautiful flowers on Earth. Tarapoto is a land where the enchantment of its landscape is reflected in its limpid waters, unique in Peru.
Orchids
In Peru, the Orchidaceae family features some 3,000 species, most of which grow in the tropical jungle on the eastern slopes of the Andes: the cloud forest region. There, amidst the exuberant vegetation produced by nearly 5,000 mm of rainfall a year, orchids multiply, forming veritable natural gardens.
In the far northwest of Peru, in the departments of Tumbes y Piura, one can find several attractive species of orchids such as the Cattleya maxima, with large, violet flowers. To the east, the department of Amazonas features vast stretches of cloud forest which are a haven for a series of striking orchids such as the Masdevalia. The Mayo River Valley, in the department of San Martín, has been dubbed "the land of orchids", where one can find the Cattleya rex, considered a symbol of the region's wildflowers.
Huánuco is the gateway to the tropical jungle and an ideal place for orchid lovers: cloud forests and dense vegetation which hide hundreds of plants, including the Epidendrum which grow on tree branches, amongst rocks or on ground-based moss.
The Cordillera Blanca mountain range and the Callejon de Huaylas valley in the department of Ancash add to a breath-taking landscape the chance to spot interesting varieties of native orchids, including the wakanku (Masdevalia amabilis).
The Chanchamayo Valley in the department of Junín is home to an ideal series of circuits for orchid fans. One particularly interesting trail is the route that runs through Pampa Hermosa and Monobamba, outside San Ramon, where one can find an enormous diversity of species such as the Royal Butterfly (Psychopsis sanderae) and the lovely Star of David (Huntleya vargasii).
Finally, the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary is home to more than 200 orchid varieties. The finest include the wakanki, which in the Quechua language means "you will weep" (Masdevalia vetchiana), and wiñaywayna, "forever young" (Epidendrum secundum). The best way to study orchids and at the same time take in the spectacular countryside is to hike the Inca Trail, which links Qorihuayrachina (on the outskirts of Ollantaytambo), with the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
FESTIVITIES
San Juan
In the jungle, Saint John the Baptist has taken on a major symbolic significance because of the importance of water as a vital element in the entire Amazon region. This is why June 24 (St. John's the Baptist's day) is the most important date on the festival calendar in the entire Peruvian jungle. The northeastern city of Iquitos hosts a variety of festivals and public events: fiestas with typical local bands where cooks dish up some of the regional cuisine, featuring tacacho (baked banana) and juanes (rice pastries), named after the patron saint, San Juan Bautista. This carnival atmosphere, redolent with the warmth of the local hospitality, has given rise to the myth of a special sensuality to be found in Loreto. It is widely held that the best aphrodisiacs are concocted in Iquitos, potions blended from fruits and herbs steeped in sugarcane alcohol, with strange and suggestive names. The best-known is without a doubt the chuchuhuasi, fermented from a local root. In the highlands, the festival is also linked to the concept of fertility, but here the main theme is livestock, something that is easily associated with the image of Saint John as the pastor of souls. On this day, livestock are counted and branded, and llamas are sometimes even the object of prayer. In Cuzco, where peasant farmers used to bring their richly decorated sheep to Mass, the tradition has been shifted to June 25, yielding to Inti Raymi.
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Pacaya Samiria
Categoría: Reserva Nacional.
Base Legal: D.S.Nº016-82-AG.
Fecha de Creación: 4 de febrero de 1982.
Ubicación Política: Departamento de Loreto.
Extensión: 2080000.00 hectáreas.
Located in the department of Loreto, Pacaya-Samiria covers an area of 2,080,000 hectares, and is the largest national reserve in the country. Considered the jewel of Peru's northern Amazon jungle, Pacaya-Samiria is home to an abundant and varied wildlife, particularly the myriad fish species, the main source of protein in the region. The countless lakes, swamps and water holes are a refuge for 130 types of mammal, 330 bird species and an as-yet unknown number of reptile and amphibian species.
Some of the attractions of the area include the huge river turtles, the manatee and the pink river dolphin, the giant river otter, the black cayman and the paiche -the largest freshwater fish species on Earth- all of which are endangered species.
Parapente and Hang Gliding
There are two main types of apparatus used by those fond of flying: flying mechanisms that use the aerodynamics of wings in order to fly; and the classic parachute, which simply drops. Paragliding and hang gliding share a structure made of a cloth or synthetic fiber which moves with the winds. The difference stems from the fact the paraglider is not rigid, while the hang glider is.
Hang gliding was born from an unsuccessful model developed by NASA to improve aerospace rescue parachutes, something which caught on amongst those with a penchant for flying. The first hang glider was brought to Peru in the 1 970s. Paragliding, meanwhile, did not take off in Peru until the early 1 990s. Its origins date back to Savoie in France, where persevering sportsmen modified the classic parachute until they came up with others split up into cells, allowing for a longer flight with more room for maneuver. The concept has since improved, to the stage that today flyers can glide for 10 km for each 1 000 meters they drop.
Once up in the air, sportsmen tackle two kinds of currents: ascending, which are divided up into thermal (columns of warm air generated by the heating up of refractory surfaces) and orographic (which are created when air rebounds off a cliff or similar obstacle); and descending, similar to pockets of air that produce turbulence for jet airplanes. Choose your best option... and head for the vertigo.
Source: Prom Peru.
Tours in San Martin
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