Discover Pucate

Routes through the natural landscape

When planning your trip, it is also worth exploring the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve and its natural attractions in the district and surrounding area. The reserve is located in the Nauta District and encompasses the watersheds of the Pacaya, Samiria, and Yanayacu-Pucate rivers. The river landscape, wildlife observation, and activities organized by local communities each offer a different focus. The routes differ not only in name, but also in the landscapes and opportunities for observation associated with each one.

Water landscapes and wildlife observation

Within the district, the Nauta Caño route follows a river arm separated from the Río Marañón. Its area includes 20 oxbow lakes, including Cocha de Pona. The route is associated with birdwatching and observing wild plants and animals. It is also suitable for observing caimans at night. The combination of a separated river arm and oxbow lakes gives this route a distinct connection to the water landscape.

The Yanayacu Pucate route is considered the most frequently used access point to the reserve and allows you to travel through the Río Yanayacu watershed. Its attractions include flooded forests, the Río Yanayacu, and the Quebrada Pucate. On this route, you can also visit the community of Yarina and its surroundings, where you can observe wild animals.

Cocha El Dorado is the source of the Yanayacu-Pucate watershed. At the lake, members of the Manco Cápac community have sustainably managed and protected paiches, arahuanas, and taricayas for more than two decades; they also sustainably gather wild fruit. The Cocha El Dorado route is suitable for observing birds and caimans, as well as taking part in activities organized by the local population. Visitor services associated with the route include boat trips, accommodation, and hiking.

Activities and planning your visit

Possible activities in the reserve’s tourism area include nature and cruise tourism, boating, kayaking, swimming, and recreational fishing. Wildlife, plants, and landscapes can also be observed, and visitors can hike trails and take boat trips. The range of activities therefore includes both nature observation and activities on the water and on foot.

For choosing a route based on your interests, the differences are clear: Nauta Caño combines oxbow lakes with nighttime caiman observation; Yanayacu Pucate highlights flooded forests and a visit to Yarina; and Cocha El Dorado adds activities organized by the local population to nature observation. You can therefore tailor the focus of your trip planning to the landscapes, wildlife observation, or community activities that interest you.

To visit the reserve, you must use the services of tour operators authorized by SERNANP or local tourism groups. May to September is considered the recommended visiting season. The journey from Nauta to Control Post No. 1 Yanayacu takes three hours by motorboat and one hour by speedboat. For this route, the choice of boat makes a noticeable difference: according to the stated travel times, the speedboat journey is two hours shorter.

Discover more destinations: Yurimaguas, Arica, Puerto Pardo, Sucusari, Shapajilla, Paraíso, Francisco De Orellana, Santa Fe.

For the overview of the wider region: Loreto.