THE PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE

Herons flying on a lagoon in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (PSNR), located close to Iquitos (Peru), is the largest government protected area within the floodable Amazon basin in South America with 2'080,000 ha (20,800 sq km or 5139.7 acres) is twice the area of the Yellowstone National Park (USA).

Herons colony

RAMSAR site since 1986, it is located among the rivers Marañón, Ucayali and Amazon housing a huge biodiversity: 527 bird species, 102 mammal species, 69 species of reptiles, 58 species of amphibians, 269 fish species, and 1024 species of plants. Some of these species are endangered as the charapa turtle (Podocnemis expansa), taricaya turtle (Podocnemis unifilis), the spider monkey (Ateles sp.), the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), the jaguar (Panthera onca), the Amazon manatee (Trichechus inunguis), black caimans (Melanosuchus niger), the red macaw (Ara macao; A. ararauna), herons, hummingbirds, the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), and more.

Jungle trek

The altitude of the Reserve is between 80 to 206 msnm (263 to 675 feet above sea level) and have many lagoons and streams of calm water that reflects the landscapes and sky as a mirror. Due its landscapes and biodiversity, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is an Amazon hotspot for ecotourism, adventure travel and birdwatching.

There are many tour companies -cruises, lodges, travel agencies and local guides of the villages living in the protected area (these people were trainned by the Peruvian government and NGOs)- that organizes jungle trips to the reserve, but always is better contact only with registered ones.

Sunset on the Amazon rainforest

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a superb place to see wildlife. Usually is necessary to take a minimun of three days, two nights or more to travel to the Pacaya Samiria and El Dorado lagoon ("cocha El Dorado" as the locals say) is one of the most interesting places within it, because hosts a plenty of birds, alligators, river turtles, paiches (Arapaima gigas, the largest fresh water fish in the world), monkeys, and beautiful landscapes of primary jungle. To visit El Dorado it is necessary to take at least a 6-day expedition.

To obtain official information on activities in Iquitos and Peru, tour companies and their reputation, Amazon rainforest tours, and local guides of the villages living in the Pacaya Samiria area, contact iPerú, the nationwide tourism office (run by PromPeru, the Peruvian tourism board) to iperuiquitos@promperu.gob.pe, www.peru.travel or their 24-hour line (+51 1) 574-8000.

More information: info@amazonexplorer.com

ACTIVITIES
Jungle survival training course

RESERVA NACIONAL PACAYA SAMIRIA: LA SELVA DE LOS ESPEJOS

Las aguas tranquilas reflejan el entorno de la selva
como espejos naturales

De forma triangular, la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria tiene como límite norte y sur a los ríos Marañón y Ucayali respectivamente, hasta su confluencia a unos 30 km de Nauta, lugar donde inicia el río Amazonas por nombre, al noreste del Perú.

Con un área equivalente al doble del Parque Nacional Yellowstone (EE.UU.), o la mitad del territorio de Costa Rica, Holanda o Dinamarca. La Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria es el área protegida más extensa de toda la Amazonía inundable y la cuarta de toda América del Sur, siendo considerada sitio RAMSAR desde 1986. Su territorio de 2'080,000 ha (20,800 km2 o 5139.7 acres) es el hogar de una inmensa variedad de especies de flora y fauna, muchas de ellas en peligro de extinción como la nutria gigante de río, el manatí amazónico, los delfines rosados y grises, caimanes, las tortugas fluviales gigantes charapas y taricayas, así como de variedad de especies de reptiles, mamíferos como el oso perezoso, el ronsoco (capibara), el otorongo (jaguar) primates y aves como el exótico shansho (hoatzín), garzas, tucanes y tucanetas, colibríes (picaflores), rapaces como el águila harpía y halcones, entre otros.

Flor de la Victoria amazónica o Victoria regia,
el nenúfar más grande del mundo

Sus ríos, lagos, lagunas y pantanos son el hogar de gran variedad de peces fluviales, como el paiche, el gigante amazónico de más de 250 cm y las temidas pirañas, así como la conocida anaconda. Asimismo, estas aguas, oscuras y tranquilas, reflejan casi a la perfección el cielo y los paisajes selváticos, por lo que la reserva también es conocida como “La Selva de los Espejos”.

Debido a que el Pacaya Samiria se encuentra en la Amazonía, posee un clima ecuatorial (caluroso y muy húmedo), con dos estaciones: seca (entre mayo y octubre, cuando los ríos se secan) y la lluviosa (entre noviembre y abril, cuando los ríos tienen mayor nivel y caudal), siendo es posible visitarla durante todo el año.

Aproximadamente a medio año, las tortugas fluviales desovan en playas arenosas, eclosionando alrededor de noviembre.

Turistas en la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria.
Los grupos no suelen exceder las 8 personas

La Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria, por su gran biodiversidad y belleza escénica, es un lugar ideal para actividades de ecoturismo, observación de aves y de vida silvestre, así como estudios científicos. El tiempo mínimo de visita recomendable es de 3 días y 2 noches, siendo ideal tomar de 5 a más días, pues con este tiempo es posible llegar a la laguna El Dorado (o cocha El Dorado como es conocida por los lugareños), que es la zona del Yanayacu-Pucate con mayor diversidad de fauna silvestre (aves, caimanes, mamíferos y el paiche, uno de los peces de agua dulce más grande del mundo), rodeado de selva primaria.

La RNPS puede ser visitada por todo tipo de viajeros, desde parejas, familias o estudiantes hasta aventureros.

More information: info@amazonexplorer.com


ACTIVITIES
Jungle survival training course

AMAZON EXPLORER: 2011 EXPEDITIONS

 

To provide a better experience for the adventure traveler or those looking for something harder, AMAZON EXPLORER has prepared a schedule of expeditions to remote indigenous tribes in the jungle (Matsés / Mayoruna and Shuar / Jibaro), and jungle survival trainings during 2011.

Start in late June, with a 3-day short course on jungle survival, where military and indigenous techniques to locate, find food, protect and survive in this extreme ecosystem will be learned. By mid-July we have prepared a 15-day expedition to Matsés Indian tribe, river Yaquerana, on the border between Peru and Brazil (South America). There we will live together with this community, observing their customs and listening to their stories. In August there is a 5-day jungle survival training. In September, a 15-day expedition to the Matsés. By October a new jungle survival training of 3 days.

Closing 2011, we have two 20-day expeditions: in November to the Shuar indigenous people. Also known as the Jibaro people their were greatly feared, and were world famous for their Tsantsa, the shrunken heads, who speak Spanish chronicles of the conquest. In December we have a 20-day expedition to the Matsés people.

Remember, AMAZON EXPLORER also organizes conventional expeditions for families, couples and students who wish to learn more about the Amazon and the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (the largest in the floodable Amazon basin), with the experience and quality that have given us years of traveling in the depths of the Amazon.

Further information on our conventional and adventure expeditions, please contact us to: info@amazonexplorer.com, and our website www.amazonexplorer.com.

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