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Pacaya Samiria is a magical National Reserve that protects the endangered species from hunting, poaching and predation as well as the flora. It also has beautiful areas to visit, research, etc.

Let’s learn more about Pacaya Samiria National Reserve!

Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Location:

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is located in the department of Loreto; provinces of Loreto, Requena, Ucayali and Alto Amazonas.

Extension:

This reserve covers an area of 2’080,000 hectares. It also has areas that are destined to tourism, research, etc.

Date of creation: February, 1982

Climate:

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve registeres high temperatures the whole year, but the highest are from July to September.

Temperature:

The average annual temperature varies between 20° and 33° C. Average annual rainfall fluctuates between 2,000 and 3,000 mm.

Best Season:

The best season to visit Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is from January to May. You will enjoy wonderful sunny days.

en la RNPS, se puede observar la presencia de diversos ejemplares de fauna

In Pacaya Samiria National Reserve you will observe the great variety of the fauna.

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Pacaya Samiria National Reserve was created on February 4, 1982 under S.D N° 016-82-AG. This decree was modified on January 25, 2007 by SD Nº 007-2007-AG.

Peruvian Government established the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve with the purpose of preserving the wilderness resources and the beautiful landscapes of the area. The name of Pacaya Samiria comes from the names of two rivers that run through it: Pacaya and Samiria.

Regarding tourism, the reserve is distributed as mentioned below:

4 information rooms in Nauta Caño, Yanayacu, Samiria and Tibilo Pastococha watch stations.
There are 19 park ranger stations (4 of them with information stands).
21 neighborhood watch stations.
15 authorized campsites distributed in 8 areas open for tourism.
Three refuges in Yanayacu-Pucate basin.
Two refuges in San Martin of Tipishca community.
The circuit along the reserve river for some days is offered by companies that operate in Iquitos and Lima.

Activities that you can do in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

You can take advantage of the tourist routes that the reserve has. There are 8 areas in which you are allowed to visit. See below the name of these areas:

Tibilo Pastococha
Pinchi – Yanayacu Grande
Bajo and Medio Samiria
Yanayacu Pucate – El Dorado
Nauta Caño
Yanallpa Iricahua
Bajo Pacaya
Cochas de Punga.

Hermosas aguas de la Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria

Beautiful water in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

Main Tourist Circuits:

Yanayacu – Pucate Basin

The circuit start in Veinte de Enero community, near Nauta, until the famous cocha El Dorado. This is the area where more refuge and camping zones are located. El Dorado lagoon is considered the heart of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve and one of the places where most fauna can be found.

Samiria River low and medium basin:

You will visit Yarina, Fortuna and Ungurahui. In San Martín de Tipishca, at the beginning of the basin, you can live together with the native people of Kukama Kukamilla community. They also offer different circuits to visit by foot or canoes.

Pacaya low Basin:

In this circuit there are many lagoons. That is why the forest is always flooded most time of the year.

How to get to Pacaya Samiria National Reserve?

To get Pacaya Samiria, you need arrive in Iquitos City, daily flights from Lima. Then go by road Iquitos – Nauta (180 Km.). The port of Nauta is located in the confluence of Marañón and Ucayali river, where the Amazon River is born. In Nauta take river boats or Amazon Cruise. Source: SERNANP

The best way to visit Pacaya Samiria is an organized tour in a jungle lodge next to reserved area or camp inside Pacaya Samiria.

Objective of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve:

The reserve is a shelter for threatened or endangered species including the Giant South American turtle -charapa- (Podocnemis expansa), the Peruvian spider monkey (Ateles sp.), the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) and cedar trees (Cederla odorata), among others.

There are also various projects focused on the protection and management of natural resources, including the repopulation of the Giant South American turtle and Taricaya turtle on artificial beaches in the reserve. Witnessing the final stage of the process, when the animals are released back into the rivers, ravines and lagoons, is a breathtaking moment.

Furthermore, Pacaya Samiria is home to over 42,000 people who live in 94 towns on the edges of the Pacaya Samiria reserve, on the banks of the Marañón and Ucayali rivers, and a further 50,000 who live in 109 towns in the buffer zones. The main activities are fishing, agriculture, harvesting and hunting.