From Lima to Pucallpa

Built on the shores of the Río Ucayali, Pucallpa [1] is the east-central gateway to the Amazon jungle and the launching point for a four-day cargo boat journey down the Río Ucayali to Iquitos.

Pucallpa can be reached from Lima [2] by daily flights or by bus. The area has become safer for travelers and the overland journey from Lima to Pucallpa is interesting.

A good way break up the journey is to stay in Huánuco [3], with its ideal climate, and/or Tingo María [4], which is surrounded by gorgeous natural settings. Both towns are in the Huallaga Valley and were off the tourist circuit until the end of the 1990s, because of intense drug trafficking and terrorist violence.

Since then the situation has changed slowly but dramatically for the better. Huánuco and Tingo María are becoming off-the-beaten-path destinations for bird-watchers, nature lovers, and adventure seekers.