Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CENTRAL AMAZON
For a quick Amazon fix on long weekends and holidays,
limeños
(inhabitants of Lima) usu-
ally head for this relatively accessible Amazon region, reachable in eight hours by bus. The
tropical Chanchamayo province is as different to the coastal desert strip or the Andean
mountains as can be. The last hour of the journey here is particularly remarkable for the
rapid change in vegetation and climate as you slip down the Andes into the vibrant green of
La Selva Central, as it is known in Spanish. Comprising the two main towns of La Merced
and San Ramón, plus a scattering of remoter communities, the area is noted for coffee and
fruit production. Despite its popularity with Peruvian holidaymakers, the region offers the
traveler a good insight into Amazon life. Better transportation links mean there are more
opportunities here for interacting with rainforest tribes than elsewhere in the Amazonas.
Two rough, adventurous back routes also await: forging via Satipo and Puerto Bermúdez
through Peru's central belt of Amazon to the port of Pucallpa, jumping-off point for river
trips deeper into the jungle.
La Merced & San Ramón
064 / POP 40,000 / ELEV 800M
San Ramón is 295km east of Lima and La Merced is 11km further along. Chanchamayo's
two key settlements are quite likable in a languid sort of way. Resistance to colonists by the
local Asháninka people meant that these towns were not founded until the 19th century.
Today they are popular Peruvian holiday destinations, and great bases for exploring the
luxuriant countryside nearby, characterized by photogenic forested hills and waterfalls that
tumble into the Río Chanchamayo valley. Accommodation bookings are recommended at
busy periods, when room rates almost double.
Sights & Activities
The stairs at the northwest end of
Avenida 2 de Mayo
afford a good view of La Merced,
and from the balcony at the southwest end there's a photogenic river view.
Around San Ramón are many impressive
waterfalls
. A much-visited 35m cascade,
Catarata El Tirol
, lies 5km east of San Ramón off the La Merced road. You can take a
taxi the first 2km; the last 3km is along shady forest paths and streams. Off the Pichanaqui
