Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
able, and besides the shop, you can browse displays on coffee production and check out
old coffee-producing machinery. It's 1km northeast of the bus terminal on the Satipo road.
These days it does a good range of local jams and ice creams too.
Information
Both towns have a BCP with an ATM, and plenty of public telephones. La Merced has
better facilities.
Internet Cafe
(Palca Cuadra 2 s/n, La Merced)
Police station
(Julio Piérola at Passuni, La Merced)
Post office
(Av 2 de Mayo, La Merced)
Telecentro
(cnr Palca & Junín, La Merced)
On the Plaza de Armas.
Getting There & Away
Air
The Chanchamayo airstrip is a 30-minute walk from San Ramón.
Mototaxis
will take you
there (around S3). Small planes can theoretically be chartered to almost anywhere in the
region but the strip is virtually deserted most days.
Bus
The bus terminal is a 1km downhill walk east of the center of La Merced; most buses ar-
rive and leave from here. This is well-organized, but as much transportation relies on
colectivo
taxis (that leave when full) schedules are haphazard − go down there as early as
possible and ask around.
Direct buses go from Lima to Chanchamayo, though many travelers break the journey
at Tarma. Try to travel the 70km stretch from Tarma to San Ramón in daylight for the
views during the spectacular 2200m descent. Companies going to Lima (S25 to S35, eight
hours) from the La Merced terminal include
Junín
( in Tarma 32-1234)
, which also
has luxury Lima-bound night buses (S70).
Other companies such as Transportes Salazaar also go to Lima, with several daily and
nightly departures. Their offices are all located at the terminal or across the road on Pro-
