Pacaya Samiria National Reserve was established 43 years ago in the region of Loreto of the Peruvian Amazon. The name of Pacaya Samiria comes from the names of two rivers that run through it: Pacaya and Samiria. The Reserve has a great diversity of wildlife as well as aquatic life: 449 bird species, 102 mammals, 69 reptiles, 58 amphibians, 256 fish and 1,204 plants. Threatened or endangered species that can be found in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve are the jaguar or otorongo (Panthera onca), the black alligator (Melanosuchus niger), the giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), the manatee (Trichechus inunguis), four different species of primates and two different species of turtles.

Covered in beautiful swamp land and lush forests, it’s one of Peru’s most diverse regions in the Amazonas.

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During the rainy season in the Andes, water levels rise throughout all the rivers of Amazonia, flooding 85% of the reserve and making it only accessible by boat. Come the low water season, life regenerates in many fascinating ways, both flora and fauna, and the Pacaya Samiria becomes a place ideal for exploring by foot and otherwise.

To be sure, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is one of a kind in Peru and is directly linked to the economic wellbeing of its resident populations. At least 100,000 ribereños–people who live along the riverbanks–rely on the rainforest’s aquatic and terrestrial resources for food and income.