Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [384]
The town of Chazuta, a two-hour drive away, boasts the impressive 40m, three-level Tununtunumba waterfalls, another small museum showcasing pre-Inca funerary urns, artisanal crafts and a port on the Río Huallaga with great fishing. Agencies in Tarapoto are starting to promote ‘mystical tourism’ here, where trips include a visit to local brujos (witch doctors). Really the only way to get to Chazuta is on a day tour (S80) or by private transport.
Several lakes lie tucked away in the surrounding mountains. Laguna Azul (also called Laguna de Sauce) is a popular local spot reached by crossing the Río Huallaga, 45km away, on a vehicle raft ferry and continuing by car for another 45 minutes. Day tours (S65 to S80 per person, minimum three people) and overnight excursions are available. You’ll find good swimming, boating and fishing here, and accommodations, ranging from camping to upscale bungalows, are available. Several combis a day go to nearby Sauce (S14, four hours) from a bus stop in the Banda de Shilcayo district, east of the town. Taxi drivers know it. Meanwhile, Laguna Venecia and the nearby 40m waterfalls, Cataratas de Ahuashiyacu, are about 45 minutes toward Yurimaguas. There’s a small restaurant nearby and a locally favored swimming spot. Five-hour tours cost S40 per person. Also popular is a similarly priced trip to the Cataratas de Huacamaillo, which involves two hours of hiking and wading across the river several times. These places can be reached by public transport and then on foot, but go with a guide or get detailed information to avoid getting lost.
River running (whitewater rafting) on the Río Mayo, 30km from Tarapoto, and on the lower Río Huallaga, is offered from June to November. The shorter trips (half- and full-day trips, from S63 per person) are mainly class II and III whitewater, while longer trips (up to six days, from July to October only) ride out class III and class IV rapids. Rafting trips to the class III rapids of the upper Mayo, 100km from Tarapoto, are possible. Inflatable kayaks are available for rent for S45/75 for a half-/full day. Check with Los Chancas Expeditions (52 2616; www.geocities.com/amazonrainforest; Rioja 357), the local river-running specialists.
Brujos play a pivotal role in the pueblos of the jungle. A few kilometers north of Tarapoto, you’ll find the Takiwasi Center (52-2818; www.takiwasi.com; Prologación Alerta 466). Started in the early 1990s by French physician Jacques Mabit, this rehabilitation and detox center combines traditional Amazonian medicines and plants, as used by brujos or curanderos (healers), with a combination of psychotherapy. This treatment is not for the fainthearted: intense ‘vomit therapy’ and ayahuasca (hallucinogenic brew made from jungle vines) are used as part of the healing process. Rehabilitation programs for all kinds of ailments run for nine months and cost around US$500, though no one is turned away for lack of funds. Information and introductory sessions can be organized.
Tours & Guides
All of these licensed agencies have several years’ experience in local tourism.
Quiquiriqui Tours (52-4016; www.quiquiriquitours.com; Pimentel 309; 8am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 6pm Sat, 9am-noon Sun) A full-service travel and tour agency that books flights, offers information on and arranges tours to local sites.
Selva Mayo (53-1489; www.selvamayoperu.com; Grau 233; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun) Books day tours and longer excursions to local lakes and waterfalls and cultural trips to experience ayahuasca rituals and medicinal plant demonstrations.
Turismo Selva (52-7419; San Pablo de la Cruz 233; 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun) Smiley staff here can book numerous local tours and flights.
Festivals & Events
Patronato de Tarapoto A festival in mid-July that celebrates the town’s indigenous