Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [416]
When negotiating prices for a riverboat passage, ask at any likely boat, but don’t pay until you and your luggage are aboard your boat of choice, then pay the captain and no one else. Always get to the port well in advance of when you want to leave: it can take hours hunting for a suitable vessel. Most boats leave either at first light, or in late afternoon/evening.
The river journey to Iquitos (two to four days from Pucallpa; about S100) can be broken at various villages, including Contamaná (S30, 15 to 20 hours) and Requena, and continued on the next vessel coming through. Alternatively, ask around for speedboats to Contamaná (about S100, five hours), which depart at 6am most days. The return trip (six to seven hours) goes against the current.
* * *
WARNING
The long, lonely section of road between Pucallpa and Tingo María (Click here), the only paved link between Peru’s Amazon region and the rest of the country, can be a risky road to travel. Armed robberies during daylight (around 6pm, to be precise), as well as at night, have been occurring and travelers have been caught up in hold ups. This includes passages by bus, car and truck. Holidays and feast days seem to be the worst times. Robbers take valuables then, assuming no one resists, allow onward passage. The posting of police at various intervals in the vicinity (they usually ask for a nominal ‘protection’ fee – best to pay it) has improved matters, but this is a journey you take at your own risk. Buses do make the daily trip from Tingo to Pucallpa but flying to Pucallpa from Lima is a safer option.
* * *
Smaller boats occasionally head upriver towards Atalaya; ask at the Capitanía or the town port.
Jungle ‘guides’ approaching you on the Pucallpa waterfront are not recommended. For jungle excursions, look for a reliable service in Yarinacocha.
BUS
A direct bus to/from Lima (S70 to S90) takes 20 hours in the dry season; the journey can be broken in Tingo María (S20, nine hours) or Huánuco (12 hours). The road is paved but vulnerable to flooding and erosion. Also see opposite.
León de Huánuco (57-2411, 57-9751; Tacna 655) serves Lima at 1pm (bus-cama, bed bus) and 5:30pm. Another good company is Turismo Central (59-1009; Raimondi 768), which has one morning departure and two afternoon departures. Less luxurious buses going to Lima include Transmar (57-4900, 57-9778; Raimondi 793), at 1pm and 4:30pm; and Trans Amazonica (Tacna 628), at 5pm daily.
Turismo Ucayali (59-3002; 7 de Junio 799) has cars to Tingo María (S45, six hours) via Aguaytía leaving about every hour all day and night. Other companies nearby serve the same destinations for similar prices.
Transportes Palcazu (961-93-3136; Raimondi 730) has trucks and buses to more remote Amazonian destinations such as Puerto Bermúdez and Puerto Inca via the rough, rough road to La Merced.
Getting Around
Mototaxis to the airport or Yarinacocha are about S6; taxis are S10. Colectivos to Yarinacocha (S1) leave from Jirón 9 de Diciembre near the market, San Martín at Ucayali, and other places.
Return to beginning of chapter
YARINACOCHA
About 10km northwest of central Pucallpa, Yarinacocha is a lovely oxbow lake where you can go canoeing, observe wildlife, and visit indigenous communities and purchase their handicrafts. The lake, once part of the Río Ucayali, is now entirely landlocked, though a small canal links the two bodies of water during the rainy season. Boat services are provided here in a casual atmosphere. It’s well worth spending a couple of days here.
A part of the lake has been set aside as a reserve. There is also a botanical garden (admission S2; 8am-4pm), which is reached by a 45-minute boat ride followed by a 30-minute walk. Go early in the morning to watch birds on the walk there.
The lakeside village of Puerto Callao is a welcome relief from the chaos of downtown Pucallpa’s streets. It’s still a ramshackle kind