Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve

The Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve is a protected area in Junín and Lima departments of central Peru, stretching across the Western Cordillera mountain range. The terrain includes deep valleys, high plateaus, glaciers, and numerous lagoons connected by steep rock walls and grassland expanses.

The Peruvian government established the reserve in 2001 to safeguard ecosystems and archaeological sites in this remote Andean zone. Pre-Columbian settlements show that people have lived and farmed at these elevations for centuries before official protection began.

The name combines two geographic terms from the region and reflects the administrative division between two departments. Local communities continue to use parts of the reserve as grazing land for llamas and alpacas, maintaining traditional herding routes through the high elevations.

Travelers should bring warm clothing in multiple layers, as temperatures swing sharply between day and night and weather changes are frequent. Access is mainly via unpaved roads, which vary in condition depending on the season and recent rainfall.

The reserve contains Qaqa Machay, a cave system at high altitude, and Sima Pumaqucha, one of the deepest caves in South America. Both formations attract researchers studying extreme underground environments in the Andes.

Location: Junin Department

Location: Lima Department

Inception: 2001

Operator: SERNANP

Website: https://sernanp.gob.pe/nor-yauyos-cochas

GPS coordinates: -12.03583,-75.86167

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28