Tumbes National Reserve

Tumbes National Reserve is a protected natural area covering about 19,000 hectares of Pacific tropical forest in Zarumilla Province. The landscape includes hills, flat plains, and seasonal dry woodlands located near the Ecuador border.

The original Tumbes National Forest was established in 1957 and managed forest resources for decades before the area. In 2006, the Peruvian government designated it as an official protected reserve to strengthen ecological conservation.

The reserve belongs to the UNESCO Noroeste Biosphere Reserve system and plays a key role for local communities who maintain traditional practices within this landscape. Visitors can observe how nature and human activity coexist in this region.

Visitors need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to access the reserve, as roads can be challenging and difficult during heavy rain. The location is approximately 51 kilometers northeast of Tumbes city via San Juan de la Virgen and Matapalo.

The reserve is home to about 270 bird species and harbors two of the few primate species found on Peru's coast. It is also one of the few places where visitors can encounter coastal foxes, Andean condors, and otters in the same area.