Pataz Province

Pataz Province is located in northern Peru within La Libertad Region and consists of thirteen districts with Tayabamba as its capital. The territory spans mountainous terrain and includes several communities shaped by varying elevations and landscape features.

The territory was divided into three Corregimientos during colonial times: Collay in the south, Pataz in the center, and Cajamarquina in the north. This administrative arrangement reflected Spanish control over the different Andean communities in the region.

Mining and agriculture shape daily life in the province, with residents continuing practices passed down through families. These activities remain deeply connected to how communities use the land and mountains.

The province is mountainous and travel between districts takes time and planning. Visitors should prepare for varying elevations and remote roads, with the dry season being the better time to explore.

The Gochapita lagoon was created by native inhabitants through a dam construction project and remains central to irrigation today. This engineering feat shows the historical knowledge that local communities possessed about water management in the mountain region.