Cordillera Escalera Regional Conservation Area

Cordillera Escalera is a protected conservation area covering roughly 1500 square kilometers of cloud forest and highland grassland across the eastern Andes. The territory displays multiple forest types and elevation zones that together form a complex ecosystem with different plant and animal communities at each level.

The protected area was established in 2005 by the San Martín Regional Government to safeguard the region's diverse habitats and water resources. This decision came from recognizing that these mountain forests are essential for providing water to surrounding communities.

The land holds deep meaning for local people as a source of clean water and medicinal plants long used in traditional healing practices. Visitors can observe how communities live alongside nature through sustainable practices that remain part of daily life today.

Access is typically through guided hikes that offer varying difficulty levels and often lead to the Ahuashiyacu waterfall, a popular visitor destination. Sturdy footwear is important and visitors should prepare for changing weather conditions in the higher elevations.

The area harbors an extraordinary diversity of orchid species, many found nowhere else in the world. These orchids thrive in the cloud forests and are a reason why nature researchers find this location particularly important.