Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Protected natural reserve in Loreto region, Peru
Pacaya-Samiria is a protected area in the Loreto Department of Peru, sitting between two major tributaries of the Amazon and covering flooded forests and countless waterways. The terrain shifts with the seasons as rivers rise and submerge wide stretches, forming lagoons and channels throughout.
The government created this protected zone in 1982 to preserve the rainforest and its wetlands from uncontrolled use. Ten years later the area gained international recognition as a Ramsar wetland due to its importance for water-dependent species.
The name Pacaya-Samiria brings together the two main rivers that shape life for communities within this wetland territory. Visitors on guided trips can watch how residents time their fishing and forest use to match the natural rhythm of seasonal floods.
A visit requires a permit and accompaniment by licensed guides who travel from Iquitos by boat along the rivers. The months from May through January offer better conditions for exploring, as water levels and weather make access easier.
More than a thousand animal species live here, including river dolphins, jaguars, manatees, and the paiche, the largest freshwater fish in the Amazon. Boats often glide just meters from these animals when they surface near river bends or lagoons.
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