Pucallpa

Pucallpa is a city in the Peruvian Amazon on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It's an excellent base for visits to Lake Yarinacocha.

Among the main attractions of the city include ecological tourism, such as the Parque Natural, or cultural tourism, in the case of shamanism.

This article also covers the town of Yarinacocha, which has few places to eat or sleep.

Understand
Most of the transport to Pucallpa is done on the Ucayali River. It is the second most important river port in the Amazon (behind Iquitos). The Federico Basadrees highway is the main center of land transportation, and connects the northwest of the city with the Captain Rolden International Airport.

By boat
It's possible to travel by boat upstream from Iquitos on the Rio Ucayali all year round. It's also possible to come downstream from Atalaya on Rio Ucayali.

By bus
Buses from Lima take about 18 hours or more (about S/100; "Transmar", "Movil Tours" and other companies).

By car
The road past Huanuco is very foggy at times, with little visibility. Past Tingo María landslides have devastated the road in sections, you can get through but its muddy and slow going in small sections.

Get around
Mototaxis are motor-tricycle taxis that are the standard mode of transportation for Pucallpa. Expect to pay about S/2 for a trip within downtown, S/3 for a trip in from the outskirts of town, and as much as S/6 for a trip from one of the suburbs (you might need to switch mototaxis). About S/4 to Yarinacocha.

Collectivos are normal passenger cars that run set routes (like buses). They are a cheaper option for travel (especially if you are alone - S/1 per person). The colectivos can get crowded - two people in the front seat and four across the back seat. Pucallpa to Yarinacocha is S/1.50.

On foot: Downtown Pucallpa is small enough that you can get to many places just by walking. If you don't know where something is located, ask directions, but the directions you are given may not to be correct. People feel compelled to give an informative answer, regardless of whether or not they know the right one.

See
There is not very much in the way of sightseeing in Pucallpa. Most of its attractions are water-related: Pucallpa sits on the shores of the Ucayali River, and there is a lake near the city called Lake Yarinacocha. In the middle of the lake is an island called La Isla de Amor. This is a nice place for a day trip.

Buy
There are a number of markets within Pucallpa. These markets are filled with booths that are manned by vendors selling all sorts of wares. Hammocks are best bought at the market nearest to the Ucayali River (Mercado numero 3), and you can buy any number of artifacts/crafts from many of the surrounding indigenous tribes. There are also pharmacies, banks, travel agencies, and 3 grocery stores with imported projects. Los Andes market is a delight for anyone looking for European or North American products. Fisa is the smallest of the three, but carries some Asian products that can't be found elsewhere. Valdivia (Near the plaza de Armas) is your best bet for many other imports, and has a wide selection of liquors and wines. If you are looking for a specific product, and have some time on your hands, you can ask the proprietor of the store to order it for you. You can get inexpensive, custom made furniture from a place in town called "El Huecito".

Pucallpa
There are many cheap hostels around the Plaza de Armas, ranging from about S/10 per bed.



Stay safe
The road between Tingo María and Pucallpa is infamous for robberies. Particularly buses are prone to suffer, as some of the robbers get on as paying passengers and then stop the bus while more robbers get on and strip the passengers of all valuables. If you have to use the road, try organizing a taxi or lorry from Huanuco. Avoid travelling when there are special events in Pucallpa (or Christmastime), as the robbers are known to be more active then. And don't ever travel this road at night. Pucallpa is particularly dangerous around Christmastime. Many robberies occur during December, and police corruption is at its worst then, too. The situation seems to have improved since the road between Tingo María and Pucallpa is mostly paved now (as of 2011).

Go next

 * Atalaya - Upstream
 * Iquitos - Downstream

Pucallpa