|
Although an interesting region, the central selva around Pucallpa doesn't have the strong appeal of the other jungle areas, and it's a tourist destination that suffered greatly during the political violence of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Recovery is slow, yet Pucallpa is still one of Peru's fastest growing cities, and its population of around 300,000 is well over 10 times that of 30 years ago. With its relatively new status as the capital of the independent departmento of Ucayali and its oil refineries and massive timber industry, the city represents the modern phase of the jungle's exploitation more than any other. For travellers here, the big attraction is Lago Yarinacocha - a huge, beautiful oxbow lake where you can swim and rest up, watch schools of dolphin and - at a cost - go on wildlife expeditions or visit some nearby native communities. The city is also a main point of departure for trips downstream to the more obvious destination of Iquitos, a thousand-kilometre, week-long journey. Pucallpa is well connected to Lima and elsewhere, and, like Iquitos, is more thoroughly developed than other jungle towns. Similarly, both cities' indigenous Indian life is becoming increasingly Westernized, and as this happens, so tourism in the areas becomes increasingly packaged - or as they say in Peru, convencional.
Your Tip for Pucallpa and Lago Yarinacocha
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Pucallpa and Lago Yarinacocha - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Pucallpa and Lago Yarinacocha - visit the main Pucallpa and Lago Yarinacocha forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Pucallpa and Lago Yarinacocha webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
