PeruNorth's musings on events & destinations in Northern Peru, Amazonia ... and beyond. Detailed tour reviews.
The attractive Amazonas town of Leymebamba is gradually becoming a trekking destination - perhaps to rival Cusco or Huaraz, one day - as the region's remarkable archaeology reveals more fascinating ruins, set in stunning mountainous and jungle-covered locations, replete with flora and fauna.
The wonderful trek to Condor Lake is already well-known, although far from busy; and below are a selection of six further hikes that can be done, beginning in Leymebamba.
A good maxim when packing to go on holiday is 'half the luggage; twice the money'! Peru has plenty of shops, selling everything from Alpaca sweaters to camera batteries, and by spending in them, visitors are doing their bit to support the local economy.
Moreover, we once had a client arrive for a two-week holiday in Belize with just hand luggage ... and this was by choice, not at the whim of the airline. He had two shirts and would wash one, while he wore the other.
Nonetheless, Peru North understands that this is not the norm, and so please see our advice on what to bring. Northern Peru is a very diverse place, geographically, climatically and culturally, so there will be variations according to your exact destination. We will start with the essentials, and then suggest additions, according to the region or activity.
An hour by boat from Iquitos, up the River Nanay, lies the hamlet of Fray Martin de Porres, where, in 2010, Latitud Sur began a project to offer viable alternatives to the ecologically-damaging practices of charcoal production, single crop farming, and slash-and-burn agriculture.
In the 1970s, biologists began exploring the rainforest canopy, experimenting with tree-climbing gear, platforms, and even hot-air balloons to study little-known plants and animals which lived only in the tree-tops.
Now, for many visitors ascending into the canopy is a real highlight of their Amazon experience.
My first multi-day trek was on the Classic Inca Trail way back in 2000 while working as a Tour Leader … and I was immediately hooked. The scenery, the camaraderie, the archaeology and the sense of achievement upon arriving at the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu after four days’ hiking added up to a wonderful experience.
Now no longer a tour leader accompanying groups around Peru, the opportunity to go trekking in the spectacular Andes mountains have been much reduced. But, after years of longing, I finally completed the Salkantay Trek, one of the alternative routes to Machu Picchu, in July 2015.
Peru's immense bio-diversity means that it is a treasure chest of fruits and grains, the marvellous properties of which are only now beginning to be appreciated by Western scientists and consumers. Supermarkets are beginning to feature products containing quinoa and maca - two famous Incan superfoods from the Andes mountain region - for example.
Meanwhile, in the Amazon rain forest, nutrient-rich 'superfruits' have been nourishing and healing the indigenous population for centuries.
Of several working farms in the Cajamarca area, Granja Porcon, 30 km (19 miles) north west of the city of Cajamarca, stands out for providing visitors with good tours, a restaurant serving fresh, home-made meals, and comfortable accommodation.
Peru is well known for its diversity, with the much-quoted triumvirate of Coast (Pacific), Mountains (Andes) and Jungle (Amazon) only providing a hint at the number of distinct eco-systems within her borders. To get an intense feel for this diversity, Peru North can recommend making the drive from Tarapoto in the department of San Martin, to Chiclayo in Lambayeque, on Peru's northern coast. And who better to have at the wheel for a journey as intensely spectacular as this, in the company of one's parents, than a driver called 'Elvis'. (This was not a nickname.)
