Nature & Wildlife Areas in Lima
THE 5 BEST Lima Nature & Wildlife Areas
Nature & Wildlife Areas in Lima
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Nature & Wildlife Areas
What travelers are saying
- mariedragonHuaraz, Peru335 contributionsWe came to Nor Yauyos Cochas Reserve from Huancayo, roughly a 4-hour drive (with many photo stops) to get to the village of Huancaya, located at the heart of the reserve. We decided to go on a tour and not public transport as we wanted to be able to make stops and photos along the way, which was totally worth it. The drive is now easier as the road is paved almost all the way, except from the turn off to Huancaya and Vilca. We crossed two high passes at 4600m and 4700m, the scenery along the way was spectacular with many lakes, llama herds, scenic villages (especially Tomas) and incredible Uchco Canyon. As soon as you enter the Nor Yauyos Cochas reserve you enter a magical land of towering canyons and never-ending waterfalls.
We visited the areas of Huancaya and Vilca, spending two nights in the small scenic village of Huancaya. The only thing that lets the area down is the lack of proper accommodation, if we had found something comfortable we would certainly have stayed longer, unfortunately given my fragile back and awful mattresses, this was not an option.
We came on a week day when the area is deserted. I would not recommend coming at weekends and certainly not during national holidays as the area apparently gets jam packed with Peruvian tourists.
Strangely there is no entrance fee to enter the actual reserve, but you have to pay S/10 soles in Huancaya and another S/10 soles in Vilca. Both control points were closed though when we visited as there were virtually no other tourists around.
To get to Lima from Huancaya you first have to take a car/combi to Magdalena (1h30 of driving along magnificent scenery within a narrow canyon), which leaves between 6 and 7am, then another combi to Cañete (2h30 of hair-raising driving along the beautiful Cañete river). Apparently there are sometimes direct buses from Lima to Magdalena. From Cañete it is a 2-hour drive to Lima, many buses offer the journey.
The Nor Yauyos Cochas Reserve, despite being little-known to foreign tourists (as it is barely mentioned in most guidebooks) offers unique, magnificent scenery, which easily rivals that of any more famous sites in Peru. The scenery is truly spectacular and surprisingly varied from endless rows of cascades, to deep turquoise trout-filled lakes, huge canyons and quaint villages.
The boat ride on Lake Huallhua is definitely worth it, as well as the incredibly beautiful hike from there back to Huancaya (the opposite shore from the jetty is best).
Another highlight is the drive from Huancaya to Vilca, where the vastness of the landscape takes another dimension.
In the small village of Vilca you will find a series of cascades and some great viewpoints.Written October 29, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - ArmandoVancouver, Canada223 contributionsHaving in mind that Peruvian seaside is a desert, “Pantanos de Villa” is a unique site with ponds and rare species of flora and fauna where you can identify, at least, ten different species of birds. The visit wouldn’t take more than two hours but, if you have more time available you can go to the wetland located at the shore and find more species.
It worths visiting the site every season of the year, since many birds are migratory they came from all over. Some of them came from distant places, as far as Canada.Written August 30, 2021This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - teresa3000Pennsylvania2,780 contributionsLocated in Quebrada Verde. Close to Pachacamac ruins. It opens from 8a.m-2p.m Entrance fee S/.5.50. I did not get a map when I paid the fee but the man who collected the tickets when you start the walk gave me one. There are some places to park your vehicle. I got there on a Saturday morning around 8:30a.m. There are some buildings that look like a visitor center but they were closed when we arrived. There are bathrooms for men and women but they needed to be cleaned. There was no toilet paper and no running water. There are no restaurants in Quebrada Verde. It was a beautiful warm day when I was there, I walked for about 30 minutes one way; the man at the entrance told me that the walk last 3 hours. It is great for pictures and I enjoyed my visit. We did not see many people there. We say the cows feeding on the green field. It felt so good to be connected with nature. Paths have signs. I would like this place to have clean facilities for visitors, it is about 1.30 hours for Lima and visitors need to use the bathroom and it has to be clean.
The staff was friendly, the man at the entrance was very courteous and willing to answer questions.Written December 8, 2015This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
