Tarapoto

Tarapoto sits with one foot in the misty jungles of the Amazon and the other on the rugged ridges of the low Andean foothills in Peru. The town itself is a commercial hub with unplanned urban growth and a smuggling problem, but its main draws lie outside. To the north-east, the Cordillera Escalera rises in a medley of waxy rainforests, and to the west the selva baja forests are a place of chirping hills and sylvan valleys. This geographical setting reveals natural treasures such as the cataracts of Ahuashiyacu, the El Sauce Lagoon and the waterfalls of Pucayaquillo, and tour guides from Tarapoto are fully equipped to offer trips to here and beyond. This “City of Palms’ in the San Martin province is hence a converging spot for hikers, gorge walkers, rafters, zip liners, kayakers, and all sorts of adventurers looking for a taste of the Peruvian tropics – particularly those who value the presence of a paved road back to reality.