Chaparrí is the first Private Conservation Area (ACP) recognized in Peru. It is an example of the proper use of natural resources by the peasant community that inhabits it.
Its objective is to preserve the dry forests and the rich biodiversity of the area. It houses important species in danger of extinction such as the spectacled bear, the guanaco, the white-winged guan and the Andean condor. The following routes can be made:
Route of the Huachuma (also known as the San Pedro cactus): during the route the conservation of the medicinal properties of the local flora is motivated. There are 122 varieties among which rosewood, huatalco and pasallo stand out. Ruta de las Pavas y del Oso: in addition to seeing specimens of both species, you can also see the coastal fox. On this route there are endemic species in danger of extinction such as the White-headed Scrub, the Tumbes Woodpecker, the Gray and White Flycatcher, the Red-headed Parakeet, the White-tailed Wren, the White-tailed Magpie, and hummingbirds.
Chaparrí is the first ACP in Peru and is led by the Muchik Santa Catalina de Chongoyape Peasant Community. It is the best place in Peru to get up close to spectacled bears (a portion of their population in Chaparrí lives in semi-captivity) and also white-winged guans. Here you can see foxes, rodents, hummingbirds and even condors. Walk the interpretive trail inside the forest and don't miss the opportunity to visit the adobe pyramids near the area and the petroglyphs of Cerro Mulato.
This nature reserve is a real treasure for bird watchers and wildlife lovers. You will probably see a magnificent condor, a royal vulture, the solitary eagle, the peregrine falcon, the Peruvian owl, the huanchaco (red chest) and the vermilion flycatcher. Among the mammals, in addition to the coastal fox, a wild cat, a puma, a white-tailed deer and the white-naped squirrel. Among the reptiles, the boa or macanche and the green iguana or pacaso stand out.
For more than a century, the white-winged guan has been considered extinct. Suddenly a specimen appeared in this nature reserve and a whole conservation program was carried out to make it reproduce. Currently, there are more than 300 specimens of this bird with brilliant plumage, very noisy, which lives among the trees and was tirelessly hunted until it almost disappeared.
The Chaparrí Ecological Reserve extends over 34,000 hectares of dry forests, where the Mochica culture was settled. It is the first private conservation area in Peru, which belongs to the Santa Catalina de Chongoyape peasant community and is directed by specialist Heinz Plenge. More than 282 species of birds live here, 14 mammals, among which the spectacled bears stand out, as well as 23 types of reptiles, 5 amphibians, countless fish and a fauna of incalculable wealth.
Just 60 kilometers from the city of Chiclayo, it can be visited, but with extreme care for nature. For lovers of exploring natural landscapes, two of its routes are well known: the so-called Huachuma or San Pedro Cactus, famous for its beautiful landscapes and the amount of medicinal plants in the area.
The second route is known as the one of the turkeys and bears that will take you to observe these magnificent animals in their natural habitat, and you will surely come across other species such as deer and coastal foxes. Other activities to do here are mountain biking, trekking and photography.
Visiting hours are between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and to access you have to be with the company of a local guide who belongs to the community. Remember that although it is a destination to visit all year round, the rains are from October to April.
In this area you can travel the route of the turkeys, the huachuma and the spectacled bear; only scholars or scientists who want to know how this species reproduces have access to the guan route.
Route of the Huachuma (also known as the San Pedro cactus): during the route the conservation of the medicinal properties of the local flora is motivated. There are 122 varieties among which rosewood, huatalco and pasallo stand out.
Route of the turkeys and the spectacled bear: in addition to seeing specimens of both species, you can also see the coastal fox. On this route there are endemic species in danger of extinction such as the White-headed Scrub, the Tumbes Woodpecker, the Gray and White Flycatcher, the Red-headed Parakeet, the White-tailed Wren, the White-tailed Magpie, and hummingbirds.
Chaparri is located between Lambayeque and Cajamarca. It is an hour and a half from Chiclayo to Chongoyape. Then it's 16 kilometers to the ACP. The road is not easy, so you need to coordinate your arrival in advance.
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
