Paraíso

Paraíso lies on the left bank of the Amazon. The village is home to a limestone bank of the Pebas Formation—a specific geological landmark for this riverside settlement. The limestone bank is in Paraíso; the Paraíso Natural Iwirati protected area and the ecological trails are in the municipality of Puerto Prado.

Protected Area and Nature Experiences

The private Paraíso Natural Iwirati protected area was recognised by Peru’s Ministry of the Environment in 2014. It covers 100 of a total of 522 hectares and is considered the first municipal private protected area in the Peruvian Amazon. Researchers and travellers visit the area to discover its biodiversity.

Ecological trails for sustainable tourism have been created in Puerto Prado. Along these trails, you can observe wild animals, including lion tamarins, Blue Jean poison frogs, fruit-eating bats and Isula ants (Paraponera clavata). The species range from mammals and frogs to ants, offering a variety of wildlife-watching experiences.

Pink river dolphins are also highlighted in the area as a nature experience for visitors; sightings may vary. Other natural highlights include the large floating leaves of the Victoria regia. Their visibility can change with the seasons. Wildlife watching and viewing the aquatic plants are therefore different experiences, with different conditions.

Community History and Plant Knowledge

Puerto Prado was founded in 1999 by families of the Kukama-Kukamiria people. They migrated from the Río Ucayali because they faced environmental pressures and a lack of access to basic services there. The community’s history adds a specific insight into its founding families’ experiences to the nature-related topics.

During a visit, a travelling group from the United States asked Dexter to explain the medicinal properties of the plants and trees found in the area.

Loop Route and Getting Around

Los Tesoros del Itaya is a two-day tourist loop in the Loreto region that includes Paraíso. Its stops are Iquitos, Paraíso, Peña Blanca, San Juan de Munich and Buena Esperanza. As a nature and science route, it includes observing palaeontological remains, landscapes and flora. This offers a broader travel perspective than the individual geological feature on the Amazon riverbank.

A road connects Nuevo Horizonte on the LO-103 to Paraíso. The Río Itaya is designated as the access and transport route for the Paraíso section of the loop. Access to the Paraíso Natural Iwirati area is also described as a Peque-Peque boat trip from the port of Nauta to Puerto Prado. The journey is said to take approximately 25 minutes; river and operating conditions may affect the travel time.

When planning your trip, you can weigh different interests: the geological landmark in Paraíso, wildlife watching on the trails in Puerto Prado, or the two-day loop with several stops. If you are looking for a holiday rental as a base, these differences can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Lagunas, Arica, Puritania, Puerto Pardo, Yarina, San Regis, Pucate, Francisco De Orellana

Back to the main travel overview: Loreto.