The Tamshiyacu–Tahuayo Communal Reserve is one of the Amazon’s most remarkable protected areas—an immense stretch of pristine rainforest located south of Iquitos, celebrated for its extraordinary biodiversity and its strong model of community-based conservation. Created to safeguard both wildlife and the ancestral territories of local communities, the reserve stands as a living example of how humans and nature can thrive together.
This vast ecosystem is home to one of the highest densities of wildlife anywhere in the Peruvian Amazon. Its forests shelter rare and iconic species such as the red uakari monkey, giant river otters, black caimans, pink and gray river dolphins, tamarins, sloths, colorful macaws, and countless reptiles, amphibians, and insects. The reserve’s flooded forests, palm swamps, and winding tributaries create habitats that support an astonishing diversity of life.
What sets Tamshiyacu–Tahuayo apart is its strong cultural foundation. Local communities work hand-in-hand with conservation organizations to protect the forest, monitor wildlife, and manage sustainable tourism. Travelers visiting the reserve have the unique opportunity to witness this collaborative conservation model while experiencing the rainforest in its most authentic and untouched form.
Adventures here are unforgettable. Canoeing through quiet blackwater streams, hiking deep jungle trails, observing monkeys in their natural habitat, or listening to the symphony of insects at dusk—each moment reminds visitors of the Amazon’s immense beauty and fragility. The reserve is also known for spectacular night safaris, offering chances to spot caimans, frogs, nocturnal birds, and glowing insects under the starlit canopy.
For those seeking real immersion into the Amazon—wildlife, conservation, community, and pristine nature—the Tamshiyacu–Tahuayo Communal Reserve is one of the most rewarding destinations in all of Loreto.
