Tarapoto to Yurimaguas travel guide

The journey from Tarapoto to Tingo María is not advisable. In the rainy season the roads are impossible and it is a coca-growing area. From Tarapoto it is 129 km to Yurimaguas on the Río Huallaga . The spectacular road can be very bad in the wet season, taking six to eight hours for trucks; paving has been promised by the government. From Tarapoto, the road climbs through lush country passing the Ahuashiyacu Falls to a tunnel. Stop at the police control for birdwatching, mototaxi US$5. From here the road descends through beautiful forest perched on rocky cliffs to Pongo de Caynarachi (several basic comedores), where the flats start and the road widens and improves. It is not advisable to take the road to Yurimaguas very early in the morning or in the evening as hold-ups may occur. Shapaja is the port for Tarapoto, 14 km from town, served by colectivos. At Shapaja cargo boats can be caught to Yurimaguas. There’s plenty of birdlife and river traffic to be seen. From Yurimaguas on the Río Huallaga, launches go to Iquitos.