Rioja, Lamas and Sauce: conservation and meditation destinations

To begin this trip, you have to leave, or better forget, your urban luggage. You have to get rid of the stress of the city and embrace lightness: swimwear, sunscreen and repellent will be your faithful companions.

The San Martín region has 10 provinces and 77 districts. To get there, the only airport is in Tarapoto, once that connection is fulfilled, The destinations to visit are endless and the routes are short.. In a time of two hours by car you can reach the capital: Moyobamba, the first city founded in the Amazon and also known as the home of orchids, due to the number of flowers of this type it has.

Before, large houses stood in the streets, with balconies and windows, but the earthquakes of the 90s destroyed that architecture. Now, in the square, the sculpture of an orchid welcomes you, and various murals of Amazonian folklore are reflected on the walls of the streets.

Along the way, travelers can see coffee, cocoa, rice and banana plantations, which are the main products grown and exported in the region.

Between flora and fauna

The first destination is the Santa Elena ecological reserve, a conservation area that has 2,200 hectares of forest and is located in the district of Posic, province of Rioja, just 40 minutes from Moyobamba.

For nature lovers, photography fans or simply curious about adventure, the experience is unique, almost cinematic: a boat tour to spot animals in their natural habitat, through the Romero River, with dense vegetation composed by abundant renaco trees and aguaje palms. On this expedition, up to six crew members, accompanied by two guides, will be able to see more than six species of monkeys, 12 species of snakes, 10 species of batrachians, and up to 308 species of birds. It is advisable to bring binoculars and arrive before 9 am to take advantage of the light.

Visitors can choose from three routes. The first lasts two hours; the second, four hours; and the third, six hours. The costs per group are approximately S/150, S/200 and S/250, respectively.

It is important to mention that 70% of the income obtained goes to the conservation of the area, while 30% goes to the guides. In addition, these routes are also used for weekly patrol activities in order to prevent deforestation and the indiscriminate capture of animals.

In the underground

Just 25 minutes away is the next destination: the Palestine Cave, in the province of Nuevo Cajamarca. Around 30 caves have been identified throughout the site and are currently being studied; However, so far, Palestine is the only one open to the public, a fossil treasure between 100 and 200 million years old.

To enter, they give you rubber boots and a helmet equipped with a flashlight, tools to navigate the place safely. María Bustamante, the route guide, urges visitors to leave their fears behind: “We find ourselves in the navel of our mother nature, one more home for us,” she says.

The tour lasts approximately an hour and a half, where travelers explore various underground chambers crossed by the waters of the Jordan River. Here you can see up close the formations of stalactites and stalagmites, stone rocks and some bats in their natural state.

The last area of ​​the cave is known as the ‘birthing room’, where walkers, upon leaving, are symbolically reborn, leaving behind all the accumulated negative energies, as María explains to us.

The approximate cost is S/30 per person, and it is recommended to attend before 5:00 pm Before leaving Palestine, you can also visit the butterfly garden in the same town, where you can learn about the metamorphosis of butterflies.

Tradition and castles

An hour away from Rioja, we moved to Lamas.

The first obligatory stop is the Waska Waska Warmi Warmi craft center or House of Working Women. Here, tradition and creativity mix in the skillful hands of more than 30 artisans, who exhibit their crafts.

In the first module we meet Gilber Yanos (45), who works with seeds, stones and beads to make bracelets, necklaces and earrings, which can be purchased from S/4 to S/25. His gaze lights up when he talks about the huairuros, the main seed in the area, and the one he always recommends tourists take because it protects and attracts money.

Moving on to the second module, we enter the world of cotton looms and fabrics. The artisans create straps and looms, at prices between S/20 and S/35.

In the third section, we come across Margarita Cachique (57) and her ceramics. Since she was a child, she has inherited the art of shaping clay and painting it with natural Yanarumi dyes. On its shelves you can find pots, glasses and chichera jars, and the value of the pieces starts at S/20.

A few steps later, we headed to the Chanka Museum. In this exhibition, you can learn about the origins of the original drink of ayahuasca and discover local myths, such as chullachaqui, tunchi or the runa mula.

A short distance away stands the Castle of The most. This building consists of six floors and is mainly built of rock. Its owner is Nicola Feliche Aquilano, an Italian who began construction in 2005. The rooms feature a collection of works of art, stained glass windows and sculptures, most of which have been made by the Amazonian artist Geenss Archenti.

blue walk

Sauce, about two hours from Tarapoto, is another must-see place. Its main attraction is Sauce Lake, popularly known as the blue lagoon. It adopts this name because it is a ‘water mirror’ that, on clear days, reflects the blue tones of the sky.

This entire district has become a haven for travelers, offering more than 40 hotels of all categories. Among them, the Bella Terra hotel stands out, the only 5-star hotel.

Just 20 minutes away, you can start your day of relaxation by attending the Don Grimaldo hot springs. Here, visitors are greeted with a whirlpool bath, followed by warm waters of 24 and 32 degrees. Then they can put on the natural black mud and immerse themselves in the hot springs, populated by hundreds of rufa claw fish of Arab origin, which gently rub against the bathing suits and are responsible for eliminating dead skin cells, providing a natural exfoliation.

Another tourist spot is the Groot waterfalls, which opened just five months ago. This is the new project of Santos Edmundo, a former military man and also the investor of the famous Mirador Punta del Gallinazo hand. Upon departure, you can enjoy exotic drinks prepared by Jorge Luis Macedo, an expert in tropical combinations.

However, this trip would not be complete without a visit to the Sauce Interpretation Center, where you can learn about the mysteries of the lake, its biodiversity and the importance of its preservation.

What are the best dishes to taste?

In Moyobamba, the main dish is juane de waspa, but you can also enjoy shirumbi beans, chicken inchicapi, tacacho with cured meat and kutacho. While in Lamas you can also taste humitas, tamales and different options of paiche, one of the most consumed fish.

One venture that stands out is the dishes at the Patarashca restaurant, whose owner, Elia García, along with her children, is promoting charcuterie made with this fish. This is a very healthy option and suitable for vegetarians. Currently, these dishes can be found on their menu, and they soon plan to start marketing them.

In the region you should also take the opportunity to buy coffee, such as Maquisapa and Oro Verde, and Orquídea brand chocolates.

Keys

Dates. In the San Martín region, the Ant Festival (October 27 to 29) and the Orchid (November 2 to 5).

Platform. Citizens can find out about offers and options on the website ¿Y tú qué plans?, promoted by Promperú.

The numbers

• 131 million dollars in products exported from San Martín to 43 country destinations.
• 51,000 dollars in cocoa exports, the main input that is sold the most abroad.
• 721,000 dollars in rice exports, which increased by 177% since 2022.