Atalaya, Ucayali, Perú

Atalaya is in the Peruvian Amazon.

Understand

Atalaya is a town in the Ucayali Region of Peru. Atalaya is 220 meters above sea level with temperatures ranging from 18°C to 37°C. The rainy season is between December and March. It is the capital of the Atalaya Province and the Raymondi District. Its sometimes referred to as Villa Atalaya or Puerto Atalaya. It is also known as La Esmeralda del Ucayali (The Emerald of Ucayali). Atalaya is on Rio Tambo about 1 km before the confluence of Rio Tambo and Rio Urubamba which form Rio Ucayali.

Get in

By plane

Should be able to find service through LATAM Air, probably through Lima.

By boat

From Pucallpa the trip takes 3 to 6 days depending on conditions.

Puerto Ocopa is around 35 km past Satipo and its possible to take a boat from Puerto Ocopa downstream on Rio Tambo, this is particularly useful in the wet season when the road can become impassable.

The slow boat (lancha) to Pucallpa leaves Monday mornings around 8AM, S/90 (Nov 2013).

By road

Bus or taxi from Satipo.

Bus from Lima to Puerto Ocopa (Lima - La Oroya - Tarma - La Merced - Satipo - Puerto Ocopa) - 12 hours, then by boat from Puerto Ocopa to Atalaya (5 hours).

From Lima you would probably be best to take a bus or train to Huancayo first or a bus from Lima to Tarma or La Merced then onwards to Satipo.

See

• Aguas Termales Unini. Small hot spring 60°C, sulphurous water. The area is surrounded by lush vegetation. 
• Cascada de Corintoni. 
• Colpa de Inuya. Clay containing high concentration of salts, which attracts large numbers of macaws. 
• Quebrada Canuja. Cold water springs. 
• Quebrada de Sapani. Gorge, several pools surrounded by lush vegetation and waterfalls. Also a native Ashaninka community. 

Do

An interesting activity is to navigate the river. This city is located at the confluence of two rivers. One coming from the highlands and is cold and brown, and the other is from the jungle and is green and warm. The waters don't mix and for miles you can see one river with two colors and temperatures.

Eat

• Chocolate & Pimienta, Jiron Purus Cuadra 7 Atalaya Peru, ☏ +51 993 341751. Clean, nicely appointed yet inexpensive high-quality meals. Menu changes to market availability. Prix fixe full-lunch with beverage S/. 9. Easily the best restaurant in Atalaya. (updated Nov 2018)

Sleep

• Hostal Peruanita (formerly Hostal Denis), Jiron Raimondi #144 (just off the Malecon facing Plaza 29de Mayo), ☏ +51 963610925, hacamposdiaz@gmail.com. This place is quiet day and night. The rooms 100 - 107 open onto a large garden adding green space (and fewer guests) to the mix. Water and juices available at market prices. Run by a friendly family. S/. 20 single. S/. 25 couple. (updated Nov 2018)

Go next

• Ivochote - Upstream (Rio Urubamba). Downstream from Kiteni, on Rio Urubamba. 7 to 9 hours by road to Quillabamba.
• Kiteni - Upstream (Rio Urubamba). Several days upstream, further than Sepahua. Travelling this section of Rio Urubamba in not advised during the wet season due to rapids, particularly the Pongo de Mainique considered the most dangerous whitewater pass on Rio Urubamba. Once you reach Kiteni you can travel by road onto Quillabamba and Machu Picchu.
• La Merced - Road.
• Pichanaki - Road.
• Pucallpa - Downstream (Rio Ucayali), 2 to 5 days depending on conditions.
• Puerto Ocopa - By road or by boat, upstream (Rio Tambo), less than 1 day.
• Satipo - Road.
• Sepahua - Upstream (Rio Urubamba), less than 1 day.