Rio Abiseo National Park Travel Guide
Travel to Rio Abiseo National Park - Protected natural and archaeological treasures
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In the deepest reaches of the region of San Martín are natural and archaeological treasures so precious they are off-limits to all visitors without special permits issued by the Peruvian government.
The Rio Abiseo National Park, created in 1987 and designated a UNESCO Reserve and Heritage site in 1990, is the location of a series of ancient Chachapoyan archaeological sites that have been lost for centuries, including the incredible Gran Pajaten. The park is also home to seven distinct and incredibly biodiverse ecosystems ranging from high altitude cloud forests to dense Amazon jungle, with many endangered species.
Río Abiseo National Park is off limits to tourists for a reason. In most remote San Martín, this inaccessible area hides natural and archaeological treasures so precious that they have an extremely high level of protection.
Dozens of archaeological sites belonging to the mysterious Chachapoyas cloud people have been found here, including the monumental ruins of Gran Pajáten. This gigantic hilltop complex, discovered by explorer Gene Savoy in 1965, is of such tremendous scale it can only be compared, in the Americas, with the most impressive of Mayan pyramids. Covering more than 20km2, as large as many modern cities, the site has numerous circular buildings, grand terraces and walls covered with motifs similar to those at the civilisation's other major site, Kuélap. Tests show it was occupied from around 200B.C. but much of what you now see was built in the era of the Incas.
Now completely off-limits, Gran Pajáten is very fragile. Early archaeological work by the Peruvian government in the 60's, in which they removed the dense vegetation covering the site, left the buildings in a weakened state.
The biodiversity of the park is also extremely impressive. Río Abiseo is home to seven distinct and incredibly biodiverse ecosystems ranging from high altitude cloud forests at 4000m.a.s.l. to dense Amazon jungle at 350m.a.s.l.
As well as 1,000 species of plant life, the park is home to the Spectacled Bear, many rare monkeys, jaguars and many threatened parrot species.
Note that armed guards currently patrol the Rio Abiseo National Park, which is completely off-limits to visitors.
Attractions in Rio Abiseo National Park
This area is off limits to all but the most qualified scientists. It is not possible to visit the Rio Abiseo National Park.
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