The Tingo María National Park is located in the Huánuco region and occupies an average of 4,777 hectares that rise approximately 600 meters above sea level. This area has been considered a National Park since 1965, being one of the oldest protected areas in the country.
The Tingo María National Park is important because of the biological diversity that it comprises and among which can be found at the level of fauna an approximate of 38 different species of birds, in addition to 36 mammals, 9 kinds of fish and 21 species of batrachians and reptiles.
Regarding the birds of this place, it is worth mentioning species such as the guácharo, which is also known as a cave bird or an oily bird. Along with the cock of the rocks, a bird that is in danger of extinction, in addition to the jungle condor also known as the king buzzard or king of the gallinazos (among other names); Likewise, there is the hillock also called watchmaker or barranquero, or silly bird, which reaches a height of 48 cm and which can be recognized by a voluminous head on whose crown a blue band is demarcated; other typical birds of this park are the macaws and parrots.
The mammals that predominate in the National Park and that can be seen during visits to it are: the three-toed sloth, in addition to the marc, the opossum, the puffin, the pichico, the red friar and others. Along with fish among which the carachama, the catfish, the huasaco, the súngaro and others stand out.
The flora of the Tingo María National Park is also important for itself and for the role it plays in the conservation of the different species of animals that inhabit the area. The flora species recognized in the place add up to a total of 144, among which there are various kinds of orchids, as well as ferns and large begonias, along with trees such as tall cedar; the huasaí, which is a kind of palm tree, also the bolaina. Plants that are important for their medicinal character also inhabit the area, such as cat’s claw, used both by indigenous populations and by international medicine.
Part of the beauty of the Tingo María National Park, in addition to the abundant animal and plant life that exists, is due to the rock formations that it presents and that, in its surrounding mountains, form the profile of a reclining lady so this is It gives the name of «Sleeping Beauty» and it is one of the tourist attractions inside the Park. Other attractions that Tingo María presents are the Cuevas de las Pavas, where you can also see a well known, due to its shape, with the name of «the goddess of water.» Another key point is La Cueva de las Lechuzas, which represents an income The underground routes of caverns and rivers, among many other attractions, more than in conjunction with the animal and plant life of the park, will make a visit to this area an unforgettable experience, both for recreational purposes and for research or observation.
Weather
The rainy season is from October to April, so access is limited at that time due to the difficulties of visiting certain parts of the park. The annual average temperature is 24.5 ° C.
Observation of flora and fauna
In the Tingo María National Park you can see a great variety of birds. The presence of 178 species is estimated. The cock of the rocks (Rupicola peruviana), the guacharos, various species of parrots, woodpeckers, toucans among other birds stand out. You can also see the jungle condor (Sarcoramphus papa) and the watchmaker (Momotus momota). The most important places to observe birds are: the Tres de Mayo tourist circuit and the Cueva de las Lechuzas.
Among the mammals the presence of the sachavaca (Tapirus terrestris), the red deer (Mazama americana), the sajino (Tayassu tajacu), the tigrillo (Leopardus pardalis), the puffin (Saimiri boliviensis) and the common pichico (Saguinus fuscicollis) is reported).
You can also see a large number of butterflies (Peru ranks first in the world in terms of the number of described species, according to many specialists)
The flora present is typical of the high jungle, characterized by the presence of very humid forests covered by mist in the upper parts and above 1,800 meters above sea level. In many places, the forest becomes small and the trees are covered with plants, mosses and lichens due to the humidity.
The most precious trees that the Tingo María National Park protects are: the red cedar, the screw, the moena and the white wood. The most abundant species are the cumala, the white requia, the moena and the sapotillo. In the lower parts, tree ferns and platanillos are common. The presence of various medicinal plants and orchids has also been recorded, with the best time to visit them being that between the months of June to December.
Attractions of the Tingo María National Park
The Sleeping Beauty mountain range
It is also called “Sleeping Beauty Mountain Range” or Puma Ringri, a name in Quechua that means “puma ear”. It is located exactly in the Mariano Dámaso district, about 690 meters above sea level. The climate is hot and humid most of the year, with minimum temperatures of 18 degrees and maximum of 29. The mountains there can reach 1800 meters in height.
The origin of its unique name is due to the fact that the chain of mountains forms what appears to be the silhouette of a woman lying on the ground, as if she were asleep. The trekking routes to explore this attraction include leafy paths that skirt the mountains, which are covered with extensive vegetation because they are part of the high jungle region of the country.
The Cave of the Owls
This tourist destination is located 6.5 kilometers from the city of Tingo María, near the Cordillera de la Bella Durmiente. If you are a lover of the strangest things that nature can offer you, this is a destination for you. It is a gigantic cave formed by limestone, which is home to a large colony of birds, reptiles, insects and bats. But don’t worry, they are all harmless as long as you don’t get too close.
To the surprise of many travelers, there is no owl there. The attraction is known as Cueva de las Lechuzas due to a misunderstanding of the locals. They thought that the guácharo, king of the cave, was an owl. It is actually another species of night bird that has formed large colonies in this grotto. Like bats, it uses an echolocation system to feed and move. It is brown with black and white spots, reaches about 50 cm and feeds on the fruits and seeds of the yutubanco palms.
Tres de Mayo tourist circuit
This route was inaugurated in 2015 by PromPerú and the local municipalities. It is a tourist circuit located inside the Tingo María National Park. It provides notoriety to local communities through experiential tourism. In addition to visiting the park, travelers can come into contact with the residents. You can also enjoy the typical gastronomy with the dishes they offer.
The objective of this circuit is to stimulate local tourism in the Tres de Mayo village. As we mentioned, the sale of food in these villages is one of the main activities and promoters of experiential tourism. There you can enjoy typical dishes of the jungle.
How to get?
To visit this park you can start from the city of Huánuco. From Lima the bus ticket costs about 50 soles, while the trip takes 10 hours on average.
You can also start from the city of Tingo María, known as the “Gateway to the Peruvian Amazon”. The ticket to arrive by bus costs 40 soles and the journey time is 13 hours. This city is located in the department of Huánuco.
Tourist routes
Cueva de las Lechuzas tourist circuit:
The Cueva de las Lechuzas, located 6.5 km from the city of Tingo María, is a cavern stratified in 6 rooms with stalactites and stalagmites slowly formed over thousands of years. These present whimsical shapes that resemble natural sculptures, which make visitors’ imagination fly. The cave is home to an important colony of guacharos (Steatornis caripensis), bats and insects.
Tres de Mayo tourist circuit:
The circuit is located south of the PNTM and 14 km from the city of Tingo María. To get there you must take the highway to Huanuco in a 20-minute trip by car. During the tour you can observe insects (butterflies, coleopterans), birds, medicinal, forest and ornamental plants. You can also see beautiful waterfalls such as Gloria Pata and Sol Naciente.
Other activities
The Tres de Mayo route extends for about 5 kilometers and begins in the Tres de Mayo farmhouse. On the way you will enjoy waterfalls such as the Angel Falls, Gloriapata and the Rising Sun. Birdwatching or bird watching is one of the main activities on the way. Also, if you coordinate with your tourist agency, you can set up camps on the route. You can also rent the bamboo bungalows that are located at the checkpoints along the way. Everything must have the respective permit from the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp).
If you travel to Perú, we also recommend you to visit another impressive destinations in the city of Cusco like the tour to rainbow mountain peru or the humantay lake tour from cusco, which only takes one day. But if you are gonna to stay more days in Cusco, other archaeological places you can know will be the choquequirao trek peru, the salkantay trek to machu picchu, and the classic inca trail 4 days 3 nights.
