Chaparrí Ecological Reserve

The Chaparrí Private Reserve is a protected area in Peru located within the jurisdiction of the district of Chongoyape, province of Chiclayo, department of Lambayeque, in northern Peru, with a surface area of 34,412 hectares.

It was established on December 19, 2001. It is the first private conservation area in Peru. It occupies part of the Chancay River basin. The area belongs to the Santa Catalina de Chongoyape rural community.

The reserve also takes its name from the majestic Cerro Chaparrí mountain, sacred to the Mochica culture. This sacredness remains true today — particularly among curanderos (traditional healers) from across the country.

Chaparrí is Peru’s first officially recognized Private Conservation Area (ACP). It is a model example of how the rural community that inhabits it makes good use of natural resources. Its primary objective is to restore and reintroduce endangered species in order to protect the dry forests and the species that inhabit them (including camelids such as guanacos, white-winged cresteds, bears, and deer). There are 223 bird species recorded in the reserve, the most notable being the Tumbes tyrant, the buff-bridled inca-finch, the emerald parrot, the white-winged guan, the hummingbird, and others.

Natural Reserve

Natural resources are the foundation of economic development here, and ecological reserves allow communities to generate greater income — including the self-directed society ACOTURCH, which organized itself to build a medical post staffed by a nurse and an obstetrician.

Chaparrí is also currently a scientific research center with projects dedicated to the dry forest ecosystem and the species that inhabit it.

It is a model reference for community-based conservation, as expressed by Heinz Plenge at Chaparrí Lodge: “All of this has been achieved simply by controlling the two great threats to conservation: habitat loss and illegal hunting.”

For these reasons, Chaparrí is considered a pioneer and model of conservation in Peru, widely recognized as one of the best places to protect dry forests and diverse wildlife.

Since its establishment, the Chaparrí Reserve has been committed to protecting the region’s valuable natural resources. It also works to protect the various endangered species that inhabit the area, such as the spectacled bear, the white-winged guan, and the Andean condor. The reserve also features medicinal plants, dry forests, and other species spread across this magical zone.

Chaparrí: Home of Endangered Species

Species such as the Spectacled Bear (Andean Bear), Andean Condor, and White-Winged Guan are the focus of conservation and reintroduction programs. The reserve also shelters coastal foxes, guanacos, collared peccaries, deer, pumas, king vultures, hummingbirds, reptiles, and more.

How to Get There

Lima - Lambayeque

Flight: approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Lambayeque - Chiclayo

Bus: approx. 30 minutes

Chiclayo - Chaparrí Reserve

Bus: approx. 2 hours

Hours

• Monday - Sunday: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM

• Approximate schedule

Admission Price

• General Admission S/10.00 soles

• Approximate price