Protected Natural Areas
Gifted with exceptional beauty, the Peruvian parks, including the Huascarán National Park, declared a Natural Heritage of Humanity, offer a large variety of flora and fauna, glaciers, stunning lagoons and peaks that are among the tallest in the world and attract mountain climbers from all corners of the globe. Other parks have been created to conduct conservation work and protect endangered species, with its rainforests providing ideal conditions for such activities.
The objective of the National Service of Areas Protected by the State (SERNANP) is to conserve the biological diversity of Peru (flora, fauna and scenery). In these areas it is possible to develop sustainable and diversified tourism that has a minimum negative impact: an activity that also generates income to go towards appropriate local conservation work.
And, of course, there is the unbelievable jewel of Machu Picchu, declared a natural and cultural World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which reveals the ancient Inca civilization to us. This is the most protected and visited natural area in Peru, offering us extensive biological diversity due to its microclimates.
These areas can be divided into various categories of use: parks, reserves, national sanctuaries, historic sanctuaries, restricted areas, hunting grounds, protected forests, communal reserves, scenic reserves and wildlife habitat.
Huascarán National Park |
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| The Huascarán National Park is a Natural Heritage to Humanity, due to its exceptional beauty formed by the Cordillera Blanca and intense turquoise lagoons formed by glaciers, as well as a large variety of Andean flora and fauna. | |
Pacaya Samiria National Reserve |
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| The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (RNPS) stretches over Loreto, Requena, High Amazon and Ucayali provinces in Loreto department. | |
Manu National Park |
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| The park protects one of the most important regions on the planet in terms of the megadiversity of its biological species. | |
Paracas National Park |
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| The Paracas National Park (RNP) is one of two Protected Natural Areas (ANP) that preserves samples representing Peru’s coastal marine ecosystems. | |
Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary |
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| The Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary (SMH) is Peru’s most visited natural protected area. Declared a Natural and Cultural Heritage to Humanity, the sanctuary protects archaeological complexes, as well as ecosystems with a wide diversity of flora and fauna, some of which is considered to be endangered. | |
The Titicaca National Reserve (RNTC) |
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| The Titicaca National Reserve (RNTC) is located in the continental waters of Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world, located next to Puno and Huancané provinces in Puno department, at an average height of 3,810 meters (12,500 feet) above sea level. It stretches over 36,180 hectares (89,400 acres). | |
Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve |
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| The Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve (RPNYC) is located in the high and middle basin of the Cañete River and in the Cochas Pachacayo basin. | |
Huayllay National Sanctuary |
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| The Huayllay National Sanctuary is located in Peru’s central Andes (Pasco region) between 4,100 – 4,546 meters (13,450 – 14915 feet) above sea level. | |
Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve |
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| The Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve is located between Arequipa and Moquegua departments, in the provinces of Arequipa, Caylloma and General Sánchez, in the volcanic mountain range. | |
Pómac Forest Historic Sanctuary |
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| The Pómac Forest Historic Sanctuary is located in Pítipo district, Ferreñafe province, Lambayeque department, on the north coast (close to Chiclayo). | |
Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary |
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| The Manglares de Tumbes National Sanctuary is located on Peru’s north-east coast, in Zarumilla province and district, Tumbes department, on the border with Ecuador. | |
Tambopata National Reserve |
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| The reserve stretches over 247,690 hectares ( 612,055 acres) and is located in Madre de Dios department, Tambopata province. | |
Chaparrí Private Conservation Area |
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| Chaparrí is the first recognized Private Conservation Area (ACP) of Peru. It is an example of how the rural community that inhabits the area can make the best use of the natural resources. It is located in the Chongoyape district, 60 km (37 miles) east of Chiclayo province, Lambayeque department. | |
Others |
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| Peru has a total of 74 natural areas or conservation zones, which comprise approximately 14.04% of the country’s landmass (19,559,626,460 hectars) and make up the National System of Natural Protected Areas that are maintained by the government (SINANPE). The country also has 15 national protected areas of regional conservation and 46 national protected areas of private conservation. |
