At the Plaza Principal de Chontabamba stands an obelisk with a waterfall in the middle and an image of Christ at the top. The Iglesia de San Pedro de Chontabamba is right on the plaza. Built of wood in 1988, the church preserves the region’s architectural style. The plaza also has a wider regional connection: it lies within the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yánesha Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO in June 2010. The townscape, construction style, and connection to the protected area together shape Chontabamba’s cultural setting.
Townscape and Cultural Traces
Religious or patron-saint activities take place at the Iglesia de San Pedro. If you would like to plan your trip around such an occasion, check the dates in advance. In the district of Chontabamba, the Museo Vintage Años Dorados adds to the picture of architectural history: this wooden house museum is built in the typical Tyrolean style and displays collections from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The church and museum offer different points of interest—regional architecture in one case, and a house museum with collections from three decades in the other.
Yanesha Culture and Landscape
Parque Temático El Wakon offers guided walks interpreting 32 examples of Yanesha iconography. Explanations explore the emotional and cultural symbolism of the images, and traditional dances round out the experience. Iconography, its meanings, and dance thus offer different ways to engage with the cultural theme.
The landscape also reveals different sides. Fundo Margarita covers 23 hectares, has been operating since 1996, and features humid forest with native trees and orchids. Mirador La Florida offers views of the Chontabamba Valley, the landscape, and the city of Oxapampa. Access and facilities still have room for improvement. Tunqui Cueva is in the district of Chontabamba, about five kilometers from Oxapampa. This humid limestone cave features numerous stalactites and a figure known as La Bruja. The forest, viewpoint, and cave formations each offer a different focus.
Guided Activities and Planning Your Time
In the associated community, a guided tour lasting about 13 minutes takes visitors through the interior of Casa al Revés. Staff assist visitors with taking photos and videos. Allow about three and a half hours for guided environmental interpretation hikes in the Bosque de Churumazú private nature reserve. If you plan to take this hike, it is advisable to check availability in advance.
The two experiences differ considerably in the time they require: about 13 minutes for the house tour, compared with around three and a half hours for the hike. Visitors can also watch sugarcane derivatives being processed, including the grinding in a hydraulically powered trapiche and the subsequent distillation. A short visit, a longer guided nature activity, and an insight into a production process thus cater to different travel interests.
Getting Around Between the Plaza and the Viewpoint
The distance from Puente Suárez to the Plaza Principal de Chontabamba is nine kilometers; the drive by private car takes about 13 minutes. Reaching Mirador La Florida involves a 400-meter route and about a five-minute drive by private car. Both travel times refer to journeys by private car, but to different destinations.
When looking for a hotel in Chontabamba, it may help to first decide what your trip will focus on: the townscape and architectural history, Yanesha culture, or nature experiences that require different amounts of time. This can help you weigh these themes as you plan how to spend your available travel days.
For the broader travel overview: Pasco.
