Perou Decouverte
Perou Decouverte
To preserve its exceptional natural heritage, Peru has created a vast network of 295 protected areas covering 30,316,430 hectares. This comprehensive system extends from the Pacific coast to the Amazon rainforest, including the high Andean peaks.
• National Protected Areas (NPAs): 78 areas (25,960,385 ha = 25.89% of the territory)
• Regional Conservation Areas (RCAs): 36 areas (3,967,814 ha)
• Private Conservation Areas (PCAs): 181 areas (414,135 ha)
Protection Performance: 18.33% of the terrestrial territory (23,557,633 ha) and 7.89% of the marine territory (6,758,798 ha) are preserved.
Discover the National System of Protected Areas (SINANPE), its different categories, and the biodiversity jewels they shelter.
| Category | Number | Area (ha) |
|---|---|---|
| National Parks | 15 | 10,394,644.34 |
| National Reserves | 18 | 11,044,283.97 |
| National Sanctuaries | 9 | 317,366.47 |
| Historical Sanctuaries | 4 | 41,279.38 |
| Landscape Reserves | 2 | 711,818.48 |
| Wildlife Refuges | 3 | 20,775.11 |
| Communal Reserves | 11 | 2,327,192.85 |
| Protection Forests | 6 | 389,986.99 |
| Hunting Concessions | 2 | 124,735.00 |
| Reserved Zones | 8 | 588,302.67 |
| TOTAL NATIONAL PROTECTED AREAS | 78 | 25,960,385.26 |
Peru's 15 national parks represent the strictest category of protection, preserving intact ecosystems across 10.4 million hectares, or over 10% of the national territory.
Regions: Cusco & Madre de Dios
Area: 1,716,295.22 ha
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is one of the richest in biodiversity globally.
Region: Ancash
Area: 340,000.00 ha
Protects the planet's highest tropical peaks in the Cordillera Blanca.
Regions: Ucayali & Madre de Dios
Area: 2,510,694.41 ha
Peru's largest national park, a sanctuary for indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation.
Regions: San Martín, Loreto, Ucayali & Huánuco
Area: 1,353,190.85 ha
Cloud forest harboring endemic species and spectacular mountainous landscapes.
Regions: Tumbes & Piura
Area: 152,045.13 ha
Peru's unique equatorial dry forest, a refuge for species adapted to arid conditions.
Regions: Madre de Dios & Puno
Area: 1,091,416.00 ha
Tropical savannas and humid forests sheltering exceptional wildlife on the Bolivian border.
Regions: Loreto & Ucayali
Area: 1,354,485.10 ha
Isolated "Mountain of Sorcerers" harboring unique species and indigenous communities.
Region: Loreto
Area: 868,927.84 ha
Preserved Amazon rainforest with rich aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity.
Regions: Junín & Cusco
Area: 305,973.05 ha
Spectacular canyon and cloud forests in the Vraem region.
Region: Pasco
Area: 122,000.00 ha
Protection forest on the Andean slopes with a great diversity of orchids.
Region: San Martín
Area: 274,520.00 ha
Mixed archaeological and natural site classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Region: Loreto
Area: 203,628.51 ha
Border area with Colombia and Ecuador protecting cross-border ecosystems.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 88,477.00 ha
Unique mountain forest ecosystem shared with Ecuador.
Region: Huánuco
Area: 4,777.00 ha
Famous for its "Cueva de las Lechuzas" (Owl's Cave) and impressive karst formations.
Region: Cajamarca
Area: 8,214.23 ha
Peru's first national park, housing caves and unique Andean biodiversity.
The 18 National Reserves allow for the conservation of biodiversity while authorizing the sustainable use of resources by local populations, covering 11 million hectares.
Region: Loreto
Area: 2,080,000.00 ha
Peru's largest national reserve, a flooded "mirror forest" sheltering pink dolphins and aquatic fauna.
Region: Ica
Area: 335,000.00 ha
Unique coastal-marine reserve protecting desert ecosystems and rich marine zones.
Region: Ayacucho
Area: 6,500.00 ha
Sanctuary of the vicuña, emblem of Andean camelid conservation.
Region: Madre de Dios
Area: 274,690.00 ha
Amazonian biodiversity hotspot with the famous clay licks (collpas).
Regions: Arequipa & Moquegua
Area: 366,936.00 ha
Andean high plateaus harboring flamingos and vicuñas around the Misti and Chachani volcanoes.
Region: Pacific Ocean
Area: 62,392.57 ha
First purely pelagic marine reserve, protecting seamounts and migratory species.
Regions: Coastal
Area: 140,833.47 ha
22 coastal points protecting guano bird colonies and sea lions.
Region: Loreto
Area: 58,069.90 ha
Unique white-sand forests harboring exceptional avifauna and endemic species.
Region: Loreto
Area: 420,635.34 ha
Territory of the Matsés people preserving their traditional knowledge and the Amazon rainforest.
Regions: Junín & Pasco
Area: 53,000.00 ha
The world's highest navigable lake, habitat for aquatic birds and the Junín Grebe.
Region: Lima
Area: 5,070.00 ha
Fog oasis in the coastal desert, an explosion of life during the mist season.
Region: La Libertad
Area: 64,000.00 ha
Sanctuary for the guanaco and ecosystems of the equatorial dry forest.
Region: Puno
Area: 36,180.00 ha
The world's highest navigable lake, cradle of Andean cultures and unique lake ecosystem.
Region: Ica
Area: 154,716.37 ha
Bay harboring sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and seabirds in a desert ecosystem.
Region: Loreto
Area: 637,953.83 ha
Flooded forests and Amazonian terraces harboring biological megadiversity.
Region: Cajamarca
Area: 32,124.87 ha
Cloud forests of the Northern Andes, a crucial biological corridor.
Region: Tumbes
Area: 19,266.72 ha
Tumbes ecoregion unique to Peru, dry tropical forest harboring the Tumbes crocodile.
Region: Piura
Area: 36,550.70 ha
The most recently created reserve, protecting the Sechura Desert ecosystem and its wild coast.
The 13 sanctuaries (9 national and 4 historical) protect sites of exceptional importance for their unique habitat, remarkable fauna, or cultural and historical value.
Region: Cusco
Area: 32,592.00 ha
Inca archaeological gem and Andean biodiversity reserve, a UNESCO mixed heritage site.
Region: Tumbes
Area: 2,972.00 ha
Peru's only mangrove forest, a crucial ecosystem for crustaceans and seabirds.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 39,215.80 ha
Cloud forests harboring the spectacled bear and threatened endemic species.
Region: Cusco
Area: 215,868.96 ha
"Sacred Mountain" protecting peoples in voluntary isolation and unique biodiversity.
Region: Lambayeque
Area: 5,887.38 ha
Dry forest housing pre-Inca pyramids of the Sicán culture and ancient algarrobo trees.
Region: Arequipa
Area: 690.60 ha
Crucial coastal wetland for migratory birds in the world's driest desert.
Region: Junín
Area: 11,543.74 ha
Preserved cloud forest housing centenary cedar trees and diverse Andean fauna.
Region: Junín
Area: 2,500.00 ha
Historical site of the Battle of Junín and a preserved puna ecosystem.
Region: Cajamarca
Area: 32,124.87 ha
Peru's northernmost páramo ecosystem, habitat of the mountain tapir.
Region: Pasco
Area: 6,815.00 ha
"Stone Forest" with spectacular rock formations and adapted Andean flora.
Region: Ayacucho
Area: 300.00 ha
Historical site of the Battle of Ayacucho and a representative puna ecosystem.
Region: Apurímac
Area: 3,635.50 ha
Glacier and intipata forest harboring the emblematic intimpa tree and the spectacled bear.
Region: La Libertad
Area: 4,500.00 ha
Queñual forests and habitat of the Andean condor in the Northern highlands.
The 11 communal reserves represent an innovative co-management model where indigenous communities actively participate in the conservation of their traditional territories, covering 2.3 million hectares.
Regions: Cusco & Junín
Area: 218,905.63 ha
Co-management model with the Harakmbut, Yine, and Machiguenga communities, a crucial biological corridor.
Regions: Huánuco, Pasco & Ucayali
Area: 616,413.41 ha
Isolated mountain harboring endemic species and protecting Amazonian river basins.
Region: Madre de Dios
Area: 402,335.62 ha
Territory of the Machiguenga people preserving their ancestral knowledge and the tropical forest.
Regions: Ucayali & Madre de Dios
Area: 202,033.21 ha
Border area with Brazil protecting peoples in voluntary isolation and primary forest.
Region: Pasco
Area: 34,744.70 ha
Peru's first communal reserve, ancestral territory of the Yanesha people.
Regions: Junín & Cusco
Area: 184,468.38 ha
Territory of the Ashaninka people in the Ene River Valley, a protection forest on the Andean slopes.
Region: Loreto
Area: 247,887.59 ha
Territory of the Secoya people preserving their traditions and the northern Amazon rainforest.
Region: Loreto
Area: 141,234.46 ha
Amazonian wetland co-managed with the Kichwa communities for aquatic conservation.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 94,967.68 ha
Territory of the Awajún people preserving the tropical forest of the Andean foothills.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 23,597.76 ha
Territory of the Awajún people protecting headwaters and the cloud forest.
Region: Loreto
Area: 160,604.41 ha
Territory of the Kichwa people sharing the name but distinct from the archaeological site, preserved Amazon rainforest.
These 21 protected areas complement the national network with specific objectives for landscape conservation, protection of threatened species, and sustainable resource management.
Nor Yauyos Cochas (Lima & Junín) - 221,268.48 ha
Subcuenca del Cotahuasi (Arequipa) - 490,550.00 ha
Protection of exceptional Andean cultural landscapes and their associated ecosystems.
Laquipampa (Lambayeque) - 8,328.64 ha
Pantanos de Villa (Lima) - 263.27 ha
Bosques Nublados de Udima (Cajamarca) - 12,183.20 ha
Protection of threatened species and their critical habitats.
Alto Mayo (San Martín) - 182,000.00 ha
San Matías San Carlos (Pasco) - 145,818.00 ha
Pui Pui (Junín) - 60,000.00 ha
Pagaibamba (Cajamarca) - 2,078.38 ha
Puquio Santa Rosa (Lima) - 18.11 ha
Aledáño Canal Nuevo Imperial (La Libertad) - 72.50 ha
Protection of soils, water basins, and vulnerable forest ecosystems.
El Angolo (Piura) - 65,000.00 ha
Sunchubamba (Cajamarca & La Libertad) - 59,735.00 ha
Sustainable management of wildlife for regulated sport hunting.
Chancaybaños (Cajamarca) - 2,628.00 ha
Santiago-Comaina (Amazonas & Loreto) - 398,449.44 ha
Bosque de Zárate (Ancash, Huánuco & Lima) - 67,589.76 ha
Sierra del Divisor (Loreto) - 62,234.62 ha
Río Nieva (Amazonas) - 36,348.30 ha
Lomas de Ancón (Lima) - 545.75 ha
Cerro Khapia (Puno) - 18,313.79 ha
Cordillera Huayhuash (Áncash) - 2,193.01 ha
Areas awaiting definitive categorization, protecting priority ecosystems.
The 36 Regional Conservation Areas complement the national network by protecting ecosystems of regional importance across 3.9 million hectares, under the administration of regional governments.
Regions: Áncash, Lima, Huánuco
Area: 67,589.76 ha
One of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the Andes, famous for trekking and harboring preserved glaciers.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 29,108.92 ha
Drinking water source for the city of Chachapoyas, protecting water basins and cloud forests.
Region: Huánuco
Area: 51,888.92 ha
Crucial biological corridor between the Andes and the Amazon, habitat of the spectacled bear.
Region: Cusco
Area: 66,514.17 ha
Sacred mountain of the Incas, exceptional glacial landscapes, and a traditional pilgrimage site.
Region: Callao
Area: 275.45 ha
Unique urban wetland, a refuge for migratory birds in the Lima-Callao metropolitan area.
Region: Lima
Area: 10,958.38 ha
The closest lomas (fog oasis) ecosystem to Lima, a seasonal floral explosion.
Region: Junín
Area: 2,500.00 ha
Historical site and puna ecosystem protecting Andean grasslands and camelid species.
Bosque Montano de Carpish, Bosques El Chaupe-Cunia-Chinchiquilla, Río Nieva, Pacllón, Chaparrí, Huacrupe-La Calera, Bosques Secos del Marañón, Santuario de La Verónica, Tres Cañones, and 18 other regional areas covering various ecosystems across the country.
The 181 Private Conservation Areas represent the commitment of landowners, communities, and organizations to the voluntary protection of **414,135 hectares** of fragile ecosystems and threatened species.
Region: Lambayeque
Area: 34,412.00 ha
Peru's first PCA, a community conservation model, sanctuary of the spectacled bear and equatorial dry forest.
Region: Huánuco
Area: 12,172.91 ha
Biological research station founded by German scientists, an Amazonian biodiversity hotspot.
Region: Cusco
Area: 39,485.11 ha
Spectacular geological formation of Andean canyons, unique landscapes and a condor refuge.
Region: Cajamarca
Area: 31,537.23 ha
Cloud forests and páramos harboring endemic species and water sources for communities.
Region: Amazonas
Area: 18,410.94 ha
Globally renowned bird-watching site, habitat of the critically endangered Spatuletail Hummingbird.
Region: Ayacucho
Area: 6,272.39 ha
The world's largest Puya raimondi forest, a spectacular Andean plant that flowers once a century.
Region: Ica
Area: 2,407.72 ha
Emblematic oasis in the Ica desert, a famous tourist site and unique desert ecosystem.
Refugio K'erenda Homet, Lomas de Atiquipa, Bosque Moyán-Palacio, Jirishanca, Santuario de La Verónica, Gotas de Agua II, Amazon Shelter, Paraíso Natural Iwirati, and 170 other private initiatives dedicated to voluntary conservation throughout Peru.
Most protected areas require an entry permit. For popular national parks (Manu, Huascarán, etc.), reservations are recommended several months in advance via SERNANP.
In the majority of protected areas, visiting with a certified guide is mandatory to ensure your safety and minimize environmental impact.
• Andes: May to September (dry season)
• Amazon: April to October (less rain)
• Coast: December to March (summer)
• SERNANP: National Service of Natural Protected Areas
• MINAM: Ministry of the Environment
• Official websites for reservations and up-to-date information
Explore our complete guide to Peru's animals: emblematic species, observation tips and information about the country's unique biodiversity.
Explore Peru's Wildlife →Peru has succeeded in building one of the most comprehensive biodiversity protection systems in the world, with 295 protected areas that form a true ecological shield for the planet.
"From the Andean peaks to the marine depths, every protected hectare represents a commitment to future generations and a testament to Peru's exceptional natural wealth."
By visiting these natural sanctuaries with respect and ecological awareness, we all become contributors to the preservation of this unique heritage, guaranteeing its transmission to future generations.