Junin National Reservation

Welcome to the Junin National Reservation, an awe inspiring and deeply complex high altitude sanctuary located in the central Andes of Peru. As you step into this vast, sweeping landscape, you are immediately confronted by the…

Our journey begins at the official entryway to the reservation, situated near the traditional rural settlement known as Centro Poblado de Uco. Stepping into this staging area, you are immediately immersed in the resilient culture…

As we reach the immediate perimeter of the water, the sheer, staggering immensity of the lake finally reveals itself. This is Lake Chinchaycocha, a sprawling, shallow inland sea that dominates the visual horizon. …

Continuing along the edge, we arrive at the Acomarca sector, renowned among naturalists and scientists as the premier observation point for the reservation's avian biodiversity. This specific stretch of the shoreline is where the…

We now pivot away from the immediate shoreline to walk a path that carries the heavy, indelible weight of human history. We are traversing the conceptual boundary of the Historic Sanctuary of Chacamarca, an area whose profound…

Our route now takes a somber and profoundly disturbing turn as we approach the southern reaches of the lake, near the estuary of the San Juan River. Here, the narrative of pristine natural beauty violently shatters against the…

Standing amidst the desolate, mineral stained mudflats near the southern shore, we must pause to memorialize a specific, heartbreaking loss. This particular stretch of shallow water and reedy marsh was once the primary hunting…

Leaving the heavy sorrow of the contaminated zones behind, our path brings us to a sector defined by rigorous action and fervent hope. We are arriving at the staging grounds utilized for the second South American Bioblitz, an…

To truly comprehend the vast scale and the modern utility of the landscape we have been traversing, we must elevate our perspective. A short, breathless climb brings us to the Mirador de Conoc, a spectacularly positioned…

Our extensive physical journey across the reservation concludes at a site that perfectly encapsulates the enduring intersection of human faith and the harsh Andean environment. We have arrived in the center of the rural peasant…

As our comprehensive exploration of the Junin National Reservation draws to a close, it is essential to take a moment to absorb the immense weight of everything we have witnessed today. We began our journey acclimating to the…