Catarata Yumbilla has a total vertical drop of 895.4 meters, divided into four cascades. It is part of the Ruta o Valle de las Cataratas in Bongará Province. The route is easy to plan: it starts at the main square in Cuispes and runs for five kilometers to the tourist rest area at Catarata Yumbilla; on foot, it takes two hours. The height describes the waterfall as a whole, while the route details specify a distance, named starting point, destination, and mode of travel.
Traditions and Culture in Cuispes
The patronal festival in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi has been celebrated in Cuispes each October since the town’s earliest days. The Templo Matriz de Cuispes also houses a wooden altarpiece dedicated to the same saint. Thus, a recurring festival date and a specific religious work of art are both associated with Saint Francis of Assisi.
Another enduring tradition is Las Pastorcitas de Navidad. It is celebrated in December and January in the temple and in family homes, in front of a nativity scene decorated with wild plants. The dates are clearly distinct: the patronal festival takes place in October, while Las Pastorcitas takes place in December and January. Travelers who want to include cultural events in their travel dates can take these two seasonal occasions into account.
Orchids and Birdlife
Visitors can explore an orchid garden with more than 52 species in the Pueblo Tradicional de Cuispes. It adds a botanical dimension to the trip’s nature offerings, while Catarata Yumbilla is defined by its height and four cascades. The two nature attractions therefore differ both in what they offer and in the details travelers can use to identify them.
Around Catarata Gocta, near the destination, approximately 110 bird species have been recorded. They include the marbled woodpecker, emerald toucanet, Andean cock-of-the-rock, Andean toucan, Marañón thrush, masked trogon, and sword-billed hummingbird. The latter is endemic to the Amazonas region.
A Typical Dish from Cuispes
Puchero is a typical dish from Cuispes. It is made with cassava, bituca, plantain, cabbage, and beef and pork. Alongside the festive traditions, it gives the food culture its own distinctive feature, defined by specific ingredients. Travelers who also consider regional dishes when choosing a destination can keep Puchero in mind as a culinary connection to Cuispes.
When looking for a hotel in Bongará Province, Cuispes is a useful point of reference if the Yumbilla route and the area’s cultural and garden attractions are a priority. The walking route starts at the main square; the festival, Templo Matriz, and orchid garden are also associated with Cuispes.
The Wider Amazonas Region
The broader destination of Amazonas offers other cultural and natural attractions. Kuélap is a fortified city of the Chachapoya culture. Caverna de Quiocta stretches 545 meters underground in the Amazonian Andes; it is considered Peru’s first illuminated cave and contains rock paintings typical of the Chachapoya culture, as well as bone remains. These regional attractions complement the themes of waterfalls, traditions, and orchids with fortified history and cave landscapes.
Discover more destinations: Cocachimba, San Carlos District, Chachapoyas.
Go to the full travel guide: Amazonas.
