Santa Fe lies on the left bank of the Marañón and is a Kukama community in the Nauta District, in Loreto Province and the Department of Loreto. When planning your trip, it is important to distinguish between the place itself and other destinations in the district: Puerto Prado and Quebrada Zaragoza are other places; several boat trips start in Nauta. This lets you consider Santa Fe as a destination in its own right and plan separately for nature destinations outside the community.

Santa Fe: Kukama community on the Marañón

Local production includes artisanal fishing and fish farming. These community activities complement the riverside setting with cultural and economic significance. Secondary forests are also part of Santa Fe’s landscape; the place is also connected to the Chiriyacu (Q) river system. If you are interested in culture and landscape, you will find specific points of interest here: the Kukama community, fishing and fish farming, and the connections to the river and forest.

Nature experiences in the Nauta District

In the community of Puerto Prado, visitors can use ecological trails and observe wildlife. There, the Paraíso Natural Iwirati private conservation area covers 100 of the community’s total 522 hectares. It was recognized by Peru’s Ministry of the Environment in 2014. Through the “El Bosque de los Niños” (“Iwiratikuara Ikrantsenkana”) program, visitors can plant native trees together with children. Wildlife observation and trails are therefore a focus; tree planting is a specific hands-on activity.

Another destination in the district is Quebrada Zaragoza. Its cold waters are used for swimming, and the area is also suitable for walks. The activities are therefore clearly distinct: Puerto Prado focuses on ecological trails, wildlife, and planting together, while Quebrada Zaragoza is for swimming and walking.

In the Nauta District, the Área de Conservación Privada San Jorge del Río Marañón protects more than 1,060 hectares of tropical forest as well as the Quebrada Sapira watershed. This conservation area adds a larger forest and water landscape to the district’s nature destinations.

Boat routes and other destinations in the travel area

From Nauta, Puerto Prado is accessible by boat over 7 km in about 25 minutes. A boat trip from Nauta to Comunidad Nativa San Jorge covers 20.5 km and takes about 2 hours. These travel times give you a practical comparison for planning: Puerto Prado has the shorter of the two stated journeys. Both times may vary depending on river conditions; check the trip before you travel.

In the wider travel area, you can reach Control Post No. 1 Yanayacu in the Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria from Nauta by motorboat in 3 hours or by speedboat in 1 hour. You should also check these travel times and operating conditions again before your trip.

The Nauta Caño route in the area around Nauta passes through a river branch separated from the Marañón. Experiences there include observing wildlife, especially birds, and exploring the flooded forest. Route conditions and services may vary by season. The nature destinations in the district and the activities available in the wider travel area therefore have different focuses and their own planning requirements.

Choose accommodation based on your planned stay

If you are looking for a vacation rental, start with the place where you want to stay. For trips to Puerto Prado or Comunidad Nativa San Jorge, the boat trips mentioned start in Nauta. Take this departure point into account when planning and check the river conditions for the trip.

Discover more destinations: Yurimaguas, Shapajilla, Arica, Sucusari, Mazán, Tamshiyacu, Lagunas, Nauta

For the wider travel overview: Loreto.