Getting in Pucallpa

Air connections

The easiest way of getting to and from Pucallpa is by plane. Aerocontinente (Jr. 7 de Junio 861, T 575643) and TANS Peru (Jr. Raymondi 676, T 575421) have good air connections to Lima. Saosa (in the airport, T 578667) flies to Tarapoto daily for USD 57, to Contama daily for USD 34 and occasionally to Atalaya for USD 50.

The airport is modern and airy and easy to reach. Colectivos marked Pista will take you from Jr. Ucayali into the airport building for USD 0.30. Otherwise, a taxi will charge about USD 1.50.

Bus connections

The road to Tingo Maria is largely unpaved and not in great condition, but there are plenty of buses and cars which use it.

Tingo Maria/Huanuco

Colectivos to Tingo Maria take 5 hours and cost USD 10 per person. They leave when full, although it can take a couple of hours for this. The best time is in the mornings. From there it is possible to catch other colectivos to Huanuco. Buses going to Lima pass through Tingo Maria after about 8 hours and charge USD 6. They pass through Huanuco 3 hours later and charge around USD 7 from Pucallpa. Leon de Huanuco (Jr. Tacna 627) has an additional service to Huanuco at 7am.

Lima

The journey to Lima takes around 18 to 20 hours and most companies charge about USD 10 for the journey. The road is rough and unpaved as far as Tingo Maria, from where it is well paved. All buses along this route are basic, making plenty of stops. If you want a better bus, change in Huanuco, from where there are good bus services to Lima. Leon de Huanuco (Jr. Tacna 627) has services at 10am and 10.30am. Turismo Central (Jr. 7 de Junio 955) has a bus at 10am. Transportes Rey (Jr. Raymondi 677) has a bus at 11am. TransAmazonico (Jr. Tacna 628) has a service at 10.30am.

Huancayo

Turismo Central (Jr. 7 de Junio 955) has a bus at 6.30am taking 20 hours for USD 12.

River connections

There are two ports used in Pucallpa, depending on the level of the water. From April to October, in low water, the port is at Pucallpillo. In high water the port is at Mercado Uno. Take a mototaxi to either from the centre. There is also a small at La Hoyada, although this is only for small boats.

The main boat journey undertaken from Pucallpa is to Iquitos. This takes four to five days, and most of the boats that carry out the journey offer very basic conditions. The boats are mixed cargo and passenger ships and charge around USD 17 for the journey. This will provide you with a space to sling a hammock and basic food (but not water) for the journey. Most boats also have bunks in cabins available for USD 6 more, although these are not necessarily any more comfortable. There is the occasional passenger service in a better boat, although none is very far beyond basic. Boats get very full and travel slowly, and the journey should only be undertaken if you are looking for an adventure and not afraid of discomfort. Be prepared for delays, as boats often take a long time loading and unloading at intermediate stops.

In addition to boats to Iquitos, there are occasional boats upriver to Atalaya and even as far as Camisea. However, these are far fewer, and you may have to wait several days to find a boat. The boats also tend to be smaller than those going to Iquitos.

Make sure you bring a hammock to sleep in and ropes to hang it from. Bring food, as what is provided is unlikely to satisfy. Bring lots of water, as there is little for sale onboard. It is possible to buy drinks and food when the boat stops at small ports, although this can be infrequent. The port in Pucallpa is very lively, and there are lots of stalls selling drink and snacks in bulk for the journeys. There are also plenty of salesmen selling hammocks here. Watch your belongings carefully on the boat, as there is nowhere to leave them safely. Tie up rucksacks in your hammock during the day, and bring a padlock to keep bags closed.

To buy a ticket, just turn up at the port and find a boat leaving for Iquitos. All paperwork is handled directly by the captain. Boats tend to leave around 4pm and it is possible to buy a ticket right up until the boat leaves, although bunks fill up long before, and by 4pm there is very little room to hang a hammock.