Centro turístico Tio Yacu

Tio Yacu is not an ordinary river, but a spectacular underground spring outlet (Naciente). To understand its crystal-clear, year-round cool water quality, we need to look deep beneath the surface of the highland jungle in San Martín Region, Peru. Tio Yacu is located in the famous Upper Mayo River Basin (Cuenca del Alto Mayo). The geological structure of this area is mainly typical Karst Topography. When abundant tropical rainwater falls on the eastern foothills of the Andes, the water does not directly flow into surface runoff, but infiltrates into the porous limestone layer. During the long underground river journey, the rock layer filters out sediment and suspended impurities in the water. The purified groundwater finally breaks through the surface at the Tio Yacu coordinate point and gushes out. This is also why you can see the sand and stones at the bottom of the water boiling like boiling at the source. This clear spring then flows into the surrounding water system, nourishing the unique micro-ecological circle of the Rioja Basin, providing a perfect habitat for orchids, butterflies, and many highland jungle endemic species.

Different from the deep Amazon rainforest, Tio Yacu is located in the highland jungle (Selva Alta), with higher altitude and cool climate. The ecosystem here is mainly highland jungle flora and fauna: • Birds: Hummingbirds (Colibrí), Toucans (Tucán), Paujil (Paujil) and other highland jungle endemic birds • Butterflies: Various colorful highland butterflies dancing among the flowers around the spring • Orchids: Highland jungle is a natural habitat for various orchids, some species only grow in this area • Small mammals: Such as sloths (Perezoso), monkeys, etc., but usually do not appear in the core scenic area This is not a place to observe freshwater dolphins or large Amazon animals, but an excellent place to observe the fine ecology of highland jungle.

The clarity of Tio Yacu comes from an extremely fragile groundwater cycle system. Any surface chemical pollution or garbage may cause irreversible damage to this ancient karst aquifer. As a responsible ecological explorer, please adhere to the "Leave No Trace" principle when visiting: • Do not use chemical sunscreen or soap to enter the spring water (choose physical sunscreen) • Take all garbage away, do not leave it on the river bank • Do not use detergents or shampoo in the spring area • Respect the water source protection regulations of the local community Let's protect this gift of nature together, so that the clear spring water can flow forever.