Tarapoto-Lamas-San Roque

Small Village leeding to a waterfall-Journeys to Chazuta.

San Roque de Cumbaza District is one of eleven of the Lamas province. 

Directions; San Roque is one hour from Tarapoto in a collectivo.  You can ask any Motor Taxi to take you to the 'Collectivo para San Roque!'  Then it is 2.50 soles for the one hour journey.  Alternatively someone will collect you from the Airport.

Lamas is the Capital of Folklore of San Martin, 25 km. from the city of Tarapoto populated by the descendants of the Chancas tribe a warrior race that at one point were the chief rivals to the Incas to be the lords of the peruvian highlands. After their aunsuccessful attempt to conquer the city of Cuzco found refuge in the area that is now Lamas where they still maintain traditional customs and dress. Lamas is a city surrounded by beautiful landscapes and also has a nearby waterfall, Chapahuanki.

                                Hand drawn map of Peru.

The Quechua Lamista Indians are knowned for their capacity as artesans making items for daily use, especially ceramics and articles woven from cotton. They often use a pre-colombian native coton that grows in three colors in San Martin. The cotton they call pacucho is a rusty brown, there is a lighter shade of beige and white which they die with colours obtained from local plants.

Altitude ranges from locations at 312 m.a.s.l. (Bellavista) to others at 860 m.a.s.l. (Moyobamba).

Population San Martin has an approximate total population of 450000.

Climate warm and humid is average, with a maximum of 38C. The rainy season is from Janury to March and the summer months from June to December.