Yumbilla Falls is a
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...
located near the town of
Cuispes, in the northern
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
vian region of
Amazonas. It is considered the world's
fifth tallest waterfall, becoming internationally known since late 2007 due to a geographical survey conducted by the Geographical Institute of Peru (IGN).
Geography
Yumbilla is high, with the top located above sea level and the base at .
The height was measured with the help of laser instruments by a geographical survey of the National Geographic Institute of Peru (IGN) in 2007.
This area is part of the Eastern Peruvian Andes, also known as Cordillera Oriental, more precisely, part of a mountain massif called Cerro Panhuayco.
Yumbilla is considered a tiered type waterfall, since it comprises four or five sections or drops.
The stream is reported to come from a cave named "Caverna San Francisco".
Climate
The reported mean temperature in the area is 22 °C, with a rainy season from December to April.
Ecology
Flora
The area around the waterfall is covered with montane forest vegetation. Bromeliads, orchids (''
Epidendrum secundum, Fernandezia ionanthera, Oncidium scansor''), palms (''Ceroxylon parvifrons''), Andean alders (''
Alnus acuminata
''Alnus acuminata'' is a species of deciduous tree in the Betulaceae family. It is found in montane forests from central Mexico to Argentina.Zuloaga, F. O., O. N. Morrone, M. J. Belgrano, C. Marticorena & E. Marchesi. (eds.) 2008. Catálogo de la ...
'') and tree ferns (''
Cyathea
''Cyathea'' is a genus of tree ferns, the type genus of the fern order Cyatheales.
The genus name ''Cyathea'' is derived from the Greek ''kyatheion'', meaning "little cup", and refers to the cup-shaped sori on the underside of the fronds.
Des ...
''
spp.
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate se ...
) are commonly found in the area.
Fauna
Animals reported in the area include birds like the
Andean cock-of-the-rock
The Andean cock-of-the-rock (''Rupicola peruvianus''), also known as ''tunki'' (Quechua), is a large passerine bird of the cotinga family native to Andean cloud forests in South America. It is widely regarded as the national bird of Peru. It ha ...
and the
marvellous spatuletail hummingbird; and mammals like the
spectacled bear and the
yellow-tailed woolly monkey
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey (''Lagothrix flavicauda'') is a New World monkey endemic to Peru. It is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes, in the departments of Amazonas and San Martin, as well as bordering areas of La L ...
.
Tourism
From
Chachapoyas, capital of the
Amazonas region, it takes between 75-85 min. (63 km.) to arrive to the town of Cuispes (the road between the towns of Pedro Ruiz and Cuispes is a dirt road). Public transportation to Pedro Ruiz (buses and collective taxis) is available. From Pedro Ruiz to Cuispes (10 km./30 min.), the main public transportation are
mototaxis.
From Cuispes, it takes 1-1.5 hours (6 km.) to reach Yumbilla waterfall by foot or on mule. It is advisable to hire a local guide.
The main activities in the area are hiking and wildlife watching.
There are also other waterfalls nearby, the most remarkable being: Pabellón (400 meters high) and Chinata (580 meters high), both within 4 km in a straight line.
See also
*
List of waterfalls by height
The following are lists of waterfalls in the world by height, classified into two categories — natural and artificial. Natural waterfalls are further subdivided between overall height and tallest single drop. Each column (Waterfall, Height, Local ...
References
External links
{{commons category, Yumbilla Falls
*http://yumbillawaterfall.wordpress.com/category/yumbilla-waterfall-895m/
*http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/latin-america-catarata-de-yumbilla.html
World Waterfall Database
Waterfalls of Peru
Landforms of Amazonas Region
Tiered waterfalls
Tourist attractions in Amazonas Region