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.

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