Leymebamba community promotes trekking and cultural tourism in Amazonas

Community members in Leymebamba, a town in the Amazonas department of Peru, are developing a community tourism model to showcase their local heritage and natural landscapes.

The community began a transition toward tourism after local farmers discovered pre-Columbian remains and artifacts near the Laguna de los Cóndores in 1996. These findings led to the opening of the Museo de Leymebamba in June 2000, which houses more than 200 Chachapoyas mummies and 2,000 objects including textiles and ceramics.

Elí Davan Palma, president of the local tourism and culture association, says this discovery changed the history of the town and significantly increased the flow of visitors. The community formalized its status as an association in 2023, which helped them establish official tourist circuits with the help of regional authorities and Caritas. These routes include three-day treks around the Laguna de los Cóndores.

The efforts earned the community the Turismo Emprende award from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism and the Marca Perú recognition this year. Residents now provide gastronomic services and guided tours to visitors. Leymebamba is currently positioning itself as a destination for trekking and adventure tourism. Using funds from their recent award, the community began testing electric bicycles to allow tourists to visit the local stone church and the village of 2 de Mayo.

Davan Palma noted that while the museum currently receives 800 visitors per month, he urged authorities to improve the Chachapoyas to Cajamarca road to better facilitate travel to the region.