Pucallpa is a fast-growing jungle city on the Ucayali River, the main gateway to the central Amazon from Lima. You can reach it by a scenic but grueling overland route from the capital, or by a multi-day boat trip from Iquitos — one of Peru's great river journeys.
For travelers, Pucallpa works best as a base for excursions into the surrounding rainforest. The Parque Natural de Pucallpa offers a chance to see jungle animals up close, though it's more zoo than wilderness. The real highlight is Lago Yarinacocha, a beautiful oxbow lake about twenty minutes from town, where you can visit Shipibo indigenous communities, take boat rides through flooded forest, and buy traditional textiles directly from the artisans who make them.