Oxapampa is one of the surprises of Peru, a small town of about twelve thousand people at around 1,800 metres, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, where the high plateau drops away into the Amazon basin. The wooden houses with steep roofs and flower boxes, the dairy farms and the tall, fair-haired people in the street all suggest the Alps rather than the jungle, and the explanation is historical. In the nineteenth century, colonists from Austria and Germany settled the region, beginning with the colony of Pozuzo in 1859, and their descendants still keep traditions of baking, brewing, cheese-making and costume alive.
The ride from Tarma is a long, descending journey from the cool highlands to the green cloud forest, through gorges thick with ferns and mist. The road is paved in places and rough in others, with tight bends, narrow sections and landslides, especially in the rainy season from December to March. Heavy rain and fog can cut visibility quickly, so ride with caution and keep your lights on. The best months are May to October, when the weather is drier, though showers are always possible. The temperature rises steadily as you descend, and you should dress in layers.
Oxapampa has fuel, shops, restaurants, bakeries and a good range of guesthouses, and it is a pleasant place to rest. Cheese, sausages, strudel and cakes made by the descendants of the settlers are delicious, and the local coffee is good. Villa Rica, a smaller town some twenty-three kilometres away, is the centre of a well-known coffee region. Wander the main street and the plaza to see the old wooden houses and the church, which is built in an alpine style.
The surrounding area has been recognised as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, which includes the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park, a vast area of cloud forest where spectacled bears, tapirs and hundreds of species of birds survive. The region is also home to the Yanesha and Asháninka peoples, who have lived here for centuries. Orchids and tree ferns line the roadsides, and the air is warm and damp, smelling of earth and leaves. It is a place where you can ride from the high Andes to the edge of the Amazon in a single day.