Salinas y Aguada Blanca

It is situated in the departments of Arequipa and Moquegua, in the provinces of Arequipa, Caylloma, and General Sánchez Cerro over an area of 366 936 hectares. In this Reserve, we can find important snow-capped mountains, volcanoes, and lagoons of great beauty and recreational value. It stands out principally because of its beautiful inactive volcanoes Misti. The hydrographic basin, regulated by the El Fraile and Aguada Blanca dams, guarantees drinking water for the city of Arequipa and supplies irrigation water for the agricultural campaign in the department.



The reserve harbors relict Andean forests as well as high Andean grasslands with typical species such as the yareta (Azorella sp.), the quenual (Polylepis sp.), and the kcapo (Parastrephia lepidophylla), used by the local population as fuel and cattle grazing.There is a great diversity of mammals and birds in this area, the most important being the Peruvian guemal or taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), the Andean fox (Pseudalopex culpaeus), and the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna.) There are other endangered species such as the Puna flamingo or Jame's flamingo (Phoenicopterus jamesi), the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) and the guanaco (Lama guanicoe).

The most attractive places for birdwatchers and tourists are the Salinas Lagoons, where there are a considerable number of flamingos, and the Indio lagoon, which is an important refuge and nesting area for aquatic birds.The Pampa Cañahuas and Tocra area is famous for the significant population of vicunas, which is the main attraction for visitors heading towards the Colca Canyon in the province of Caylloma.The objectives of the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve are to preserve the flora and fauna, as well as the beautiful scenery and geological formations of the area by promoting the rational use of high Andean species.