Major city · Peru
Moyobamba
Give Moyobamba 2 nights as a road stop between Tarapoto and the northern jungle, not a destination on its own: orchids, a warm river and cloud-forest hikes.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- PEN
- Best months
- May–Sep (drier)
- avoid Dec–Mar (heaviest rain)
- Airport
- TPP
- Nights
- 2
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Peru ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Peru's migration authority (Migraciones) or a Peruvian consulate; keep the entry record you receive, as hotels may ask for it.
- Peru ↗Machu Picchu entry is by timed ticket for a named circuit, with daily caps; in high season tickets sell out weeks or months ahead. Buy tickets only from the official Ministry of Culture seller or a licensed agency.
- Peru ↗The classic Inca Trail needs a permit booked through a licensed operator, often months ahead; the trail closes every February for maintenance.
- Peru ↗Altitude sickness is common above 2,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on day one, and ask a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.
Moyobamba is the capital of San Martín and calls itself the City of the Orchids, sitting at about 860 m where the Andes drop into the Amazon basin. There is no working airport, so everyone arrives by road, usually from Tarapoto 2 hours away. Two nights covers the orchid nurseries, the thermal baths, the Morro de Calzada hike and a slow morning on the Malecón. It is a warm, wet, low-key town rather than a sight-heavy one.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Moyobamba, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/).Peru-wide
- SIM or eSIMClaro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel sell prepaid SIMs; register with your passport at official shops.Peru-wide
- Tap waterNot safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.Peru-wide
- TippingRestaurants: About 10% if service is not included.Peru-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/C. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Peru-wide
- SafetyMoyobamba is calm by Peruvian city standards; the real issues are rain-slick roads…
- RestroomsPaper in the bin; carry tissue and coins for public toilets.Peru-wide
- Emergency numbers105 police · 116 fire · 106 ambulance (samu) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany museums close Mondays; strikes can shut roads and shops.Peru-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportTPP Tarapoto (Cad.
- Getting aroundMoto-taxis (three-wheeled motorbikes) are the local transport and short hops in town run about S/2 — agree the price before you get in.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealMenu del día (set lunch)S/10–18
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miMoto-taxi ride in townAgree before boarding; visitors are sometimes quoted more.S/2
- Museum or sight ticketOrchid nursery entryabout S/2
- Budget bedHostal double room, a night, per roomPEN 50
- Mid-range bedHostal double room, a night, per roomPEN 90
- High-end bedHostal double room, a night, per roomPEN 160
A day, not counting the bed: Budget PEN 90 · Mid PEN 170 · High PEN 350
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- TPP Tarapoto (Cad. FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes) (The practical gateway: fly Lima–Tarapoto, then 2 h by road. Moyobamba's own airport is not in use.)
Weather and climate
Moyobamba: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
30°C86°F
20°C68°F
16 rd
Feb
30°C86°F
20°C68°F
15 rd
Mar
30°C86°F
20°C68°F
17 rd
Apr
30°C86°F
20°C68°F
14 rd
May
30°C86°F
19°C66°F
11 rd
Jun
30°C86°F
19°C66°F
9 rd
Jul
30°C86°F
18°C64°F
8 rd
Aug
31°C88°F
18°C64°F
8 rd
Sep
31°C88°F
19°C66°F
10 rd
Oct
31°C88°F
20°C68°F
13 rd
Nov
31°C88°F
20°C68°F
14 rd
Dec
30°C86°F
20°C68°F
15 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Moto-taxis (three-wheeled motorbikes) are the local transport and short hops in town run about S/2 — agree the price before you get in. The centre itself is flat and walkable. For Jepelacio, Calzada and the waterfalls take a colectivo or minibus from the market area, or hire a moto-taxi by the hour.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Morro de Calzada
goDoor to door: Half a day
Colectivo or moto-taxi to Calzada, then a 2–3 h hike up
Moderate hike over big rocks to a valley view; entry about S/15.
Gera Waterfalls (Jepelacio)
goDoor to door: 3–4 h
Minibus to Jepelacio, then about 20 min on foot
Go in the morning; the trail is muddy after rain.
Lahuarpia Waterfalls
cautionDoor to door: Half a day
On the Tarapoto road; moto-taxi or taxi, then walk
Three falls; transport back can be scarce late in the day.
Tarapoto
goDoor to door: About 2 h
Bus or taxi, about 2 h
The region's biggest city and its airport; most trips pass through here anyway.
Sauce
cautionDoor to door: 2–3 h
Road south-east from Tarapoto, usually done as a Tarapoto side trip
Lagoon and warm springs; easier with your own driver.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Centro (around the Plaza de Armas)
Walkable to the museum, market and most restaurants; Jr. Alonso de Alvarado and Jr. Pedro Canga hold most of the hostals.
Malecón de San Juan (north side)
Bars and discos along the river edge; noisier at weekends, 10–15 min by moto-taxi from the plaza.
Out of town (Punta Verde and the road to Rioja)
Rustic and green with river views; you need a moto-taxi for everything.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- S/90–150 excl. bed
- Mid
- S/150–280 excl. bed
- High
- S/280+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Hostal double room1 × 2 nights × PEN 90 | PEN 180 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × PEN 170 | PEN 680 |
| Tarapoto → Moyobamba by bus, one way2 × PEN 20 | PEN 40 |
| Tarapoto → Moyobamba by taxi, one way2 × PEN 25 | PEN 50 |
| Moto-taxi hop in town2 × PEN 2 | PEN 4 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × PEN 30 · check | PEN 60 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | PEN 101 |
| Trip total≈ PEN 279 per person per day, bed included | PEN 1,115 |
2026 estimate in soles; long-distance buses and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Moto-taxi ride in townAgree before boarding; visitors are sometimes quoted more. | S/2 |
| Menu del día (set lunch) | S/10–18 |
| Pollería chicken plate | S/15–25 |
| Ice cream at a local heladería | S/5–10 |
| Orchid nursery entry | about S/2 |
| Morro de Calzada entry | about S/15 |
| Bus Tarapoto → Moyobamba | about S/20 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Some moto-taxi drivers quote visitors more than the local S/2 fare: state the price first.
- Roads to Tarapoto and Rioja are winding with steep ups and downs; take motion-sickness tablets if you are prone.
- Rain is heavy Dec–Mar and can close the dirt tracks to the waterfalls.
- Bring cash: smaller hostals and eateries may not take cards, and ATMs are limited.
- Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for the Peruvian Amazon — check with a travel clinic before you go.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 105
- Fire
- 116
- Ambulance (SAMU)
- 106
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
MoyobambaMoyobamba
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police105
- Fire116
- Ambulance (SAMU)106
Embassy
No embassies in Moyobamba; the US, UK and most others keep embassies in Lima — check the current address and hours.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Moto-taxi in town: about S/2 — agree first
- Tarapoto → Moyobamba bus: about S/20, 2 h
- Tarapoto → Moyobamba taxi: about S/25, 2 h
Say or show
- ¿Cuánto al centro? — How much to the centre? (KWAN-to al SEN-tro)
- Está muy caro — That is too much (es-TA mwee KA-ro)
- Dos soles, por favor — Two soles, please (dos SO-les por fa-VOR)
- La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (la KWEN-ta por fa-VOR)
- ¿Dónde está el bus a Tarapoto? — Where is the bus to Tarapoto? (DON-de es-TA el boos a ta-ra-PO-to)
- Necesito un médico — I need a doctor (ne-se-SI-to oon ME-di-ko)
Print or screenshot this card: mobile signal thins out on the road to Tarapoto and around the waterfalls.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Moyobamba. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Sep (drier) · avoid Dec–Mar (heaviest rain) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 5 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares