Clínica Para Orquídeas – Illampu

Location: Echarate, Cusco, Peru
Type: Reserve
Altitude: 1,300 – 1,800 m (4,300 – 5,900 ft)

🌎 Overview

Year Founded: 2017
Approximate Area: 5 hectares

Clínica para Orquídeas – Illampu is a five-hectare family project within a 50-hectare biodiversity reserve in Cusco, Peru. Honoring their grandfather Antonio Pacheco’s legacy, the Pacheco–Serrano family protects more than 50 orchid species, mostly epiphytes, alongside native forests and wildlife. Three springs within the reserve supply water to their community and neighboring farmers.

🌸 Collections & Biodiversity

• Number of orchid species in cultivation: 50+

• Approximate number of specimens in cultivation: Hundreds

• Approximate number of specimens found wild throughout the reserve: Thousands

🧭 Visiting Information

• Access: By appointment only; 4×4 required
• Days: Monday–Sunday
• Hours: All day

🏡 Facilities & Amenities

• Hiking trails

🔬 Projects & Research

In 2019, our Clínica para Orquídeas project received funding from the American Orchid Society (AOS), which helped us establish our first garden. Since then, we have continued searching for orchids in need of rescue and recovery.

In 2022, Tom Mirenda of the AOS wrote about our work in an article titled “Viracochasi Perú.”

⚠️ Challenges

• Widespread herbicide use for weed control on neighboring farms in Viracochasi poses a challenge to our reserve’s conservation efforts.

🌱 Future

• Develop a five-hectare “Valley of Orchids,” returning rescued orchids to the forest canopy.

• Create interpretive trails and species displays for tourists and students, supporting local livelihoods.

• Build facilities to welcome orchid and biodiversity volunteers.

• Expand native orchid propagation throughout the reserve.

• Secure conservation funding and develop bilingual educational resources.

“Our orchid sanctuary lies in a cloud forest where the climate and elevation are ideal for orchids. We rescue native orchids threatened by human activity, with the goal of developing our reserve into a wildlife rehabilitation center.”

– Edson Pacheco, Manager