Its 36.35 square kilometres (14.03 sq mi), which include Mount Ampay, protect the Pachachaca River basin and several endangered plant species, being the most representative the conifer called Intimpa (Podocarpus glomeratus).

[4] In 1983, Dr. Ciro Palomino and the "Asociación Cultural Apurímac" (Apurimac Cultural Society) presented a petition signed by more than 3000 people from the towns of Abancay and Tamburco urging then President Fernando Belaunde to help in the approval of the laws required to declare the forests of Ampay as a protected natural area.

[1] With an extension of 3,635.50 hectares (14.0367 sq mi) the park covers an elevational range from 2,900 to 5,235 meters above sea level in the southeastern Peruvian Andes.

[2]There are two main vegetation zones in the sanctuary: the montane forest, with trees like: intimpa (Podocarpus glomeratus), unka (Myrcianthes oreophila), ch’uyllur (Vallea stipularis), chachacomo (Escallonia resinosa), tasta (Escallonia myrtilloides), huamanq’ero (Styloceras laurifolium), wankartipa (Randia boliviana) and capuli-pishay (Prunus rigida), along with associated shrubs and herbs; and the high altitude grasslands, with herb species of the genera: Jarava, Festuca, Calamagrostis, Werneria, Valeriana, Azorella, among others.

[2] A total of 115 species of woody plants, distributed in 72 genera and 44 families have been found in this protected area.