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How to Visit Colombia's Amazonia
In this article we will give you tips and recommendations to travel to Colombia’s Amazonas. We have to warn you, this trip is more for adventurers than luxury travelers! It is the perfect trip if you need adventure, fresh air, nature, wild forest and discover indigenous communities.
Colombia’s Amazonas region is the size of Germany, around 100,000 people live here. The whole of Colombia is three times the size of Germany.
The region covers 6 departments in the country: Amazonas, Vaupés, Caquetá, Guainía, Guaviare and Putumayo, these six departments represent 35% of the country. Few cities grew up but large areas of the Amazonas region are still unexplored.
The biggest city in the Amazonas region is Leticia: an established town that contains a small airport, restaurants, hotels and shops. It is the northest point of Colombia at the border with Brazil and Peru. If you plan your trip to the Amazonia, we recommend you to fly to this city – Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport. From Leticia you will be able to reach many other locations in the Amazon, predominantly by boat.
Along the Amazon River there are around 26 individual communities and many welcome visitors, but others don’t. All these indigenous communities are in harmony with nature, use what they need and preserve what they don’t; many still live with deep traditions, the same way they did generations ago.
A boat transports individuals to and from these communities, like a water bus, and provides locals with access to schools, hospitals and shops.
Walk around the city. You will have a great time spending time around Parque Santander, the main plaza and the streets around. Visit the Museo Etnográfico del Hombre Amazónico (Ethnographic Museum of Amazonian Man) to take a peek at the culture of the local Ticuna people, in the town hall on the park’s southwest corner.
Also check out the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Paz (Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace) and climb the bell-tower for a bird’s-eye view over the town. Obviously you cannot miss the waterfront where you can contemplate the daily boat activities that reflect the life of people that live here…
Best advice: go to parque Santander for the sunset to witness thousands of small parrots that flock nightly.
10 minutes drive from Leticia is the city of Tabatinga in Brazil. You can take a moto taxi or three-wheeled tuki-tuki. There is no control to go there the border is invisible. Apart from the fact that you will switch from Spanish to Portuguese you won’t even notice you are in Brazil.
3 – Half day to visit Parque Ecológico Mundo Amazónico
The Parque Ecológico Mundo Amazónico is 4 miles north of Leticia. We definitely recommend you to take a guide there are so much to learn about vegetal, medicinal plants, animals, and see how local natural products are used to make soap, shampoo, etc.
The visit also include a visit to the jungle to Maluca Macuna, where the indigenous community will show you their traditions, including inhaling ground tobacco mixed with lime through the nostrils.
Isla de los Micos is a 45-ha. (111 acres) nature reserve 22 miles west of Leticia. You will see plenty monkeys for which the island reserve is famous. You can also paddle a canoe on Lago Tucuchira with stops at Ticuna settlements, where you can watch locals fishing in a traditional manner.
Macedonia is a riverside community of about 800 indigenous Ticuna people. You’ll witness their renowned skill as artisans weaving baskets, tapestries, and dolls from the yanchama bark, and carving palosangre (blood-wood) into exquisite sculptures and bracelets inspired by Ticuna mythology and the biodiversity of the Amazon jungle.
A highlight of any visit to Amazonas is a sighting of a boto, the mystical pink dolphin. The best place to find them is Lago Tarapoto, about 3 miles (5 km) west of Puerto Nariño. This ox-bow lake is connected to the Amazon proper by the Río Loretoyacu. Local guides will take you in a peque-peque. The lake is usually as calm as a millpond and this is a good place to see giant Victoria amazonica water lilies, and birds like jacanas, macaws, and camungo (the ‘horned screamer’).
(87 kilometres from Leticia) is known as “the cradle of the Amazon” and is a fully self sustainable town which is a model for the rest of the world; the town is pedestrian – no cars or motorbikes. This is one of the larger towns on the Amazon river with a population of over 6,000 people from the native Vicuna tribe. Many people from local communities use the town to sell their products, go to school, go to the doctor, play football and buy products. This community has grown rapidly over the past 10 years and now has a small number of hotels and hostels as well as locally ran shops.
Average price – 1 night, 2 adults – US$35 Website – None Address – Via fluvia lago tarapoto puerto narino Via fluvia lago tarapoto puerto narino, Puerto Narino, Puerto Narino, Colombia, 915408