Colombia’s Amazon Rainforest

Disclaimer: This trip was planned in it’s entirety by Amazon Tour Operators. This blog post is in no way sponsored, we paid full price and I highly recommend their services. They don’t have 5 stars on Trip Advisor for nothing!

Walking through Loreto Mocagua in Colombia’s Amazon

Colombia is an underrated travel destination, and although I am biased having been born there, I can promise there is something for everyone in this diverse and beautiful country. If I had to pick one, I would say Colombia is the country that I have explored the most of in the world, which makes sense since all my family is from there and I have visited frequently throughout my whole life. In December 2021 I got the opportunity to visit Colombia’s Amazon region in the south and spent 4 days wandering through thick jungle, interacting with locals, and navigating the massive Amazon river. It was absolutely incredible and despite being hot, sweaty, and dirty, I had a smile on my face the entire trip. This is your guide to visiting Colombia’s Amazon Rainforest.

The Basics

How long to stay? I visited for 4 days and 3 nights and felt like it was a good length. There is so much to do in the region you really could spend weeks there. If you want to do a multi-day jungle trek then obviously you’ll need to adjust but for the average person who wants to experience the Amazon while seeing the main sights, I would say 4 days is a solid amount of time. I would not recommend any less as you’ll be rushed and won’t get to see everything.

How to get there? Colombia has 32 departments. The Amazonas is the one you will need to get to in order to visit the rainforest and the main city you will want to arrive at is Leticia. Leticia is the largest municipality in the Amazonas and is only accessible by plane or boat (along the Amazon River). I recommend flying into Leticia to start your adventure, I took a 1 hour flight from Bogota.

Locals cruising down the Amazon

How much will it cost? Depending on how you go about this trip, costs will vary. Your domestic flight into Leticia will be about $100 CAD round trip (or less if you really want). The rest of the trip we booked via Amazon Tour Operators and it came out to about $500 CAD per person including accommodation, food, national park entry fees, tours, guides, airport transfer, transportation, etc. We spent a little more on some souvenirs but everything you need is included in their tours so you can cap your expenses there if you want. Obviously, if you stay longer or book through a different company costs may differ but this was the cost of my 4 day trip.

The treehouse we stayed in night on the first night

Where to stay? You will want to leave Leticia while you’re there. If you’re going to the Amazon it’s because you want to see the plants and animals and be in the actual jungle and Leticia is not going to give you that experience as it’s the size of a small city. The Amazon is a remote location and often times requires timing speed boats, cars, or other modes of transportation in order to visit everywhere you want to go. Planning all the logistics on your own honestly seems like a hassle and I would avoid it if you can. For this reason, I am going to go ahead and recommend that you book a tour with a company that will cover all the logistics of this trip. We stayed at a treehouse one night, a cabin the second, and a hotel the third. We could have booked all this separate but Amazon Tour Operators did it all for us.

When to go? Much of the Amazon floods during the latter part of the the rainy season and becomes inaccessible making key sights impossible to visit during this time of year. The rainy season is January through June (making July through December the dry season). Flooding usually peaks in July and then begins to recede throughout the dry season. Keep in mind that it’s a rainforest after all, so even in the “dry season”, it can rain a lot and you should always expect and be prepared for rain. I visited in late December and parts of the rainforest were already beginning to flood. I have read slightly different dates for what is the “rainy season” in various sources but this is what I was told by the locals so I’m going to take their word!

What to Wear? You will be hot, sweaty, and dirty the entire time. That’s just the nature of the trip and going into it with that expectation will set you up to have a good time. Pack clothes that you don’t mind getting wet and dirty. The best option is light, fast-drying clothes and preferably lighter colours as they will not absorb the heat as much. However, lighter colours will get dirty faster so you’ll have to pick your battles on this one. I opted for mostly white/beige/tan coloured clothes with a couple darker colours in there because that’s what I had and I did not want to buy clothes specifically for this trip. Long sleeves and pants are best as they will help avoid some of the mosquitos and keep your legs and arms from getting scratched from the branches when you’re in the thick parts of the rainforest. Avoid cotton if you can as it will get wet and never dry. I brought a pair of old runners but ended up wearing the rubber boots provided to me most of the time with long socks as I found they were more comfortable than short ones with the boots. I also packed a rain jacket but never wore it because the poncho I was given worked much better.

Standing beside an enormous leaf for scale

What logistics are involved? For most of my trips I will book activities, transportation, and accommodation independently as it’s cheaper and I like having the freedom to pick and choose what I do and when I do it. However, for this particular trip I recommend the exact opposite. As I touched on, there are a lot of logistics involved that are difficult to time and plan for on your own. You will need to drive in some areas, take boats in others, and in order to really learn you need a local guide. It’s also not ideal to be wandering around the jungle on your own because you won’t have a clue where to go as most areas are not nicely marked trails; there were points we were bushwhacking and I had no idea where I was. Most places require some kind of entrance booking or tour to enter anyway. Basically, there’s a lot to plan and unless you are from the area you will likely miss something. Our tour included every single detail and since it was all planned together, they were able to accommodate when delays arose, weather changed, etc. Amazon Tour Operators was exceptional and I highly recommend their tours. The experience was authentic, personalized to what we wanted to see, and most of the time we were alone with our guide which was amazing since visiting nature to then get stuck in a crowd does not sound fun. I have nothing but good things to say about Elvis (Owner, Amazon Tour Operators) and all his staff. Our guide was a local and one day we even had lunch at his house, how cool! They provided everything including rubber boots and high quality ponchos which were extremely useful when the tropical downpours came. What I am trying to say is; find someone that plans everything for you so all you have to do is show up and enjoy the trip.

Wearing the poncho and rubber boots provided during one of the jungle treks

Is it safe? I felt very safe while in the area. The locals are very friendly and since you’re in a pretty remote area the biggest “safety concern” in my experience were bugs. Colombia has a negative reputation about safety but I have travelled throughout the whole country and never had any issues. As I always say with ANY place you visit, there are areas to avoid and a little research, common sense, and some general awareness of your surroundings will go a long way. I would recommend Colombia as a travel destination to anyone without a doubt.

Phone Coverage? My phone was on airplane mode (only had it out for photos) the entire time I was there so that goes to tell you how much I felt the need to use it. However, my dad had his and he occasionally had service but also kept it off most of the time. We did get stranded on the Amazon River one day (long story, maybe I will blog about this someday haha) and neither my dad nor our guide could get cell service while there. In short, I would say there is minimal coverage outside Leticia and you should be prepared to be off the grid while you’re there - it’s part of the fun anyway, I didn’t miss my phone once!

The Fun Stuff

Jungle Trek

After walking several hours through the rainforest we hopped on a boat to continue exploring on the river

This will likely be a large part of your trip to the Amazon. We did multiple walks throughout our time there during which we learned about the plants and animals that call the jungle their home. There’s a lot of interesting things to learn about how the Indigenous people use plants as medicine and how they are completely self-sufficient, co-existing with the Amazon. I will say that this is crucial to do with a good guide. Most of the things we saw I never would have spotted if our guide hadn’t pointed them out. Locals know what to look for and where animals might be hiding. We saw a ton of insects, reptiles, plants, birds and even found a couple sloths. You will be walking through thick jungle, muddy terrain, and flooded landscape all while trying to deal with a hot and humid climate and the inevitable tropical rain. I wore the rubber boots provided for all our treks and they were very comfortable.

Cruising the Amazon River

Kayaking in Reserva Natural Marasha

Besides walking through the jungle, using the Amazon River and many side streams is an excellent way to see the area. You get to see a whole other perspective of the rainforest and it’s a nice break on your legs! During our several trajectories on the river we saw birds, crocodiles, and even river dolphin (more on this below). While going down one of the streams we saw about 10 spider monkeys jump from one tree and grab onto another tree on the other side of the river above our heads; it felt straight out of a movie. Some of the most scenic parts of our trip were on the water, it’s a part of the trip you don’t want to miss. It’s also pretty unavoidable as several parts of the rainforest that you will want to visit are only accessible by water.

Macedonia

A few “abuelas” of Macedonia

Macedonia is a small indigenous community that sits on the Amazon River. Here we got to see a traditional dance and hear about some of the traditions of the people who live there and their ancestors. We also got to shop around for handmade items made by the community. We bought a couple wooden bowls and a traditional mask that now hangs in my parent’s living room. I highly recommend interacting with and learning about the various indigenous communities if you visit the Amazon. Not only is it beneficial to support them but it’s how you will learn the most about the area, after all they have lived there for thousands of years and are extremely integrated into the rainforest. While here we learned that most communities have “abuelos” and “abuelas” which translate into grandfathers and grandmothers; these are the village elders and are known to be the most knowledgable people and usually take on the symbolic leadership of the community.

Puerto Nariño

This is the second largest municipality (behind Leticia) in the Amazonas department of Colombia and is home to about 7,000 people. We stayed here for one night and I really enjoyed our time there. We got to wander the streets and even watched a local festival in the town plaza. Puerto Nariño is a car-free town and known for being an exemplar for environmentally friendly living. The only motorized vehicles are an ambulance and a garbage truck that collects mostly recyclables. The power all comes from one eco-friendly generator in the town and they have a very advanced organic-waste collection and recycling program in place. The town is a wonderful example of co-existence with nature and mostly inhabited by indigenous people who pride themselves in preserving the area.

Night Jungle Trek

A poisonous frog we were able to see during the night trek

Along with the day-time treks, I recommend doing at least one night time jungle trek. We did this the first night and were able to see several insects and plants that don’t show themselves in the day. We used only headlamps and occasionally turned them off to be left standing in the rainforest in absolute pitch darkness listening to the jungle come to life around us. It’s unbelievable to stand in the Amazon Rainforest and hear the sounds while there is genuinely zero light coming in from anywhere… hard to describe but it really makes you realize how remote and vast the Amazon is.

Reserva Natural Tanimboca (Tanimboca Nature Reserve)

The Tanimboca Nature Reserve has several treehouses that you can stay in (which we did on the first night). You can also stop in just for the day to do several activities. This is where we did the night jungle trek. Sleeping in the treehouse was another highlight of the trip for me. It’s a very comfortable experience, each treehouse has it’s own shower and toilet but there is no electricity (that means no A/C). The entire house is lined with mosquito nets as is each individual bed which was lovely. Again, you can hear the jungle buzzing with life as you fall asleep. I will admit it was a bit unsettling at first since I felt like I could hear animals right below the house but eventually I fell into a wonderful sleep. I was woken up around sunrise by howling monkeys but I couldn’t really complain. The Reserve is beautiful and integrates a lot of sustainable aspects into their tourism which I loved to see.

Flor de Loto

Eco Hotel Flor de Loto

We took a boat from our previous destination and then arrived on the bank of the Eco Hotel Flor de Loto. The Amazon is home to the world’s largest Flor de Loto. In English these are called lotus, or more commonly known as water lilies. They were absolutely massive and the area around is beautiful. Here we ate lunch before hopping onto a speed boat and stepping onto the main body of the Amazon River for the first time. I saw people who were staying at the hotel swimming in the lagoon that the cabins sit on and I can’t deny I was tempted to cool down with a quick dip. Considering we had other items on the agenda we opted for a quick relaxing break on the hammocks before continuing.

Reserva Natural Marasha (Marasha Nature Reserve)

The Marasha Nature Reserve is actually in Peru which is a fun addition to the Colombia side. Here we did another jungle trek which ended in pouring rain and lots of mud. In my opinion, the rain is part of the trip so I wasn’t mad especially considering we were pretty lucky the other days and had minimal rain throughout our trip compared to what we expected. We also did a night canoe (more below) while in Marasha. Before dinner we went for a kayak on the lagoon and rowed up to one the largest trees in the world; the Ceiba. This is the second largest species of tree in the world, after the Sequoias. We spent a night in one of the cabins here and even witnessed a crocodile coming up to the bank to say hi. The locals had named him Luca.

2 hours into a jungle trek on day 2 of 4

Night Canoe

We did a canoe trip while in Marasha during which we got to navigate through the side streams of the Amazon at night. We were able to find a baby crocodile and see the Flor de Loto in full bloom. Similar to other activities, the appeal here is to immerse yourself in the rainforest and witness what it’s like without human intervention. I found it fascinating how different the landscape is at night and once again, how dark it is.

Loreto Mocagua

Loreto Mocagua is another indigenous village and one of my favourite stops on the trip. Here we had lunch at our guide’s house which was a very unique experience and I loved getting to see a typical house and enjoy an authentic experience. This is another village recognized for it’s eco-friendly way of life. They have massive solar panels which provide sustainable energy to the village and there’s no vehicles besides bikes just like in Puerto Nariño. Our guide whose family lived in this village showed us around and explained how each family had a symbol that was painted on the outside of their homes. This made Loreto Mocagua extremely colourful and vibrant. One of my favourite parts of travelling is seeing how different the human experience is for others so visiting these villages is something I am very grateful I got to do.

Fundacion Maikuchiga

Maruja the two year old spider monkey… can you see why she’s my favourite?

Located in Loreto Mocagua is Fundaction Maikuchiga, a sanctuary for primates injured from illegal trafficking, being held as pets (also illegal), or hunting. Hunting is banned in Colombia but unfortunately legal in Brazil so there are a lot of monkeys who end up hurt there. I’ve said this so many times surely it’s lost meaning but this was easily one of my highlights. The people who work and volunteer here focus on rehabilitation and education. The monkeys are never locked up (unless medically necessary or for their safety if they’re too injured to interact with others). They are free to come and go as they please, in fact there’s no actual “limit” to the sanctuary, instead they provide food and shelter for the monkeys while they heal and they can stay as long as they’d like. Most monkeys end up leaving once they’re healthy but there’s no control over this. The monkeys are fed only natural food they can find in the area as this helps avoid them becoming dependant. When they choose to leave they can identify food easily and can survive in the wild. The foundation also focuses on educating people about the importance of preserving the natural species in the Amazon and have several ex-hunters who have been converted and now work with the organization to discourage hunting. We met several monkeys (none of which were forced to interact with tourists) but my favourite was Maruja, a 2 year old spider monkey who just made me want to stay there forever.

River Dolphin Viewing

Family symbols painted on a home in Loreto Mocagua

During one of the boat trips on the river we went into some lakes to try to find river dolphins. There’s 2 kinds; pink and grey and they evolved from sea dolphins who swam up the river and ended up adapting to live in the freshwater. We were able to see both pink and grey dolphins and they jumped and swam near the boat, maybe not something you’d expect when you’re no where near the ocean in the middle of a jungle but a welcome surprise.

Leticia City Tour

Although the list above is not in chronological order, the last thing we did before heading back to the airport was a city tour of Leticia. We were able to wander through the market, visit a museum to learn more about the municipality and the rainforest, and even crossed the border into Tabatinga, Brazil. The border towns are in different time zones so Leticia and Tabatinga, although being extremely integrated, are one hour apart. You can cross the borders without any paperwork and the locals often move between the two cities in everyday life. Of course, if you travel further you need to follow the usual border crossing protocols. While in Tabatinga we got some chocolate with Brazil nuts and stopped to take in one last view of the Amazon River.

That’s all for now…

The few days I spent in the Amazon Rainforest were surreal to say the least. I don’t think I fully processed where I was and what I had gotten to witness until well after I’d left. I am extremely blessed and privileged to get to travel as much as I have in my life and I never take it for granted. Exploring more regions of Colombia is always special to me and I am so grateful I got to venture into the world’s largest rainforest.

Colombia is a beautiful country and the little corner of the Amazon that sits within it’s borders is a world of it’s own. If you ever get the chance to visit please take it and I promise you will be left as awestruck as I was. Prepare to be dirty, sweaty, and hot, but also prepare to have your mind blown and get a glimpse into why I love my home country as much as I do. It’s a pretty special place and once you visit you’ll find yourself doing everything you can to come back and see more. There’s so much more I could say but I think I’ll just let you go find out for yourself.

Safe travels,

Maria