Region
Amazonia
Go only for Leticia and the river; skip the Caquetá and Putumayo roads. Fly in, sleep in Leticia or Puerto Nariño, 3–4 nights.
Key facts · Colombia
- Currency
- Peso (COP, $)
- Language
- Spanish
- Plugs
- A · B · 110–120 V
- Time zone
- UTC−5 all year
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.
- Colombia ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Migración Colombia or a Colombian consulate; some travellers must complete an online migration form before arrival.
- Colombia ↗Security advice lists specific departments and border areas: check your own government's advice for every place on your route, including coastal roads.
- Colombia ↗Never accept drinks, food or cigarettes from strangers, and be careful with people met on dating apps: drugging (including with scopolamine) followed by robbery is a known risk.
- Colombia ↗Fill in Check-MIG only on the official Migración Colombia site; it is free, and lookalike sites charge a fee.
Colombian Amazonia covers over 400,000 km², more than a third of the country, and almost none of it is reachable by road from the cities you fly into. The workable trip is the far south: Leticia, on the border with Peru and Brazil, plus a boat up the river to Puerto Nariño and the Amacayacu area. Everything else — Mitú, Inírida, the middle Caquetá — is a flight lottery with multi-day delays and, in western Putumayo and Caquetá, a real security problem. Treat Amazonia as one destination, not a region to tour.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- LeticiaCity guide
Airport, river boats, Tres Fronteras border-hopping.
Best Jun–Sep, Dec–Mar
JFMAMJJASOND - Puerto NariñoPlanned
Smaller river town, 2 h by boat from Leticia; quieter nights.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- MocoaPlanned
Putumayo gateway by road from Pasto; check current security before committing.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Also here
- San Vicente del CaguánPlanned
Former conflict zone; not a tourist base.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Leticia 2 + Puerto Nariño 1
- 4 nights
- Leticia 2 + Puerto Nariño 2, with a river day between
- Western Putumayo and Caquetá, and northern Guaviare, are conflict areas — leave them off the itinerary.
- Amazonian weather cancels flights; build one spare day into any trip beyond Leticia.
- Mosquito-borne disease is the main health risk; repellent and pre-trip shots are not optional.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Nariño | Leticia | 120 min | check | Fast boats run the river through the day; the last return is mid-afternoon — confirm at the dock. |
| San Miguel (Peru side) | Leticia | 60 min | check | Border hop for a passport stamp; bring your passport and check the crossing hours. |
| Amacayacu National Park | Puerto Nariño | 60 min | check | Boat access; park facilities have opened and closed over the years — verify before you go. |
Bags between cities
There is no useful luggage forwarding here; you carry everything onto the boat.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leticia | go | go | go | × | × | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go |
| Colombia (country-wide) | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok | ok | go |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon lowlandsLeticia, Puerto Nariño, the river | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | ok | ok | ok | wet | wet | wet |
- Amazon lowlands
- Hot and humid all year, 30–33 °C days. Rain is heaviest Dec–May; the drier window is roughly July–September, though it still rains.Hot and humid all year, 86–91 °F days. Rain is heaviest Dec–May; the drier window is roughly July–September, though it still rains.
There is no cool season. The river level, not the temperature, decides what you can reach: high water opens small creeks, low water exposes beaches.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bogotá (BOG) | Leticia (LET) | Direct flight, about 1 h 50 | ~2 h in the air | The only practical way in. LATAM and Copa fly it; Satena's three-leg route via Araracuara and La Chorrera is for people visiting those towns. |
| Iquitos, Peru | Leticia | Riverboat down the Amazon | days, not hours | Slow boats take several days; many foreign visitors arrive this way. Check sailings and safety locally. |
| Rest of Amazonia (Mitú, Inírida) | Department capitals | Satena flights only | varies | Infrequent service and frequent multi-day delays. Only attempt with slack in the schedule. |
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Pirarucú and dorado | Leticia and river towns | The local river fish; pirarucú is lean, dorado rich. Fresh, and cheaper than imported food. |
| Piranha | River lodges | Small but eaten locally; often served after a fishing trip. |
| Fruit from the market | Leticia market | Amazon fruit is the strength of the local diet; vegetables, meat and dairy are scarce and pricier. |
| Chuchuhuasa | Jungle villages | Bark spirit mixed with aguardiente; rarely sold in towns. |
| Yagé (ayahuasca) | With a shaman only | A strong hallucinogen used ceremonially. Only under experienced guidance; expect vomiting and diarrhea on a first night. |
Go next
Leticia
The base itself
Airport, boats and the Tres Fronteras border.
Chiribiquete National Park
plannedPermit and charter only
Prehistoric rock pictographs; access is tightly controlled.
Amacayacu National Park
plannedBoat from Puerto Nariño
Jungle trails and river wildlife.
Puerto Nariño
planned2 h fast boat from Leticia
Smaller, quieter river town.
Orinoquía
plannedFly via Bogotá or Villavicencio
Llanos grasslands; a separate trip.
Andino
plannedFly back to Bogotá
The mountain heart of the country.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source