It covers around one third of the entire country, but the Colombian Amazon is one of its best kept secrets. Sitting on the border with Brazil and Peru, this is an area relatively untouched by tourism that promises a unique and wonderfully off-the-grid experience.
The Amazonas region, named after the Amazon River which drains the department, is a huge area inaccessible by road. The gateway to the rainforest is the town of Leticia, reached by a two-hour flight from Bogota. The mighty Amazon snakes its way throuh dense, green jungle which teems with life. Deer and puma stalk through the forest, sloths and monkeys climb from tree to tree, and hundreds of species of birds rise up through the canopy and flit through the skies.
One of the best ways to explore this area is by navigating the vast network of waterways, home to pink dolphins and dotted with Victoria Regia water lilies, the largest in the world. You can also hike through the rainforest, getting up close to endemic plants and the smaller creatures that inhabit this region.
The Colombian Amazon is also culturally incredibly rich with many ancient traditions maintained by the indiginous communities that call this pristine environment home.
When to go
There are two seasons in the Colombian Amazon. The dry season runs from July to December and the wet season from January to June. The wet season generally sees fewer animals as they retreat to the drier forest but you can kayak through the flooded forest. November to February is a good time to visit when there is a bit of a bridge between the two seasons.
What to do
- Hop on a boat and explore the network of waterways
- Trek through the rainforest, keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife and endemic plant species
- Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the rainforest from the quiet solitude of your lodge
