Amazon

For travellers, the Colombian Amazon mostly means Leticia, the small town on the Amazon River where Colombia meets Brazil and Peru, reachable only by plane from Bogotá. In 4-5 days you can see the town, spend a night or two at a jungle lodge and head upriver to the car-free village of Puerto Nariño, where you can spot pink river dolphins. Here’s how to get there, what to do, how high and low water change the trip and what to pack; prices, boat times and a day-by-day plan are in our Leticia and Puerto Nariño guide.

What to do in the Colombian Amazon

Stop	Why go	How long
Leticia	base for excursions, riverside market, sunset parrots in Parque Santander	1 day
Tres Fronteras	where Colombia, Brazil and Peru meet: Tabatinga on foot, Santa Rosa by boat	half a day
Jungle lodge	canoeing, walks with local guides, nights in the rainforest	1-2 nights
Puerto Nariño	a car-free Ticuna village, base for Lake Tarapoto	1-2 nights
Lake Tarapoto	pink and grey dolphins and giant water lilies	half a day from Puerto Nariño

Choose local operators that work with Indigenous communities and don’t let you touch or feed animals: a monkey seen from a distance in the forest beats a photo with a captive animal.

How to get to Leticia

No roads reach Leticia: you fly from Bogotá in about 2 hours. On arrival you pay a tourist entry tax in cash (35,000-50,000 pesos depending on the source), so have pesos ready: you may not find an ATM at the airport. From then on you get around by speedboat on the river: Puerto Nariño is about 2 hours away, with departures from Leticia’s dock.

To visit Tabatinga (Brazil) you just cross the street; if you want to travel further into Brazil or Peru, you need to go through immigration and get an exit stamp from Colombia. Visit Tabatinga and Santa Rosa by day: the border is a trafficking corridor, and US travel advice is stricter for the Brazilian and Peruvian side than for Leticia. For domestic flights and timings, read our guide to getting around Colombia.

High water or low water: when to go

It rains all year in the Amazon and it’s hot and humid (highs of 31-32 °C / 88-90 °F). More than the rain, what matters is the river level, which can change by several metres; sources don’t agree on exact dates, but roughly:

• High water, roughly December to May: the forest floods, you get around by boat and canoe among the trees and dolphins are easier to spot.
• Low water, roughly August to October: beaches and trails appear, you walk more and it rains less, but the sun is fierce.

Neither is the “wrong” time: choose based on what you’d rather do. Bear in mind that recent droughts have been exceptional (record lows in 2023 and 2024, low water again in September 2026): between August and November, check ahead that boats and excursions are running normally. Seasons for other regions are in our guide on when to visit Colombia.

What to pack and what to know

• Health: the yellow fever vaccine is recommended and it’s worth carrying your international certificate; ask your doctor or travel clinic about malaria tablets too. Entry requirements are in our guide to Colombia entry requirements.
• Clothing: light long sleeves and trousers, a rain jacket, rubber boots (lodges often lend them) and a head torch.
• Strong repellent and sunscreen.
• Cash: there are ATMs in Leticia, but not in the villages or lodges.
• Insurance: choose travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, as serious treatment means flying to Bogotá.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to the Amazon in Colombia?

By plane from Bogotá to Leticia, in about 2 hours: no roads link Leticia with the rest of the country. From Leticia you get around by boat on the Amazon River.

How many days do you need in Leticia?

At least 4-5 days: one in Leticia, one or two nights at a jungle lodge and one or two in Puerto Nariño, for Lake Tarapoto and the pink dolphins.

Do you need a yellow fever vaccine for Leticia?

It’s strongly recommended: every municipality in Amazonas is rated high risk. Sources disagree on whether the certificate is compulsory, so carry it anyway; talk to your doctor at least ten days before you travel, and ask about malaria prevention too. Details are in our Leticia guide.