Journey to the Colombian Amazon: 4 magical days in the heart of the forest

This 5-day journey opens the door to a mysterious, untamed world, where every twig and bird call immerses you in total immersion. The Amazon, with its dazzling biodiversity and lush landscapes, becomes the setting for this exceptional escapade.

Excursions into the dense jungle, encounters with local communities, breathtaking river explorations: every day holds new discoveries in store for you. Expect to be amazed by the unique flora and fauna of the Amazon jungle, to hear the stories of the Amazon people, and to enjoy an experience that transcends the boundaries of everyday life.

Get ready to immerse yourself in the magic of the Colombian Amazon, where adventure and nature come together to create indelible memories.

Legend: Blue: airport – Yellow: activities & visits – Green: accommodation

Below you’ll find the program for our personalized 4-day tour of the Colombian Amazon, drawn up in close collaboration with Yoi Ecotours, and our feedback for each day. Please note that this tour was carried out in early April, during the rainy season. If you opt for the dry season, activities may differ.

We recommend arriving in Leticia the day before the tour starts , for greater safety. If you plan to arrive on the morning of D-day, firstly, there’s always a risk of being late, and secondly, you’re dependent on public boat schedules to get you close to the lodge.

DAY 1 – Departure from Leticia and visit to the village of San Martin

08:30: departure by car from our hotel to the port of Leticia with our guide
09:00: transport by public boat then by private lancha with our San Martin guide
11:30: arrival at the ecolodge to drop off belongings
12:00: arrival in the village of the San Martin community: meal + visit of the village + practical workshop (making of traditional bracelets)
18:30: return to the ecolodge for dinner + rest

Our experience: arriving in Leticia the day before, a representative of the agency drove us from the hotel to the public boat at 9:00 am, beginning our epic journey up the majestic Amazon River. This experience, the equivalent of a river bus journey, punctuated by strategic stops, reveals all its grandeur. After 1h15 of navigation, the boat came to rest on an isolated stretch of land in the middle of nowhere. Our indigenous guide from the community of San Martin appeared in his lancha, marking the authentic start of our adventure. Sailing for some twenty minutes on a tributary river of the Amazon, winding through the forest, we reached our lodge, cleverly hidden in the wilderness. After dropping off our belongings, a jaunt to the village of San Martin offered a guided tour, hut-building demonstrations and a plunge into their culture. Dinner in the village, interspersed with clumsy attempts to create bracelets from natural fibers, preceded a peaceful return to the lodge. An evening that included a delicious dinner, a shower in persistent humidity and a lively night in the pouring rain marked the conclusion of our first day in the world’s largest rainforest, where all landmarks become blurred and the mosquitoes remain loyal (tip: avoid the rainy season, unlike us!).

DAY 2 – Hiking and lancha outing

Breakfast
Walking tour of the Amazon rainforest (Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu)
Lunch at the Ecolodge
Boat trip on the Amazon, then Lake Tarapoto (pink dolphins)
Return to the Ecolodge for a break
Night walk (approx. 1 hour to observe the fauna, especially insects active at night)
Dinner – At leisure

Our experience: As usual in Colombia, the alarm clock goes off early, with the sounds of animals waking us up in the Amazon rainforest, a prelude to an early breakfast followed by a lancha outing. We dock in the middle of nowhere, initiated to this practice, to begin a hike of almost 3 hours in the Amacayacu National Nature Park, where our guide reveals the secrets of the plants, between dangers and medicinal virtues, while trying to spot the wildlife, a complex mission. Back at the lodge, hungry, we devour lunch before a short break. Back on the lancha, we cruise along the Amazon River, observing birds and dolphins. We head for Lake Tarapoto, renowned for its pink dolphins. Despite their presence, the murky water limits our observation. A dive into the lake is even possible. After this session, back at the lodge, we wait for nightfall around 6-6.30pm for a night hike. A nightmare for some, this exploration of the nocturnal bestiary under our headlamps reveals gigantic insects and amphibians, an experience to make you break out in a cold sweat. After this strange escapade, we return to the lodge for a peaceful night in the silent depths of the Amazon rainforest.

DAY 3 – Visit to Puerto Nariño, Maikuchiga sanctuary, canoeing

Breakfast
Visit the village of Puerto Nariño (village, viewpoint, mini ethnographic museum, animal reserve)
Lunch in Puerto Nariño at a restaurant
Visit the Maikuchiga primate sanctuary
Short canoeing break on the way back (cut tree trunk)
Return to the ecolodge and break
New night walk around the ecolodge
Dinner – Rest

Our experience: on this third day, we set course for the tourist village of Puerto Nariño, surrounded by rainforest, small rural hamlets and inns. What’s more, the village boasts a belvedere offering impressive views of the Amazon River and the village’s natural landscape. Our exploration takes us to a mini-nature reserve on the outskirts of the village, home to a few free-roaming monkeys, including two howler monkeys, and a small lake where fish and caimans swim. Then it’s off to the Ethnographic Museum for a captivating guided tour of the surrounding nature and indigenous culture, complete with myths and legends, such as that of Guarana and boto. Lunch in a canteen on the banks of the Amazon River provides us with the best buñuelos of our lives. After a break in Puerto Nariño, we take a lancha to the Maikuchiga sanctuary, an animal haven and rehabilitation center in the heart of the Amazon. The name Tikuna, “the story of the monkey”, embodies this sanctuary, which offers safety to animals confiscated through illegal trafficking. The Maikuchiga Foundation also educates local communities about conservation and monitors wild woolly monkey populations. This poignant experience represents the successful marriage between responsible tourism and local action in favor of wildlife. After this moving episode with the furry residents, we return to the ecolodge for a break before the evening walk, although, spoiler, no new animal encounters took place on our first outing under the stars.

DAY 4 – Hike back to Leticia

Breakfast
Walking tour of the Amazon rainforest (Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu)
Return to the ecolodge
Blowpipe activity: try your hand at aiming at a cardboard box with a traditional blowpipe)
Lunch
Departure around 1:30 pm to take the public boat back to Leticia
4:00 pm: arrival in Leticia, end of tour.

Our experience: on this last day in this verdant world, the morning offers us a final series of activities, while the afternoon heralds our imminent return to civilization and the town of Leticia. A final hike into the heart of the forest, as silent and at times eerie as ever, marks our reverence for this green Eden. Back at the ecolodge, a surprise awaits us in the form of a blowpipe training session. Our guide, with a 2-meter blowpipe, turns an old egg carton into a target. It’s a difficult exercise, even at a distance of just 6-8 meters, which makes us realize the dexterity of community hunters who aim at moving targets at much greater distances. After this activity, our last meal awaits us, marking the start of preparations to leave this soothing place for the heart and mind. We retrace our steps on the lancha with our guide, to the same lost piece of land by the river, waiting for the public boat that will take us back to Leticia. We reach the town at around 4.30pm, finding it almost gigantic after 4 days in the world’s largest jungle. A memorable experience for nature and adventure lovers, ready to sacrifice their comfort. A well-deserved rest is in store, as the heat, humidity and activities have exhausted us. The Amazon is sure to see us again.

The times given above are purely indicative.
The itinerary for days 1 and 4 may vary depending on arrival and departure in Leticia.
Activities do not have a fixed timetable, as they are programmed with the local guide once you arrive at the nature reserve.

Yoi Ecotours founders: indigenous / scientific mutual aid

Agusto Moran and Maria Ayla Angel are a couple from the Ticuna community of San Martin, Colombia. Doña Maria, the community’s ambassador, works closely with the national park to initiate projects that benefit the whole community. She is committed to strengthening San Martin over the long term. A fisherman, carpenter and craftsman, Don Agusto has a wide range of skills reflecting his practical and traditional knowledge of the Amazon. The rich histories and culture of the Tikuna people can be explored by listening to his fascinating tales. The couple embody the cultural richness of the region, making the discovery of the Colombian Amazon an unforgettable experience.

Julian Barajas, a nature enthusiast with a degree in zoology from the University of Toronto, is the founder of Yoi Ecotours. Bicultural, he speaks fluent English and Spanish.

Their aim is to offer a personalized, intimate, informative and immersive experience of the Amazon, while preserving this amazing region of the planet. Yoi Ecotours works closely with the local indigenous community of San Martin, who make up 100% of the staff.

Accommodation

Yoi Ecolodge nestles close to the indigenous community of San Martin de Amacayacu, about 3 hours’ drive from the city of Leticia, Colombia. San Martin is nestled in the heart of Amacayacu National Park, along a tributary of the majestic Amazon River. Enveloped by the lush forest canopy, the lodge is ideally situated along the river, accessible by a 30-minute boat ride from the community.

The rooms on offer are cabins made from local materials (wood, palm leaves, etc.). They are basic and clean, with private bathrooms. No Wi-Fi connection available, and electricity can be intermittent (we’re really far from any infrastructure). As for telephone coverage, it comes and goes.

So, let’s be frank: don’t expect to find a cozy cocoon after a day in the forest. However, it’s easy to get used to, especially as it’s only for a few nights.

Power supply

The lodge is run by locals from the San Martin community, who will be serving traditional home-cooked dishes from the region for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although it’s not a restaurant with a menu to choose from, that doesn’t stop you from enjoying the delicacies prepared. The cuisine is simple but delicious. A particular favorite is the copoazú juice. The typical dish is rice with meat or fish and a salad.

Of course, if you’re on a special diet, like Caro who is vegetarian, just let us know in advance so that we can adapt the meals accordingly.

It’s very simple: the ONLY way to get to Leticia, capital of the Amazonas department and starting point of the tour, is by plane. The town is not connected to any road network, lost in the heart of the green tide.

Leticia airport in Colombia is Alfredo-Vásquez-Cobo International Airport, and is served by all major Colombian cities, with a mandatory stopover in Bogotá, including recommended airlines Avianca and Latam.

Flying to Leticia from Bogotá

Let’s move on to the crucial question: how much does it all cost? In itself, the tour isn’t all that expensive, since (practically) everything is included. What does add to the bill are the plane tickets to and from Leticia.

For our part, we chose the Yoi Ecotour agency and we were satisfied, even if we think it’s possible to find more competitive prices elsewhere. In spite of everything, the strong point is that you can completely choose your activities from among the fifteen or so on offer. This comes in handy if you really want to do what you want, without having to do activities that interest you less, as can be the case with other agencies. During your stay, you define with the guide what you want to do.

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INCLUDES

• Pick-up from Leticia airport or hotel (Leticia always)
• All other land and sea transport
• All meals during the tour (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Private accommodation in one of the ecolodge cabins
• Spanish-speaking native guide
• All activities listed on the website
• Travel insurance

NOT INCLUDED

• Airline tickets to Leticia.
• 19% VAT (IVA in Spanish), only for Colombians and foreigners resident in Colombia.
• Bilingual guide (available at extra cost)
• Tips
• Activities, food and beverages not included in the plan.
• Laundry services
• 35,000 COP tourist tax (payable on arrival at Leticia airport)
• Waterproof boots (available at extra cost)