15 best things to do in Leticia, Colombia: The Ultimate Amazon Guide
Last updated on September 10th, 2026 at 03:52 pm
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Leticia has a sort of rugged wild west vibe to it – especially after the prettiness of the coffee region towns! But if you are planning a trip to Colombia’s Amazon country, this is where you go! In this post you will find all you need to sort out your logistics and sightseeing for a seamless trip – where to stay, what to bring, how to get around, and the best things to see and do for a great time in the Amazon!
Contents
(Use this to skip ahead if you’d like to)
The 15 best things to do in Leticia!
Frequently asked questions about Leticia
Trip Planning Checklist
If you just want to book now, these are my top recommendations:
- Best Higher End hotel: Waira Suites in Leticia and Chunaki Ecolodges in the jungle
- Best Boutique/Mid-Range Hotel: Casa amazilia in Leticia and Ebenezer Macedonia Hostel in the jungle
- Best Budget hotel: Hotel CHAFO in Leticia and Jungle Cabin – Satori Natural in the jungle.
- Must-Book Day Tour: Amazon Canoe Tour with Swimming Experience
- Must-Book Jungle Tour: 3-Day Amazon Expedition: Jungle, River & Wildlife Tour
These are the booking platforms I personally use for all my travels. If you book through these affiliate links, it helps support this site and keeps me producing free travel guides – at absolutely no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for the support! Cheers!
And for general planning…
All in one – if you want to book flights and accommodation as a package, use expedia
Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight – I often find the same flight cheaper than booking direct with the airline!
Accommodation – I use booking.com and expedia for hotels, Hostelworld for a hostel, and Vrbo for holiday houses.
Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.
Tours and Activities – book with Viator or GetYourGuide.
Car rental – I usually use DiscoverCars
Insurance – I usually use EKTA , but another good option, especially if you are from the US is SafetyWing. EKTA works well as they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!
Buses, trains, ferries – In Europe I use Omio, in the Americas I use Busbud, and in South / SE Asia 12Go is by far the best option for buses, ferries and trains. But I am starting to use 12Go in Latin America and Australia too as it expands its network. In China use Trip.com.
Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails – it means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!
Thanks so much if you used one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!
The 15 best things to do in Leticia
There is not a huge lot on offer in Leticia itself, although just walking around is interesting in that it is not quite like any other place in Colombia and its interesting to see people just going about their daily lives in a town where they have to fly to to get anywhere else in Colombia and where life revolves around the river and jungle! These are the best things I found to do in, and from, Leticia!
Around town:
These are the things you can walk to and easily see or do around town:
1. Watch the parrakeets roost in the central plaza!
This is crazy – I mean Leticia is a bit crazy anyway, but this is super crazy! Every night, to the clock, from 5.00-6.00pm thousands (and I do mean thousands – they estimate 30,000) canary-winged parakeets swoop in seemingly coming from the heavens, and land for the night in the trees in the central plaza. It is an incredible sight to see – and hear!
You can stand in the plaza and watch, or you can get a top end view from the church on the edge of the plaza. You simply pay a couple of dollars to go up in the tower – which is an interesting climb in itself! From there you see flocks of swirling birds that literally seem to appear from far above in the heavens! Its mesmerising!
2. Stroll the Malecon and check out the fish market
There is a Malecon of sorts along the riverbank. From there you can see the stilt houses on the island a short way across the tributary of the river the town sits on, as well as all the boats buzzing back and forward. Nearby is the market – the most interesting part being the fish market. You will see some huge fish – straight from the Amazon!
3. Explore Leticia’s Ethnographic Museum – Museo Etnográfico de Leticia
This is an interesting little museum and its completely free so there is no reason to not drop in and have a look. It has displays and information about the indigenous groups that live in the Amazon area near Leticia. It is very small, and it would be great if it was bigger, but it is worth spending a little bit of your time there.
4. Jump across the borders – have breakfast in Brazil and lunch in Peru!
You may not be able to go anywhere else in Colombia by road but you can wander over to Brazil for breakfast! Better still wait until a bit later in the day and go for a caipirinha!
The border is not manned – as long as you are within Tabatinga or within a 50km radius you don.t need a stamp in your passport. So take a tuk-tuk or just walk across like I did! Suddenly people are speaking Portuguese instead of Spanish! Tabatinga is also a bit of a nightlife spot – its quite the thing to do to go have a few drinks over there. Take care though and don’t go alone at night if you are a female!
After popping over to Tabatinga, you can then take a quick boat ride over to Santa Rosa in Peru for a ceviche! Again,as long as you stay in the township, you don’t need a passport stamp.
Top tip – take a moto-taxi just past the immigration center in Santa Rosa to Brisas de Amazonas for a delicious lunch!
5. Canoe and swim in the Amazon!!
This one is not just for fun but it makes for great bragging rights! Canoe on the Amazon and take a swim! “I have swum in the Amazon River” sounds good!
You will need a tour to do this – unless you have managed to bring a canoe with you! But these two tours are good fun and value:
Or you can do a combo with ziplining on this Kayak sightseeing tour and zipline in the heart of the jungle tour.
6. Finish off the day with a sunset cocktail by the river
A nice little option at the end of the day is to go across the border to Tabatinga in Brazil and have a few of the famous Brasilian caipirinhas there – alongside the river and watch the sun go down. Ladies do not do this alone (not that you would). If this sounds like fun there is a nice little tour that you can go on which includes visiting craft shops and chocolate stores on the way:
Amazon River Sunset Tour with Drink – note that this is not on the river but beside the river!
Nearby Leticia – exploring the Amazon and jungle!
These are the things you can do close to Leticia to explore the Amazon and its jungles:
7. Blow a dart at the Mundo Amazónico ecological park
Just out of town is the Mundo Amazónico ecological park. This is a great place to get an easy introduction to the plants and animals of the Amazon’s jungle and also to learn about the local people – including how to (master) dart blowing! If you want a comfortable night in the jungle you can also sleep here – the jungle sounds are fabulous to go to sleep to!
You can get the bus there but I don’t think it saves you any money as they will pick you up from town. Contact the park here and arrange what suits you. I felt the “Basic 4 Routes” option was enough, but I was going to be staying in the jungle later, so take a look and see whats right for you.
8. Search for the pink river dolphins
They really are pink underneath! And they really are hard to catch on camera – or so it was for me unfortunately. But it was enough to see the colour of them. I was expecting a dusky pink at best, but no they have quite pink bellies!
You can hire a boat at the dock to go looking for the dolphins from Leticia, or go to Puerto Nariño for a day or two and see them from there! Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see the dolphins.
These are your best options:
1. The Yahuarcaca Lagoons (Lagos de Yahuarcaca). This is the closest and cheapest option just a few kilometers and 10-15 minutes by boat upriver from the Leticia port. During the low-water season, dolphins enter the deeper pockets of these lagoons to trap schools of fish.
2. The mouth of the Javari River (Río Yavarí) about 30-40 minutes by boat from the Leticia port. The Javari River flows directly into the main Amazon River channel. Because the waters mix here, nutrients are dense, making it a premier feeding ground for both pink and gray dolphins.
3. Lake Tarapoto (Lago Tarapoto) near Puerto Nariño (about 2 hours each way from Leticia
Port). This is the most famous dolphin sanctuary in the Colombian Amazon. However, in low-water season, the dolphins will be concentrated specifically at the mouth of the Loretoyacu River where it meets the Amazon, just outside the entrance to the lake. Your best option is to take the regular boat to Puerto Nariño and then hire a local boat to take you to the dolphins. It is best to stay the night and go on an early morning or late afternoon trip as that is when the dolphins are more active.
Sadly I didn’t get any decent photos of the dolphins, and the one really good video I got is corrupted :-(
So I have to make do with this for now! You can see a tinge of pink on its back but the real pink is their bellies!
9. See the incredible giant Victoria Regia lilies at the Flor de Loto Nature Reserve
The Flor de Loto Nature Reserve (Reserva Natural Flor de Loto) is about half an hour from Leticia by boat. Here you will see masses of the giant Amazonian water lily (Victoria amazonica)
You can go independently by going to the dock and hiring a boat. Just make sure the driver understands that you want the boat to wait 1.5-2 hours while you tour the reserve, and then bring you back as well. It should cost 140-180k cop for the whole boat for a couple of hours – make sure you explicitly agree that this includes the waiting time and there is no extra cost. Pay in cash and only after the trip is complete!
If you don’t want the hassle of hiring a boat and making your own way there, then you are in luck. You can go on this full day tour so you do more than just see the lilies –
Flor de Loto Nature Reserve Day Tour.
They are wonderful to see, so make sure you see them somewhere on your trip!
You can also go on this great value day tour that goes to Puerto Nariño amongst other places, as well as to the Flor de Loto Reserve!
Tour Río Amazonas indigenous communities Mico Island and Puerto Nariño
Note you can combine this with time to spot the pink river dolphins. Ask the driver to stop where the Amazon River meets the Loretoyacu or Javari rivers, or near the edges of the local Yahuarcaca Lagoon on the way back. You will have to pay more for this but its a great way to do two cool things at once.
10. Go on a night walk to see the bioluminescent fungi, tarantulas, and frogs
A few eco sanctuaries and plenty of agencies in town offer night walks to see the bioluminescent fungi, colorful tree frogs, glass frogs, and poison dart frogs, and often tarantulas. Do not expect to see bright neon glowing mushrooms – its more of a ghostly green that covers the leaf litter on the forest floor. Do expect to see colors when it comes to frogs though!!
One of the easy ways to do this – is by staying at the Reserva Natural Tanimboca wher the night walk is included in your accommodation cost! They are known for their night walks as well as their treehouses. (Please read the reviews before booking as it is not for everyone!)
There are lots of other options – any ecolodge will offer these walks and so does the Fundación Maikuchiga – see the next item!
11. See the monkeys at the Fundación Maikuchiga
This is a community run rescue and rehabilitation center run by the indigenous community of Mocagua about 2 hours from Leticia by boat. The reserve is focussed on rehabilitation of monkeys and sloths saved from illegal trafficking. You can go for a day trip and you can also stay overnight.
To get there – take the 7 or 9am ferry to Puerto Nariño and tell the driver you want to get off at Mocagua. Once you arrive at the Mocagua dock, you have to pay a local community entry fee ($4-5). Then you hire a local Ticuna guide who will take you on a 3km (45-min) jungle hike inland to reach the Fundación Maikuchiga cabins. And you will learn plenty about the local monkeys!
You can return the same day on a later ferry – book the return when you get your ticket in the morning. Or you can stay at the Foundation at a local homestay or lodge. This way you can directly support the local community and also get to do things like night jungle walks, traditional craft workshops, and dolphin spotting along nearby Mocagua Island as well as jungle hikes on the island where you are likely to see sloths.
It is best to contact the foundation ahead via their Fundación Maikuchiga Facebook Page or by messaging their coordinators through their WhatsApp +57 301 242 6963.
Notes:
- The Foundation also runs a volunteer programme – you need to stay at least a month but they supply your accommodation.
- If you are going to stay in Puerto Nariño you are very likely to see wild monkeys there. Not guaranteed of course but very likely!
12. Take the boat and stay at Puerto Nariño
Puerto Nariño is nice little car-free town on the banks of the Amazon River – and a great alternative to staying at ecolodges or taking multi-day tours. The town is on the Rio Loretoyacu, a tributary to the actual Amazon River, and 80 km upstream from Leticia.
I recommend staying a few nights here and doing jungle walks with local guides, as well as dolphin spotting in Lake Tarapoto, and night walks. This is a good alternative to jungle trips and expensive eco-lodges. The town also has a watch-tower / mirador you can walk up to for good views across the river and jungle.
To get there get on a ferry from Leticia. They run four times a day at 7am, 9 or 10am, 12pm, and 2pm – but check in case this changes. If you want to get on the 7am one in particular, book the day before down by the port. Ask anyone to point you to the ticket office and they will.
Check your accommodation options in Puerto Nariño, but I do recommend either Jungle Cabin – Satori Natural or Cabañas Dechi which are both great and highly rated!
13. Catch the bus to km 11 for ziplining or a walk in the treetops
Catch the bus out to km 10 or 11 and visit one of the private reserves for ziplining or tree canopy “walking.” both Reserva Natural Tanimboca (at km11) and Reserva Natural Omagua at (km 10) offer this.
If you go out independently from Leticia on the bus or in a motor-taxi it will be cheaper. For the Zipline and Canopy Circuit it will cost around $25-35 per person at either reserve including mandatory local guides.
At Tanimboca you use a rope pulley system to climb up to a massive 35-meter platform built into a Ceiba tree, cross a long suspension bridge, fly down three separate ziplines, and finish with a 35-meter vertical rappel descent.
At Omagua the circuit is a little more varied. There is a 30-meter high-altitude bridge walk, a 110-meter fast zipline, an elevated 7-meter cargo net climb, a second shorter zipline, a second bridge, and a final 25-meter rappel.
Note: If you just want a guided walk without the ziplines, it will cost around $4-6.
To catch the bus just wait outside the church by the park – they go every 20 minutes-ish. Ask the driver to drop you off at either reserve and they will stop right outside. If you don’t want to catch the bus you can take a tuktuk or taxi.
14. Really immerse yourself in the area and do a workaway or other volunteering
To volunteer a while and really get to live in the jungle and Amazon is a great way to get to know what it is really like living here. Check out your options on Workaway – select Find a Host and Leticia. (Worldpackers is very good too.)
Note if you join Workaway from this link you will get a month free membership – and I will too!
Another great option is the volunteer programme at the Fundación Maikuchiga which I mentioned earlier in this post.
15. Go on the Jungle Trip!
Of course if you are in Leticia its often about going on a jungle trip in the Amazon! Most people here go for at least a night out in the jungle. The most common trips are three days two nights, with some people opting for 2 days 1 night and others for longer trips. Whatever works for you is good. An alternative option is to simply go and stay at an eco-lodge in the jungle and do trips from there.
Stay in an eco-lodge
A couple of fantastic budget eco-lodge options near Puerto Nariño are either Jungle Cabin – Satori Natural or Cabañas Dechi. You will have plenty of monkeys etc all around! Another great budget option between Leticia and Puerto Nariño is the Hospedaje y tours Reina Arriera .
Top mid-range options are the Ebenezer Macedonia Hostel or the Eware Amazonian Refuge.
A couple of more upmarket options with all the activities and great bird watching are Chunaki Ecolodges, or La Ceiba, Amazonas.
If you want real immersion in an indigenous community you can stay at Amazon Jungle lodge -Experencia Indigena Yagua! This is definitely not for everyone and the accommodation and facilities are very basic. But it is immersion! Do read the reviews before making any decisions about staying here.
Go on a jungle trip
Alternatively you can go on an organised multi-day tour from Leticia. There are so many options, which you can book when you arrive. But if you want to book ahead these are some highly rated options. (I did this in Iquitos so did not go on any of these tours and am choosing the most highly reviewed and rated ones.)
- Leticia Safari 2 Days and 1 Night of Jungle and River in Floating House
- 3-Day Amazon Expedition: Jungle, River & Wildlife Tour
- Plan Amazonas Full Extreme 5 days 4 nights Leticia
- Plan Immersion 5 days 4 nights Leticia Amazonas
And two extremely highly rated private tours are:
- 5-Day Author’s Amazon: Private Trek & Kayak Immersion
- 6-Day Amazon Odyssey: Private Amacayacu Ancestral Expedition
Whatever you choose, you are almost 100% guaranteed to enjoy it!
Where to stay in Leticia
Before you head to your Eco-lodge or jungle trip, you will probably spend a couple of nights in Leticia itself. I use booking.com and expedia for hotels, and Hostelworld for a hostel – booking on whichever gives the better deal. I have selected highly rated options to suit different budgets and styles to get you started – but do check the reviews before you book:
- Higher End: Waira Suites or Waldor’s Hotel Boutique
- Mid-Range: Casa amazilia (highly recommended by me) or Amazonia Deluxe Calle
- Budget: Hotel CHAFO or Heliconias Hotel
- Backpacker hostel: Casa De Las Palmas or Nomada Hostel
How to get to Leticia
There are two ways – by boat or by plane.
You can fly directly to Leticia from Bogota with either Avianca or LATAM. Check prices on skyscanner but I found LATAM to be cheaper.
Alternatively, you can come by boat from either Manaus in Brazil or from Iquitos in Peru.
To or from Iquitos in Peru, you can take either a slow cargo boat over 2-3 days and nights (usually using a hammock for sleeping but you can book a cabin too although they are not very comfortable) or a fast overnight boat that takes about 16 hours.
To and from Manaus in Brazil there is a fast boat that takes about 30-36 hours or a slow boat taking 3-4 days (usually using a hammock for sleeping but you can also book a cabin).
What to pack for Leticia
These are the things I had and used /needed on my trip:
- Lightweight breathable clothes (take clothes that cover legs and arms for times of day or jungle trips where there are lots of mosquitoes).
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Raincoat or poncho (or umbrella) and a cover for your pack – even during the dry season!
- A very lightweight day pack – I use this one to be exact!
- A water bottle with a filter like the LifeStraw if you prefer not to buy water in plastic bottles – you need to filter the tap water here.
- Mosquito repellent – in this location I prefer to use Repel with deet rather than get a nasty disease, but if you still don’t want deet, then this deet-free one.
- High-SPF Sunscreen (SPF 50+) and cap or sunhat.
- Swimwear and Quick-Dry Microfiber Towel if you plan to swim in the Amazon (its ok to do).
- Your camera/phone and power bank for day and jungle trips! Plus a water-proof pouch for your phone.
- Secure wallet / travel pouch for money and cards.
- Your yellow fever vaccination card and your anti-malaria medication.
- Travel plug adapter if you are from outside North / South America.
Frequently asked questions about Leticia
Q: Do I need to pay the Leticia tourist tax in cash at the airport, and how much is it?
A: Yes you have to pay in cash at the airport when you arrive in Leticia. It is 50k COP.
Q: Can I cross freely into Tabatinga (Brazil) and Santa Rosa (Peru) without immigration stamps?
A: Yes as long as you are just going for a day trip and not going further than these towns.
Q: Is a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate strictly enforced to enter Leticia?
A: Generally yes they will check your card at the airport, unless you are over 60 in which case they will not ask. The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days before your arrival date in the Amazonas region.
Q: How reliable are ATMs, and should I bring cash from Bogotá?
A: There are ATMs but they often run out of money so bring cash in case they are not working.
Q: Can I get malaria and other diseases from mosquitoes in Leticia and nearby – What vaccinations and medications do I honestly need?
A: Yes, it is in a malarial area. You can also get dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya in the area. This is why in this location I prefer to use a repellent with deet. You need to have had a Yellow Fever vaccine and to be taking malaria pills.
Q: High water vs. low water season: Which is better?
A: Neither is better really. During high water (December–May) the rivers rise up to 30 feet, so boats can float through the flooded forest canopy. During low water (June–November) the rivers recede, exposing sandy beaches and jungle walking trails. Mosquitoes are more ferocious!
Q: Can I drink the tap water in Leticia?
A: No – use bottled or purified water to clean teeth too.
Travel tips for Leticia
- The town is very walk-able – including to Brazil! Have comfortable walking shoes with you.
- Always clear customs BEFORE boarding Amazon River ferries. You need to get stamped out of Colombia and into either Peru or Brazil before you get on a ferry.
You can get stamped out of Colombia in town – if a blog or anyone tells you that you have to go to the airport then it is out of date. The office is here.
The immigration office in Peru is here. Immigration in Tabatinga is at the Police Station here. - Try local foods – around the market is a good area and things to try are Pirarucú (the world’s largest freshwater fish) grilled inside a banana leaf and ice creams and juices made from local jungle fruits like Arazá, Copoazú, and Camu Camu (my favorite)
- Bring long sleeves and pants – lightweight and breathable. In the evening the mosquitoes are ferocious and this will help a lot – even though you’d rather be in a lot less clothing with the heat!
- Avoid bright colored clothes for jungle trips – they attract insects that you might not want to attract, and may scare off monkeys and birds!
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