Leticia is the capital of the Colombian Amazon and the only Colombian city on the Amazon river. It sits where Colombia, Brazil and Peru meet: the triple border.
There is no road in. You arrive by plane or by boat, which explains two things: everything you eat or buy has travelled by air or water, and the town moves at a rhythm you will not find anywhere else. It is small and flat — twenty minutes on foot — and most travellers sleep here and spend the day upriver. That is the right call: the best of it is outside town.
The parakeets in the square, at dusk
Every afternoon, between 5:00 and 6:30, hundreds of parakeets fly into the main square to roost in its trees. They arrive in flocks, screeching, and do not stop until the sunset is over. It is the best free show in Leticia.
Where to stand: next to the church. And for the best view of all, 5,000 pesos gets you up the bell tower: from the top you see the parrots, the Amazon river and the sunset at the same time. It is one of the best-value things you can do here.
The market, at 7 in the morning
At seven the river port is the heart of the region. Boats arrive from the communities with plantain, cassava, pineapple, fish and crafts. By ten the heat is heavy and the market is emptying.
What to try: copoazú, açaí, arazá and camu camu — Amazonian fruit you will not find anywhere else in Colombia.
If it is Saturday: in the morning there is an Indigenous market in Orellana park. Well worth it: crafts, medicinal plants and produce from the communities, sold by the makers themselves.
The Ethnographic Museum of the Amazonian Man
It is in the Banco de la República building, a few blocks from the square, and opens in the morning. It is small — under an hour — but worth it: ethnographic and archaeological pieces from the region and a maloca.
It is the best way to understand, before heading upriver, who lives here and how.
The riverfront, in the morning
The riverfront is best early. In the morning there is far more to see: boats coming in from the communities, people fishing, movement in the port, and the river still cool.
And a timing tip almost nobody gives: do not spend the afternoon on the riverfront. That is when you want to be in the main square with the parrots. Save the riverfront for the day.
Walking into Tabatinga (Brazil)
It is attached to Leticia: you walk across and you are in Brazil. There is no checkpoint on the street.
When to go: during the day, in the main and commercial areas. It is not a place to go at night.
- What to buy: Brazilian products — chocolate, flip-flops (havaianas), hair products. Good quality at good prices.
- Where to change money: before crossing the border there are several places to change into reais. Do it there, not afterwards.
- Passport: for the border area you do not need a stamp; if you continue travelling inside Brazil, you do.
Our sunset tour: Leticia, Tabatinga and the sunset
If you want to close the day watching the sun go down over the Amazon, we run a sunset tour that covers the popular spots of Leticia and Tabatinga and ends on the riverbank, with the sunset over the water.
It is the easiest way to see both sides of the border in one afternoon without worrying about currency, language or transport. You go out with a guide, cross into Brazil and come back as the sun sets.
It runs 4:00–6:00 pm, every day except Sunday, and costs COP 55,000 per person (minimum 2 people). Book at reception or from the tour page: see the sunset tour.
Santa Rosa (Peru), by boat
It is an island across from Leticia, a few minutes by boat. The "llevo, llevo" boat costs 10,000 pesos, 10 soles or 10 reais per person each way. All three currencies are accepted.
Important: boats may only cross the river between Colombia and Peru until 5:00 pm. If you stay, you stay until the next day. That is why most people sleep in Leticia and visit Santa Rosa as a day trip.
The pink river dolphins
You can see them at any time of year: in the Amazon itself, in its tributaries and in the lakes that connect to the river in the high-water season.
Dolphins are not a guaranteed show: they are wild animals. They come out early, when the water is calm, and some days are better than others. Anyone who promises you will definitely see them is selling you smoke.
Puerto Nariño by fast boat
About two hours from Leticia. It runs every day from the port and costs 45,000 pesos each way.
Watch the departure point: in high water it leaves from Leticia port; in low water (summer) from the far side of Isla de la Fantasía. Check with us at reception before you go.
Puerto Nariño has no cars: concrete paths, gardens, bicycles. It has a lookout over the river that is the best sunset spot in the region, and the Natütama museum about life on the river. You can go for the day, but it deserves a night: the town empty at dawn is something else.
- From Leticia: 7:00 am · 9:00 am · 12:00 pm · 2:00 pm.
- From Puerto Nariño: 7:00 am · 10:00 am · 1:30 pm · 3:30 pm.
- To Caballococha (Peru): leaves at 9:00 am and returns at 12:30 pm.
The Puerto Nariño full-day tour: the most popular trip
If it is pouring with rain at dawn, the trip still runs: take a raincoat and a bag for your phone.
If you would rather not organise anything and let someone handle it all in one day, this is the best-selling tour in Leticia. We do not run it, but we book it for you at reception.
It leaves at 7:10 am and returns around 5:00 pm. It costs between 200,000 and 240,000 pesos per person depending on the season, and includes a typical lunch, drinking water, medical insurance and a certified local guide. Not included: the Puerto Nariño entry tax (30,000 pesos).
It is a long, full day: three countries, two communities, a nature reserve and dolphins. If your time is short, it is the most efficient way to see the river. And do the maths: if the monkey island is your only interest, hiring a private boat just for that costs more than this tour, which includes it.
- Puerto Alegría (Peru) — traditional Peruvian dances.
- Monkey Island reserve — squirrel, yellow-tailed and capuchin monkeys.
- Irapay nature reserve — aquatic plants and giant water lilies.
- Yaguas community — traditional dances and a visit to an ancestral house.
- Macadamia, a Ticuna community — dances, crafts and weaving.
- Puerto Nariño — ethnographic museum and natural lookout.
- Dolphin spotting area — pink and grey river dolphins.
The communities
If you want real jungle and time with the people who live here, the communities are the way. From Leticia we recommend Arara, Mocagua, San Martín and Puerto Nariño itself.
A night costs between 100,000 and 300,000 pesos and includes accommodation, meals and an activity: a jungle walk, a canoe trip, wildlife spotting.
Each community receives visitors in its own way: go with respect, ask before taking photos, and do not arrive expecting to "see indigenous people" — arrive to share a few days.
Real jungle: our own tours
If you came for the jungle and not just the river, we run our own tours, with Indigenous guides and small groups. They leave from the hostel door and show the other side of Leticia: the one you do not see from a boat full of people.
This is not conventional tourism. It is not forty people in a boat on a schedule you have to keep up with. It is walking with people who know the forest, sleeping where people actually sleep, and understanding how life works here. Trips run from one to four days, in groups of 1 to 8 people.
Our signature trip is the Mambe Trek: the experience that best represents us and the one we recommend to anyone who wants more than a day trip. Book at reception or at Amazon Experience, our agency.
Other options that exist
- Marasha reserve (Peru): a full day with forest walk, canoe, kayak, birds and piranha fishing. A comfortable, well-run excursion; we do not operate it, but it can be booked in town.
- Monkey Island: the most famous attraction in Leticia and built for groups and families. The monkeys are used to people, so do not expect wild jungle, but children love it. What almost nobody works out is that hiring a boat just for the island costs more than the full-day tour, which already includes it plus seven more stops.
Tree canopy and jungle: the kilometres
Along the only road out of Leticia there are reserves with canopy walkways, tree climbing, zip lines and night walks. It is the closest option to town: half a day.
If that interests you, we recommend Omagua, Gecko and Tanimboca. Prices start from 80,000 pesos and go up depending on the activity.
Itineraries by how many days you have
If you want to stretch day 3, the 3:30 pm boat leaves your morning free for Amacayacu or a nearby community.
- One day: 7:00 market and port · 9:00 the Ethnographic Museum · midday lunch and a siesta · 3:00 walk into Tabatinga · 5:00 parakeets in the square, and the bell tower if you can.
- Two days: the day above without rushing, then the Puerto Nariño full-day tour (we book it at reception).
- Three days: day 1 Leticia on foot and the triple border · day 2 the 7:00 am boat to Puerto Nariño, lookout, museum and a night there · day 3 dawn in the town and back on the 10:00 am or 1:30 pm boat.
- Four days: the three above plus a night in a community or a reserve along the road, with a night walk.
Winter and summer: two faces of the river
Here nobody talks about "rainy season" and "dry season": they talk about winter and summer.
Winter (roughly January to June): the river rises, there is more water and heavy rain. You can navigate flooded forest, which is a unique experience — entering the forest by boat.
Summer (roughly June to December): the river drops, sand beaches appear along the banks and wildlife concentrates near the water.
Neither is better: they are different trips. And the seasons have been shifting over the years, so treat this as guidance, not a calendar.
Money
- Cash. For a one-day tour carry around 300,000 pesos, depending on the tour.
- Take money out in town before heading out on an excursion. For foreign cards, the ATMs at Banco Popular and Banco Agrario work best.
- Carry some reais if you go to Tabatinga, and coins for Santa Rosa: pesos, soles or reais are accepted.
Health and what to pack
- Yellow fever: recommended for the region, not required to enter Leticia. Get vaccinated two weeks ahead.
- Repellent and long sleeves at dawn and dusk. Water: bottled or filtered only. We provide filtered water at the hostel.
- Cotton clothes that dry fast, sandals and closed shoes for the jungle, a light raincoat, a headlamp, bags for your camera and phone, and sunscreen even when it is cloudy.
- Noise: the jungle is loud — frogs, crickets, owls, parrots. It is part of the trip. If you are a light sleeper, bring earplugs.
Where to eat in Leticia
Six places worth your time, depending on what you feel like. And one fish you will see on every menu: pirarocú, a huge Amazon fish usually served as ceviche. If you have never tried it, order it.
- Tierras Amazónicas — varied Amazonian menu with piranha and vegetarian options.
- Punto Lounge — meat, fish, a broad menu and cocktails.
- El Rocoto de Lu — Peruvian food: good ceviche and a very good rice with vegetables.
- Sazón Peruano — Peruvian food at a good price, decent ceviche.
- Nativos — Peruvian food with enormous rice dishes.
- The restaurant at hotel Wayra — good meat and good fish.
Not staying here? Pool, bar and events
You do not have to be a guest to enjoy the house. You can come and pay the pool entry, then stay at the bar with the food and drinks we serve. It is the perfect plan after a day of tours: an afternoon in the water, something to eat and the sunset in the hammocks.
And if you like nights out, from Thursday to Saturday we host events at the house. Ask at reception or message us on WhatsApp to find out what is on this week.
Many travellers staying elsewhere come anyway: the house is open and so is the bar.
Safety and respect
- Leticia is calm by day and by night in the central areas. As in any city, keep an eye on your phone and avoid dark or outlying streets.
- In Tabatinga, go during the day and stick to the main and commercial areas.
- In the communities: ask before photographing people. And do not hand out money or sweets to children: it changes the relationship and undermines the work the community does with visitors.
Sleep in the centre, close to everything
Quick questions
How many days do I need in Leticia?
Three days minimum for the essentials; four or five if you want to sleep in the jungle.
What time do the parakeets arrive?
Between 5:00 and 6:30 pm, until the sunset ends. The best spot is next to the church, and for 5,000 pesos you can go up the bell tower.
Can I swim in the Amazon?
Only where your guide says it is safe. Conditions change with the season and the current.
Do I need a visa to cross into Brazil or Peru?
For the border area, normally not. If you continue travelling inside Brazil or Peru, you need a stamp.
Can I do everything without a tour?
In town, yes: square, bell tower, market, museum, riverfront, Tabatinga and Santa Rosa. On the river, no: you need a boat and a guide.
How much is the Puerto Nariño full-day tour?
Between 200,000 and 240,000 pesos per person depending on the season, plus 30,000 for the Puerto Nariño entry tax. We book it at reception.
Is there wifi and phone signal?
In town, yes — slower than in a big city. Up the river, hardly any.
Can I use the pool if I am not staying at the hostel?
Yes. You can pay the pool entry and use the bar and the food service. From Thursday to Saturday there are events at the house too.
Sleep in the centre, tours at the door
Pool, hammocks, bar and jungle tours. Dorms from COP 40,000.