Lily Taylor writes about her four-day adventure down the Amazon. Her starting point was Leticia – the town where Columbia, Peru and Brazil come together.
This fantastic trip starts off with a nerve-jangling rattletrap flight to Leticia, the most southerly town in Columbia and a major port on the Amazon River.
A town where people open their front porches to passers-by as makeshift restaurants, Leticia is dominated by the Amazon – arguably the world’s mightiest river. From here I embarked on an adventure down the river that I’ll certainly never forget.
Getting to Leticia
For this trip along the Amazon, visitors have to travel on flights to Leticia, Columbia’s southernmost point (LAN Airlines flies there from Brazil for about £65). From here it’s a boat journey onboard the Sagrado Coração de Jesus across Brazil to Manaus. It’s best to get here the day before your voyage so you can get to the port easily in the morning.
On arrival at the airport, you’ll have to pay a tourist tax – frustrating maybe, but all non-nationals have to pay it. It’s a good idea to get your exit stamp out of Colombia before leaving the airport, as trying to get it the morning of the boat is very rushed – you don’t want to risk missing it.
What to do before the trip
Leticia is very small but you can rent bikes (through the hostel, La Jangada) and explore the streets. Some of the main attractions are the fruit markets, the main church and obviously the river. However, be careful not to cycle over the border into Brazil!
A vital thing to remember before you get on the boat is go to the Federal Police (the office is on the way to the port) to get your entry stamps into Brazil.
Once you get to the port (Porto Fluvial, Tabatinga), go straight to the jetty to buy your ticket. You will need to have exchanged your Colombian Pesos into Brazilian Reals as they do not accept the former.
On the boat
The boat gets crammed full of people moving their earthly possessions across Brazil, so get on early in order to get a good spot for your hammock. It needs to be a good one as you are in it for four days. Hammocks are available to buy close to the port if you don’t already have one, or it’s possible to rent a cabin on the boat, though this is more expensive.
You are fed three times a day on the boat, which is a great deal but rice and beans for every meal does get a bit dull after a while, so try and buy some snacks bought before getting on the boat. Also, ensure a good book and a pack of cards are packed as there is plenty of time for reading and endless card games.
A typical day on the boat consists of waking up to the magnificent sight of the sunrise over the Amazon, getting up for breakfast and returning to the hammock for some reading. Soon after, the lunch bill rings. Later on, it’s time for a trip up to the top deck for some sightseeing sunset watching. Once the sun has set you can get a beer from the small bar on the top deck, but after this there’s not too much left to do other than go and settle back into the hammock. Definitely a lovely way to relax.
Some handy info
• The tourist tax to get into Leticia costs R$19 (about £5).
• My boat left on Saturday afternoon (although we had to ‘check in’ in the morning) and arrived on Tuesday afternoon. There are other boats on Wednesday and Friday.
• The boat ticket costs R$170 (about £50).
• Bring snacks and water (there are taps onboard but it’s a risk drinking from them – I had ‘aqua tabs’; water sterilisers which were really useful).
• Make sure you get a good spot to hang your hammock; people will come and hang theirs under and above yours if you’re not careful!
• Don’t forget to get your exit and entry stamps beforehand!
> If you’ve been inspired by Lily’s trip, take a look at our range of Columbia travel guides and maps.