Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [247]
You can purchase tickets at Transportes Fluviales ( 592 5999, Calle 8 No 11; 7am-1pm) near the riverfront in Leticia. Boats can get very full, so buy your tickets early or the day before.
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RÍO YAVARÍ
Within reach of large stretches of virgin forest, the meandering Río Yavarí offers some of the best opportunities to see the Amazon up close and undisturbed. A few privately owned reserves provide simple accommodations plus guided tours and activities including kayaking, bird-watching, dolphin watching, jungle treks and visits to indigenous settlements. The lodges provide accommodations and food.
Costs take into account the number of people in the party, length of the stay, season and number of guided tours; count on COP$100,000 to COP$200,000 per person per day. There are no regularly scheduled boats, so you will have to arrange transportation with the reserves or hire a private boat in Leticia; expect to pay COP$150,000 one way plus fuel.
Note visitors to Río Yavarí must get a Brazilian entry stamp and, if necessary, a visa in Tabatinga or Leticia (Click here).
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Reserva Natural Zacambú
Zacambú is the reserve nearest to Leticia, about 70km by boat. Its lodge is on Lake Zacambú, just off Río Yavarí, on the Peruvian side of the river. The lodge is simple, with small rooms without bathrooms, and a total capacity of about 30 guests.
Zacambú sits on a flooded forest that is a habitat for many species of butterflies. Both the lodge and tours are run from Leticia by Amazon Jungle Trips ( 592 7377; amazonjungletrips@yahoo.com; Av Internacional No 6-25).
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Reserva Natural Palmarí
A bout 105km by river from Leticia, Palmarí’s rambling lodge and research center sits on the high, south (Brazilian) bank of the river, overlooking a wide bend where pink and grey dolphins often gather. It’s the only lodge with access to all three Amazonian ecosystems: terra firme (dry), várzea (semiflooded) and igapó (flooded).
The lodge itself features rooms with private bathrooms, a large round maloca (communal house) with hammocks and a viewing tower providing sweeping vistas. The lodge has good food and helpful guides, and offers a wide choice of walking trips and boat excursions. The reserve is managed from Bogotá by owner Axel Antoine-Feill ( 310 786 2770; www.palmari.org; Carrera 10 No 93-72), who can speak several languages including English. His representative in Leticia is Francisco Avila ( 592 4156, 310 569 0203), though Francisco only speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
Prices include room and board (per day COP$150,000 for a bed or COP$100,000 per hammock). Excursions will cost extra. You’ll find the Palmarí reserve offers the best walking options around the region.
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Reserva Natural Heliconia
About 110km from Leticia, Heliconia provides room and board in thatch-covered cabins, plus tours via boat or foot of the river, creeks and jungle. There are also organized visits to indigenous villages and special tours devoted to bird-watching and dolphin watching. The reserve is managed from Leticia ( 592 5773, 311 508 5666; www.amazonheliconia.com).
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Directory
CONTENTS
* * *
ACCOMMODATIONS
BUSINESS HOURS
CLIMATE CHARTS
COURSES
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
DISCOUNT CARDS
EMBASSIES & CONSULATES
FOOD
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS
HOLIDAYS
INSURANCE
INTERNET ACCESS
LEGAL MATTERS
MAPS
MONEY
POST
SHOPPING
SOLO TRAVELERS
TELEPHONE & FAX
TIME
TOILETS
TOURIST INFORMATION
TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN
VISAS
VOLUNTEERING
WOMEN TRAVELERS
WORK
* * *
ACCOMMODATIONS
There are three main kinds of accommodations in Colombia: backpacker hostels, budget hotels (frequented by Colombians), and top-end hotels. The few midrange hotels on offer tend to cater to Colombian business travelers.
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Camping
For a long time camping was out of bounds in Colombia. While the civil conflict continues