​TASTE OF
 Puerto NARIÑO

COLOMBIAN AMAZONAS

Colombia offers is the most affordable access to the Amazon Rain Forest, through Leticia. Reach Leticia by a cheap domestic flight, stay the first night there and move to Puerto Nariño Area in the deep Rain Forest Area with the indigenous. Here you can go on excursions to Peru and Brasil side as well. Leticia do not offer much except for good restaurants and a sunset with millions of parrots at its central park.

GUIDE FOR
THE BEST DAILY EXCURSIONS
​IN THE PUERTO NARIÑO AREA

Most of the tourists get their excursions once they arrive in Puerto Nariño. Unless you are not staying in a lodge, you get to organize your excursions. Especially if you arrive early in Puerto Nariño, you wouldn't want your first day to be wasted. Below, is how you can find tours and organize your excursions during your stay:
How to find an excursion in Puerto Nariño

1. Pay attention to the signboard hung in front of the houses. Locals propose some tours to the tourists with their canoes. You may obtain a good private tour deal with a little negotiation.
2. You can ask the owner of your guesthouse for a tour. But it will depend on how good he is connected to find a good deal and it may be more expensive for you as he may also be taking a commission.
3. If you are willing to get a full experience and do not want to miss any details, then you need to pay a little more and get a professional travel agent. Sebastian is a highly recommended and dynamic young travel agent, offering lots of excursions. His office is just in front of the Puerto Nariño Police Station. You can also ask to personalize any of the tours you like according to your schedule.

THE MOST COMMON EXCURSIONS and TOURS

• TARAPOTO LAKES Lakes of Tarapoto Wetlands Complex (Complejo de humedales Lagos de Tarapoto) internationally known RAMSAR site, consists of several lakes interconnected by rivers and creeks. This great biodiversity, and in particular the fish resources, support the 22 indigenous communities of the TICOYA (Ticuna, Cocama and Yagua) indigenous reservation and attract big predators like dolphins, pirarucu fish, crocodiles, piranhas, anacondas and plenty of birds. It is however surprisingly safe for a nice swim. Along the Loretoyacu River, you will see extraordinary views. The tour offers a stop in the indigenous Santa Clara Tarpoto Community and snacks.

This tour costs about 20 USD/60.000COP if you are in a group and 90.000 COP if you want privately.
The duration is around 4 hours. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 3 hours.

• MOCAGUA VILLAGE and MONKEY SANCTUARY:

Mocagua is another ecological village where they produce their electricity by the sun energy pannels.
Staying in Mocagua Village can be an alternative to Puerto Nariño. It is smaller in size and less touristy.
​The nominated guesthouse La Ceiba is found in Mocagua Village but there are other small guesthouses in the village.
​There are two restaurants, one of them has a panorama over the river.
The star of the village is the Maikuchiga Foundation, a monkey sanctuary. It is about 20 min walk in the jungle to reach the foundation. Maikuchiga means the story of the monkey, it is an animal sanctuary and rehabilitation centre located in the heart of the Amazon. Founded about 11 years ago by biologist Sara Bennett, the sanctuary offers a safe place for animals that have been confiscated from illegal animal trafficking. The main goal is the rehabilitation of woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagothricha), an Amazonian primate species currently at risk of extinction. A truly magnificent experience awaits you to interact with the free and affectionate monkeys. In the rainy season, you can reach the sanctuary by canoe. The local guide will provide you with a lot of information on the way to the foundation in the jungle and once you arrive, the manager also gives you a speech of 10 minutes.
This tour costs about 45 USD/140.000 COP if you are in a group and 180.000 COP if you want privately. The fee for the monkey sanctuary and lunch at the village is included.
The duration is 8 hours. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 5 hours.
If you want to visit this sanctuary independently, then you can contact La Ceiba Guesthouse to arrange a local guide.

• CACAO ISLAND (PERU), SAN ANTONIO VILLAGE and SLOTHS

Cacao Island is found in Peru and it is about 20 minutes boat ride from Puerto Narino. When you arrive you can take a picture with the Peruvian flag before paying for the entrance tax. A Peruvian Guide will take you to the jungle to one of the biggest trees in the world. The walking is about 3 hours in the dry season, in the wet season you can reach by canoe close to the tree. On the way, the local guide provides you with lots of information about the plants, forest medicine and animals. The local village of San Antonio is made up of 26 families and is known for its agricultural initiatives. They have a vegetable garden raised from the ground with woods, they have different types of fruit trees brought by a lady who has been abroad.
The most interesting thing about San Antonio is to observe sloths on the high trees at the backyards of the indigenous houses. Along the way on the Amazon River, there is a good chance to spot river dolphins.
This tour costs about 20 USD/60000COP if you are in a group and 120.000 COP40USD if you want privately.
The duration is 4 hours. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 3 hours.

• JUNGLE TREKKING DAY OR NIGHT

With almost all the tours, you have the opportunity to walk in the jungle during the day. A night walk in the wilderness is something else. You will have a local guide with a machete and will spot nocturnal animals which will give you repeated goosebumps.
This tour costs 18 USD/50.000COP if you are in a group and 95.000 COP if you want privately.
The duration is around 3 hours in groups. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 1,5-2 hours.

• MALOCA MORUAPU TOUR

Maloca Moruapu is one of the most spiritual centres of the region where you will testimony ancestral knowledge by the elderly wise through ceremonies and rituals. You will share their vision of the universe participating in a painting workshop and traditional games. It may seem to be touristy when you are in a group.
This tour costs 20 USD/60.000COP if you are in a group and 80.000 COP if you want privately.
The duration is around 3 hours in groups. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 2 hours.

• SANTA TERESA COMMUNITY

Along the Loretoyacu River, you will travel for 30 minutes and observe several riverside communities and their transporting products and passengers.
This trip will enable you to interact with a local indigenous community and hear their stories and experience three hours of deep jungle trekking.
This tour costs 20 USD/60.000COP if you are in a group and 100.000 COP if you want privately.
The duration is around 4 hours in groups. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 3 hours.

• SAN MARTIN DE AMACAYACU

San Martin de Amacayacu is a community of about 500 Tikuna indigenous inhabitants located in the jungle of the Amacayacu National Park, on the shores of the Amacayacu river and at about 8km from Puerto Nariño. The tours usually include a trail to cross the jungle on a 7km wooden bridge and encounter indigenous people and their traditions. Additionally a lunch in the local community and boat tour for about an hour.
This tour costs 24USD/70.000COP if you are in a group and 100.000 COP if you want privately.
The duration is around 8 hours in groups. If you go privately and need to squeeze in other tours, can be done in 5 hours.

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