The Alternative Amazon — Colombia

When people who have never been there picture Colombia in their minds, they probably envision the Andes mountains or Caribbean beaches. But it’s also one of nine nations that share the vast Amazon Basin. As a matter of fact, more than a third of Colombia’s landmass falls within the Amazon.

From incredible wildlife and river adventures to indigenous people and unusual foods, the Amazon offers an entirely different side of the big South American country.

The main base for exploring the Colombian Amazon is the city of Leticia, which perches along the north bank of the Amazon River in the Tres Fronteras (Three Frontiers) area where Colombia, Brazil and Peru converge along the waterway.

Colombian Journeys offers a number of ways to explore the Amazon from Leticia including flora and fauna forays into Marasha Natural Reserve and a lake filled with enormous Victoria Regia lily plants with large purple flowers, white petals and floating leaves that can reach up to six feet in diameter.

Among the other possibilities are night safaris in search of black caiman crocodiles, a journey to lake Tarapoto to see grey and pink river dolphins, visits to indigenous villages or a rubber plantation, and a Tri Frontier trip that includes stops in Colombia, Peru and Brazil.