3 Days Rainforest Hiking and Boat Excursion from Leticia
3 Days Rainforest Hiking and Boat Excursion from Leticia
If you’ve ever dreamed of escaping into the Amazon rainforest with nothing but a backpack, a questionable sense of direction, and a deep yearning to see a monkey in the wild—Leticia, Colombia is calling your name. Nestled at the southern tip of the country, where three countries hold hands like old pals (Colombia, Peru, and Brazil), Leticia is the gateway to your jungle dreams.
So, what happens when you sign up for a 3-day/2-night hiking and boat excursion? Well, let’s just say it involves sweat, sloths, surprises, and stories you’ll be annoying your friends with for years.
Day 1: Into the Green Abyss (With a Smile and 42 Mosquito Bites)
It all kicks off in Leticia, where your guide greets you with the kind of enthusiasm only people who’ve wrestled an anaconda can muster. You hop in a boat and zoom off down the Amazon River—think “Apocalypse Now” but with more sunscreen and fewer war metaphors.
Before long, you’re dropped off at a small jungle lodge or campsite, depending on the level of luxury (or masochism) you signed up for. From there, the hiking begins. It’s muddy & humid. It’s glorious.
Your boots squish with every step, howler monkeys scream like they’ve just discovered Spotify, and your guide casually points out tarantulas the size of small pancakes. If you’re lucky, you might spot a sloth hanging from a branch like a fuzzy hammock come to life. If you’re unlucky, you might meet an ant that can knock out your pride for several hours.
Day 2: Boats, Piranhas, and the Art of Looking Cool While Falling Over
Day two is boat day—and not just any boat. We’re talking dugout canoe-style, the kind that lets you glide through narrow river channels like a jungle ninja (or at least pretend to while awkwardly trying to maintain balance).
You’ll likely head into flooded forest areas, where the water rises so high it looks like the trees are wearing stilts. Your guide points out pink river dolphins (yes, pink!), and if you’re feeling bold, there’s a chance to go piranha fishing. Nothing makes you feel more like a rugged explorer than pulling a tiny carnivore from the water with a stick and a string.
Night brings more jungle noises, a suspiciously flavorful jungle dinner, and a moment to lie in your hammock wondering if that was a frog or an alien that just made that noise.
Day 3: Jungle Graduation and the Sweet Smell of Soap
By day three, you’ve earned your honorary degree in Jungle Studies. You’ve hiked, boated, eaten mysterious fruits, and maybe even pooped in a hole. You’ll trek back through the trees, returning to the boat that will whisk you back to Leticia and—blessedly—hot water.
Your clothes smell like a combination of sweat and swamp, your legs are covered in “jungle tattoos” (also known as scratches and bites), and your heart is full. You’ll never look at a houseplant the same way again.
Final Thoughts
This trip isn’t for the faint of heart—or for people who scream at bugs—but if you’ve got a spirit of adventure and a high tolerance for humidity, the Leticia rainforest excursion is pure magic. You’ll come back slightly feral, deeply happy, and with a new appreciation for dry socks.
Jungle on, friend. Jungle on.