Spot wildlife in the Colombian Amazon

Parrots, toucans, monkeys, sloths and even pink and grey dolphins can be spotted in the Amazon of Colombia by the patient observer. 

The riverbanks around Leticia and Puerto Nariño in the Colombian Amazon are quite busy with indigenous communities: fisherman can be spotted on the banks, small homesteads are surrounded by tiny fields, dugout canoes and small canopied motorised launches chug up and down.

The rainforest here, however, is still relatively pristine, and with patience, a talented guide and a good pair of binoculars you should be able to compile an impressive list of observed species. Monkeys chatter on vine-choked tree trunks, sloths nestle on exposed branches high in the canopy, and cormorants, toucans, parakeets and egrets fight for space on tropical foliage below, while kingfishers flit through the tangled vegetation at water-level and any number of spiders, frogs and toads shelter on the forest floor. Most exciting of all, however, for visitors is the opportunity to spot dolphins, both grey and pink, breaching the water’s surface, graceful and unconcerned by human presence.

A canoe or motor launch ride from Leticia, Puerto Nariño or Calanoa Lodge following the riverbanks or, in high water, penetrating the flooded forest, will swiftly enable you to enter this biodiverse habitat and start ticking off your wildlife observation list. A stroll along clear trails by day or night will also open up opportunities for the silent, patient observer.