Colombia’s Amazon: El Encanto

Photos from Colombia’s Amazon community of El Encanto, where I visited in May 2019. These is far off the tourist trail, but I have included tips for visiting below.

For other Amazon posts see:
– Amazon Corners – La Pedrera and Pto Nariño. Where I also visited in May 2019
– The Amazing Amazon, a trip up the Javari River from 2018, and other info
– Getting into the Amazon, some jungle trips around Leticia, from 2017.

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: In the early morning, in San Rafael, Rio Cara Paraná, and canoe with peque-.peque motor glides over a flooded forest. The Cara Paraná is a tributary of the Rio Putumayo, a major Amazon tributary that forms the border of Colombia and Peru. In May 2019 I travelled to San Rafael with a health team. — In the early morning, in San Rafael, Rio Cara Paraná, and canoe with peque-.peque motor glides over a flooded forest. The Cara Paraná is a tributary of the Rio Putumayo, a major Amazon tributary that forms the border of Colombia and Peru. In May 2019 I travelled to San Rafael with a health team.

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: The Rio Putumayo close to Pto Alegria. This huge river is navigable from upstream ports such as Pto Leguizamo and Pto Asis, and stretches deep into Brazil before joining the Amazon River. — **The Rio Putumayo close to Pto Alegria. This huge river is navigable from upstream ports such as Pto Leguizamo and Pto Asis, and stretches deep into Brazil before joining the Amazon River.**

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: Dolores, left, is the wife of a traditional healer, her son is a western doctor. The shopkeeper on a floating boat. A kid makes his toy canoe. — **Dolores, left, is the wife of a traditional healer, her son is a western doctor.** **The shopkeeper on a floating boat. A kid makes his toy canoe.**

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: Rio Putumayo in Amazonas. Very few people live along the river. — **Rio Putumayo in Amazonas. Very few people live along the river.**

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: La Linea- 'the line' - fast speedboats with about 30 seats and a 200Hp motor ply the Rio Putuamayo. It's 9 hours in fast speedboat from Pto Leguizamo , in Putumayo Department, to El Encanto in Amazonas , expect at least one breakdown. The return cost is 380.000 pesos ( roughly US$140) and there is only one boat a week each way. — ***La Linea- ‘the line’ – fast speedboats with about 30 seats and a 200Hp motor ply the Rio Putuamayo***. **It’s 9 hours in fast speedboat from Pto Leguizamo , in Putumayo Department, to El Encanto in Amazonas** , **expect at least one breakdown. The return cost is 380.000 pesos ( roughly US$140**) **and there is only one boat a week** **each way**.

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: Canoe and peque-peque on the Rio Putumayo down-river from Pto Alegria. This is a conflict area in places, so people are surprised to see travellers. — **Canoe and peque-peque on the Rio Putumayo down-river from Pto** ***Alegria. This is a conflict area in places, so people are surprised to see travellers.***

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: A floating boat moored on the Rio Cara Paraná. Small cargo boats like this bring trade to the remote river areas. This one travels the Putumayo River from Pto Assis down to the Brazilian border, a distance of thousands of kilometres. It can be dangerous work in this coca-growing zone of Colombia: the owner and captain was murdered in Pto Assis in early 2019, leaving his girlfriend and three children to carry on with the floating shop. — A floating boat moored on the Rio Cara Paraná. Small cargo boats like this bring trade to the remote river areas. This one travels the Putumayo River from Pto Assis down to the Brazilian border, a distance of thousands of kilometres. It can be dangerous work in this coca-growing zone of Colombia: the owner and captain was murdered in Pto Assis in early 2019, leaving his girlfriend and three children to carry on with the floating shop.

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: Heading down river. The Rio Putumayo has a reputation for smuggling and drug-running, and armed groups are present here — **Heading down river. The Rio Putumayo has a reputation for smuggling and drug-running, and armed groups are present here.**

Colombian Amazon El Encanto: Once a year the Colombian navy sends a floating health clinic to attend villagers in Pto Alegria, a small Amazon town on the Rio Putumayo half way between Pto Leguiazamo and El Encanto. It's very much a 'hearts and minds' operation, and is not much of a replacement for a permanent health service. — Once a year the Colombian navy sends a floating health clinic to attend villagers in Pto Alegria, a small Amazon town on the Rio Putumayo half way between Pto Leguiazamo and El Encanto. It’s very much a ‘hearts and minds’ operation, and is not much of a replacement for a permanent health service.

Colombia Amazon El Encanto: Soplin Vargas in Peru. The Rio Putumayo forms an open border between Colombia and Peru, and locals pass between the two countries without much hindrance. Peru seems more organised than Peru: communities are larger, have better transport links (scheduled float-plane flights) and proper infrastructure. — Soplin Vargas in Peru. The Rio Putumayo forms an open border between Colombia and Peru, and locals pass between the two countries without much hindrance. Peru seems more organised than Peru: communities are larger, have better transport links (scheduled float-plane flights) and proper infrastructure.

Colombia Amazon El Encanto: The health post in San Rafael, El Encanto. It's staffed but lacks basic supplies, has no fuel for the generator, has not received a medical shipment for 5 months. Most local Murui people rely on traditional medicine from a range of specialist 'abuelos', as they are known. — The health post in San Rafael, El Encanto. It’s staffed but lacks basic supplies, has no fuel for the generator, has not received a medical shipment for 5 months. Most local Murui people rely on traditional medicine from a range of specialist ‘abuelos’, as they are known.

Colombia Amazon El Encanto: The health post in San Rafael, left, and a large wooden house, right. People here seem relatively wealthy compared to other Amazon communities. — **The health post in San Rafael, left, and a large wooden house, right. People here seem relatively wealthy compared to other Amazon communities.**

Colombia Amazon El Encanto: Sunset over the Rio Putumayo. — **Sunset over the Rio Putumayo**.

PRACTICAL STUFF

Colombia Amazon El Encanto — **Encanto is on the Rio Putumayo in Amazonas, but only accessible from Puerto Leguizamo in Putumayo Department.** **There is no access from Leticia (the departmental capital of Amazonas)**

To explore the Rio Putumayo into the Amazon, have to first get to Pto Leguizamo, a small port on the river in Putumayo Department. To get to Pto Leguizamo from Bogotá:

1. fly with Satena to Puerto Leguizamo, you will make a connection in Florencia. (note: call the airline or visit their office, or a travel agency if the website doesnt show this router option).

2. fly or bus to Pto Assis. The small port is 715kms upstream of El Encanto. From Pto Assis you can jump on a speedboat east to Pto Leguizamo, 6 hours downriver. There are boats most days.

3. fly or bus to Florencia. The small city is on the Rio Caquetá. Then take a speedboat southeast on the Caquetá to La Tagua, a small port 6 hours downriver. From there get a taxi or tuk-tuk by road to Pto Leguizamo (about 30 minutes). From Pto Leguizamo you can find another boat east into the Amazon. You might have to wait a day or two for the boat.

Puerto Leguizamo: a pleasant small town on the banks of the Rio Putumayo, in the Putumayo Department, overlooking Peru. The town is small, but has many shops, restaurants and hotels, a lively local market (best place for breakfast or lunch) and there is a large naval base here. The town is safe if you avoid the late-night bars and discos which attract some shady types. The town has a reputation for illegal activities: cocaine, timber and wildlife smuggling, to name a few, so be careful where you point your camera. There is a National Parks office here, and some wildlife and eco tours are starting up.

Colombia Amazon El Encanto: Cootranspiñuña ticket office for downriver boats in Pto Leguizamo. — **Cootranspiñuña ticket office for downriver boats in Pto Leguizamo.**

Heading down river into the Amazon is where the real adventure starts.. In theory there are no restrictions for travel down the Rio Putumayo to El Encanto, or onto Peru and Brazil. Check with Immigration Office in Pto Leguizamo how best to legally exit Colombia, if you are travelling on to other countries.
‘Puesto de Control Migratorio – FLUVIALPuerto Leguízamo Calle 2 entre carrera 1 y 2′

‘La Linea’ is run by Cootranspiñuña on 321 414 6814 or 311892 7415. Boats run downriver to El Encanto and on to El Estrecho, a large town in Peru. in 2019 boats were leaving just once a week, Wednesdays, though other boats could be programmed if there is sufficient demand. You need to call ahead to book your ticket, and turn up at least a day before in Pto Leguizamo to pay and reconfirm.

The Coontranspiñuña office is on a barge floating in the river close to the town centre.

Travelling downriver beyond El Encanto… my journey ended in El Encanto and San Rafael. Adventurous travellers could travel on to San Antonio el Estrecho in Peru, where there are flights to Iquitos. Or try and find river transport downriver to Puerto Arica and Tarapacá in Colombia. From Tarapacá there are cargo flights to Leticia, or you can travel further down the Rio Putumayo to join the Amazon in Brazil, at a town called San Antonio de Ica. From there there are river boats to Manuas and the rest of Brazil…I am sure the route is possible, but it could take time and patience.