Puerto Nariño

Puerto Narino is a town in Amazonas region in Colombia.

Understand

Puerto Narino is 85 km from Leticia near the intersection of the Amazon and Loretoyacu rivers. The town has about 2,000 people, 95% of whom are Ticuna, Cocama and Yagua.

Get in

The only way to get to Puerto Narino is by boat. From Leticia there is a speed boat (rapido) that heads upriver to Puerto Nariño, making stops at Isla de Los Micos, Parque Natural Nacional Amacayacu and anywhere else passengers want to stop or someone on shore flags down the boat. A one-way ticket is COP$32,000 (June 2021). The ticket office is in a marketplace along the waterfront. Service is shared between several different companies, so make sure to book with the correct company for the day you want to travel. ID is required at the time of purchase. The boat can fill up, so it is advisable to buy tickets in advance (also true for return tickets, especially for the 7am boat). The rapido leaves at 7AM, 10AM and 1:30PM (June 2021). It takes about 2 hours to reach Puerto Narino and is a beautiful ride.

When you arrive, salesmen from the so-called "tourist information" want to bring you to their small agency to "check-in". Ignore them. This strange impression will surely be the only one in Puerto Nariño.

Get around

Puerto Narino is a car-free town. Everyone gets around on walking paths in town and between villages. Otherwise, travel is by boat. It is easy to find someone around the dock to take you in a small wooden boat with a motor wherever you want to go.

The area is better covered on OsmAnd or Mapy.cz than on Google Maps.

See

Town Anniversary Festival at the end of March. Parades, music, dancing, competitions, sporting events held over a two day period.

Do

Hire a local guide to lead a jungle walk. A 3-4 hour walk with terrific Ticuna guide named Ismael was COP$60,000 for four people. Rental of rubber boots is COP$3,000 per person. Bring bug repellant and plenty of water. Ismael can be found through Malocas Napu Hospedaje on calle 4.
Take a boat ride up the Loretoyacu River to Lago Tarapoto to marvel at the flooded forest, birds and pink dolphins. To see dolphins the guide recommends early morning or late afternoon. COP$60,000 for a small boat with 4 passengers, and 2 guides.
You can take a boat up to the Isla de los Micos, a small island where wild squirrel monkeys are used to humans and come sit on the heads of visitors. You can buy pieces of banana to have the monkeys eat out of your hands. With the scheduled speed boat it's COP$21,000 there and COP$32,000 back (COP$53,000 altogether, June 2021). An employee of the speed boat company said in June 2021, that the reserve is closed. So check whether it reopened.
Mirador Naipata is one of several towers you can climb to get sweeping views across the treetops to the Amazon. COP$5,000 per adult, COP$3,000 for minors (June 2021). The entry is through the big mouth of a tiger. If the gate is locked, ask for the caretaker at the house down the hill.
Fundacion Natutama has an interpretive trail describing "The World Below the Water."
You can take a boat to El Chorro and walk around 40 min back to Puerto Nariño. The whole way is paved and will soon be completely made of the red paved walking road. You can also first walk to El Chorro and take a boat back. But then you may have to wait a while for a boat bringing you back to Puerto Nariño.
There is a muddy trail to 'the house in the middle of the jungle' halfway to San Martín.
An ecological trail (signs explain the different tree species) also goes to the réserva Wachile, a pleasant garden where you may see Pirarucu, boa constrictor, aligator and many other animals (10000 cop) as well as giant water lilies. It is possible to fish, and sleep there.
Go to the San Antonio community on the Peruvian side of the river to see osos perezosos

Buy

There are no ATMs and card payment is almost nowhere accepted. You can withdraw money from the supermarket Hiper Airuwe (not Hiper Airuwe Express) for a 3% fee. Withdrawals over COP$500,000 should be scheduled in advance.

Asociacion Artesanal Mowacha, calle 7, cellular: ☏ +57 314-409-1352. This small store has a wide variety of Ticuna crafts; jewelry, bags, dolls, carvings, etc. Reasonable prices.
Arpes Artes Puerto Esperanza in the community of Puerto Esperanza. This small shop sells locally made handcrafts. cellular: ☏ +57 320-448-9861. Pasquinel Pereira Candido is the owner.

Eat

There are a handful of restaurants in town within a few blocks of the river.

Cafeteria Dona Luz has a tranquil balcony overlooking the town basketball court. Ask at the window about what they are serving that day. For breakfast they can make eggs if you ask.
Metare Restaurante is a new place on the corner a block up the hill from the dock. It's still under construction, but don't let that put you off; it has good food and service at a very good price.

At some road crossings you find tasty street food with prices starting from COP$1,000 (June 2021).

There is a -3.781139-70.365531 Morning fruit and street-food market every day.

Drink

There is a bar at the street near the river, where local couples dance to the music.

Sleep

As of June 2021 there are no accommodations on Hostelworld and only ones from R$35,000 on booking.com. Better prices have:

Malocas Napu, calle 4 No 5-72, email: olgabeco@yahoo.com, cellular: ☏ +57 310-488-0998. Charming, small hostel. Friendly owner will help arrange guides for jungle walks, boat trip to see pink dolphins or specialized outings (fishing, birdwatching). COP$25,000 (June 2021) for a bunk.
Hostal Asai, Cra 6 No 6-65, email: hostalasai@yahoo.es. Miriam, the owner who can be found at the hotel across the street, is somewhat brusk, but the house is wonderful. COP$30,000 for a bed upstairs.
Upstairs from the Asociacion Artesanal Mowacha there is a very simple dorm room or you can sleep in a hammock in the Ticuna community classroom for COP$10,000 a night. Calle 7 No 7-30, cellular: try ☏ +57 314-409-1352 or ☏ +57 312-340-8804. There is no sign for the hostel so ask at the store.
Paraiso Ayahuasca has bunk beds for COP$20,000 per night (June 2021).

Connect

Claro connects the town with mobile internet.

Go next

There are 3 rapido departures to Leticia every day.

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