Amazonia

The Colombian Amazon forms part of the largest ecosystem on the planet. More than one third of all the species in the world live in the Amazon rainforest, a giant tropical forest and river basin with an area that stretches more than 5,400,000 sq km. Its lifeline is the Amazon river, the largest river in the world that begins its journey in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador and flows for over 6000 km across almost the entire width of the continent before reaching the Atlantic in Brazil. By the time it passes Leticia, capital of Colombian Amazonas, it is already well into its stride, and this section of the Amazon provides plenty of opportunities for nature lovers to observe its flora and fauna up close. From Leticia, vast swathes of forest run northwards with little human activity to interrupt their quiet splendour. There are no roads and indigenous communities live off the fishing and transport provided by tributaries that feed into the Amazon.