Is it feasible to buy a small boat in Leticia, Colombia and travel down the Amazon? [closed]

Boating the length of the Amazon is a big dream but it just occurred to me that it might not be that difficult. There is a public passenger boat that travels from Leticia to Manaus in four days. That is half the entire distance to the sea. While the cost of a voyage on this boat is reasonable (I've heard about US$100) it doesn't seem the most pleasant way to travel (24/7 in a hammock watching people drink beer all day and throw the cans overboard).

Instead, I would like to buy a small river boat in Leticia, and with a few friends, spend a month or more traveling slowly down the river, stopping in the towns and settlements along the way making rest stops, refueling, buying supplies and water, and continuing.

The total distance is about 3000km:

map of the amazon

What does one need to consider for such a journey?

Best Answer

Get out your computer and head for Google's satellite maps and work your way downstream. You can literally see where towns of any size are and their names. Then try doing some searches on what may be in that town. This will help you answer for yourself several of the questions you asked.

Call the Brazilian Embassy in Colombia and ask what the rules are on crossing the border with a boat you bought in Colombia. They will know better than anyone here.

Assuming you can get good answers from these first two steps, then ask yourself / your companions ... can you read the river, can you fix a boat's motor by yourself, do you love mosquitoes.

Pictures about "Is it feasible to buy a small boat in Leticia, Colombia and travel down the Amazon? [closed]"

Is it feasible to buy a small boat in Leticia, Colombia and travel down the Amazon? [closed] - Wooden boats moored on calm pond water

Is it feasible to buy a small boat in Leticia, Colombia and travel down the Amazon? [closed] - Peaceful scenery of Amsterdam streets with typical houses against channel with moored boats on clear sunny day

Is it feasible to buy a small boat in Leticia, Colombia and travel down the Amazon? [closed] - Boat tip floating on rippling river in picturesque highlands

Is it worth going to Leticia?

Even if you don't choose to rough it and go on a trek deep into the forest, Leticia makes for a great place to visit and offers the opportunity of experiencing the natural wonder of the Amazon River and rainforest. If you do decide to visit Leticia, read on.

Can you sail down the Amazon river?

Nothing against the Danube, but a river cruise down the Amazon River totally shatters those stereotypes. The most popular ones set sail from Iquitos, Peru, a city of 420,000 people that can't even be accessed by road because it's smack dab in the middle of a rainforest.

How long does it take to travel down the Amazon river?

The full trip will take roughly 8 days downstream and 14 days upstream, though adding at least 2 or 3 days buffer is recommended to allow for delays and missed connections. You can also cut the journey short by starting somewhere in between or by doing some legs by plane.

How far can ships go up the Amazon river?

The main river is navigable for large ocean steamers to Manaus, 1,500 km (930 mi) upriver from the mouth. Smaller ocean vessels below 9000 tons and with less than 5.5 m (18 ft) draft can reach as far as Iquitos, Peru, 3,600 km (2,200 mi) from the sea.

LETICIA, COLOMBIA: Travelling to the AMAZON Colombia (THIS was AMAZING)

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Images: Godson Bright, Maria Orlova, Adrien Olichon, Enric Cruz López