Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BORDER CROSSING: THE
PERU-COLOMBIA-BRAZIL BORDER ZONE
Even in the middle of the Amazon, border officials adhere to formalities and will refuse passage if documents are
not in order. With a valid passport and visa or tourist card, border crossing is not a problem.
When leaving Peru for Brazil or Colombia, you'll get an exit stamp at a Peruvian guard post just before the bor-
der (boats stop there long enough for this; ask the captain).
The ports at the three-way border are several kilometers apart, connected by public ferries. They are reached by
air or boat, but not by road. The biggest, nicest border town,
Leticia
, in Colombia, boasts by far the best hotels
and restaurants, and a hospital. You can fly from Leticia to Bogotá on almost-daily commercial flights. Otherwise,
infrequent boats go to
Puerto Asis
on the Río Putumayo; the trip takes up to 12 days. From Puerto Asis, buses go
further into Colombia.
The two small ports in Brazil are
Tabatinga
and
Benjamin Constant
; both have basic hotels. Tabatinga has an
airport with flights to Manaus. Get your official Brazilian entry stamp from the Tabatinga police station if flying
on to Manaus. Tabatinga is a continuation of Leticia, and you can walk or take a taxi between the two with no im-
migration hassles, unless you are planning on traveling further into Brazil or Colombia. Boats leave from Tabat-
inga downriver, usually stopping in Benjamin Constant for a night, then continuing on to Manaus, a week away. It
takes about an hour to reach Benjamin Constant by public ferry. US citizens need a visa to enter Brazil. Make sure
you apply in good time − either in the USA or in Lima.
Peru is on the south side of the river, where currents create a constantly shifting bank. Most boats from Iquitos
will drop you at the small village of Santa Rosa, which has Peruvian immigration facilities. Motor canoes reach
Leticia in about 15 minutes. For travelers to Colombia or Brazil, Lonely Planet has guidebooks for both countries.
If you are arriving from Colombia or Brazil, you'll find boats in Leticia and Tabatinga for Iquitos. You should
pay US$10 to US$15 for the nigh-on two-day trip on a cargo riverboat, or US$75 for a
mas rápido
(fast boat; 12
to 14 hours), which leave daily. Prices and departures are the same for the opposite journey too, although down-
river from Iquitos to the tri-border is quicker. Up or down river, you may be able to get passage on a cruise ship,
but note that this will make stops en route.
Remember that however disorganized things may appear, you can always get meals, money changed, beds and
boats simply by asking around.
Getting There & Away
Air
Iquitos' small but busy airport, 7km from the center, currently receives flights from Lima,
Pucallpa, Tarapoto and Panama City.
pensive flights, with two morning and two afternoon flights to Lima.
Star Perú
