The Amazon Expedition
Five or nine days in the Colombian Amazon. River transport, jungle trails, and direct engagement with Indigenous community systems. This is not a tour. It is a relationship.
$1,576 USD
Price From (per person)
5 or 9 Days
Duration Options
~30 km
Average Daily Riding
Novice
Skill Level Required
2 / 6
Fitness Rating
Max 8
Riders Per Group
This Expedition Is For You If
- You want to ride terrain that does not appear on any map
- You are comfortable with wilderness conditions and river travel
- You want your travel to generate something real, not a souvenir
- You can handle genuine uncertainty and adapt when the river decides otherwise
- You understand that access to Indigenous culture requires relationship, not a camera
- You can ride 30 km per day on varied, ungroomed terrain
- You want to know exactly where your money goes after you leave
This Expedition Is Not For You If
- You need a fixed, guaranteed itinerary regardless of weather or conditions
- You want to photograph communities without relationship or permission
- You are expecting eco-lodge comfort or urban infrastructure
- You need WiFi, air conditioning, or reliable electricity
- You are coming to help — this is not a volunteer program
- You are not comfortable with genuine uncertainty
- You want to save the Amazon — we do not operate in that framework
What You Will Experience
Jungle Singletrack
River-edge trails through primary Amazon rainforest. Roots, mud, and terrain no guidebook has mapped. Approximately 30 km per day at a pace that lets you absorb where you are.
River Travel
Motorized canoe and local river transport between trail sections. The Amazon moves by water. Some of the most powerful moments on these expeditions happen on the river, not on the bike.
Community Contact
Direct engagement with Indigenous and local communities through relationships Dulce Amazonica has built over years. You are a guest, not a tourist. Access is earned.
Wildlife
Pink river dolphins, Titi monkeys, caimans, tapirs, macaws. Not on a schedule — on theirs. Encounters happen when and where they happen. That unpredictability is the point.
Local Food
All meals sourced from local families and community markets. Amazon ingredients not available anywhere else. Every meal is part of the fair-trade exchange that makes this model work.
Ancestral Knowledge
Where communities agree and invite, evening conversations with Indigenous knowledge holders. No performance. No rehearsal. The knowledge shared is real because the relationship is real.
How This Ride Connects to the Amazon Cultural Embassy
Every dollar Mountain Bike Colombia earns on this expedition is reinvested directly into Dulce Amazonica and the Amazon Cultural Embassy — the fair-trade infrastructure we co-founded to connect Indigenous Colombian Amazon communities with the outside world on their own terms.
This expedition is not a charity experience. Communities are not displayed. You are not visiting a village tour. You are traveling through territory where the embassy has existing, long-standing relationships. Your presence as a paying rider funds the logistical, operational, and community systems that make this model sustainable.
That is the distinction between relationship-based travel and poverty tourism. The communities we work with receive fair compensation for their time, knowledge, and hospitality. They are not beneficiaries. They are partners.
9-Day Itinerary Snapshot
The 5-day expedition follows a compressed version of the same route. All itineraries adapt to river levels, weather, and community availability.
Day 1 -- Arrival and Orientation
Arrive Leticia, Colombia. Gear check, route briefing, and welcome dinner. Meet your guides and the rest of the group. First look at what the next nine days will ask of you.
Day 2 -- First Trail Day
Into the jungle. River-edge singletrack through primary forest. Approximately 30 km. Wildlife encounters from the first hour. Community welcome at the end of the day.
Day 3 -- Deep Forest and River Crossing
Deeper into the forest. One or more canoe crossings to connect trail sections. Approximately 28 km. Community dinner — meals sourced from local families.
Day 4 -- Rest Morning and Community Visit
Rest morning to absorb the first three days. Afternoon trail, approximately 20 km. Where communities have agreed and invited, a visit with an Indigenous knowledge holder or Dulce Amazonica ambassador.
Day 5 -- River Transport Day
Long river leg by motorized canoe to the second zone of the expedition. The Amazon is a river civilization — this travel is part of the experience, not dead time. Evening debrief and preparation for the second half.
Day 6 -- Remote Trail Day
The most remote trail day of the expedition. Approximately 32 km through terrain with no tourist infrastructure, no markers, and no cell signal. Your guides know this territory. Trust the process.
Day 7 -- Community Systems and Trail
Engagement with Dulce Amazonica community systems in operation. Meet the ambassador or local partners your expedition funds. Afternoon trail, approximately 20 km. Most riders describe this as the turning point of the trip.
Day 8 -- Return Route
Mixed river and trail return. Approximately 35 km — the longest riding day. By this point your body has adapted. The route feels different on the way back.
Day 9 -- Departure
Return transport to Leticia. Final group debrief. Departure. Most riders book a one-night extension in Leticia — the transition back takes a day.
What Is Included
- All trail guiding (bilingual)
- All river transport and local logistics
- All meals during the expedition
- Accommodation: hammocks, community guesthouses, and camping depending on route
- Bike mechanics support throughout
- Emergency satellite communication equipment
- Full reinvestment of all MBC proceeds into Dulce Amazonica and embassy operations
What Is Not Included
- International and domestic flights to Leticia
- Personal travel insurance — required, wilderness conditions apply
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal gear: helmet, shoes, gloves — see gear list
- Tips for community hosts — encouraged, no set amount
- Any expenses before or after expedition dates
Safety, Conditions, and Expectations
This is a wilderness expedition. The nearest medical facility is hours away by river. We say this not to alarm you but because riders who understand the conditions arrive better prepared and have better experiences.
- All guides are trained in wilderness first aid and emergency response
- Every expedition carries emergency satellite communication equipment
- River travel carries inherent variability — weather and water levels can change routing
- Terrain is physically accessible (fitness 2/6) but environmentally demanding: heat, humidity, mud, roots
- Mountain Bike Colombia is a registered Colombian tourism operator with full insurance protocols
- We do not enter community territory without prior relationship and a standing invitation
- We have never had a serious incident on an Amazon expedition
If you want to review our full safety protocols before applying, contact us directly. We are transparent about what this expedition involves.
From the Field
Add expedition photos, video, and rider testimonials here.
Questions About the Amazon Expedition
Where does the Amazon expedition start?
Leticia, Colombia — the gateway to the Colombian Amazon, on the border with Peru and Brazil. Domestic flights from Bogota run daily and take approximately 2 hours. We help coordinate logistics once your application is confirmed.
How fit do I need to be?
Fitness rating 2 out of 6. If you can ride 30 km per day on varied terrain over multiple days without significant difficulty, you are fit enough. The challenge comes from the environment, not the climbing.
What riding skill do I need?
Novice. The trails are demanding because of roots, mud, river crossings, and heat — not because of technical features. If you can ride off-road at a basic level and handle uncertainty on the bike, you can do this.
What are accommodations like?
Hammocks, community guesthouses, and basic camping depending on where the route takes us. Conditions are clean and functional. There are no luxury lodges, no air conditioning, and no guaranteed electricity. If you need those, this expedition is not the right fit.
What is included?
All guiding, river transport, meals, accommodation, and bike mechanics support. Full details in the What Is Included section above.
What is not included?
Flights to Leticia, personal travel insurance (required), personal gear, alcoholic beverages, and tips for community hosts. Full details in the What Is Not Included section above.
How does this expedition connect to Dulce Amazonica?
All proceeds Mountain Bike Colombia earns on Amazon expeditions are reinvested into Dulce Amazonica — the Amazon cultural embassy we co-founded. Dulce operates as a fair-trade intermediary connecting Indigenous Colombian Amazon communities with the outside world. Your expedition directly funds that infrastructure and the community systems behind it.
Do we visit Indigenous communities?
Yes — on their terms. We travel through territory where Dulce Amazonica has existing relationships built over years. Community visits happen by invitation, not by schedule. We do not organize village tours. We do not photograph community members without explicit permission. The difference between relationship-based travel and poverty tourism is that one requires the community’s actual consent.
Is this safe?
Yes, with the understanding that wilderness travel carries inherent risk. All guides are trained in wilderness first aid. Every expedition carries emergency satellite communication. MBC is a registered Colombian tourism operator with full insurance protocols. We have never had a serious incident on an Amazon expedition.
What happens if plans change?
River levels, weather, and community availability can all change routing. We adapt. We have been running these expeditions long enough to route around problems without losing the experience. If you require a fixed, guaranteed schedule regardless of conditions, this expedition is not the right fit. Flexibility is part of the relationship with the Amazon.
Why do I need to apply instead of booking instantly?
Because this expedition requires values alignment, not just a credit card. Groups are limited to 8 riders. We want to make sure your expectations, fitness, and intentions match what this experience actually is before you pay and before we commit a spot to you. The application takes 5 minutes. We follow up within 48 hours.
How does Mountain Bike Colombia avoid charity tourism?
We do not visit communities as spectacles. We do not frame travel as helping anyone. We do not use the word charity — because charity is not what this is. The communities we work with are compensated through Dulce Amazonica fair-trade infrastructure for their time, knowledge, and hospitality. Riders pay for an expedition. Communities earn for what they provide. That is trade. That is sovereignty. That is how we respect the work.
Ready to Apply?
Amazon expeditions run in small groups of up to 8 riders. Applications are reviewed individually. We follow up within 48 hours to discuss fit, dates, and logistics. If the conversation goes well, we hold your spot.