Your journey between Brazil and Colombia is an entry into the very heart of the Amazon basin. With no direct road connections between the two nations, the entire 1,600-kilometer border is defined by remote river systems and an immense, uninterrupted expanse of rainforest. This makes for a unique crossing experience, one that requires travel by air or water, as the jungle is simply too dense to penetrate with conventional roads. The single point of entry is the fascinating “Tres Fronteras” (Three Frontiers) area, where Brazil, Colombia, and Peru converge near the city of Iquitos.
You’ll travel between the Brazilian city of Tabatinga and the Colombian city of Leticia. What’s remarkable here is that no formal border post separates the two towns; you can simply walk from one to the other, moving between countries in a matter of steps. The culture blends seamlessly, with Spanish and Portuguese mixing in the streets. However, for any onward travel into either country, you must visit the respective immigration offices (the Policía Federal in Brazil and Migración Colombia) to get your passport officially stamped. Travel to this region is almost exclusively by plane or, for the more adventurous, a multi-day boat trip up the Amazon River, a memorable journey in itself.