The Ethnic Richness of Mitu
About 70% of the territory has been declared as an indigenous reserve, and for this reason, visitors and access must have the permission of the indigenous leaders. Mitú has a population that is mostly part of ancestral indigenous tribes such as the Tukano, Guananos, Yurutíes, Cubeos, Piratapuyos, Desanos, and many others. There are 26 communities in total, and about 29 dialects, which represents the amazing ethnic richness in this region of Colombia. The Vaupes River is the connector of these communities. People move in boats and canoes transporting local people, agricultural products, merchandise, and tourists.Get to know Mitú
It is a simple and small city, located on the banks of the Vaupés River, surrounded by freshwater streams and the thick Amazon jungle. When you arrive in the city, you can stroll through the main square Parque Santander, where you will find the Governor’s Office, the María Inmaculada Cathedral and the monument to the “Guio”, which pays homage to the origin of the indigenous peoples who live there. Guio means anaconda. In this square, it is common to find food, handicrafts, and the typical gastronomic offer of the region. The Fabio Alberto Leon Bentley Airport is the main gateway for travelers arriving to discover the territory. The Satena airline is the only one with flights to Mitu from Bogota or Villavicencio.
Places to Enjoy in Mitu
The trip to Mitú is ideal if you like bird watching. In Vaupes you will find more than 570 bird species, which offer a unique spectacle. Local guides specialized in the subject will give you all the information about the birds that you can find in the city. Find more information about birding in Vaupes in our entry Vaupes, a Must to Visit Birding Destination in the Colombian Amazon.
The Malecon
The Malecon has a pedestrian walkway that runs one kilometer along the Vaupes River. It has small squares and kiosks adorned with gardens of local vegetation, where many birds arrive.The Food Market and Port
This is a very rustic square, located next to the river where you can find typical food of the region prepared by the hands of indigenous women in wood and charcoal stoves. Here you can enjoy traditional dishes for very cheap prices.
Hiking and River Trips in Vaupes
There are trails for hiking and river trips that will take you to the indigenous communities, open to tourists with their ancestral vision of the birds and other animals of the region.Hiking Routes Around Mitu
The ecological walks established around the city have as a special destination different high hills, or tepuis, from where we suggest you to observe the jungle that expands from and towards the river.Birding in Vaupés: 579 Species at Colombia’s Amazon Edge
Mitú is one of Colombia’s most rewarding — and least visited — birding destinations. The department of Vaupés holds a checklist of 579 species across 360 genera and 63 families, with a strong Guiana Shield influence you cannot find anywhere else in the country. Most birding routes sit inside indigenous communities around the capital, so visits require community permission and a local guide, both arranged in advance as part of any trip.
Key species to look for
Vaupés is the best place in Colombia to see near-endemic Guianan birds. Top targets include the Chestnut-crested Antbird (Rhegmatorhina cristata), Orinoco Piculet (Picumnus pumilus), Crestless Curassow (Mitu tomentosum), and Grey-winged Trumpeter (Psophia crepitans). Birds found almost exclusively in this department include Brown-banded Puffbird, Tawny-tufted Toucanet, and Yellow-throated Antwren. You should also expect Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Pavonine Quetzal, Fiery Topaz, Pompadour Cotinga, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, White-plumed Antbird, White-fronted Nunbird, Azure-naped Jay, Black Bushbird, and Screaming Piha.
Birding routes around Mitú
Mituseño – Urania
A Kubeo (Pamiwa) community northeast of Mitú on the Vaupés River, with rock outcrops and várzea floodplains. Highlights: Swallow-winged Puffbird, Bronzy Jacamar, Blue-crowned and White-crowned Manakin, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Azure-naped Jay.
Mitú Cachivera
Five minutes from town, offering white-sand forest, red-water creeks, and rocky trails. Highlights: Fiery Topaz, Pavonine Quetzal, four trogon species (Black-tailed, Amazonian, Blue-crowned, Black-throated), Brown-banded Puffbird, Rusty-breasted Nunlet.
Cerrito Verde
45 minutes from the urban center, covering primary terra firme forest, savanna and rocky outcrops. Highlights: Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, Black-eared Fairy, Pavonine Quetzal, Amazonian Trogon, Tawny-tufted Toucanet, Maroon-tailed Parakeet, Chestnut-crested Antbird.
La Libertad
Across the Vaupés River from Mitú, with white sand, flooded forest and terra firme — one trail requires a short canoe transfer. Highlights: Fork-tailed Palm-Swift, White-bearded and Black-throated Hermit, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Orange-cheeked and Yellow-crowned Parrot, White-crowned Manakin, Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Amazonian Umbrellabird.
Santa Marta – Puerto Golondrina
12 km downriver from Mitú via the Cuduyarí River, in Kubeo territory, with terra firme forest and white-sand trails connecting to Puerto Golondrina. Highlights: Straight-billed Hermit, Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Ivory-billed Aracari, Pompadour Cotinga, Amazonian Tyrannulet, Amazonian Grosbeak, Coraya Wren.
Pueblo Nuevo
At kilometer 20, with mature terra firme forest transitioning into savanna and rocky outcrops. Highlights: Gilded Barbet, Tawny-tufted Toucanet, Ringed Antpipit, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Chestnut-crested Antbird, Amazonian Scrub-Flycatcher.
Santa Cruz
32 km from Mitú, past the Vaupés River near the Micro Hydroelectric Plant. Culturally significant as the site of the Iparare cachivera where many Vaupés cultures were born. Highlights: Opal-crowned Tanager, White-fronted Nunbird, Black Bushbird, Musician Wren, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin.
Best time to visit: After the rainy season, from November to April, gives the most comfortable trail conditions and peak activity. SATENA operates the only scheduled flights, approximately 50 minutes from Bogotá (Tue/Fri/Sun) and from Villavicencio (Thu/Sat). In 2018, Vaupés hosted Colombia’s National Meeting of Ornithology (ENO), confirming Mitú as one of the country’s best-organized community birding destinations and a unique place for ethno-ornithology.
Recommendations for your visit
- Take yellow fever and tetanus vaccines before arrival.
- Do not forget the mosquito repellent, it is highly recommended.
- Rubber boots, raincoat, long-sleeved shirts, sunscreen.
- Leave no trace.
Sara Colmenares holds a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Ecology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Master’s degree in Botany from the same institution. Her doctoral research focused on palm ecology in the Atlantic Forest, supported by the Rufford Foundation conservation grant.
A published researcher in the Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology and a member of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), Sara has presented her work at international conferences across Latin America and beyond. She was awarded the COLCIENCIAS “Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda” fellowship, one of Colombia’s most competitive academic distinctions for young researchers.
Sara founded the Sula nature tourism brand in 2018, applying her scientific expertise to develop birding and wildlife experiences across Colombia’s six natural regions. Her fieldwork took her from the cloud forests of the Andes to the Amazon basin, the Pacific coast, and the plains of the Orinoquía. She combined deep ecological knowledge with firsthand experience to create content that is both scientifically accurate and practically useful for nature travelers.
She holds a B.Sc. in Biology from the National University of Colombia, where she also taught plant ecophysiology. She speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English.