Last updated on .
We decided to do a four day trip to Amazonas, the Colombian Amazon region, with On Vacation. I normally avoid all-inclusive tours like the plague, but the price with On Vacation was just too good to beat.
We were offered a discounted package deal for a group of four during peak season. Round trip airfare to Leticia from Cali, all meals, transportation, hotels, and all but two tours were included. Normally, airfare to Leticia can be quite expensive, and this tour cost just COP$300,000 more than airfare along at the time. The trip promised a lot of good things but there were hiccups at the beginning and at the end.
If you aren’t into all-inclusive tours, you have a little extra time, and you want to see the REAL Amazon jungle (this trip was Amazon-lite), a similar trip (and much more thorough) can be done alone easily.
Start of the Tour
On the first day, we were told to be at the airport in Cali no later than 8pm for check-in. We assumed the flight was at 10pm. We arrived around 6:30pm and checked in only to find out the flight wasn’t leaving until midnight. After waiting and waiting, we finally took off from Cali and landed in hot and sweaty Leticia around 2am.
We exited the airport and were greeted by the On Vacation representative. He went over a few details and had everyone board a bus to a hotel in Leticia. We stayed at Hotel Fernando Real, but only for about three hours. The rooms were simple and not the cleanest, but we were so exhausted it didn’t matter.
Cruising the Amazon
At 6am after just a few hours of sleep, we met the representative in the hotel lobby, left our luggage, and walked to a canal where we boarded a boat for the all-inclusive resort owned by On Vacation. The boat ride took about an hour.
Hotel Amazon
We arrived at the resort, Hotel Amazon, at around 8am and were ushered to a buffet breakfast. Everyone was ready for a nap after the long night and journey, but unfortunately for us, we had to wait around until 11am for a mandatory meeting outlining the schedule. Our room wasn’t ready until nearly 12:30pm. That’s the end of the first problem. I ended up sleeping most of the rest of the afternoon and felt like the first day was a total waste.
The hotel was beautiful. It’s made completely of wood on stilts. The bathrooms were very modern and the beds were extremely comfortable and had mosquito netting. There was a fan in every room and an air conditioning unit that was available from 6pm to 2am daily. Wifi was extra but was pretty much useless.
Hotel Amenities
Buffet meals were served at 7am, 1pm, and 6pm. Food was usually very good. Entertainment was provided after dinner but was mediocre at best. We saw a terrible lounge singer one night and Brazilian dancers the next night. The dancers would dance for one song and then spend 10 minutes taking photos with guests and the next 15 minutes changing costumes.
There was a pool, spa, and nature walk. A convenience store sat across from reception. Things like toiletries, snacks, drinks, sunscreen, and insect repellant were available, but it’s best to bring necessities with you. The store sold just about everything at a premium.
A bar was available daily with unlimited alcoholic drinks. Sadly, the bartenders didn’t do a very good job. We ordered caipirinhas on five separate occasions and received a different colored and flavored drink each time.
Staff seemed to do a very good job. The only issue for a foreigner would be that they speak zero English.
Excursions
All of the excursions were not included as understood when we booked the tour. As an all-inclusive tour, it’s kind of important to know what you have to pay for well ahead of time. The excursion to the Yagua community on the third day was included, as well as a stop across the river at Puerto Alegría, Peru, on the last day. The excursion to Puerto Nariño and the Ticuna community on the second day was not included and was overpriced. Neither was the shopping trip to Tabatinga, Brazil, which was much more affordable.
Back to Leticia
After spending two and a half days going on excursions and enjoying ourselves, we returned to Leticia and Hotel Fernando Real in the afternoon. Earlier in the day, an On Vacation representative promised us a room to rest in until we had to be picked up at 10:30pm to go to the airport. The joke was on us.
Once we got to the hotel, the owner was quite rude and said there were no rooms available. Many people tried to sleep on the floor of the hotel lobby and others had to pay a full night’s stay to get a room and rest. The lobby bathroom was in an abysmal condition, full of cockroaches and mosquitos. Everyone was angry at the situation.
Departure
We were picked up at 10:30pm, taken to the airport, and told to wait. Again, we had no idea what time our flight would be until we were finally allowed to check in nearly two hours later! The flight wouldn’t be until 2:30am. Another four hours wasted in the airport on zero sleep. We landed in Cali around 4:30am and the trip was finally over.
Conclusion
This tour began and ended terribly but the rest of it was well done. We enjoyed the excursions, the hotel was nice, and the food was decent, but the situations at the beginning and end made me understand why the price was so low. I don’t appreciate wasting several hours of my time in airports or roach hotels, and that overshadowed the entire trip. Would I travel with On Vacation again? Hell no!
