Putumayo, a department rich in indigenous traditions and knowledge

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Putumayo is a department with an immensity of landscapes, activities and cultural manifestations that invite you to learn about its past, through the indigenous communities that inhabit the territory.

Putumayo is located in the Colombian Amazon-Orinoquia.  This is a territory composed of three thermal floors of great natural wealth, which offers tourists the possibility of observing unique species of flora and fauna. The department is also a meeting place of different cultures and migrations, which invites you to learn about its history through its landscapes, festivals, traditions and ancestral knowledge.

Geography for adventure

Putumayo is composed of three regions around which the territory is organized and generates diverse landscapes and cultural manifestations. This division offers different landscapes ranging from mountains in the upper Putumayo, forests in the middle Putumayo and jungles in the lower Putumayo, which makes this region a special destination for hiking.

Due to its geographic diversity, the department is also an ideal place to see species such as the jaguar and a great variety of butterflies, arousing the interest not only of tourists, but also of specialized scientists.

Among the experiences offered to visitors are extreme or adventure sports and activities such as rafting, canoeing and speleology, which invite visitors to discover the waterfalls, trails, rivers and caves that lie in the region, as well as the legends and rituals that have been created around the geography of the department.

Caption: Putumayo is one of the best destinations to learn more about the indigenous communities in Colombia.

A drink that heals

One of the most important icons of Putumayo is yagé or ayahuasca, which represents the therapeutic knowledge of the communities.

Around this drink is born a tourism with both national and international interest, related to culture and health.  This has also awakened scientific and journalistic interest that has led to the production of research articles, reports and books that narrate the experiences of yagé drinking and its relationship with the department.

Celebration of multiculturalism

Putumayo has festivals that show the migratory processes that have taken place in the territory and that celebrate the crossing of cultures. Among them is the Festival of Forgiveness, a ritual of reconciliation with others and gratitude to Mother Earth for the fruits of the past year. It takes place every year in the Sibundoy Valley, the Monday before Ash Wednesday, in 2012 it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by Unesco.

Quote: The Sibundoy Valley is a multiethnic place where native communities such as the Camentsá, Ingas and Pastos converge, as well as peasants and migrant black communities. It is made up of four municipalities: Colón, San Francisco, Santiago and Sibundoy.

In addition to the celebrations, Putumayo also represents its history and multiculturalism through handicrafts, among which are the masks, an icon that identifies its communities, and gastronomy, which reflects the geographical characteristics and the crossing of cultures that exist in the department. This includes foods such as cassava, tacacho, arazá or Amazonian guava, cocona (a critical tropical fruit considered the tomato of the Amazon), and smoked cachama.

Landmarks

The inhabitants of Putumayo say that the waterfalls are always guarded by a spirit and that, if you want to visit them, it is better to do it with the best thoughts. Otherwise, the waterfall grows, even if it is not raining, and the landscape becomes cloudy. This is important to keep in mind when you go to visit the Cascada del Fin del Mundo, one of the most important natural attractions of the department. This waterfall is located 5.9 km from the municipality of Mocoa, and is more than 70 meters high.

One kilometer away from the Cascada del Fin del Mundo waterfall is the Paway Natural Reserve, which will enchant any butterfly lover. In this place these species are a point of research, this with the aim of restoring its population and offer tours guided by experts so that more people know the fauna and flora of the territory.

Also on the list of places to visit in Putumayo are Salto del Indio, Mocoa, La Playa National Natural Park, the Amazon Ecotourism Center, the Putumayo River and Donde se oculta el sol.

Highlight: Download the magazine about the department of Arauca to discover the most beautiful landscapes of this region of the country.

Caption: The upper part of the Cascada del Fin del Mundo is also a viewpoint where you can see the Serranía de Los Churumbelos National Natural Park, Auka-Wasi and the municipality of Mocoa.