Yaigojé-Apaporis National Park, Protected natural area in Colombian Amazon, Colombia
Yaigojé-Apaporis National Park covers more than 1 million hectares of rainforest, river landscapes, and wetlands along the Apaporis River near the Brazilian border. The terrain combines multiple ecosystems and shelters diverse wildlife and plant life in one of the Amazon's most intact areas.
The park received official protection in October 2009 after indigenous leaders requested safeguards for ancestral lands facing mining threats. This step secured territorial control and management by local communities who had stewarded the area for generations.
The Makuna, Tanimuka, Tuyuca, Cabiyari, and Letuama peoples have deep ties to the land expressed through rituals and sacred sites within the area. These practices shape how indigenous communities inhabit and steward the protected space today.
Access is only possible with permission and guidance from indigenous communities who manage the area. Visitors should prepare for remote conditions and limited infrastructure, with travel mainly by small aircraft or river transport.
The area harbors jaguars, pink river dolphins, and giant otters living in complex social groups visible along the waterways. The dolphin populations are especially notable, making this one of the few places in the region where these animals thrive in healthy numbers.
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