No roads lead to Mitú

an island among a sea of green...

We’re in the middle of nowhere and in the centre of it all at once. Mitú is a small town in the Amazon Basin of South East Colombia. It is the capital city of the department of Vaupes, which these days acts as a hub for  government services, mainly transport and trade. Like most Amazonian villages, Mitú is anchored to a river, the life line of the community and the connecting link to the nearby settlements. There are no roads connecting Mitú with the rest of Colombia; remote and isolated, Mitú is only accessible by plane or portage via varying waters of the Vaupes River.

When we flew in here 4 weeks ago we arrived at a place that seemed an island among a sea of green canopy. Descending, as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but tree tops, undulating surface of emerald, sage and gold. 

The area is rich and full of life, equally in as outside of town. Mitú packs a lot of punch for being so small. With only 5000 residents in its urban core, it is constantly buzzing with activity. 

The predominantly hot days start early here, by 5:30 AM we’re woken up by the rising sun and the cacophony of the streets coming to life. First comes the chatter of birds, then the motorbikes, which are the main mode of transport for most, start zooming by. Shop owners can be heard opening storefronts in a thunderous clamour of their rollup screens. The hubbub only ceases midday and in the hours following lunch, when businesses close and the town winds down for siesta. After that it bursts with activity once again and remains so late into the evening. 

My favourite part of the day comes at sunset when the clay dusted streets begin to glow with the golden hue of the setting sun. Mitú rests on moist, red clay soil which seeps through as grout for the tiled roads, clings to building walls, telephone poles and tree trunks. In the afternoon sun everything around takes on a shade of orange, the effect intensified even more by the rust stained colour of tin roofs that dominate the skyline. I just love it.

Even though we’re so far removed from the rest of civilization, we haven’t wanted for anything while in Mitú. The little oasis is peppered with variety stores, cafes, service shops and restaurants serving great food. Hotel Los Paisas, where we’re staying, is well managed and provides us with clean, comfortable accommodations. There is little crime in Mitú, the residents are friendly, kind and hardworking people, and we’ve been made to feel very safe and very much at home in this foreign land.