Another essential ingredient in the Amazonian diet is yuca (cassava). This root vegetable is native to the region, with many varieties. The Indigenous communities of the Amazon cultivate two main types: sweet yuca and bitter yuca. Sweet yuca is white, cooks easily, and is typically served as a side dish, while bitter yuca has a yellowish hue, a thick skin, and is tough, requiring longer cooking times. Bitter yuca also contains a toxin, but Indigenous people have developed an ancient process to make it safe to eat. This process transforms it into the base for dishes like casabe, tucupí, and chicha—all fundamental flavors in this vast region.

At km 11, you can visit the maloca of Kasia González, a member of the Murui community. She offers wellness and gastronomic tourism, where you can immerse yourself in Amazonian culture, customs, and traditions. In the early morning, they head to their chagras to harvest the bitter yuca, which is their main food source. After soaking it in water for two or three days to allow fermentation and remove the toxins, they press it using a sebucán or tipití—a woven basket that extracts the poisonous juices. From the starch, they make casabe, and the remaining pulp is dried in the sun to prepare fariña or farofa (a flour-like dish). Tucupí is a sauce made from the juice of the yuca, mixed with ants and other spices, creating a thick, slightly spicy treat that pairs perfectly with casabe and regional fish. Sweet yuca is usually boiled or roasted and accompanies many dishes. You can find these preparations in several communities on the recommended tour, such as San Martín de Amacacayu with Magri Lorena, Arara with Antonila Ramos, San Pedro de los Lagos with Deisy Sánchez, Nuevo Jardín with Milena Vento and James Marín, and at km 6 with the Asociación Artesanal Chunaki Barú.

Also popular are the pirarucú fish chicharrones. At Flotante Balsa El Pirarucú restaurant, you can enjoy dishes featuring this delicious fish. The restaurant’s base is in Leticia, but it can navigate up the Amazon River, offering guests the chance to enjoy great food while taking in the stunning landscape. These dishes are often served with yuca.

Another common fish in the Amazon diet is piranha, which is often grilled, stewed, or boiled. The Bar Restaurante Tierras Amazónicas in Leticia serves this succulent fish.

Fish will always be the best option in the Amazon region. One signature dish is Patarashka (or patarasca). Made with gamitana (a type of fish similar to cachama) or pirarucú, the fish is wrapped in banana leaves with salt, tucupí, and cooked over an open fire, accompanied by boiled yuca, plantains, and casabe. Another favorite is Cachama al mojo de ajo—a grilled fish cooked on banana leaves with garlic sauce, served with casabe, green plantain, and tucupí sauce. At Mundo Amazónico, you can enjoy these dishes in a family-friendly atmosphere, surrounded by nature.

Tacacho with Cecina meat is a popular dish among locals near the Amazon River. It’s a mashed green plantain dish, seasoned with native onions and garlic, topped with dried and salted meat, which can come from wild animals or cattle. The meat is preserved by dehydration, perfect for long river journeys. You can try this dish at El Rancho restaurant in Leticia.

One unique Amazonian delicacy is mojojoy, a local treat prized by Indigenous communities. For visitors, it’s an unforgettable experience, as mojojoy consists of large, edible larvae that are high in calories and free of cholesterol. Once you get past their appearance, you’ll discover they have a wood-like taste. They’re typically roasted, fried, or stuffed. Mundo Amazónico restaurant in Leticia offers this exotic dish, subject to availability of the larvae. You can also arrange to try them at some of the artisan workshops we recommend, especially with the Asociación Artesanal Chunaki Barú at km 6 on the Leticia-Tarapaca road.

Tapioca is one of the Amazon’s specialties, made from yuca starch. The tapioca is soaked in hot water, strained after about half an hour, and then sweetened with fruit syrup to taste. It becomes one of the region’s most popular desserts, loved by both tourists and locals. You can find it in various places we’ve mentioned, though it’s not always available or featured on the menu.

Amazonian fruit sweets, such as those made from araza, carambolo (star fruit), and marañón (cashew), are commonly found at local markets (such as the Leticia Market) and in local homes.

In the Amazon, as in many regions of Colombia, fermented beverages known as chichas are popular. In the Amazon, these drinks are made by fermenting fruits like chontaduro (peach palm) or pineapple for several days, or by fermenting fariña. Chive is made by mixing fruit pulp with fariña dissolved in water.

You can also enjoy refreshing fruit waters made from tropical fruits like araza, camu camu, copoazú, and açaí, which may or may not contain added sugar. These drinks are common in both restaurants and local homes throughout the Amazon region. Deisy Sánchez from San Pedro de los Lagos prepares delicious, refreshing beverages with these exotic fruits.