Feb 1-9 2026
La Macarena
For experienced anglers only. This is the land of giants! A fairly small tributary in the upper Orinoco River Basin with the largest Payara in Colombia. This river is also full of catfish, many of which will eat flies!
The main focus of this trip is giant Payara. As the river lowers and gets more clear during this short window, the Payara congregate in riffles and against the rocks to smash the migrating bogachico baitfish. At certain times of day they become very aggressive including on topwater patterns and you can rattle off several Payara in several casts. Trip record is a 30lb Payara/160lb catfish so these guys get LARGE! Bring those 10-11wt rods….it’s a wild 5.5 days of fishing!
The casts can be difficult and there will definitely be dead times. The river is surprisingly small, much of which is wadable, and the fish congregate in the faster water. It’s all about finding those hungry pods in the deeper runs or faster riffles. The river is also prone to flooding which sadly kills the Payara fishing. Luckily there is a clearwater tributary that is fun to explore for 1-2 days. Smaller Payara are here but also a plethora of other species including Bicuda, Jamu (Matrinxa or Yatorana), Pacu (Cachama), Payarein, Palometta, and even Catfish on the fly!
Then there is the catfishing with a spinning rod. These are true monsters that grow quickly and eat anything/everything off the bottom. Highly recommend some time targeting these beasts if interested but you need to bring the right rod with 100+lb mono.
Overall this trip is unique, challenging, and very rewarding! It’s fairly DIY and unlike traditional fishing “lodges” but its a trip of a lifetime! If you are nervous about the dangers of the jungle, click here. For a detailed gear list perfect for this trip, see my gear guide.
Another perk of this trip is A/C hotels throughout. We will be staying in downtown La Macarena in a comfortable hotel with private rooms, A/C and showers. Even a swimming pool and jacuzzi (nothing too fancy…). The hotel is located 100 meters from Chiky’s restaurant where breakfast and dinner will be served. The hotel is only 200 meters from the boat dock so a quick morning walk before the adventure.
$3,400 includes everything EXCEPT flights to/from Bogota, meals in Bogota, potential baggage fees, and tips to the guides (recommend 7-10%). The price does include all travel and hotels within Colombia, guides & boats, along with food & beer in La Macarena!
Itinerary below:
Feb 1: Fly from your home airport to Bogota. Take a taxi or hotel shuttle to the Courtyard Marriott Hotel and get to bed early.
Feb 2: A driver will be picking you up very early in the morning (between 4am-5am) for a beautiful 3-4 hour drive down the mountain from Bogota to Villavicencio. You’ll then take a private plane arranged by Ecoturismo Macarena from Villavicencio to La Macarena. Check into the hotel, have a quick lunch, and off for a few hours of Payara fishing!
Feb 3-7: Five more full days of fishing! Down river, up river, tributaries, and even a tourist day to Cano Cristales if desired! Fish for massive Payara or Catfish with side opportunities for Jamu, Bicuda, etc in this world class fishery.
Enjoy fishing El Cajón or “the box” which is a beautiful canyon at the entrance of Tinigua National Park. 60 minutes up river this canyon is the furthest you can fish but has amazing fishing with an unbelievable backdrop! Having the Payara smash your fly against the rocks will blow your mind!
Cano Cristales is a beautiful series of waterfalls featured in the Disney movie “Encanto”. This would require extra $$ but looks amazing. I’ve yet to do it but its an option. Potential small stream Sardinata and Jamu opportunity…
Feb 8— Breakfast and pack up. Private plane from La Macarena to Villavicencio in the morning followed by the 4 hour drive up the mountain from Villavicencio to Bogota. Arrive in Bogota around dinner and stay in the same Courtyard Marriott Hotel
Feb 9— Fly home from Bogota.
Please use our contact page for any questions. Hope you can join and let us know if another week is better for you as we can arrange something!
Interesting links:
https://www.payaraflyfishing.com/gear-guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkAavHzbs3o
