GREAT ADVENTURE TRIPS IN COLOMBIA

Colombia has received somewhat lousy publicity over the past several decades with stories of drug cartels and civil unrest; however, Colombia has made huge strides in cleaning up its act and providing safety and security for its residents and visitors. Colombia has blossomed into one of the most inviting countries to travel to in South America. The people are friendly, the prices are low, and there is an incredible variety of cities, ecosystems, and landscapes to discover. Here are some great adventure trips in Colombia to whet your appetite.

 

Pan de Azucar, El Cocuy

Tayrona National Park

 

If you are looking to hike in Colombia, the top multi-day hike to the "Ciudad Perdida" or The Lost City has to be number one on your list. Hidden deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it's probably the most famous hike in the country. You'll walk through waist-deep river crossings and dense heat until you reach an ancient city 650 years older than Machu Pichu! Known locally as Teyuna, the 'lost city' in the Tyrona National Park was rediscovered in the 1970s and is only accessible by foot and to a limited number of visitors. The city is thought to have been inhabited between the 11th and 14th centuries and housed up to four thousand people. If a multi-day hike sounds a little too active, Tayrona National Park is also blessed with some of the most pristine beaches on the planet!

 

The Lost City

El Cocuy

 

For the mountaineers and trekkers, the Sierra Nevada del Cucuy National Park is a 10hr bus ride north of Bogota. It contains an epic several-day circuit and multiple 5000m glaciated peaks spread across two parallel mountain ranges. The indigenous people of Cucuy are currently negotiating with the government regarding tourism, so be sure to check if the Park is open before you head there. Endemic flora, fauna, and stunning mountain views make this some of the most remote and wild scenery outside Patagonia, further south. 

 

La Guajira Peninsula

La Guajira has always been apart from the rest of Colombia at the northern tip of the continent. Its people, the Wayuu, were never conquered by the Spanish and retained a clear identity of their own. Their land is stunningly contrasted, framing natural dunes against the deep blue Caribbean surrounding them. This is a beautiful corner of Colombia and one ripe for exploration. Riohacha is the gateway city to the peninsula. Many visitors enjoy kite surfing, four-wheel drives across dunes in the largest Colombian desert, and spotting flamingos at the Santuario de Fauna y Flora Los Flamencos. These activities can be organized with Va Expeditions, who work closely with the local Wayuu Community. The northernmost point in South America is Punta Gallinas, perhaps the most beautiful beach in all of Colombia, and Playa Taroa, which is sandwiched between the sea and a giant dune.

 

La Guajira

The Coffee Triangle

South of Medellín, between the three towns of Pereira, Armenia, and Manizales, lies the coffee-growing region of Colombia. The Eje Cafétero is set in lush rolling hills beneath the snow-clad Nevado del Ruiz, the volcano that, in part, makes the area so fertile. The bucolic setting and down-to-earth local population make this one of Colombia's best places to visit. In the coffee triangle is the charming town of Salento, and the nearby Valle del Cocora, with its cloud forest and iconic wax palm trees. A trip to the area is incomplete without a tour of a local coffee-growing plantation for more insight into our favorite brew.

Chiribiquete National Park 

Colombia's most extensive, biodiverse, and inaccessible national Park, Chiribiquete, covers over 5000 square km and is formed by distinct bio-geographical regions, whose landscapes include the Amazon rainforest, tabletop mountains, and savanna. Chiribiquete National Park is also home to uncontacted indigenous tribes and one of four sites added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2018. The Park is a highly biodiverse sanctuary, an unexplored corner not just in Colombia but the whole world, and it still holds a lot of secrets. The Park is so remote and almost impossible to access by land, with Chiribiquete's airspace being tightly controlled for many years, restricting its access.

 

Cave Drawings in Chiribiquete

 

 La Aurora Natural Reserve

The "Colombian Safari" at La Aurora Natural Reserve is Colombia's biggest private nature reserve and includes various activities to observe the Orinoco region's wildlife and scenery. Hato La Aurora is a 17,000 hectares ranch encompassing the natural reserve. It offers a deep-into-the-wild, raw and earthy experience, allowing you to get close to the region's culture and nature and explore its essence! The La Aurora reserve forms part of the 'jaguar corridor,' a genetic corridor across 18 countries providing travel pathways for these felines. La Aurora is home to about 42,000 capybaras, about 2500 deer, plenty of other mammals such as anteaters and monkeys, and over 350 species of birds. This is also the place to go to see anacondas in the wild.

 

Nuqui

The Tribugá gulf is home to not only howler monkeys and colorful amphibians like the Cocuy frog (Oophaga histrionica) but also to the humpback whales that travel from the Antarctic to breed and give birth in the warm deep waters of this tropical region. This magnificent migration takes place between June and September, and there are so many whales you might even spot one mid-air while you're having lunch on the beach. Nuqui is the ideal place for whale watching on the Pacific coast between July and October. If you want a disconnected stay in beautiful virgin forest landscapes, this is the place to go by the ocean! This little haven of peace and tranquillity is still difficult to access, which makes it the perfect off-the-beaten-track destination preserved from mass tourism. Nuqui is a wild paradise that is well worth the trip!

Hump Back Whale, Nuqui

Caño Cristales

 

Caño Cristales is a river in Colombia called the most beautiful in the world. It is also known as the river of five colors. It is not a river that flows year-round but from the rain waters during the wet season. The river is unique as it is the only place in the world where the plant called Macarenia Clavigera grows. Visiting Caño Cristales is a once-in-a-lifetime activity that should be on everyone's bucket list! This crimson aquatic plant sticks tightly to rocks in places where the river has a faster current. These plants change color due to the amount of sunlight received. It starts out green, and when it receives sunlight, it changes to yellow, orange, pink, and dark pink. For this reason, it is also referred to as the liquid rainbow!

 

Caño Cristales

 

These are just some magnificent places to visit on a Colombia adventure travel itinerary with Va Expeditions. Find out more here regarding adventure trips in Colombia for your next vacation!