Day 1: Welcome to Colombia and a pilgrimage to Santuario de Nuestra Señora del Rosario

The border crossing went smoothly. On the Ecuadorian side, we just got an exit stamp, crossed the Puente Internacional de Rumichaca, and got an entry stamp to Colombia (we were just asked a few questions about where we were going, etc.). We messed up a little bit after and didn’t check Uber because there was free WiFi available, but we just got to another taxi that took $4 and our leftover coins, which were about 80 cents.

When we arrived at our accommodation, there was a small language barrier in getting WiFi and explaining that we first needed to get our money exchanged but all got resolved. We just left our bags in the room and went for a walk to the town. It wasn’t as close as we thought but at least we saw a bit more of the town. We got money exchanged at the main square and Clare finally, after two months of looking, bought a hat.

Since the time was flying, we returned to our place, just left some stuff there, picked up water, and were on our way towards the Santuario de Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Las Lajas. This was a beautiful chapel that we accidentally found researching a long time ago and never thought we would visit. The place was about 7 km away but since we had nothing else to do we decided to walk there. There is no hiking path towards it but we found a route that went through small villages and farms above the main road. This gave us a nice opportunity to see how the locals live and everyone was staring at us so we were pretty sure not many people usually walk to the chapel.

The Santuario is just above a river in a valley, so the last 1 km is a steep descent. But it was as beautiful as in the photos and free to visit. We walked a wee bit around and read about its history.

We saw local buses on the small stretch of the main road we had to walk on but since we still had a little bit of time before sunset we chose to walk the same way back. We only changed one small part of our path due to a pack of very protective dogs that we didn’t want to pass again. We ended up bumping into another one on the other path as well.

When we got back to our place, we passed it and went to find a place to eat dinner. We stopped at a local broster place and each got ¼ of a chicken with chips and local soda. They were just closing for some reason but what we got was the best piece of roasted chicken we had the whole trip. When we got back to the hotel, we just repacked for tomorrow’s flight and watched a movie.

Day 2: Santa Marta

We had an early morning flight from Ipiales to Santa Marta and the airport is so small there that it didn’t make sense to go too early so we got an Uber about 2 hours before the flight. It took almost 30 minutes to get there and cost about $6. There were only two gates and one small shop selling coffee and snacks.

We got to Santa Marta on time and from the airport took a bus to the city center.

There are two different companies running buses every 10-15 minutes. The fare is 2,500 pesos per person but on our bus there was nowhere to put our luggage so we had to pay an extra person for our bags.

The bus followed the coast to the town which worked perfectly for us since we could get off right in front of our hostel Musa Paradisiaca.

We got our room and the first thing we did was put on swimming stuff and went to the pool. It was a small one but definitely refreshing because Santa Marta was hot! We were thinking about opening our bottle of red wine from Ecuador but found out that the hostel was charging $3 for your own drinks so we left it for later. I think it was the heat but we ended up having a small nap after the pool and didn’t get out until like 5 pm.

We walked to the center of the town looking for an exchange. We couldn’t find one but when we asked they told us it was closed anyway. We couldn’t search where the exchange was because the internet at the hostel didn’t work. We didn’t find what we wanted but at least we explored the town. We ended up having dinner at one of the main streets – nachos and loaded hotdogs – and a few drinks. We weren’t used to the heat and humidity anymore so we were sweating like crazy the whole evening. The night wasn’t much better because our room didn’t have A/C, only a ceiling fan.

Day 3: Wash-off in Minka

We changed our plans a little and got one more night at the hostel. That meant that today would be dedicated to exploring the jungle around a town called Minka and we could have one more extra day of not moving our bags around.

We got breakfast at the hostel and went to the city center to find an exchange. Luckily, it was in the same direction as the bus stop so after we got some pesos we only had to go a few more streets. The buses (minivans) to Minka leave from the same area as buses to Tayrona. A return ticket cost us 20,000 pesos each and the bus took about 45 minutes to get there.

Right after we got to the town we set off towards the Marinka waterfall and further up to the Los Pinos viewpoint. The path was easy to follow as it was a dirt road so cars or bikes could get all the way to the hotel at the top. We even found a few dog friends on the way but they left us when we stopped for a beer at a local kiosk. This was a great spot to stop not just because of the beer price ($1 for Club Colombia…absolute bargain compared to the town) but because of all the hummingbirds around. They had a few feeders around and we took like a hundred photos of them to get one good one.

The road ended in just a couple of hundred meters at Hostal Sierra Minca but the guard let us through the gate and we continued on an unmarked path through the forest towards the viewpoint. It wasn’t easy to find the path as there were no signs but Mapy.cz (the offline map app we always use when we travel) was pretty accurate and when we got out of the trees by a local school (yes, Mapy even have schools in the middle of nowhere marked) we knew we were on the right trail. It was then just a bit to the viewpoint. We had a wee break there and some snacks but the view was obstructed by clouds.

We read that rains are supposed to come and the clouds were suggesting that it will come soon. We didn’t stay for long and headed back down to Minca. There was an option to use a different path and make it a round trip and so we did.

It wasn’t long before the rain started. Initially, it was a welcome relief from the heat and humidity and we were covered by the trees. But the rain very quickly showed its strength and by the time we got down to the Marinka Waterfall, we were fully drenched. We stopped in the shelter by the falls to get water from our schools and waited for a bit. The rain wasn’t stopping and we were already soaking wet so we just continued on our way to the town. At this point, we were fully exposed to the rain and just hoped that none of the stuff in our bags would get destroyed.

On the way up, we had to cross a few small streams crossing the road/path, while on the way down these parts changed into full-on rivers and we just had to walk through.

When we got to Minca, we stopped to buy some fried snacks and waited for a bus back to Santa Marta. We were hungry and tired, so we bought some more fried stuff along the way to our hostel and then got a shower and tried to dry our clothes, especially our shoes.

It was dark by the time we went outside and we only stopped at a local store to buy supplies for the next few days and some snacks for dinner.

Day 4: There must be an easier way to the beach!

We prepared our bags the night before and just finished some last things in the morning before breakfast. We planned a 2-night trip to Tayrona National Park so we had to get all our camping gear ready for the last time! We took one rucksack and Clare’s day pack with us and left the rest in the hostel. We also arranged a night in the hostel when we came back.

The bus was leaving from the same spot as the day before to Minca, just a few doors down the street. We exchanged more money on the way there and stopped at a local fruit and veg market to buy avocado and some fruit for the trek.

The most common way to visit the Tayrona NP is to get to Zaino and start at the main gate to the park, then walk/ride a horse to Playa Del Cabo and back. We didn’t want to walk with the crowd so we decided to get a bus to a town called Calabazo and walk through the entire park from the other side. We read about staying for a night but decided to stay for two since the entrance to the park cost $20 each and we wanted to get our money’s worth.

The entrance fee changes based on the season but in both cases, it's close to $20 per person. You also have to pay extra for daily insurance. That was ~$1.5 per person per day. We are cheap so we told them we were only coming for one night so they only charged us two days insurance.

The way to the park is just across the road from the bus stop in Calabazo, but we haven’t even started walking and we were stopped by people offering motorbike rides to the start of the path (since there are lodges it takes actually about an hour walk before you get on a forest path). We told them we wanted to walk but this woman showed up and said we still have to pay 15,000 pesos for road maintenance. We didn’t understand why we had to pay since we were the ones walking and not destroying it by bikes but she wasn’t backing off so we paid. We are pretty sure we got scammed there!

The park ticket “place” (a table under a shelter) was just a few meters further down the road. When I put my rucksack back on after we paid my camelback broke and water started pouring down my back and onto our sleeping stuff. We got it off quickly and it didn’t cause much damage. It only took about another 200 meters and it happened to Clare as well (I guess it’s time to buy some new gear).

The first few kilometers were on a concrete path but we liked it because it was already in the forest and nice and peaceful. In this part, we had the biggest climb of the day since you have to cross a ridge before you start descending towards the beaches.

It took us about two and a half hours and 7 km before we reached the lodge at Playa Brava. Along the way, we heard some Chorro monkeys most likely having sex and making an awful amount of scary noises. Some other people even stopped us and asked if we knew what the sound was and if it was dangerous.

The Tayrona NP can get very expensive and that’s why we had our tent with us. We paid 60 thousand pesos for a tent spot and ended up getting dinner (100k for 2 people) and beer (20,000 for cans) at the lodge. We had some of our own supplies but saved them for breakfast and lunches/snacks along the way. We didn’t carry our stove anymore because it didn’t make any sense for us to buy another canister of gas since we had to get on a flight soon.

We spent the rest of the day on the beach and in the sea. The water currents are actually really strong around there and it’s forbidden to swim there. You can still go in the water and the waves are mad there. Even at the shallow parts, you can feel the currents sweeping you.

But the best part of our afternoon was spending about an hour opening a coconut that just fell off next to our tent. We ended up having it for late lunch and even had enough for the next day’s snack.

Surprisingly, they have free Wifi there but only for a limited time through Starink.

Dinner was lovely and we got soup, fish, and juice. There were plenty of mosquitos so we didn’t stay up for too long and watched something in the tent before we went to bed.

Day 5: All-you-can-eat jungle buffet

Waking up by the beach it’s just beautiful! We started our day by taking a walk along the coast and taking some photos. We then got a shower and had to pack to continue our journey through the park. Before we left Playa Brava, we stopped for a coffee at the lodge and had some of our food for breakfast.

There was a side path marked on the offline maps that allowed us to go towards the Playa Del Cabo more directly without coming back on ourselves. It was also marked on one wooden sign near the lodge. The first 2.5 km got pretty steep at some points because we had to climb back to the ridge we descended yesterday before going back to the other beaches (yeah, the park is pretty up and down).

We passed an old village along the way but didn’t stop by since it looked more like a tourist attraction. Further towards the beach, we found a small open area with Avocado trees and found 2 pieces that weren’t eaten by worms or birds and packed them with us. Later, we also stumbled upon mango and bananas. Together with the coconut from the other day, we were all set for snacks.

We arrived at a beach about 5.5 kilometers into our hike. First, the beaches were pretty empty and we noticed that all these side beaches were marked as nudist beaches. We were ready to jump into the sea because the day was pretty hot but we also wanted a nice cold beer so we walked about another 500 meters before we reached the Playa del Cabo. The beach was really beautiful there and the water was all blue. However, it was packed with people.

We didn’t really care at this point and just found a nice spot to sit with a wee bit of shade (hard to find there) and coincidentally it was right in front of a beer stand. We got a can each, drank it first, and then went into the sea. I think it would be fine there but we really didn’t like the look of some people around us and the place was really busy and touristy so we took our turns in the water and kept an eye on our stuff. The last thing we needed was to lose our passports just before the end of our trip.

We stayed here for about an hour and a half before we headed in the direction of the exit from the park. At this point, a lot of people who came for a day at the beach were coming with us and the path was pretty crowded. What didn’t help was that the path was destroyed and muddy at a lot of places by horses that are used to carry supplies and people to the beach.

The majority of people were heading for the exit, but as I mentioned earlier, we decided to stay for two nights since we were already there. We found on Google Maps that the EcoCamping LUI should be nice and cheap so we went for it.

We almost missed it as we were walking past but a wee fella was selling juices just in front of the entrance and had a dog with him. And because Clare wanted to pet him, we stopped, and that’s when we noticed we were actually at our campground. We paid 40,000 pesos for one night in a tent and they allowed us to put it under a roof because there was a chance of rain during the night.

We got a beer in the camp and after we built the tent we headed for a round walk around the beaches. We ended up swimming at the Arenilla beach and also found the last open food stand there where we got ceviche and filled arepas.

We got a shower at the camp, had one more beer, and they even had internet running at 7 pm. The night wasn’t the nicest because it was really sticky and we had to keep the tent fully open for all the insects to come eat us alive.

Day 6: Champions League Final and UFC

We heard about a small bakery just by our campground that should make amazing chocolate-filled bread. We even saw it the day before but didn’t get anything because we wanted to eat some protein. The plan was to have it for breakfast with coffee. Of course, we didn’t plan with the fact that the park is usually very empty in the morning so they open later. And we definitely didn’t anticipate that the park would be completely closed!

After we missed the bread and coffee, we walked along the beaches towards the exit for about an hour. The whole time we didn’t see anybody and were really surprised that people don’t take the chance to be at the beautiful beaches alone in the morning. When we got to the entrance/exit and there was no one around, things seemed pretty strange. We had a small snack there and fed a dog that then followed us on the road out of the park. The road is actually another ~4 km and we were asked several times if we wanted a ride but we wanted to finish it on our own. The dog actually chased a monkey into the jungle at one point and we only heard a loud squeak and never saw the dog again so we can only hope that he and the monkey were both ok.

When we got to the actual gate into the park no one looked twice and we just left. Right by the gate was then a bus stop where we got a bus to the town. We were just hasty and jumped on the first bus that came, overpaid, and he left us far from the town. We had to then get another local bus and walk the last 2-3 km.

Just before we got to our hostel, we stopped for fried balls (stuffed potato empanadas) for lunch. When we got in, we found out on WiFi that the park was actually closed starting today for 2 weeks for the native Indians’ spiritual ceremonies. We were wondering if we would tell the truth that we wanted to stay two nights at the entrance if we would actually be allowed.
We needed a break so we chilled in the pool while we waited for our beds to be ready (we opted for bunk beds for the last night since it was cheaper and the room had AC).

The rest of the day was then dedicated to watching sports as it was the Champions League Final game between Dortmund and Real Madrid and the UFC 302 night. We went to watch the football game at a sports bar that we discovered the first night in the town. They had good prices and even advertised more offers since it was a big game, but they changed the menu and all beer prices were higher than the last time (sneaky bastards!).

I guess, the heat, hiking, and sleeping in the tent got the better of us so we weren’t ready to stay until the UFC. We packed it after the football and went back to the hostel. We then watched the fighting on our phone in bed and at least had time to get all our stuff organized as we had to leave early in the morning.

Day 7: Coffee, here we come!

We got up while it was still dark outside and quickly sneaked all our stuff out of the room, trying not to wake up anybody. We then went to catch a bus to the airport and headed to the lounge (per usual) for breakfast.

Our flight was to a city named Pereira where we booked an Uber (we couldn’t find any city bus) to the local bus terminal where we bought a ticket to Salento.

We only found one company that had buses to Salento but they went every hour. The bus doesn't have much luggage space so careful in case you have big wheely bags.

It took about an hour to get to Salento and the bus stops just at the beginning of the town at the bus station. We then walked to our hotel which was as far as it could be (across the whole town + outside up on a hill) but it was cheap, very nice, and with breakfast. Salento is in the heart of the Colombian coffee region so coffee was unlimited and always available in the hotel.

Since the traveling took the majority of the day, we just chilled in the hotel and then went for a walk around the town when the sun went down. We were thinking about getting a nice dinner but at the end got a hotdog on the street which was delicious and cheap, and rightly we had to wait in line for it, and some more meat on a stick. The town was buzzing at night with all the wee shops being open and hoards of people filling the streets. The houses are all preserved in the local old style and most of them are nicely painted.

Day 8: Coffee farmers

After we got breakfast, we were ready to go exploring. We haven’t made a decision yet where to go for a coffee tour but got some ideas from the internet about prices and where to get the best tour. We also checked on the map that basically all the coffee farms were along the same road. It was a few kilometers away but it gave us a chance to see the town in the daylight, explore the nature around us, and stretch our legs. We saw a lot of other people coming the same way but the vast majority booked a jeep tour to the farms.

Our first stop was the coffee farm of Las Acacias but we didn’t end up doing their tour since we would have to wait for about an hour. We continued along the way and met a fella who suggested the Luger Coffee Farm. We didn’t have any preference and it sounded good that they do the roasting in front of you.

When we arrived at Luger, we were greeted right away and offered coffee. We signed up for the tour which was 45,000 pesos per person. The tour took about 2 hours and we were joined by two more people. We were first introduced to coffee science and learned about the different types, what factors affect coffee taste, and what steps are in the process from planting to brewing a coffee cup. We had the chance to walk among the coffee trees and collect beans which we subsequently cleaned. The cleaned beans need to then dry for months so we had the chance to pick from already dried beans and continue with the roasting process. In the end, we had a ground coffee and each of us had a cup.

As Colombia was the last country on our journey through South America, we bought almost all the presents for our families here so, in this case, we got them some fresh coffee beans. We wanted to try more than one coffee farm, so we went across the road to Finca El Ocaso, got a cup there, and also bought some beans.

After a small break at El Ocaso, we extended our walk down to the Quindio River using a back path from the farm and back to the main road leading to Salento. There we got some fried snacks for lunch and found a hidden shortcut back uphill and avoided the main road.

I needed a haircut before we got back home so we spent the next hours looking for a place and getting it done. We then dropped our stuff at the hotel, chilled for a bit, and headed back to the town for dinner in the evening. We ended up getting a burger and beer in a small local place.

Day 9: Valle de Cocora

The last place we wanted to visit in the region was the Cocora Valley. It was our last small hike on our South American adventure.

To get there, we bought a ticket for a jeep at a kiosk at Salento square for 10,000 pesos return each. The jeeps leave when they are full and usually, two passengers have to stand on the rear bumper the whole drive. It takes only about 25 minutes to get to the Valley.

When we arrived, we took the path on the right to make a loop counterclockwise throughout the whole area.

Surprisingly, only after like 500 meters there was a ticket booth and we had to pay to enter the trail (I believe it was 5,000). Even more surprisingly, we were told that we would also have to pay later if we wanted to complete a full loop (extra 20k!).

We followed the muddy path that went along the river for about 4 kilometers. At some points, it was difficult to cross the stream without getting wet. We then arrived at the Casa de los Colibries. It was 20 thousand pesos in each so we turned around quickly. There was also a path going further up to a viewpoint but the visibility was terrible that day, the rain was on and off, and my knees were mangled – we decided to go back and finish the loop that we planned.

We only needed to make it back about 500 meters and once across the river to get back to an intersection where we took a right turn up a hill to finish the loop along the ridge of the Cocora Valley. There was supposed to be a coffee house that we planned to stop at but unfortunately, it was closed.

In about a kilometer, we reached another ticket booth which was in to the main part of the Valle de Cocora and the price was insane – it was 20k to get in! It was our last hike and we still had enough cash but 20 thousand per person was a lot (I know that it’s only about $5 but still…).

The rain started when we got to the first viewpoint but only for a bit. We finished the hike at a cafe at the bottom with two coffees and a cake. On the way back, we decided to stay on the back of the jeep and of course, it started raining just when we set off so we got soaked to the bone.

Later in the day, we just chilled, had more coffee, and ate our last avocado with chips. We searched for a place to go eat in the evening but when we got there we found out that they didn’t have what we wanted and just ended up having a pizza at a different place that allowed us to bring beer cans from the outside.

Day 10: Finally, the last bus ride

We got an early breakfast with great Colombian coffee and were on our way to the bus stop. There we got on a bus to Armenia, a city south of Salento, where we went to get a bus to the capital of Colombia, Bogota.

We could have also gone back to Pereira but the bus ride from Armenia should be slightly shorter and both cities are about the same drive from Salento. The drive to Armenia only took about 30 to 40 minutes and we were lucky, there was a bus ready to go to Bogota. We were in and out of the terminal in less than 30 minutes and were on our way.

The bus ride was long as usual with some extra stops along the way to pick up people and occasional traffic. It took close to 9 hours to get to Bogota.

We booked accommodation “near” (3 km) the bus terminal and walked there. It wasn’t a hotel but it was a nice and cheap homestay and we could use their kitchen.

We got a shower and Clare was craving Chinese so we found one nearby We weren’t anywhere near the downtown but the street beside us must have been the main street around because it was hiving with shops, restaurants, and bars. We walked to the Chinese place but they have a wee bit different selection than what we are used to and what Clare wanted so we left and instead went for chicken wings. Unfortunately, they were a massive disappointment and we wished we got the Chinese or anything else.

Day 11: Bogota and the time to go home

Our last morning in South America should have been easy and no stress but since it was really the last one and we were about to get back to normal life that requires you to have a job (what a load of BS!), I scheduled an interview with one of the jobs that got back to while we were in Colombia. I spent about an hour preparing and the interview took another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Clare got us something for breakfast, got a shower, and packed our stuff.

After everything was done, we left our stuff at the accommodation and set off for the downtown. The Simon Bolivar Park was nearby so we first walked all the way through the park and jumped on a “metro” afterward. The Metro in Bogota are long busses that run in the middle of the main road without dealing with the traffic. You have to purchase a card to get on them and you will need a passport to do so. It can be done at any bus stop. It took us some time to figure out which bus to take but they have maps around.

We hopped off in the downtown, just near the Gold Museum. We walked past but didn’t go in. It started raining, so we went to hide in McDonald’s since they were offering coffee for free (imagine, even McDonald’s had coffee for free).

It was raining only for a bit and we were on our way, exploring the old downtown, the government buildings, and the market at the Plaza de Bolivar. There we tried some Grim Reaper Chilli sauce that didn’t even move Clar’s eyebrows while I was crying and my mouth was on fire! We finished our dandering around with Obleas, a Colombian wafer with toppings. If you ever visit the Czech Republic you can see people selling wafers around, but don’t buy them, save your money and get it in Colombia. It was heavenly, topped with cream cheese, caramel, and jams for $1.

We then stopped for more coffee and to hide from more rain and headed back to the bus and up the road back to Simon Bolivar Park. We stopped there for ice cream and later for KFC to use the last of our cash. We just kept enough for a taxi to the airport.

The taxi driver actually only charged us about 12k pesos but we had 20k ready for it and he really appreciated the wee bit extra. We headed to the lounge but it was late and they were closing soon. But we still managed to get a beer before we had to go on the flight.