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Eric Gomez

Travel Guide

How to Get to Florian

Posted on June 7, 2019
how to get to florian, ventanas de tisquizoque, what to do, climbing in colombia, jungle

Kalymnos in Colombia. It has a nice ring to it. Florian is a small town in Santander, Colombia. 3 kilometers into the jungle is an enormous cave with a river flowing through it (it really rushes during the rainy season) and some stellar climbing inside of it. Though there’s only 1 cave with rock climbing, this place is known for its many caves carved into the side of the mountain. That’s why it’s called the Ventanas de Tisquizoque (Tisquizoque Windows). People come here just to camp, hike and climb. There’s also a number of other climbing areas further down the mountain, but of course the cave is the main attraction. You climb on some great limestone, stalactites and the weirdest-shaped holds. The place is worth a visit, it’s kind of mind blowing! This is how to get to Florian and the Tisquizoque Windows.

If you’re researching climbing areas in Colombia, we have the perfect list for you here!

How to get to Florian

*Note: the map to get to Florian from Bogotá is at the end of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. Go to Bogota’s main Bus Terminal or Northern Terminal and take a bus to Puente Nacional. One of the companies that offers the trip is “Reina.” If you’re not in Bogota, any main city will offer bus rides here or close to it.
  2. Once you’re in Puente Nacional, you’ll take a bus or car that will drop you off in Florian. They leave Puente Nacional from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. every 2 hours (but don’t count on them being punctual). They can drop you off at Florian or at the hostel on the way, which I’ll talk more about later.

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Florian, Santander” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions. Make sure your map sends you through Puente Nacional (as in the map below). There’s a shorter way, but it’s a terrible road.

Without a GPS (I really recommend having a GPS or a map to look at):

  1. In Bogota, drive north out of the city. Follow directions to Chia.
  2. After passing a big university on your left, stay right on the bridge right before entering Chia. After to see a Homecenter on your right, go right where there’s a sign towards Zipaquira and Ubate.
  3. Keep driving until you get to yet another bridge. Stay left and get on the bridge, which will take you to the right, following the sign to Ubate.
  4. Soon, you’ll get to a round-about. Take the second exit. It will end eventually, connecting to another road. Stay on this road, following signs towards Chiquinquira and Puente Nacional.
  5. Next, you have to go through Puente Nacional’s main plaza and head to the tiny town of Jesus Maria. From there, you turn at a really random left turn (marked on the map below) and it’s a straight shot to Florian on a mostly unpaved road.
  6. Again, I really recommend having a GPS because after Puente Nacional because there are barely any signs to help you get to your destination. What’s amazing is that Google has street view all the way to Florian!
  7. If you’re headed to the climber hostel, its 4 km before Florian when you see a red house on your right and a white one on your left.

If you’re looking places to hike, camp and enjoy the outdoors close to Bogota, read this blog post here!

Where to Stay

The best place to stay while you’re here is Refugio Munay, although there are some hostels in Florian. Refugio Munay was built very recently by climbers we know, for all kinds of travelers. There are some rooms with beds, but most people will be camping. The camping facilities have community bathrooms and a kitchen. Most importantly, the place is gorgeous. You camp in the middle of the mountains. This place is only 4 kilometers from Florian as you follow the instructions above!

What to do at Florian:

Climb

Obviously! The only reason you’re reading this is probably because you’re a climber! Anyway, the climbing here is all limestone, and everything used to be quite hard. Now that there’s been more development, there are more easy climbs, ranging from 5.9 to 5.14a. The climbing style here tends to be very overhung, pumpy and physical, especially in the cave. The newer zones are outside, on the side of the mountain, and are more vertical. There are a number of different areas, but the most popular is the large cave. Here’s a list of the zones:

  • El portón : 14 climbs from 5.10a – 5.13a
  • La guaca: 13 climbs from 5.11c -5.13b
  • La cueva del indio: 7 climbs from 5.11b – to projects.

Bike

Mountain biking around here, whether on the unpaved roads between tiny towns or on mountain trails, is spectacular. The views are gorgeous and the air is fresh and alpine-ish (Florian is 1800 meters, or 5,900 feet above sea level).

Waterfall Hopping

If you’re only here for the climbing, you’ll still get to see enough waterfalls. But if you’re into hiking and visiting beautiful spots, there are definitely enough waterfalls to visit. Get some exercise, have a picnic, and enjoy. Ask around at your hostels or around town for trails and waterfalls worth visiting!

Take Photos

Florian and its surroundings are extremely photogenic. It doesn’t take much to get some great shots!

Go Pond Hopping

Where there are waterfalls, there are ponds. Two great ponds for a nice swim are Charco Paila and Charco Azul. Even better, getting to them involves some pretty nice hikes. Ask around at the links I included right below to find out how to get there! Or you can just get the info or a guide while you’re there.

Some things to know:

  • One of Florian’s main men is named Miguel Angel Garcia, and this place is his baby. You can contact him if you’re thinking of heading to climb or do some tourism. His phone number is 3118709992.
  • You can also get more information about Florian and the climbing, by messaging this Facebook page or contact Refugio Munay here!
  • There are various climbing areas in Florian that are owned by individuals. Because of that, there are rules in some places, such as leaving before 6 pm, etc. Before you head over, talk to someone who knows the place to get your do’s and don’ts.
  • The road to Florian is mostly unpaved, but pretty much any car can make it when it’s dry. It’ll just be very bumpy. You can call Miguel Angel or Refugio Munay to ask about the road conditions.

So why go to Kalymnos now that you know how to get to Florian?! Ok, don’t answer that.

BUT, if you liked reading about this place, or went and loved it, you might like to know about our favorite climbing area in Colombia: La Mojarra!

Travel Guide

How to Get to Rio la Miel

Posted on April 29, 2019
how to get to Rio la Miel, what to do, public transportation, in a car, Mamalu hostel, waterfalls

Right in the middle of the road between Bogota and Medellin is La Dorada. Being close to one of Colombia’s most important rivers, you can be sure to find some place to relax with nothing but green all around and the sound of rushing water enveloping your ears! Enter Rio la Miel (Honey River). It’s only 1.5 hours from La Dorada, close to La Habana, and house to the Mamalu hostel. Located on a riverbend without road access, getting to this hostel is a beautiful journey. More importantly, this place is calm. Great, simple rooms and beds, delicious fried fish and river activities await. If you need the comfort of a 5-star hotel, this isn’t the place, but if you want absolute peace, it sure is. You might get some love too, since Mamalu is owned by an awesome hippie – your host and guide, Caliche. This is how to get to Rio la Miel!

If you’re looking for what to do in Medellin, you can read our guide here!

How to get to Rio la Miel

*Note: the map to get to Mamalu from La Dorada is at the end of this post!

Now, my first recommendation before you head over is to have someone on the ground help you. Our friend Caliche even got a Carpati (a kind of truck) to wait on us for half an hour because our bus left Medellin late! The trip to Mamalu is complicated, so it’s good to have someone have your back. Caliche’s phone number is +57 (312) 235-2998. Call him or message him on WhatsApp!

In Public Transportation:

  1. Get to your city’s main transportation terminal (the Northern Terminal in Medellin) and take a bus to La Dorada this costs about $40,000 Colombian pesos, or about $15 dollars.
  2. In La Dorada, take a Carpati, which is a sort of truck decked out to carry passengers, at Jorge Eliecer Gaitan Park (I marked it on the map). The Carpatis leave at 3:30. Let Caliche know you’re coming so that he can tell the Carpati driver to expect you. The Carpati ride costs $10,000 pesos, or about $4 dollars.
  3. Get off where the Carpati driver tells you, which is at an intersection where you can walk down to the left to a tiny settlement called La Habana (also on the map).
  4. Caliche or one of his partners will pick you up there and take you to their boat. From here on out, they’ve got you covered.
  5. You’ll head over to the hostel downstream in the boat, about to get immersed in nature to another level.
  6. To get back to your city, literally just take these steps backward! The folks over at the hostel will take you to get picked up by the Carpati to head to La Dorada.

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Mamalu” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions (it appears as a rest stop in Caldas). Check out the spot we marked on the map to see where you can park your car (also in step 5).

Without a GPS (I really recommend having a GPS or a map to look at):

  1. Get to La Dorada, Caldas, Colombia.
  2. Follow the signs towards Norcasia and La Miel while on the main road between Bogota and Medellin, right on the outskirts of La Dorada. This turn is on the Western side of the Magdalena river, right by the river.
  3. Now, this road doesn’t have any signs, so I definitely recommend you rely on Google Maps here, because it has Street View almost the entire way. Stay on this road until you see a sign that says “Relleno Sanitario Doradita 3km” and go right at that fork in the road.
  4. Stay on this main road, which is completely unpaved, until you get to a fork in the road that has a number of signs on a big tree. One of the signs says “Panzer” and another one has a picture of a monkey. Take a left here. You’re on your way to the river. A small car might not make it here during the rainy season, but during the dry season there should be no problem.
  5. Drive along this road until you get to an area with a tiny shed with a few motorcycles parked under it. This place is called Playa Alta and you can park your car there. It’s marked on the map below.
  6. Now, though Playa Alta is not the closest you can get to Mamalu, it is the safest to park your car. Caliche or one of his partners will pick you up here and take you to the hostel in the boat!

If you’ll be visiting Bogota and you’re looking places to enjoy the outdoors, read this blog post here!

What to do at Rio la Miel:

Get to Know Heaven and Paradise (Waterfalls)

Our host Caliche named two of the most amazing waterfalls in Rio la Miel Canyon Heaven and Paradise. First, you travel upstream gazing at the river landscape until you get to a bridge where the Canyon begins. The river also gets a little crazier here, which makes for a grand adventure maneuvering through the minor rapids while waterfalls pound straight into the river from atop the canyon. It’s quite a sight! But none of the waterfalls are quite like Heaven and Paradise. These are huge waterfalls that have carved into the rock so much that they have their own little areas in which to fall. They’ve created pools and layers of rock to take a swim and have a picnic.

Go Waterfall Climbing and Jumping

Now, this activity is a real treat! You start a 45-minute hike right at the bridge I mentioned above. It’s a hike through the jungle and across and through a lot of creeks. You eventually get to a spot where there’s an enormous, deep pool with a raging waterfall.  After leaving everything there, you climb up the side of the waterfall (it’s pretty easy) to another pool. Then, you swim across the pool to another waterfall and climb up its side… and proceed to do all of that another 3 times!! Finally, the only way to get down is to jump… 5 TIMES! One of the jumps is high (about 8 meters, or 25 feet)! This was probably our favorite thing we did while at Mamalu – climbing, swimming and jumping – it can hardly get any better.

  • how to get to Rio la Miel, what to do, public transportation, in a car, Mamalu hostel, waterfalls
  • how to get to Rio la Miel, what to do, public transportation, in a car, Mamalu hostel, waterfalls, close to La Dorada
  • how to get to Rio la Miel, what to do, public transportation, in a car, Mamalu hostel, waterfalls, between Medellin and Bogota
Visit Grandad

Also right off the Rio la Miel, about 20 minutes by boat from Mamalu, is what Caliche calls Grandpa. It’s a 150-year old Ceiba tree that’s probably 100 to 120 feet tall. It really makes you feel like a small being. What’s interesting is that we were just as curious about the innumerable amount of tiny ants, all working in tandem towards an unknown goal, as about the gigantic tree. Honestly, no matter how big or small nature may be, it never ceases to amaze us.

Learn to Fish

Caliche is a self-proclaimed master fisher. He’s also a master fish cooker, if I do say so myself. We weren’t able to learn to fish while we were there, but it was on our bucket list. We just didn’t have the time, although Lala did get to pull a fish out of the water on our boat ride out! I’m sure all you fishers out there will agree, it’s relaxing and fun. Take a morning and learn a skill you can use throughout your life to enjoy time in nature or if you’re ever stranded and need to survive. You never know!

RELAX

Now, I don’t know what it is about this place, but Lala and I felt so relaxed being here. I think it was a combination of factors: the simplicity and comfort of the beds/rooms, the delicious food, great people and the idea that you can do anything while you’re there, including doing nothing. It’s no wonder people end up staying longer than they initially planned.

Some things to know:

  • Prices at Mamalu are as follows: a day of activities, food and lodging for 4 people costs $1,120,000 Colombian pesos, or about $375 dollars. For 2 people, it costs $840,000 pesos, or $280 dollars. All of this is also personalized according to what you want to do, so talk to Caliche about it.
  • For the longest time, this area of Colombia was quite dangerous because of guerrilla armed forces. But not anymore! Come enjoy this place without worries; it’s the epitome of peace.
  • This area of Colombia, even before the armed conflict, was the epicenter of Colombia’s hippie movement. Pretty much led by Caliche’s grandmother, for whom the hostel is named, they got big names such as Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Hendrix to perform on a rock beach you’ll be sure to see. I know, it’s pretty bizarre.
  • Make sure you bring cash, because most places don’t have the infrastructure to take debit or credit cards. Also, everything must be paid in Colombian pesos.
  • From Medellin or Bogota, the bus to La Dorada costs $40,000 pesos, which is about $15 dollars, per person. It can cost more during holiday seasons, though.
  • The ride on the Carpati costs $10.000 pesos, or $4 dollars, per person.
  • The end of the car ride to Mamalu is a little rough. A small car might not make it during the rainy season, but if everything is dry, there should be no problem.
  • Caliche’s phone number is +57(312)235-2998.

We hope this post has given you some valuable information regarding how to get to Rio la Miel, but we especially hope you enjoy your travels through Colombia, wherever you go! If you need a guide for how to get somewhere, let us know, we always want to help!

Another natural paradise, this time close to Medellin, is La Peña, a mountainous area with lots of hikes, the famous Aero Hostel La Casa en el Aire, and a developing climbing park. Our blog post is mostly about the climbing area and its surroundings, and you can read about it here!

Travel Guide

How to get to Puente Reyes

Posted on March 6, 2019
how to get to puente reyes, rock climbing in colombia, close to bogota, sandstone

Puente Reyes is in our favorite part of the department (or State) of Boyacá. It’s a place with an assortment of small to medium-sized towns, all with quaint plazas, in the midst of some towering mountains with lakes, lagoons and lots of frailejones. What most people don’t know is that in the midst of that natural beauty is a wonderful climbing area. It’s been well-developed, with more than 40 trad and sport climbing routes, and even has a guidebook! This is how to get to Puente Reyes.

If you’re looking for places to climb in Colombia, check out our list of the best areas here!

How to get to Puente Reyes

*Note: the map to get to Puente Reyes from Bogotá is at the end of this post!

In Public Transportation:
  1. Go to the Bogota’s Bus Terminal (called Terminal de Transporte) and take a bus to Sogamoso. This bus ticket will cost about $25,000 Colombian pesos.
  2. In the Sogamoso Bus Terminal, take a bus to Gámeza on a “Cootracero” bus. This ticket will cost about $2,500 pesos.
  3. Tell the bus driver you’ll be getting off at the first right turn after the bridge called Puente Reyes. Be looking for it yourself too in case the bus driver forgets. It’s a bridge with thick yellow rods.
  4. Take that first right turn after the bridge and walk until you see a sign welcoming climbers. Take that right turn and walk until you get to a wooden bridge. In front of the bridge is zone A, “Los Arenales,” which you can see on the guidebook. Enjoy the climbing!
In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Gameza, Boyaca” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions. One you pass the “Puente Reyes” bridge, which is very close to Gameza, turn right until you see a sign welcoming climbers to the area.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit Bogota heading North. Follow the signs towards Tunja, not the signs towards Chia or Zipaquira.
  2. Once you’re close to Tunja, stay on the main road that goes around the city, following signs to Sogamoso and Duitama.
  3. Go through the cities of Paipa and Duitama, always staying on the main road and following signs to Sogamoso.
  4. Shortly after you pass Duitama, take the second exit at the roundabout, headed towards Nobsa.
  5. Drive along the main road until you see a big sign that says Gameza. Right after the sign is a bridge with thick yellow steel rods. This bridge is the Puente Reyes. Immediately after the bridge, turn right.
  6. Drive along this new road until you see a sign welcoming climbers to the “Parque de Escalada Puente Reyes.” Take that right turn.
  7. Marvel at the imposing cliff-line and climbing potential as you drive all the way to the end, where you’ll find a wooden bridge to the right. Cross the bridge, and you’ve arrived at the climbing.

If you’re looking for other outdoor activities close to Bogota, check out this comprehensive list of places to visit and things to do!

What to do at Puente Reyes:

Climb

Climbing is pretty much all you can do at Puente Reyes. Of course, there’s stuff close by, but this cliff line is pretty much on its own, which is one of the reasons it’s so great. The cliff line extends for about 1.5 km (1 mile) and can reach heights of up to 150 meters (450 feet), all sandstone. As of the last time the guide was updated, there were over 40 sport, trad and mixed routes. Click here to see the PDF guidebook! There are great camping spots along the river.

Visit These Towns

If you’re looking for a rest day activity or want to get to know some more of Colombia, you’re in for a treat. The towns in this area are absolutely gorgeous. #1 on the list is Monguí, known as the most beautiful town in the State of Boyaca, especially at Christmas. Some other towns that are worth visiting are Gámeza, Sogamoso and Nobsa.

Go to the Laguna Negra (Black Lagoon)

On the other side of the mountains from Monguí is the Black Lagoon, a place that we dearly love. Camping at the lagoon itself is magical, and above it on both sides looms what is known as the world’s most beautiful páramo, the Oceta páramo. You can get there walking from Monguí or drive straight to the lagoon. If you decided to hike, you’ll need guides. Read about how to get to the Black Lagoon here!

Visit Lake Tota

Only about 45 minutes from Puente Reyes is Colombia’s largest lake, Lake Tota. It’s a great place for fishing, but the camping is what really takes first place because of the view you get of the cosmos at night. The word “Tota” means “Astronomic Observatory” in the native Chibcha language.

Some things to know:

  • This climbing area is in a gorgeous location valued for how pristine it is. Be conscious of your impact and clean up after yourself to keep this place open to climbers!
  • All the climbing is sport and trad.
  • Make sure you have cash, because most places around this area won’t accept debit/credit cards.
  • Be careful hiking around here because locals don’t like tourists walking on their land. Hiking rocks, though, so one way to deal with locals is to give them money or food if they confront you. Another is to hike with a local guide.
  • This area of Colombia produces 90% of Colombia’s onions.

Now that you learned how to get to Puente Reyes, go enjoy the place! This great climbing area is so worth it!

So you like the mountains, but how about a desert… in the mountains? Read about this desert close to Bogota that inspired Just North to begin!

Travel Guide

How to Get to La Peña

Posted on February 1, 2019
how to get to La Peña, sport climbing in colombia, medellin, antioquia, adventure

If you like to be at the forefront of things, La Peña is the place for you. This climbing area is young, but has been developed in a great way. It even has a guide already, and more than 40 routes from 5.8 to 5.13c. It’s only 3 hours from Medellin in the midst of an astounding landscape with gorgeous cliff-lines, beautiful hikes and more. This is how to get to La Peña.

If you’ll be in Medellin at all, you may like to read our tips on what to do in Medellin!

How to get to La Peña

*Note: the map to get from Medellin to La Peña is at the end of this post!

These instructions are taken from La Peña’s website, simplified and translated for your convenience.

In Public Transportation:
  1. Go to the Terminal del Norte de Medellin (Medellin’s northern bus terminal). The company you’ll be riding with is Sonar, and you can call them to book a ride or for information at 4364385 or 3613121. The buses leave at 5:30am, 8:30am and 1:15pm.
  2. Buy a ticket to get to “Vereda La Peña.”
  3. Once on the bus, tell the driver to drop you off at “Tienda la 80” of Vereda La Peña.
  4. What’s funny is that the directions on their website say, “Here, call your guide to tell you how to get there.” So I guess you’ll just have to do that. I found this phone number (321 8750843) on their Facebook page and none on their website. To be safe, contact them before you head over (link above).
In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “La peña, Abejorral, Antioquia” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. In Medellin, get on the Autopista Sur (the highway heading south) towards Caldas, the “Alto de las Minas,” and all the way to the town of Santa Barbara.
  2. Once you pass the gas station in town, drive 3 km (1.9 miles) to a turn on your left that says El Cairo.
  3. On this road, you’ll pass a cement factory, cross a bridge and turn right.
  4. Continue down this road for 2 km (1.2 miles) and then cross a bridge. From there, keep right.
  5. Stay on this road for 12 km (7.5 miles) and you’ll arrive at the entrance to the La Peña farm.
  6. Some parts of this road are pretty rough and best taken on with a 4×4 vehicle. Also, if you’re visual like me, check out the map below!

If you’re looking for other places to climb, check out this comprehensive list of Colombia’s best climbing areas!

What to do at La Peña:

Climb

The main thing you need to do is climb, of course! If you’re a climber and have your gear, head over to the La Peña hostel, which is right in front of the rocks, and start climbing. If you’re not a rock climber or need gear or guide services, the hostel can hook you up. This place has rock climbing for all levels and even more waiting to be developed. If you want to help open some more climbing, talk to the people there to see what they say. From what I’ve heard, they’re open to people helping out.

Go Hiking

La Peña is on an imposing mountain, which also houses a lot of awesome trails for hiking. Just ask around at the hostel, because these trails aren’t on the guide. 2 trails I’ve heard of are to the summit of the mountain and to a striking cave. Definitely worth it for the adventure of the day or on a rest day from climbing!

Visit the Aero Hostel

I guess this blog post could also be called “How to get to La Casa en el Aire.” Very close to the climbing area is a hostel that has gone viral worldwide. It’s located on the side of a cliff, is super quaint and you can chill in hammocks way above the ground. The Aero Hostel Casa en el Aire (House in the Air) is spectacular, and definitely worth a visit. You may even want to stay there during your trip, although I’ve heard it can be pricey and you have to book way in advance.

Some things to know:

  • This climbing area is located in a private farm, so obey the rules to keep this place open to us!
  • All the climbing is sport.
  • You can always contact the hostel if you’re interested in opening new routes.
  • The hostel by the cliff doesn’t have food services, but it has a kitchen for you to make your own food.
  • It’s dog-friendly!
  • The road to La Peña is best handled by 4×4 vehicles.

I hope this blog post helped you learn how to get to La Peña, plus a little more. Definitely try to make it to this wonderful area!

So you like the mountains, but how about the sea? Read about this island in the Caribbean that you need to visit someday!

Travel Guide

Where to Climb in Colombia

Posted on January 25, 2019
where to climb in Colombia, la mojarra, rock climbing

For us, one of the best reasons to travel is to go climb. Getting to know a new place with friends and climbing on new rock is wonderful. Now, if you’re wondering if there’s climbing in Colombia because you’re coming or might come, let me tell you: there sure is! Colombia has some ridiculously amazing climbing, from an enormous cave in the middle of nowhere with a waterfall spraying from its mouth to small and famous crags an hour from the city. This is where to climb in Colombia.

Since I talked about the cave, I guess we’ll start there!

Where to Climb in Colombia

Florian

There are 4 climbing areas at Florian, one of which is this cave. Obviously, it’s the main attraction. As you gain height on the limestone tufas, all you can hear is the raging waterfall below you and your own yells as you crush your project (the waterfall only rushes during the rainy season). The other areas are cool too, though! This climbing area has everything from 5.10 to 5.14. Getting here is quite the journey because, like I said, Florian is in the middle of nowhere. Part of the drive is 48 km (30 miles) of unpaved roads, putting Florian at about 5 hours from Bogota! There is a new guide for Florian. For info on the guide, how to get there and more, read this blog post!

Suesca

If you’ve been researching where to climb in Colombia, I’m sure this place has come up. Suesca is Colombia’s oldest and most well-known climbing area. The rock is sandstonemnand you can find everything from 5.6 to 5.14 sport climbing and trad. Since this place is so popular, the rock is really slick, and almost everything is vertical. You’ll have a hard time finding something really overhung. Guidebooks are available at any Monodedo store in Bogota or in Suesca. This place is also just 1 hour from Bogota, Colombia’s capital city. Click here to read a full guide on Suesca!

Sutatausa

Sutatausa is also known as Sutanblue because of its similarities to the climbing in Fontainebleau, in France (so, sandstone). I’m not so sure about that, but it is Colombia’s best bouldering area. And though it’s known for its boulders, it also has sport climbing on the imposing cliff-line above. I love this place because it’s extremely beautiful… and it’s only about 2 hours north of Bogota! There is no official guidebook, but you can get a “guide drawing” at the nearby hostel. To read about that and other details regarding Sutatausa, click here!

Macheta

Now, if you read “vertical” for Suesca and didn’t like the sound of it, Macheta is the place for you. Everything is overhung and almost everything is above 5.12. But that’s old Macheta. New Macheta is VERY vertical, and has some gorgeous, extremely long routes that follow splitter cracks in the rock. The place is called the Hall of Justice. A 5-star name for a 5-star climbing area. About 2.5 hours north of Bogota, this spot is a must-visit! You can get a guidebook to Old Macheta at any Monodedo store in Bogota or in Suesca, but there is no guide for New Macheta. To read more about both areas of Macheta, click here!

La Mojarra

The Mecca of Colombian sport climbing. Orange, South American sandstone, amazing routes and a mountainous landscape make La Mojarra something out of a dream. When people ask me where to climb in Colombia, I always recommend this place. It has easy climbs and hard climbs, and they’re all beautiful. It’s 8 hours from Bogota and about 2 from the city of Bucaramanga. The weather is warm and the sun hits the cliff-line in the morning, giving climbers the excuse to sleep in to climb in the afternoon’s sweet temps. You can get a guidebook at Refugio la Roca, a hostel right above the cliff, or on their website. Read more about this climbing area in La Mesa de los Santos here!

Puente Reyes

This place, also known as La Peña de las Aguilas (The Eagles’ Crag, with no eagles though) is a beautiful climbing area in Boyacá. It’s right next to a river in an area of the country where the weather is constantly changing. It has over 40 routes, all on sandstone, with way more to be developed. It’s an almost perfect place for some sport climbing. There’s also a lot to do nearby! There’s quaint towns, like Mongui, hikes, and paradisical natural scenes, like the Laguna Negra. Puente Reyes has a guidebook (more like guide-PDF) which you can access here!

El Peñol

If you’re visiting Medellin, Colombia’s 2nd-largest and best city, you’re probably going to want to visit El Peñol. El Peñol is a gigantic granite monolith that rises from the ground beside a beautiful dam. As touristy as this place is, something VERY few people do is rock climb to the top. Just imagine people’s faces (because normal people can climb up an infinite staircase to the top) as you mantle onto the lookout and belay your partner up. El Peñol has sport climbing and trad from 5.8 to 5.12 and is one enourmous slabby slab.

La Peña

This place, close to Medellin, is said to be the climbing area with the most potential in Antioquia. It’s a young area, less developed than others, but already has over 40 routes from 5.8 to 5.13c and a hostal that’s also in its beginning stages, but is beautiful (another lodging option is the crazy “Aero Hostal”). From what I’ve seen in pictures and photos, the place is gorgeous and in the middle of nowhere. The development it has had is high-quality – they even have a guide already! La Peña is about 3 hours from Medellin. Click here for how to get there.

Choachí – Valle Escondido

This cloudy place right behind the mountains of Bogota houses some great climbing and the 6th tallest waterfall in South America. It’s called Valle Escondido, or Hidden Valley. Also, some (I) would say it’s magical. The climbing area is pretty undeveloped, but has the potential to be as amazing as La Mojarra. The rock, (surprise!) is sandstone. This climbing area is only an hour and a half from Bogota going east and definitely worth a visit! Another cool thing about this place is that its 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) above sea level. So you’ll get some high-altitude climbing! There’s a guide for this place, and you can get it there or at Zona de Bloque. Read a full guide on how to get there here!

Tona

Imagine a cliff-side with two levels. Each level has tons of different climbing – from vertical climbing much like La Mojarra’s to overhangs like Macheta’s. The potential is crazy! And I say potential because this place is just now being developed, and getting here is quite a journey. That’s what makes it so worth it. A friend of our bought some land to start a hostel and develop the climbing, and it feels in the middle of nowhere, although it’s 3 hours from Bucaramanga. Click here to read all about this place’s awesome story!

Well, I hope knowing where to climb in Colombia has motivated you to come visit this country, meet new people, and climb on new rock. If you are, maybe send us a message and we’ll see if we can go climb with you!

Finally, if you like hiking at high altitudes, you might also enjoy reading about Colombia’s paramos!

Travel Guide

Where to Climb Outdoors Close to Nashville

Posted on January 18, 2019
where to climb outdoors close to nashville, adventure, stone fort, rocktown, little rock city, lrc, foster falls, the obed, king's bluff, boulder, rock climb

I lived in Nashville for 3.5 years, and a centerpiece of my time in Nashville was climbing. I got to know a good few climbing areas close to Nashville. At some point we would travel somewhere every weekend to go climb! Now, three years after graduating from Belmont University in Nashville, I finally went back for a vacation. I wondered to myself why I had never written about my experience there in the blog! That’s why I’m finally creating this blog post: where to climb outdoors close to Nashville!

Now, I must say, Tennessee has more places to climb than I could know, but this post will focus on the ones I know well.

*This blog is based out of Colombia, South America. You might enjoy checking out some of its climbing spots. Who knows, you may end up coming!

Where to Climb Outdoors Close to Nashville

Stone Fort (Little Rock City)

This was the first place I climbed outdoors in Tennessee, and is my favorite to this day. I’m not sure if it’s my favorite because of the memories and sends I made there or because of the place itself, but both are stellar. From shearing crimps to beautiful slopers and from V0 to V12, this bouldering area has it all. The Triple Crown Bouldering Series has a stop here too!

Some boulders I recommend are: Super Mario and it’s extension, The Wave, Sternum, Toothfairy and, of course, Grimace. The first time I saw Grimace I swore I would climb it, every time I went to LRC I’d go look at it, and I eventually did send. It’s the best boulder I’ve ever seen, but I love slopers, so take that into account.

LRC has a great guidebook, which you can get here. To get to LRC, type in “Stone Fort Little Rock City” in your GPS and go enjoy!

Rocktown

Rocktown is a bouldering area with amazing boulders and is a relatively new area, so new stuff is being developed all the time. Technically, this place is in Georgia, but it’s on the border of Tennessee. It’s 3 hours from Nashville, which makes it a good place for a two-day trip, although it’s so good that it’s even worth a day trip too.

Two climbs I definitely recommend are Nose Candy and Inspired by an Idiot, two really fun V6’s. For more information on this area, like the dates the park is closed and the license you need to buy to enter, check out the Southeastern Climbers Coalition website! To get to Rocktown, type in “Rocktown Rock Climbing” in your GPS and get after it!

Foster Falls

Foster Falls has everything you need when it comes to sport climbing: from easy, vertical 5.8’s to crazy-looking, overhung 5.13’s. This area is highly developed because of climbers, hikers and runners, so it has amenities like camping (which you have to pay for), picnic tables and bathrooms at the parking lot. The waterfall, of course, is a huge attraction for climbers and non-climbers alike. Make sure you also check out the Left and Right Bunkers, two amazing cave-like formations that house some of the coolest climbers there are!

Definitely get on Bear Mountain Picnic, a beautiful 5.8, or Ethnic Cleansing, an overhung 5.12 climb with a dyno to finish it off. This spot is 1 hour and 45 minutes from Nashville. To get to Foster Falls, well, look up “Foster Falls” in your GPS! Once there, take the Foster Falls overlook trail, which will lead you to all the climbing.

The Obed

I can’t speak well enough about this climbing area. It literally has it all: trad, sport and bouldering, and everything from easy to very hard. You can go to different areas within the Obed where you park and walk a few feet to the climbing (Lilly Boulders) or places you have to hike 45 minutes to get to (Y-12). My favorite spots are the Lilly Boulders and South Clear. I enjoy Lilly Boulders because you’re in the woods getting on some beautiful climbs, and it is just as peaceful as it gets. South Clear is great because it has some insane roof climbs (and I’m emotionally attached to the place, I guess).

I definitely recommend getting on Solstice in South Clear, Barbwire and Lingerie in Y-12, and Saddam Hussein in North Clear. To get to the heart of the Obed, type in “South Clear Creek Climbing Parking” and go explore! This place has so many climbing areas, that you’ll definitely want a guidebook!

King’s Bluff

Though King’s Bluff doesn’t have the best climbing, it is extremely close to Nashville (although I’d rather put in the 1 hour and 45 minute drive to Foster Falls). Only an hour from Nashville, right in Clarksville, lies a beautiful cliff-line by the Cumberland River. It definitely is a beautiful, peaceful place. It’s perfect if you want to get outdoors but can’t take the whole day off and is a great place to start learning to climb outdoors.

To get there, put “King’s Bluff, Clarksville” into your GPS and go get it. There’s a gate by the parking lot that’s usually open, but if it’s closed, you can always get the code to open it at the Southeastern Climbers Coalition’s website.

Well, this tiny list by no means encompasses all of what Tennessee has to offer! It’s a very biased list too, because I love these places (ok, King’s Bluff not so much).

For a complete list of places to climb in Tennessee and close to Nashville, visit Mountain Project and get lost researching climbing areas. Also, Mountain Project has detailed directions on how to get to each place if you’re interested.

And of course, I can’t end this blog post without mentioning the Red River Gorge! It’s only 4.5 hours from Nashville and is one of the best places to climb in the world. Taking that into account, I’d say it’s close enough.  A great place to go enjoy for a long weekend!

I hope this blog post got you psyched to climb now that you know where to climb outdoors close to Nashville. Until next time!

Make sure you check out some of our Colombia blogs!!

Travel Guide

The Best Páramos for Hiking in Colombia

Posted on October 31, 2018
best páramos for hiking in colombia, frailejon, alpine landscape, photography

If you’re not from Colombia, you might not know what a páramo is. This blog post is to explain what it is, since I use the term SO much throughout the blog, and to let you know the best páramos for hiking in Colombia. Let’s get through the information real quick before the travel tips:

A páramo is the ecosystem between the tree line and glaciers. Yes, it’s an alpine ecosystem, but it’s one that only exists in some countries along the equator, where the snow line is super high. Páramo can be translated into moorland, heath and wasteland, but no one of those words live up to what it really is. You really have to go to a páramo and attach an image to the word yourself.

Colombia happens to have most of the world’s páramos, since it’s an extremely mountainous country just north of the equator. They’re full of frailejones, which is the plant you can see in the picture above. Frailejones have furry leaves, grow mere centimeters every year, hold bunches of water and are great for wiping your butt in case of a bathroom emergency in the wilderness. All páramos also have glacial lakes spread throughout them, reason why they are known as water factories. Most hikes have a lake as their final destination, páramos are the main source of water in most Colombian cities.

Don’t expect to see very many glaciers, though! Colombia currently only has 6 snow-peaked mountains (or glaciers) and they are receding every day. To put it in perspective, there are only 36 km2 (22 miles2) of snow left in Colombia.

On a less somber note, páramos are gorgeous, and they’ll be staying with us MUCH longer. And there’s so many to explore! 2% of Colombia is páramo, and very few of them have trails or any development at all. To narrow down your research, I’ve made a list of the best páramos for hiking in Colombia. These are developed and ready for you to hike them!

The Best Páramos for Hiking in Colombia

  1. Chingaza.

Chingaza National Park is right next to Bogotá to the east and has 40 different glacial lakes. The biggest of them is Lake Chingaza, but the most beautiful are the Siecha Lakes. Though you can access Chingaza National Park from a bunch of locations, the entrance closest to Bogotá is the Piedras Gordas Administrative Center. It has a number of trails through a wonderfully mountainous páramo  that end at the Buitrago and Siecha Lakes. If you’re in Bogota, these hikes are worth your time! Click here to read a full blog post on how to get to these trails in Chingaza National Park.

  1. Ocetá.

The Ocetá Páramo is known as the world’s most beautiful páramo. Though I think there are some that rival it, I can agree. Enormous formation rise up out of the ground throughout the landscape, peppered with thousands, probably millions, of frailejones. It’s a great place to walk, camp and explore. This páramo is about 3.5 hours from Bogotá, right next to the town of Mongui and is home to lots of lakes, the most well-known of which is Laguna Negra. Click here to read the full blog post on how to get to the Laguna Negra and the Páramo de Oceta.

  1. Iguaque.

The Iguaque Páramo may not be the most well-known, but it’s my favorite, so of course I had to include it on this list. You start on a winding path through dense forest and suddenly take a step and there’s no more trees! From then on the trail is steep and straight up until you can see Iguaque Lake off in the distance. I love this place because I’ve had great times here with friends and family, as well as in the beautiful tourist town right next to it, Villa de Leyva. Click here for the full blog post on how to get to Iguaque and here for what to do in Villa de Leyva!

  1. Puracé.

Puracé National Park is an almost magical place where you feel like you’re where the world started. Three of Colombia’s biggest, most important rivers are born there: the Magdalena, Cauca and Caquetá rivers. The area also has 11 volcanoes, although only one is active. You can visit all these places, as well as the hot springs created by the volcano, entire valleys of frailejones, waterfalls and lakes. This high-altitude national park is not so well known, which is always great, and requires guides for hiking. It’s 2 hours from Popayán, 5 hours from Cali and 11 hours from Bogotá.

  1. Santurbán.

The Santurbán Páramo is the páramo that provides water for a lot of the Departments of Santander and Norte de Santander. It is huge, has some amazing formations and over 40 lakes. Best of all, the park has a lot of trails. For some perspective, this páramo is so big that it has 7 parks inside of it. It’s a great place to go camp, see the stars and hang out with friends. It’s also threatened to some degree due to large-scale mining. The best thing you can do is visit the park so that the government realizes this place’s natural beauty is important to society.

  1. Los Nevados.

Los Nevados National Park translates to “The Snowy Peaks National Park.” That’s right: snowy peaks, plural! This park holds three of Colombia’s too few snowy peaks, which of course means there’s a lot of páramo to be had below the snow line. Only one of those peaks, the Nevado del Tolima can be summited, and you need a guide and equipment to make the journey. That’s for another blog post. This post is focused on the best páramos for hiking in Colombia, and this place is great. You need no guide for hiking below and up to the snow line. The most well-known hike reaches the snow line at Lake Otún. Even if you can’t reach the summit or aren’t interested in such a daring adventure, you need to go explore this park. Fun fact: it has snowed on Nevado del Tolima twice in the past couple of years after not having snowed for over 10 years!

  1. Sumapaz.

The Sumapaz Páramo is Colombia and the world’s largest páramo and is right next to Bogotá on the south side of the city. (I know, Bogotá is close to so many páramos. Thats what happens when you build a city at 2,600 meters or 8,500 feet above sea level). This park is so enormous that you can access it right from Bogotá or from another city, Villavicencio, which is 3 hours from Bogotá. It even extends up to 5 hours from the big city where the Sumapaz Páramo ends and the Caño Canoas National Park begins. The park has a number of hikes, but the most well-known is the hike to Cuchillas de Bocagrande, a set of razor-like mountains that rise above a group of lakes. You can also drive up to the summit of the Nevado de Sumapaz, which used to have a snowy peak 100 years ago.

To conclude this blog post, páramos are unique ecosystems found in very few places in the world. Thankfully, Colombia has most of the world’s páramos and a lot of them, like the ones I described above, are accessible. That’s saying a lot for a country where access is usually difficult because there is little infrastructure for hiking and for outdoor adventures.

Go explore these wonderful places responsibly and enjoy them to the maximum!

For a list of outdoor activities close to Bogotá, read this blog post!

Travel Guide

What to do in Villa de Leyva

Posted on October 27, 2018
what to do in Villa de Leyva, how to get to Villa de Leyva, hiking, adventure, food tips, where to eat, vacation

Villa de Leyva is a dreamy place. The Spanish tiles, cobbled roads, every restaurant’s vibe and the combination of dessert and forest make it one of Colombia’s most beautiful towns. Only 3 hours and 4 tolls away from Bogota, it’s a great place to rest, go on some adventures and enjoy its unique culture. In this blog post, you’ll get tips on where to go on adventures and where to eat, two of Lala and my favorite things to do. This is what to do in Villa de Leyva (and how to get there too, below!).

You may also be interested in reading: how to get to Mongui, a town that competes with Villa de Leyva for Boyacá’s most beautiful town.

What to do in Villa de Leyva

*Note: the map with all the following places and how to get from Bogota to Villa de Leyva is at the end of this travel guide!

Hiking at the Iguaque Fauna and Flora Sanctuary

We do this hike up to Iguaque Lake (Laguna de Iguaque) every time we go to Villa de Leyva. We’ve done it 7 or 8 times and have enjoyed it every time. After a 30 minute drive on an unpaved road you get to a center where to pay to enter. Then you walk a little to a hostel and restaurant they have, and there you begin the steep hike up to the lake through forests and paramos. For more information about this park, read this blog post with everything you need to know!

Eat at Antique

One of many traditions we have as a family is eating at Antique after hiking. That is, of course, after sleeping a couple of hours. Antique is one of those beautiful restaurants you can find in Villa de Leyva for a special occasion. It can be pricey, but after a tough hike and on vacation you just have to treat yourself. If you earn in dollars, or another well-off currency, though, this will be an amazing meal at a good price.

Eat Dessert at La Galleta or at Pastelería Francesa

Villa de Leyva is diverse when it comes to cultures. Two places I love to taste two different cultures and at La Galleta and at Pastelería Francesa. At La Galleta, you can find desserts from Colombia and the world, but my recommendation is you eat the miloja, which has bunches of layers with cream in between and Arequipe on top. It’s the best dessert I’ve ever had. At Pasteleria Francesa, you can experience French pastries. I have three words to describe the place: chocolate, chocolate and chocolate. Eat anything and everything that has chocolate! Both these places are marked on the map below.

Hike up to el Santo (the Saint)

If you still have energy after hiking up to Iguaque Lake or if you prefer a shorter, easier but equally beautiful hike, you can walk up to the statue of the Saint that towers over Villa de Leyva. You can see it in the distance from town. To get to the trail, go to Calle 12 and walk towards the mountains. In other words, if you’re in the main plaza facing the church, take the road to the right towards the mountain. That road, Calle 12, will take you directly to the start of the trail.

Eat at Sutamarchan

Sutamarchan is a town about 20 minutes from Villa de Leyva. It is so tied to my family’s experiences in Villa de Leyva that I had to include it in this list. We always eat there on our way back to Bogota – it’s known for its Fritanga. Fritanga is unhealthy, but delicious—all friend meat products. It is an extremely traditional Colombian meal and Sutamarchan is one of the best places for it. How to get to Sutamarchan: exit Villa de Leyva on Carrera 12, which you can take one block down from the plaza which the mountains on your left. Follow the signs towards Sutamarchan and Chiquinquira. When you get to Sutamarchan, take a left on the corner with the restaurant Fabrica de Longaniza and eat there… it’s our favorite place.

Ride a Bike in the Desert

One of the best things you can do in Villa de Leyva is ride your bike. Here are some routes you can take, but the funnest way is to go where you want. I recommend you get lost in the small desert, where there’re some awesome hills. It’s almost like BMX! I marked the dessert on the map below. You can find companies that rent bikes and can guide you in Villa de Leyva.

How to get to Villa de Leyva

On Public Transportation:

  1. Go to Terminal Salitre or Terminal del Norte in Bogota, two different bus terminals.
  2. Take a bus straight to Villa de Leyva for $23.000 Colombian pesos ($8 USD).

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Villa de Leyva” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit Bogotá going North, following signs to Tunja. You’ll go by Tocancipá, Suesca, the Sisga Dam, Chocontá and Puente de Boyacá (the Boyacá bridge, where Bolivar fought the battle that won Colombia its independence from Spain).
  2. After Puente de Boyacá, take the next U-turn and then turn right where there’s a sign pointing towards Samacá.
  3. Follow this road all the way to Samacá. When you get to the town, get to Calle 4 following the main road, where you’ll turn left and then to the plaza, where you’ll turn right. On this road you’ll be on route to Villa de Leyva.
  4. Not much later, the road will end. Turn left.
  5. Right after the next toll (called peaje Sachica) turn right where a sign points to Villa de Leyva. That road will take you straight to town.

Some things to know:

–          I recommend you go to Villa de Leyva on a weekend that isn’t a holiday or vacation because this town is very touristy and can get really full.

–          However, if you don’t mind crowds, Villa de Leyva has amazing events like the Kite Festival in August.

–          All of Villa de Leyva’s streets are cobbled and all its structures are similar: white walls and Spanish tiles. It’s so nice.

–          Take cash to pay for services you can’t pay with a card.

–          The rainy season is between April and May, and October and November.

I hope this helped you get to know what to do in Villa de Leyva. Enjoy your trip!

If you like adventures, read this blog post about outdoor adventures close to Bogota!

Travel Guide

How to get to Matarredonda Ecological Park

Posted on October 10, 2018
outdoor adventures close to bogota, how to get to matarredonda ecological park, hiking, paramo, frailejon

Matarredonda Ecological Park (Parque Ecológico Matarredonda in Spanish) is a perfect place to rest from the city. It’s a beautiful, small and not very well-known park. It’s only 1 hour from Bogota (depending on where you are and the traffic) and is a gorgeous paramo with water everywhere and an easy hike. A paramo is an alpine ecosystem that only occurs close to the equator. One hike ends at a lake and another one goes to a lake and a waterfall. They’re both about an hour a half trek and are not very steep. This is how to get to Matarredonda Ecological Park.

La Chorrera, Latin America’s sixth tallest waterfall, is only 30 minutes from there! Click here to read how to get there!

How to get to Matarredonda Ecological Park

*The map to get to Matarredonda Ecological Park from Bogota is at the end of this travel guide.

On Public Transportation:

  1. Starting in Bogota, take a bus with the companies Transoriente or Cootransfómeque on Calle 6 with Av. Caracas (its on the map below). The bus costs $10,000 Colombian pesos ($3.5 USD), although it may be less because you aren’t going all the way to Choachi, and the trip lasts about an hour. Buses leave between 5:15 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. every day.
  2. Tell the bus driver you’re going to Parque Ecológico Matarredonda, which will be on your right (be watching for it in case the driver forgets).

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Matarredonda Ecological Park” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogotá, look for Calle 26 going east (or towards the mountains) and stay on it following the signs to the Circunvalar.
  2. Then, follow the signs that indicate that Choachi is to the left. The road upwards begins right after an Universidad Distrital campus.
  3. A few minutes from there, the road makes a confusing U-turn. Be watching for it and stay on the main road.
  4. Stay on this road for about 30 minutes until you see the entrance to Matarredonda Ecological Park on your right.

What to do at Matarredonda Ecological Park

El Marquez del Once: this famous lookout point over Bogota is best known by the cyclists that climb up Bogota’s Eastern mountains every day. It is a great place to have breakfast before hiking or a late lunch after hiking a few hours. Make sure you get the classic Colombian agua-panela, cheese and arepa. See where it is on the map below.

Eat at the Entrance: just like at el Marquez del Once, you can eat at the park entrance, where theres a nice restaurant with traditional food. You might have to eat at one place on the way there and at the other on the way back!

Cerro Guadalupe: even closer to Bogota is Cerro Guadalupe, the mountain with the statue of the Guadalupe Virgin that’s across from Monserrate. Its a great place to visit after hiking the Matarredonda paramo. From Bogota, it’ll be on you right. From Matarredonda, it’ll be on your left. It’s marked on the map below for your convenience!

Stay all day: my recommendation for Matarredonda Ecological Park is to get there early (9 or 10 in the morning) to be able to do both hikes. At a slow pace, both hikes will take a maximum of 5 hours and they’re easy, so it’s worth getting to know them all. That way, you get some exercise, breathe a LOT of fresh air and can be back home by 4 or 5 to take it easy the rest of the day.

Some Things to Know:

–          Make sure you take cash to pay the bus and whatever you buy in places that don’t take your card.

–          There are no tolls on the way to Matarredonda Ecological Park.

–          Entering the park costs $8,000 pesos ($3 USD).

–          The park’s schedule is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.

–          Camping costs 12,000 pesos ($4 USD) per person.

–          You don’t need a guide because the trails are very well developed.

–          Click here for a link to a map of the full two hikes.

–          For more information, call this number: 3178657320 or email vjmatarredonda@gmail.com.

I hope this helped you learn how to get to Matarredonda Ecological Park and that you go enjoy the place!

If you like hikes, I suggest you read this blog post on Chingaza National Park, one of Colombia’s most amazing national parks.

Travel Guide

How to get to Lake Guatavita

Posted on October 4, 2018
how to get to Lake Guatavita, what to do, hiking, nature, close to Bogota

Guatavita is a gorgeous town with two well-known bodies of water: the Tominé Dam (Embalse de Tominé), which is right next to the town, and Lake Guatavita (Laguna de Guatavita), which is about 20 minutes away. Lake Guatavita, the topic of this blog post, used to be the central part of an indigenous ritual that occurred when a new Chieftain (Cacique) was put in place. The natives would throw gold statues in the water, making it the site of the El Dorado legend. Because of that, the lake has been a point of interest since olden times, but is now visited because it’s beautiful and has a rich history. This is how to get to Lake Guatavita!

You might also be interested in “How to get to Suesca,” an adventurous town close to Guatavita.

How to get to Lake Guatavita

*The map to get to Lake Guatavita from Bogota is at the end of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. Starting in Bogota, take a bus to Guatavita. You can hop on at the Portal Norte, which is Bogota‘s North Bus Terminal. It costs $9,000 pesos ($3 USD).
  2. Tell the bus driver you’re getting off at the entrance to Lake Guatavita (but don’t say Lake Guatavita, say La Laguna de Guatavita!). Stay attentive to where you are and you’ll see a sign on your left that points towards the lake after you pass Sesquile.
  3. From there, there are 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) to the park, and you have three options: (1) walk, which could take about 2 hours, (2) pay for private transportation, which costs around $60,000 pesos ($20 USD), or (3) start walking and try to hitch-hike your way there.
  4. When you get to the park and pay the entrance fee, which is $12,000 pesos ($4 USD) for Colombians and $17,000 pesos ($6 USD) for foreigners, the guides will wait until there is a big enough group for the 20 minute guided hike to Lake Guatavita.
  5. To get back, you can take a bus where the bus dropped you off before in the opposite direction. Another option is to take the same bus to Guatavita, get to know the town and then take a bus straight to Bogota from there.

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Lake Guatavita” in Google Maps or Waze and follow the instructions.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit the city going north and stay on the road to Tunja, not the road to Chia.
  2. Shortly after passing the second toll from Bogota, you’ll see a sign that says Guatavita and Suesca are to the right. Turn right after the bridge and you’ll get to a round-about. Enter the roundabout and take the following exit following the signs to Guatavita. Stay right.
  3. At the following intersection, turn right to get on the road to Guatavita. Stay on the main road to pass through Sesquile.
  4. Soon, you’ll see the road to Lake Guatavita on your left. Stay on that road all the way to the park entrace, following the signs to the Lake.
  5. Once you get to the park, park your car and pay the entrance fee, which is $12,000 pesos ($4 USD) for Colombians and $17,000 pesos ($6 USD) for foreigners, the guides will wait until there is a big enough group for the 20 minute guided hike to Lake Guatavita.

What to do at Lake Guatavita

Take pictures: Lake Guatavita is one of the most beautiful, unique places close to Bogota. The lakes and all of the landscape around it are too picturesque. You just have to take pictures to remember the place.

Go to Guatavita and the Tominé Dam: Guatavita and the Tominé Dam are also gorgeous and totally worth visiting. The dam is right next to the town and both are just 20 minutes from Lake Guatavita.

Go to Sopó: a great plan for after the day’s adventure is to visit Sopó and eat at Alpina or, if you want some more adventure, you can go to Pionono Park on the mountain right next to Sopó. Click here to read more about this town and park!

Some things to know:

–          Make sure you take cash to pay for all of the products and services that don’t take cards (almost everything).

–          There are 2 tolls from Bogota to Lake Guatavita and 1 on the way back.

–          The park’s schedule is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except the first day of each month.

–          The entrance fee to the park is $12,000 pesos ($4 USD) for Colombians and $17,000 pesos ($6 USD) for foreigners.

–          The bus to Guatavita costs $9,000 pesos ($3 USD).

–          The lake is 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) above sea level.

–          Rainy seasons are between April and June and October and November.

I hope this helped you learn how to get to Lake Guatavita, a great place for an outdoor adventure with a history lesson!

Another great place to eat and ride your bike is the Sisga Dam. Click here to learn more about this spot!

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