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colombia travel guide

Travel Guide

How to get to the Laguna Negra

Posted on June 6, 2018
how to get to the Laguna Negra, mongua, boyaca, colombia, hiking, remote, paramo

The most beautiful paramo in the world. At least that’s what locals call the Oceta Paramo, and I’d have to agree it was one of the more spectacular sights I’ve seen (a paramo is an alpine ecosystem that exists almost solely in South America). And in the middle of this gorgeous paramo, between towering mountains and sheer rock faces lies the Laguna Negra (Black Lagoon). With its two waterfalls and nicely placed camping spots, it makes for quite the view. We camped under the stars one night and in the rain the next, hiking, eating and playing throughout the day. You need to come here! This is how to get to the Laguna Negra in Mongua, Boyaca!

How to get to the Laguna Negra

*The map to get to the Laguna Negra from Bogota is at the bottom of this post!

In a car

With a GPS (highly recommended): type in “Laguna Negra, Mongua, Boyaca” in Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit Bogota to the North. Stay on the main road, always following the signs to Tunja or Sogamoso when the road may split.
  2. Right before Tunja, stay on your left. The road will split in two and the left-side road will take you to Sogamoso instead of straight into the heart of Tunja. There are signs, so be watching for them!
  3. Stay on this road, following signs to Sogamoso. You’ll go straight through Paipa. Stay on the main road.
  4. You will soon get to a round-about where a sign will indicate that you can go towards Tibabosa or Nobsa. Take the second exit, towards Nobsa and stay on the main road.
  5. The exit to go up the mountain to Mongua will be on your right. The sign is right between the fork in the road, so be watching. It is right after a restaurant with blue-ish windows.
  6. Drive up the windy road. From here on out I suggest you use the map below, because this could get confusing. When you get to the fork in the road with a virgin’s statue in the middle, take a left towards Topaga. If you’re going to Mongui, take a right and drive all the way to the town.
  7. You’ll go through Topaga. Go around the plaza, exiting it from the opposite side you entered. The easiest way to “stay on the main road” is to only drive on the paved road. If it’s cobbled, you’ve gone the wrong way.
  8. Once you get to the very beginning of Mongua, take a left on a small road (last I knew, where there is a tiny wall right before you turn with the name ‘Gustavo Puentes Diaz’ painted on it). Drive down this road until it ends, then take a left, and then take the very first right turn.
  9. On this road, drive until you reach a U-turn to the right, going up. From here on out you’re home free all the way to Laguna Negra. Park where the road ends.

On public transportation

  1. Call Mongui Travels or write to Mongui Travels to coordinate someone to pick you up from Mongui or Mongua and take you to the Laguna Negra, since no public transportation makes it all the way there.
  2. Go to Bogota’s Bus Terminal (search Terminal de Transporte on Google Maps or Waze) and take a bus from there to Sogamoso. It will cost about $25,000 Colombian pesos or $8.50 USD.
  3. Once you get to Sogamoso’s bus terminal, take a bus from there to Mongua or Mongui.
  4. In Mongua or Mongui, get on your pre-scheduled ride to the Laguna Negra!
  5. If you did not pre-schedule a ride, your best bet is to get to Mongui, go to the Mongui Travels shop that’s right by the plaza and get them to help you out with transportation. If they’re not there, talk to the people in the ice-cream/juice shop next door. They’re extremely nice and make amazing juices.

What to do at the Laguna Negra:

When you get to the Lagoon, unless it’s a cloudy day, you’ll be able to see the sheer cliffs rising above you. One of the best activities is to hike up over those cliffs. The trail is kind of hard to find, which makes the adventure way more fulfilling. The trail is where you see a small house, not the tiny stone shack below it. It goes up the valley by the cliffs’ side until you can climb up on top of them. Two things: (1) use the map in the next point to get there, starting from the Laguna Negra, and (2) be careful with the locals (more info on that in “Some things to know”).

Hike from Mongui. Here’s a map for how to get to the Laguna Negra by the trail. This hike is really tough because it’s uphill most of the time, but it’s one of the most beautiful you’ll ever hike. I recommend getting a guide because it’s really hard to find and then follow the trail and because a guide will know how to deal with the locals (again, more info on that below).

Walk to the third waterfall. That’s right! THREE! As if the two waterfalls that feed the lagoon weren’t enough, there’s another one further up-river. A trail that starts right before the second waterfall will lead you up and above the lagoon. You’ll see a waterfall to your left at the top and you can walk most of the way there on a trail.

Get in the first waterfall. Need I say more? Nothing refreshes a human body like painfully cold water! I hope you take extra clothes and a towel with you.

Go fish. If you look at the water, you’ll see a LOT of movement on and under it. Fishing is allowed at the Laguna Negra!

If it’s not raining at night, make sure you stay up to look at the stars for a while. It’s quite a sight to behold and a rarity because it almost always rains at night in the paramo.

Some things to know:

  • As I said before, be careful with the locals. Now, this is a touchy subject because these “locals” are just an old couple that claims that the Oceta Paramo belongs to them. If you haven’t given them something, they approach you with rocks in their hands and demand payment. They may have more dangerous weapons, but it’s not likely. At least that’s what happened to my group when we walked from the Laguna Negra to the paramo above the cliffs. This old couple is annoying because it stains the experience of being in a place few people have seen. But don’t let it stop you from hiking. Either take a guide with you to deal with them nicely or take something to pay them with. We thought they wanted a lot, that they wanted to take advantage of us, but they were happy with food. That was humbling.
  • If you’re hiking from Mongui, I recommend getting a guide from Mongui Travels. Here’s their website with their contact information.
  • There aren’t very many flat spots to camp on, and whatever place you will find will probably be quite bumpy. Just to let you know, the camping infrastructure isn’t great, kind of like the Laguna Verde de Tausa’s. You’re pretty much just in the wilderness.
  • Fires are supposedly not allowed, but I say go for it. Forest rangers walked by our fires and said hi without saying anything about the fire. It’s so cold here, you almost need it, and the paramo is so wet that you’d have a hard time trying to start a forest fire. You’d need Napalm or something. Do be ethical and use fire pits that are already there and don’t make a fire under a tree.
  • 85% of Colombia’s water comes from its paramos, which make up 1.6% of its surface area. All that to say, it’s wet up there, so pack accordingly.

I hope this blog post helps you get out to this wonderful place! If you’re interested in going to a really nice, comfortable place to camp that’s really close to Bogota, check out this blog post about the Neusa Dam!

Travel Guide

What to do in Taganga

Posted on May 30, 2018
what to do in Taganga, how to get to, what to do in Santa Marta, adventure, tourism, vacations, scuba diving

Taganga, land of the fishermen. I’ve been to this town more times than I care to count, and I’ve enjoyed every stay. This blog post probably even counts as a “What to do in Santa Marta” because I’d always rather stay in the tiny Taganga than the city of Santa Marta. Also, this blog post, even though it’s called “What to do in Taganga,” includes a lot of activities that are outside of Taganga because the area is one of the most beautiful, diverse and well-known in Colombia. So get ready for a whirlwind of things to do and get to planning your adventure on the Caribbean coast of Colombia – in Taganga.

What to do in Taganga

Activities

  1. Scuba Dive. Taganga became a Colombian tourist hot-spot because of the diving. For such a small town, it really has a lot of dive centers. They’re all trustworthy, but I’d recommend Tayrona Dive Center and Scuba Master. Taganga is known for how inexpensive it is to dive, and, though the diving is not the best in the Caribbean (compared to a place like San Andres), I’ve enjoyed most dives and seen turtles, barracudas, sharks, groupers, etc. The further you get from the town towards Tayrona National Park, the better the diving and the clearer the water. My favorite dive spots are Punta Aguja, Salidero and and La Piedra del Medio.
  2. Go to Tayrona National Park. Taganga is kind of the pit stop for people headed to Tayrona Park since it’s on the park’s edge. The entrance to the park is only 40 minutes from Taganga. It is one of Colombia’s most beautiful National Parks and is 150% worth a visit!
  3. North of Taganga, towards Tayrona, there are small islands along the coast that rise to great heights. These are so much fun to hike up because you feel like no one has been where you are at the moment – there are no trails or anything, and it’s probably true that few people have been there. On top of these islands you have an incredible, expansive view of the coast and the water surrounding you. Find someone to take you on a boat and get to hiking! A more accessible way to hike is to go north along the coast towards Playa Grande and the Tayrona. The trail starts right below the Bahia Taganga hotel.
  4. Mountain Bike in the Sierra Nevada. This is one of the best things I’ve done close to Taganga. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has one of Colombia’s few snowy peaks, and is a wonder to bike down. You can contact TayronaTrips, Elemento Outdoor Adventure or Minca Bikes and they’ll hook you up. If you’re in for an adrenaline rush, I recommend you tell them you want to do the downhill biking, although they have lots of other trails to ride.
  5. Hike to Ciudad Perdida. “The Lost City” is a Pre-Columbian town that was discovered in the 1970s deep in the jungles surrounding the northward slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. This is one of Colombia’s most popular multi-day hikes (4-6 days), giving all who venture onto the path a sense of oneness with nature. The Lost City is remote, and so worth it. Some tour companies that can help guide you are: Wiwa Tour, Expotur and many others.
  6. Watch the sunset. Taganga has the most consistently beautiful sunsets of any place I know. That’s probably because it never rains there, which is actually a problem, but at least it gives us a pink, purple, orange and yellow sunset almost every day.

Logistics

  1. Where to stay: I’ll get straight to my favorite hostel – La Casa de Felipe. I’ve stayed there a couple of times and had the time of my life. It’s comfortable, absolutely beautiful, and a little farther from the beach and, thus, the crowds. Some other places to stay that I would recommend are Ballena Azul, Hostel Nirvana, Taganga Dive Inn, and Bahia Taganga.
  2. Most people love beaches. Some love crowded, popular beaches, others desolate, pristine beaches. Here’s a short list of both. Popular: any of the beaches in the Taganga Bay and Playa Grande. Pristine: Playa Chengue, Playa Brava, Playa Cristal and any beach in the Granate Bay. Ask around and any boatman will take you to any of these for a fee! Some of the more desolate beaches are far away, but so worth it.
  3. Where to eat: I’m just going to list my favorite restaurants for you to try them. Bitacora, Baguettes de Maria, the Casa de Felipe Restaurant, the huts by the beach (get a sancocho de pescado there) and the Ballena Azul restaurant.

How to get to Taganga:

The first step is to get to Santa Marta, Colombia by plane, bus or car.

If you arrive in a plane, you can take a bus or a taxi from the airport all the way to Taganga. A taxi from the airport will cost $40,000 Colombian pesos or $14 US dollars. The trip takes about 40 minutes. Taking a bus from the airport is a little more complicated. You’ll have to take a bus to Santa Marta and get off on Carrera 5 (find the map below) and then take a bus to Taganga right there.

If you arrive on a bus, you can take a bus from the terminal to the Historical Center (Carrera 5 on the map below) and then take another one from there to Taganga. Otherwise, take a taxi to Taganga from the bus terminal, which will cost about $15,000 Colombian pesos or about $5 US dollars. (Quick tip: when traveling on a bus in Colombia, make sure you take warm clothes because the air conditioning might freeze you!)

If you arrive in a car, it’ll be best to use a GPS, type in “Taganga” and follow the instructions. If you’re old school, the map is at the end of this post and here are my instructions: get on Carrera 5, which is the second main road away from the beach, going north or with the sea to your left. At the end of this road, take a right. Take a left on Carrera 9a, which will be the second left, going over a train track and then take the next right turn. Stay on this road and it will take you over the mountain along its windy path all the way to Taganga.

Some things to know:

  • Before taking a taxi, settle on the price to Taganga or back to Santa Marta before you get on so that there aren’t any misunderstandings later and so you don’t get cheated.
  • Do your part in taking care of the town, the beaches and the ocean. Taganga is a classic example of what happens to a small town when it is overrun by mass tourism – trash, crowds, crime. So what can you do? Throw your trash away in the trash, don’t buy or sell drugs, say no to plastic and choose ethical tour operators (do your research!).
  • Use water sparsely. Taganga suffers from chronic drought and most people get water from tankers that visit the town every week, so limit your showers, etc. Also, drink bottled water so you don’t get sick.
  • High season is June and July, December and January, and Holy Week.
  • Take cash in Colombian pesos because most of what you will buy or spend will be in places you cannot use your card to pay. There is one ATM in Taganga, right at the entrance.
  • Be safe. There’s a saying in Spanish that goes, “No des papaya.” Literally, it means don’t give papaya (a fruit). What it really means is, don’t do anything that makes you a target, such as going to a sketchy part of any town with all your bling on, your camera hanging from you neck, talking on your phone. Do give papaya!

I hope this will help you plan your adventures! If you’d like to read about a more remote place on the Caribbean coast, read our blog post on Isla Fuerte!

Or if you’re stopping by Bogota, check out this list of places to go on outdoor adventures close to the city!

 

Travel Guide

What to do in San Andres, Adventure Edition

Posted on May 3, 2018
fit, strong, what to do in san andres, adventure edition, scuba diving, beach, ocean, caribbean

I’m so glad San Andres is Colombia. I say this because it is a tiny island that is a full 800 km (500 miles) from mainland Colombia. The island is surrounded by “the sea of seven colors”, a visual effect created by the sea-bottom’s varying depths and huge, expansive coral reefs. Clear, calm waters, beautiful beaches, chill vibes, and great diving make this island a paradisiacal vacation hot-spot. Lala and I had our honeymoon here! I’m going to let you know my favorite way to adventure in San Andres. Read this travel guide if you like doing exercise, enjoying nature and feeling fulfilled! Let’s get into it – this is what to do in San Andres, adventure edition!

If you’re looking to have a classy, super relaxed vacation, read our post “What to do in San Andres, Tourism Edition.”

What to do in San Andres, Adventure Edition

  1. Rent bikes.

The best way to move around in San Andres is on a bike. When we go to San Andres, we bike all the time—to the city, the lagoon, the beach, you name it! San Andres isn’t nearly as small as the other paradisiacal islands surrounding it, but biking is the best way to get to know the place and get some great exercise while you’re at it. You can park them practically anywhere you go. There once was a study that showed cyclists are the happiest athletes. And who isn’t happy vacationing on an island? Biking is a must. Our friend Konan, whose contact info is below, can get you what you need, but so can hundreds of other companies and people!

  1. Scuba dive.

Because you can’t go to an island in the Caribbean and NOT scuba dive!! This place has incredibly clear water, and the underwater world is as colorful as it gets. San Andres’ main attraction is the sea itself. No, scratch that, it’s a DESTINATION! Here’s my view on diving: it may sound scary before doing it, since the ocean is enormous and unknown. But scuba diving is the most relaxing and impacting thing you can do on the island. We’ve gone diving with Sharky Dive Shop or Karibik Diver, and we’ve enjoyed both experienced a ton!

  1. Snorkel.

Because if you don’t want to scuba dive, at least you can go snorkeling in crystal clear water. Actually, when we’re not diving, we’re snorkeling. The depths (or shall I say shallows?) of San Andres are something everyone needs to experience. What I love about San Andres is that the visibility is so perfect, the water so clear, that you can literally float, look down, and see the world beneath you without a problem. If you have your gear, get in the water anywhere and enjoy the reefs! You can see tons of colorful fish, and there’s large sting rays and sharks if you’re lucky. Our contact Konan is a snorkeling pro, and any dive shop will rent you some gear or guide you on a trip.

  1. Go to the Rocky Cay Wreck.

Rocky Cay is a Cay that is about 100 meters (300 feet) from the San Luis beaches. It’s a small islet with a few trees and clear water. Even though it’s pretty far from the shore, you can walk to the cay because the water never gets above your neck. Further on from the cay is and enormous, decomposed wreck where the water is 20 to 30 feet deep. You used to be able to jump from the top of the wreck into the sea, but a few hurricanes hit recently and made it pretty dangerous. I was thankfully able to do it beforehand, though!

  1. Find Lodging far from Downtown.

San Andres looks like this: the Northern tip is the touristic downtown, much like any other downtown: loud music everywhere, restaurants, hotels, and crowds. Though it can be awesome, we honestly prefer being able to choose when we want all of that – and we like sleeping well. The western or south side of the island are best for being away from the party tourism. There are some great hotels and hostels that feel secluded and outdoorsy. We’ve stayed at the Sunset Hotel, and its great. The only problem on the western or south side is that there are few sand beaches: it goes from spiky coral beaches to the ocean. It makes for great snorkeling and diving, though!

The eastern side of the island is where most locals live, in the city of San Luis. There are some great AirBnBs, and you don’t get crowds quite like you do in the north. Also, there are some great beaches on the eastern side, and the ocean has a lot larger waves. Our recommendation is to find a hostel on the western side or the eastern side. That way, you’re close enough to everything to bike everywhere, but also far enough away from crowds and partying to have peace and quiet.

  1. Surf.

You can surf in San Andres if you travel between November and February or June and September (hurricane season). San Andres is perfect for beginner or amateur surfers because the water is calm and the waves are generally small. Some surf spots are El Paraíso, Yelllow Moon (La Perla Bar), and Punta Sur. Most of the surfing is over coral reefs, except Punta Sur, which has a sandy bottom, so that’s the best place to learn. That being said, it is very expensive.

  1. If You’re Going Shopping…

Do it right! Go the day you’re leaving; maybe even after dropping off your bags at the airport! There’s a room at the airport where you can leave your bags if you can’t check them yet – the perfect solution if you have to check out of your hotel way before your flight. The airport is only a few blocks from the downtown area. San Andres has some really good products to offer, and it’s known for having great prices because of reduced taxes. Fun fact: there are malls called San Andresito in Bogota named after the island and its great prices. What is cheaper in San Andres is perfumes and alcohol.

A video for you to SEE what there is to do!

How to get to San Andres:

The only way to get to San Andres is to fly from Colombia, Panama or Costa Rica. There’s also a direct flight from Miami!

You can sail there, of course, but no one does because of the Pirates of the Caribbean. Seriously though, there’s pirates.

Some things to know:

–          You need to get a tourist card that costs $108.974 Colombian pesos, or $38 USD, before flying to San Andres. Get it at the airport before flying to San Andres. You have to show it when you enter and leave the island, so keep it safe. Children below the age of 7 don’t have to pay it, as well as if you’re going to be on the island for less than 24 hours.

–          We know a great driver who has a big car and is extremely trustworthy. His name is Julio Machado. His telephone number is  (316) 622 8720 or (311) 874 6749.

–          Konan can take you snorkeling and can rent bikes and golf carts. Go ahead and contact him at +578 (317) 518-0579 or at konanparadise@gmail.com.

–          The North side of the island has buildings, more crowds, more restaurants and hotels, and calmer water. The South side of the island is less populated, there are less crowds, and the water can tend to be a little rougher (but in San Andres it’s never really rough!)

–          Take extreme care of your surroundings. San Andres is suffering overpopulation and pollution, and they’re connected. So please do YOUR part and throw your trash away, even returning with the trash you can take back to the mainland. Clear, perfect water will be worth nothing if it becomes a plastic grave for everything that lives in it.

I hope this has helped you know what kind of adventures you can have in San Andres!

Would you like to visit another Colombian island on the Caribbean? Check out our blog post about Isla Fuerte!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Sisga Dam

Posted on March 29, 2018
outdoor adventures close to Bogota, Biking, bicycle, how to get to the sisga dam

Any person in Bogota who’s left the city going north has more than likely seen the Sisga Dam, only being 55 kilometers (34 miles) away. The truth is that few people have gotten to know it or, if they have, they’ve only been to the Refugio del Sisga, a beautiful restaurant close to the shore that’s well known as a rest area for people going to Tunja, Villa de Leyva, or other towns northward. We’ve gotten to know this place because we love riding our bicycles, and the Sisga Dam has a road that goes all the way around the dam – 26 kilometers (16 miles) of unpaved road with lots of uphill and downhill biking (you gain a total of 385 meters or 1,263 feet). We’ve done this ride about 5 times now, and we always love it. On top of that, the Dam has a lot more to offer. And the best part of it all: whatever you do, you always have an amazing landscape to look at. Here’s how to get to the Sisga Dam!

How to get to the Sisga Dam

*The map to get to the Sisga Dam from Bogota is at the end of this guide!

In a car

With a GPS: Look for “El Refugio del Sisga” on Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  • Leave Bogota going north and stay on the main road going towards Tunja, not the one that passes Chia. On the way to the dam, you’ll pass the entrances to Suesca and Guatavita.
  • After 55 kilometers (34 miles) along the highway, you’ll get to a long downwards section, after which you’ll cross a bridge that rises over the dam (you can get off right before the bridge to check out the view).
  • A little after the bridge, the dam’s main entrance will be to the right, which is one of the dam’s few public entrances. The Refugio del Sisga is also right there, where you can eat great food (it’s a restaurant only, not a hotel).
  • You can park right next to the restaurant or get down closer to the water on another entrance just before the Refugio’s parking lot and enjoy the view!

On a bus

  • Get to the Portal del Norte (North Portal, a mini-terminal where you can get on buses to towns north of Bogota) and take a bus to Choconta.
  • Tell the bus driver to drop you off at the Represa del Sisga or the Refugio del Sisga. Still, be watching to stand up when you cross the bridge over the Sisga dam just in case the bus driver forgets.
  • A little after the bridge, the dam’s main entrance will be to the right, which is one of the dam’s few public entrances.
  • You can eat right there and also go down to the water’s edge to enjoy the view!

What to do at the Sisga Dam:

  • Ride your bike: for us, this is the best thing you can do at the Sisga Dam. As I said before, there aren’t many public entrances to the dam. Going around it on a bike, although you never get right on the water’s edge, you get to see its landscape from every angle. There’s no better way to enjoy the dam: you see it all and get to do some great exercise.
  • Eat a lot: The Refugio del Sisga has delicious food at good prices. They sell traditional meals from the region, as well as others, and it’s a great place to get warm. My favorite dish: agua-panela with cheese (the cheese goes in the agua-panela) and an arepa, but only in the morning! The other option is to eat by the water’s edge. That’s what we always do after biking. It’s so great.
  • Camp: I’ll be honest with you. The Sisga Dam is not the best place to camp if you’re going to do it at the main entrance because it’s really close to the highway, and there’ll be a lot of noise. Still, you can camp right there below the Refugio and it’s free, although they might charge you for taking care of you and your car! The other option is to befriend a local with property by the water and ask for permission to camp.
  • Fish: you can fish here for free!
  • Rent an Airbnb with your friends: I’ve seen there are some absolutely gorgeous houses for rent on Airbnb with amazing views towards the Sisga Dam. They’re a little pricey, but if you’re coming with dollars or euros or go with a group of friends it won’t even be an issue. Check these awesome places out!

I hope you now know how to get to the Sisga Dam and go! Now, if you’re looking for another dam good time, check out this post on the Neusa Dam! If you’re just looking for outdoor activities close to Bogota, we’ve got you covered too!

Travel Guide

What to do in Puerto Leguizamo

Posted on March 14, 2018
amazon, Sunset Puerto Leguizamo, what to do in Puerto Leguizamo, putumayo river, beancestro, boat

I thought we were going to the middle of nowhere. And… we were! But in the middle of nowhere is a town that is a lot more developed and booming than you’d think, being in the south of Colombia in the Amazon rain forest… in Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo. We got there and there were hotels, restaurants, touristy activities, adventure tourism, and just a lot to DO! And the beauty of the town – oh my goodness. Built on the edge of the Putumayo river, you can expect gorgeous sunsets every day. Puerto Leguizamo is the place to travel in Colombia in 2018, so this is for you to get to know a little more about this place, so you can go and so that, and this is a beautiful thing about tourism, Puerto Leguizamo and its people may thrive. So here’s what to do in Puerto Leguizamo!

Before we start, though, I want to talk a little bit about BeAncestro. Their mission is for the town to thrive off the natural and cultural tourism the town has to offer. We love what they stand for and would love to see it boom, so give Tati a call when you visit Puerto Leguizamo! Her phone number is: (+57) 310-419-8115. You can also message them on Facebook!

What to do in Puerto Leguizamo

  • Sunset on the Bongo: the most popular spot to watch the sunset is on the bongo. The bongo is a yellow floating box of metal that allows you to stand on the river, instead of on its tree-covered edge. Word is the bongo is also a very popular place to ask someone to be your boy/girlfriend.
  • Swim in lagoons: swimming in the Putumayo river can be pretty dangerous because of its strong current, but swimming in lagoons that feed the river is safe and so refreshing. Being in the middle of the Amazon is a unique experience, and one of the best parts of swimming in these lagoons is that it can only be done with permission from the local tribes. You feel like you’re being included in something special, and so it is.
  • Meet the world’s biggest freshwater fish: only a 30 minute hike from Puerto Leguizamo will take you to Don Zuleta’s farm, where you can meet and feed a specimen of the world’s largest freshwater fish – a Pirarucu named Barrabas. Don Zuleta considers it his child. A 2.3 meter, 150 kilogram (7.5 feet, 330 pounds) child. Don Zuleta actually farms these wonderful creatures, attempting to educate people about fishing this endangered species. His idea is that if people want the fish for their meat, which is said to be the best in the world, they can go get the meat at farms instead of killing the fish in the wild. Don Zuleta also wants people to understand that these animals aren’t dangerous, as Discovery and other TV channels have portrayed it to be. They have small throats, so they only eat small fish. The Pirarucus are like children!
  • Survive in the Jungle: The Rock, in Jumanji, has nothing on Don Zuleta. He’s a true Amazonian badass. He’ll teach you how to survive in the jungle during the day… and at night!
  • Find Exotic Birds: the Amazon rain forest is a birdwatcher’s heaven. We went out on a rainy morning, saw hundreds of birds and monkeys, and were then told it had been a pretty inactive morning. I can only imagine what it must be like when the birds and monkeys are out and about instead of hiding from the rain! Birdwatchers in the area identified 215 birds, of the 1,486 birds identified in Colombia during the Global Big Day event. The birdwatching around Puerto Leguizamo is ridiculously incredible.
  • See Pink Dolphins: you know, there are few places in the world where you can see Pink Dolphins, and Puerto Leguizamo is one of them. Only about 20 minutes from town along the river, we found a bunch of them and watched them show us their fins and catch their food.
  • Get to know indigenous cultures: the wealth of indigenous cultures around Puerto Leguizamo is one of the main reasons you should visit the town. BeAncestro considers it one of their main focuses: it’s even in their name – ancestro, which means ancestor – and rightly so, since the indigenous culture of the Amazon is so foreign to most people, but also something we all should know more about. You’ll learn about mambe, which is a coca leaf powder they ingest like chewing tobacco, watch traditional dances, eat traditional foods (casabe and fish), and can get to know them personally.
  • Go to La Paya National Park: we sadly didn’t get to go to this national park, but we heard it’s THE park for birdwatching. You can also see monkeys, jaguars, boas, and much, much more.
  • Drink juices at the Galeria: one of my (Eric’s) favorite meals was a breakfast where we drank juice and ate fried stuff. But the winner there was the juice. In the main square there’s a small indoor plaza where people go to eat and buy groceries. Ask for the guy who makes juices and then indulge! When my dad and I travel together we occasionally have a meal of only juices if we find spectacular juices. This place 147% makes the cut for a juice meal.

If you call Tati, from BeAncestro, you’ll do a lot of these activities depending on how long you’re there. Let her know what sounds best to you!

How to get there:

In a plane: your two options are to fly to Puerto Asis and make a connection to Puerto Leguizamo or fly to Florencia and make a connection to Puerto Leguizamo. The only airline that flies to Puerto Leguizamo is Satena.

In a boat: you can ride a boat to Puerto Leguizamo from Puerto Asis or Florencia, but it’s better to just fly in.

Some things to know:

Once a very dangerous region of Colombia, Puerto Leguizamo now, I can with certainty, is ridiculously safe. You can walk around with camera equipment or valuable items and nothing will happen, and Leguizamenios are proud of that fact.

Just to reiterate, Tati’s phone number is: (+57) 310-419-8115. Call her and she’ll give you a tour of a lifetime.

Get the yellow fever vaccine 10 days before your trip. If you’re in Bogota, you can get vaccinated for free at the airport. There were no cases of yellow fever in Colombia in 2017, but it’s best to be safe.

Even if you were vaccinated, take bug spray. There are many, many insects that want to suck your blood in the Amazon Rainforest.

Make sure you drink bottled water. Really, this tip applies to any town or city in Colombia other than Bogota.

The rainy season is from March to July.

Take a camera. Obviously!! Puerto Leguizamo is one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever been. Part of that may be because there are no roads to the town, which have kept it from crowds of tourists. Let’s hope it stays that way… take care of it when you go!

 

Are you going to be in Bogota for some time? Here’s a list of places to go while you’re there!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Neusa Dam

Posted on January 2, 2018
how to get to the Neusa Dam, Camping at the Neusa Dam, Reflection on Water, mountains, andes, sunrise

One of the most popular dams close to Bogota is the Neusa dam. Only an hour and a half away from Bogota, this dam makes for a great spot for outdoor activities and is especially well-known for its camping. What’s best about this place is that it’s so dam big that even though it’s a popular spot, it doesn’t feel saturated with people. Here’s how to get to the Neusa Dam and some things you should know about it!

*Bored of the city? Check out this blog post for a list of places to do outdoor activities close to Bogota!

How to get to the Neusa Dam

You can find the map to get to the Neusa Dam at the bottom of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. In Bogota, make your way to the Portal del Norte, which is a bus station in the north of the city (you can plan your route there from your location on Google Maps).
  2. Take a bus to Zipaquira, which will cost about $5,000 COP ($1.70 USD). Once you’re there, ask for a bus that will take you straight to the Neusa Dam. This one costs about $4,000 COP ($1 USD). Both buses, and actually all buses, will have signs attached to their windshields saying where they are headed.
  3. After climbing up the road to the Neusa Dam, the bus will drop you off at the entrance, where there’s a fork in the road to go left or right. To the left about 1 kilometer, you’ll find the Dam’s administration, where you pay, and then one of the camping areas, called “Chapinero,” with 5 camping spots if you keep going. To the right, you’ll find the other camping area, called “Laureles,” with 7 camping spots. The camping to the right is more popular because of the pine forests. We recommend zone 4 of Laureles.

In a Car:

With a GPS: type in “Embalse Neusa Park” on Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogota, drive north on the Autopista and leave the city. Keep heading north until you reach the first bridge. Don’t go over it. Follow directions to Chia, taking a road to the right, which will then curve to the left, under the bridge.
  2. Stay on this road until the next bridge. Go over this bridge, staying on the right. Continue on this road until you see a Homecenter on your right. Shortly after, you’ll take a right where there’s a sign for Zipaquira and Ubate.
  3. Stay on this road until you get to a bridge. Stay on your left to go over the bridge, which will take you to the right, following the sign to Ubate.
  4. Shortly afterwards, you’ll run into a round-about. Take the second exit. This road is adjacent to the main road, but much quicker. When it runs back into the main road, get on it to the right.
  5. Soon, you’ll see a sign that says “Embalse del Neusa 14km.” There, get on the left and do a U-turn where the road allows it (in Spanish it’s a retorno). The entrance to go up to the Neusa Dam is the first entrance to the right after the U-turn.
  6. From there, just follow the main road and you’ll reach the main entrance of the Neusa Dam!
  7. At the entrance, there’s a fork in the road to go left or right. To the left about 1 kilometer, you’ll find the Dam’s administration, where you pay, and then one of the camping areas, called “Chapinero,” with 5 camping spots if you keep going. To the right, you’ll find the other camping area, called “Laureles,” with 7 camping spots. The camping to the right is more popular because of the pine forests.
  8. Find a picnic, or camping spot and park right next to it!

Click here to read some of our tips on car camping!

Prices

Camping at the Neusa Dam costs $60,000 pesos (15 USD) per person, and you can stay up to 3 nights with this. If you’re camping, you don’t have to pay an additional entrance fee. Don’t throw away your receipt, since park authorities will ask for it every night.

The entrance fee to the park for day-trips costs $6,000 pesos ($1.5 USD) for Colombians and $13,500 pesos ($4 USD) for foreigners.

To see all the prices for everything (cabins, fishing, grill, etc.), go to this link.

Some things to know:

  • Make sure you have cash, especially small bills for buses.
  • The Neusa Dam is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm for people going just for the day. Service hours for camping are from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm. The dam is open every day except Monday, or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday, to allow the environment a day to recover from the crowds.
  • This park is pet friendly.
  • If you have a boat or kayak, and a license to use it at the Neusa Dam, which you can get for free at the Ministry of Transport in Bogota, you can use it and go fishing in the dam. Each day of boat-use costs $26,500 COP ($9 USD).
  • The rainiest seasons are April to June and October to November.

What to do at the Neusa Dam:

The challenge: take a bike with you and bike around the dam! There’s a road that goes the whole way around the dam. Whichever way you go (left or right when you get to the dam), you’ll bike along an unpaved road until you enter Tausa, a nearby town, and then make your way to the unpaved road on the other side of the dam to continue your trek and make it back. If you’re up for the challenge of challenges, ride your bike from Bogota, ride around the dam, and then ride back!

Camp: the Neusa Dam is most well-known for its camping. That’s because in a country where there is a tiny amount of infrastructure for outdoor activities, this place is a breath of fresh air. The roads, though unpaved, are easy to drive along, and you don’t have to hike to your camping spot – you can park your car right next to your tent, only 15 meters from the water’s edge. It’s comfortable but still adventuresome, which means it draws crowds.

Pack for comfort: I say this because my brother and I didn’t do it right. We had little food, no fire, no warm place to sit while still outside of the tent, BUT we did have a thermos full of hot coffee. We’re used to camping simply, hours from the car. But we realized you can take a lot of things with you when you’re right next to your car. Take anything you need, such as to make a big fire, two foldable chairs, a guitar, a harmonica, TWO thermoses of hot coffee and lots of food.

Take pictures: especially at dawn. The place is beautiful, but at dawn there’s fog over the water, birds flying around, and the water is so still that everything is almost perfectly reflected.

Another ridiculously beautiful place, where you can also camp, is La Chorrera. This place is a must, since it houses Colombia’s tallest waterfall. It’s also only an hour and a half from Bogota!

Travel Guide

How to Explore Bogota on a Bicycle

Posted on November 17, 2017
How to explore Bogota on a bike, ciclovia, bicycle

*This blog post isn’t sponsored; we just want to help!

In our previous blog post, which was a local’s edition of what to do in Bogota, one of my tourism tips was to ride a bike around the city to explore it. It soon hit me… people who come to Bogota don’t inherently have a bike to ride around.

So I thought I would do the research and help you guys out so you can just come here, to Just North, and find out where to rent a bike or where to take the best bike tours.

Here we go!

BogoTravel Tours

BogoTravel Tours has the best prices for renting bikes I could find online. They range from a simple setup to use for 4 hours that costs USD $11 to a setup with everything you need up to a baby seat for an entire day that costs USD $25. They even have tandem bikes!

As for bike tours, this company offers one of the most complete tours that operators in the city normally offer, at one of the best prices (USD $20).

BogoTravel Tours also offers an amazing graffiti tour, in which you just ride around to see Bogota’s graffiti. And I say the tour is amazing because Bogota’s graffiti is amazing. I hear during the trip they tell you about how Justin Bieber’s ill attitude started a graffiti revolution in Bogota. I’ll say no more! You’ll have to see it yourself!

Graffiti tours cost the same as a normal bike tour and are offered Monday to Friday because on Weekends and Holidays there’s a City Bike Tour, which covers most of the Graffiti tour’s spots.

Check them out here for more information and how to contact them!

Bogota Bike Tours

I had to include Bogota Bike Tours in this post because I just like them. On top of offering bike tours that are just as complete as BogoTravel Tours and at the same price (USD $20), they will give you a free tour if you donate an old, working computer. They give those computers to children who need them, and I like that.

Check them out here for more information and how to contact them!

Tips:

1. Always be prepared for rain. Bogota’s weather is crazy; you never know when or where it’s going to hit!

2. Make sure you definitely bike or jog or do some exercise on Sunday. The city of Bogota closes a whole lot of city streets for people to exercise, but mostly for bikers to do their thing. It’s called Ciclovia.

3. Don’t stay downtown, go explore the city! Tours have upsides and downsides. The upside is that you get a lot of cool information and do activities you wouldn’t have known existed otherwise. The downside is that tour operators confine you to a section of the city.

On the other hand, when you go out on your own you get to see a lot more stuff because you can go wherever you want. But, you don’t get information along with the sightseeing and you may miss out on activities you don’t know exist. At Just North, Lala and I usually prefer to do our own thing.

In conclusion, take a bike tour AND bike by yourself! There we go.  Here are just some ideas for places you can look up and search for on a bike: Parque Simon Bolivar, El Campin, Parque 93, Parque Virrey, La Calera, and Club Naval Antares (those last two are for serious bikers).

4. Uber it up to get to the bike shop. Taking an Uber is by far the safest, most comfortable way to get around town. You’ll also be surprised at how inexpensive it is if you make money in a currency that’s more valuable than the Colombian Peso. A lot of tour operators will offer to pick you up, but it’ll cost WAY more than an Uber, which you can get yourself.

Of course, you can save even more money if you take a bus or a Transmilenio. These can be more complicated to use, but that just makes them more fun.

Looking for outdoor activities to do while you’re in Bogota? Check out our list of places for outdoor activities near Bogota! We’ve been there, and we recommend them.

Here’s a video of Eric wreaking havoc, or just being weird with a GoPro biking on the streets of Bogota:

Travel Guide

5 Things You Have to do in Bogota, Local’s Edition

Posted on November 9, 2017
colombia, Bogota, Plaza de Bolivar, Bubble Reflection, 5 things you have to do in Bogota locals edition, what to do in

Bogota is an enormous city and its history and diversity make it a place with a lot, may even too many things to do – some more well-known than others. There are a bunch of touristy things that are totally worth it, but I know some of you prefer to get off the beaten path and experience Bogota a little more like us locals do. So here are 5 things you have to do in Bogota, local’s edition, from me to you!

  • Visit the Colpatria Tower
  • Hike the 3 CH’s
  • Bike downtown
  • Check out the Usaquen Flea Market
  • Drink Chicha
  • Bonus

Note: check out the locations of all these places on the map at the end of the blog post!

Look Down on the City from Atop the Colpatria Tower

One of my favorite places to go, right above the crowded streets of downtown Bogota, is the not-so-crowded top deck of Colombia’s second-tallest building. Much like from The Empire State building, you’ll be able to comprehend the vastness of the city from a high vantage point.

My advice is simple: go watch the sunset from above and then wait for the dark of night to see the beautiful, chaotic city illuminated by man-made lights and in ever-constant motion.

The Colpatria Tower is on the southwest corner of the intersection of Calle 26 and Carrera 7. Go inside and tell the guard you want to go up to the top deck, or mirador in Spanish. The entrance fee is $7,000, and then you take an elevator all the way up to the 46th floor.

The top deck is open 6 – 9 p.m. on Fridays, 2 – 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sundays.

*Caution: great disappointment imminent if you expect New York City-like views. It amazes me that the Empire state building’s top deck is almost twice as high as Colpatria’s, and it isn’t even considered to be that tall!

Go Hike

Bogota is a city surrounded by mountains, and it is recommendable, no, it is necessary for you to go experience them! The best three places to go hike really close to Bogota are the three “CHs:”

  • Chingaza National Park: just how vast and wild this place is, I will probably never comprehend. The area of the park you can access from Bogota rises easily to 13,000 ft (4,000 meters), with hikes on ridges to glacial lakes and the possibility to view the last remaining native bear species in South America – the Spectacled Bear. Click here for how to get to Chingaza National Park.
  • Chicaque Natural Park: whereas the area of Chingaza close to Bogota is a páramo, which is an alpine ecosystem of the Andes, Chicaque Park is more jungly and has 7 types of forest, 3 streams, waterfalls, and 20 kilometers of trails. It’s perfect for hiking for one or two days. Click here for how to get to Chicaque Natural Park.
  • Choachi: constantly engulfed in fog, this place is wild, but you can see the big city of Bogota almost at all times. Turn to one side and you’ll see lush green forests and waterfalls. Turn to the other side and you’ll see the city framed by the same lush green forests. There is also some amazing climbing in Choachi!

Bike Downtown

Like I said, downtown Bogota is THE place for doing touristy things. You should definitely go downtown, so why not on a bike? Tens of thousands of people get to work and go about their daily lives on bikes every day, and for a few hours you could be one of them too!

Just some tips: make sure you take a bike lock and a helmet, and befriend whoever is guarding your bike when you leave it; maybe even give them a tip afterwards! The city has ciclorutas, which is a network of bike routes all throughout the city – the longest in South America, actually! If you ride on the road, you need to be aggressive, but also defensive. Also, stay on the right.

If you’re already staying downtown, ride your bike anywhere. Trust me it’ll be an adventure! The best option is to ride down Calle 26, not far from downtown. But don’t stay on Calle 26; explore the city! Check out this post about biking in Bogota to know where to get a bike and some more tips!

Check out the Flea Market in Usaquen

If you like to shop and eat, this is something you need to do. Start at the Usaquen Plaza and follow the tents literally everywhere (Usaquen used to be a town, but is now a neighborhood of Bogota). The tents under which artisans sell hand and homemade crafts and food make the narrow streets of Usaquen even narrower, which just makes it feel more welcoming. All of the food and crafts you’ll find will be inexpensive and extremely creative. On top of that, the area around the plaza is full of amazing restaurants and a mall you can explore. All in all, the Usaquen Flea Market is the perfect place to have a great time, buy souvenirs, eat things you’ve never heard of before and get things to take your friends back home.

Go drink Chicha

Chicha is a drink that Bogota’s native indigenous tribe, used to drink, and you can still find it in downtown Bogota. It’s made with corn. In past times, the natives fermented the drink by chewing on the corn. I promise the method has improved over time though!

I’ve taken a lot of people to drink Chicha, and some have love it; others have not. Either way, it’s something you have to try. It’s not at all strong; it tastes like a citrusy juice (like lulo juice) was mixed with soda water.

The place I like to get Chicha is 5 blocks west (towards the mountain) and 2 blocks north from the Plaza de Bolivar, Bogota’s main plaza (address: Cra. 2 #12b – 90). You get to the Chorro de Quevedo (if you can’t find it, ask someone!) and then follow the Rastafarian flags into an alley beside a restaurant called Rosita. The small restaurant where you can drink Chicha is on the left and is called La Totuma Corrida.

#6 Bonus

I’ll just list a few more things because I just can’t help myself. You can go to the Simon Bolivar Park in Bogota, Maloka, which is a fun, hands-on science museum, Jaime Duque Park right outside of Bogota, you can stay at Alegria’s Hostel, you can eat at La Puerta Falsa and NEED to eat at Crepes and Waffles.

I hope this helped you if you were wondering what to do in Bogota!

If you’re looking for outdoor activities to do near Bogota, check out this list of places to go!

Travel Guide

How to get to La Mojarra, Santander

Posted on October 18, 2017
refugio la roca, the rock refuge, where to climb in colombia, climbing, How to get to La Mojarra, Santander

How to get to La Mojarra, Santander:

*Note: You can find the map to get to La Mojarra at the bottom of this post!

Using Waze or Google Maps: search for “Hostal Sol de la Mojarra.” This is the entrance to the park, but the hostel here isn’t great. There are two hostels a block away that are much more comfortable, and minutes away from the park there are lots more.

In a car from Bogota:

  1. Exit the city from the north and take the Zipaquirá-Ubaté highway. Follow the signs towards Bucaramanga.
  2. After you’ve descended the Chicamocha Canyon in Pescadero and passed the Los Curos toll booth, take a left on the Teleférico (Cable Car) Piedecuesta Highway.
  3. 5 kilometers down this road, you’ll come to a fork in the road. Don’t head down to Piedecuesta. Stay left towards La Mesa de los Santos.
  4. Stay on this road for 22 kilometers until you see the Refugio la Roca on your left. One block away is the entrance to La Mojarra.

On a bus from Bogota: Take a bus going to Bucaramanga. Tell the bus driver, “Me bajo en Los Curos para irme a La Mesa de los Santos (I’ll get off at Los Curos to head to La Mesa de los Santos).” Make sure you remind the bus driver after you go down the Chicamocha Canyon. Cross the street where the bus drops you off and take a bus that says Los Santos. The words may be very small; another option is to take any bus that says Flota Cachira. Tell the bus driver “Voy para la Mojarra (I’m going to la Mojarra) and get off where he tells you. Good luck pronouncing all that! J

On a bus from Bucaramanga: get on a Flota Cachira bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.

On a bus from Piedecuesta: get on a Flota Cachira or La Culona bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.

Some things to know:

La Mojarra is a natural preserve and rock climbing park. There’s been a lot of work put into it and it’s a privilege to have this place open to the public. So make sure you pay the entrance fee to the park. Find the park’s rock climbing guide here.

Take lots of insect repellent. Once we went during fertilizing season in the valley and the amount of flies was insane!

What to do in La Mojarra:

Climb: well, La Mojarra is a climbing park. If you’re a climber, grab a partner and do your thing. If you’re not, you can book a guide here or ask around hotels when you arrive.

Hike: the path through the park is beautiful and great for running or hiking. The path gets interesting at one point where it stops and the only way to continue is on a via ferrata, on steel cables and metal footholds put in the rock. To use this path you have to have climbing gear and know how to use it!

Take pictures: La Mojarra has a unique, spectacular landscape. Don’t leave without having taken some good pictures!

Watch sunrises and sunsets: these are the best times of the day! Sunsets are easy to watch; they happen while you’re awake. But it takes a little more will power to wake up and see the sunrise – which makes it more special. You have to watch at least one sunrise!

Want more tips on what to do while in Colombia? Check out our latest post, a list of great outdoor spots close to Bogota!

Here’s a video of one of our latest trips to La Mojarra!


Travel Guide

Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Posted on September 28, 2017
travel guide, hiking, Neusa Dam, fishing, Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Bogotá is one of the densest, most chaotic cities in the world. And it’s pretty darn beautiful.

But sometimes a big city can become really tiring. Well, as it turns out, there are a lot of places to go on outdoor adventures close to Bogota! Whether you’re a Bogotano looking for something to do on the weekend or a foreigner looking to take a break from the urban tourism that Bogotá offers, we have got you covered!

The following is a list of places where you can have epic outdoor adventures close to Bogotá. We have been there and recommend them. You can even check out directions for how to get there by clicking on the links that are on each of the places’ names. Get out there, go an an adventure!

Chingaza National Park: directly to the east of Bogotá, this gigantic national park is a treasure of the Andes Mountains.

Chicaque Natural Park: to the south of Bogota lies a magical natural park known as a Cloud Forest. We love this place for its lookouts, starry nights, how wild it is, and, of course, its clouds.

Pionono Park: straight above the town of Sopó is this Ecological Park that offers beautiful hikes and views of the savannah of Bogotá. There is also a place to go paragliding right outside of the park.

Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon): way above the Neusa Dam is the Laguna Verde. This place is pristine and so fresh. You’ll be surrounded by frailejones and every shade of green. If it’s about getting to know the Colombian páramo (alpine), this place is exemplary.

Las Moyas Trail: with a trail-head right on the outskirts of the city, this trail will lead you up the mountains on the east of Bogotá to a height of about 3,100 meters (10,200 feet) above sea level.

The Neusa Dam: known for its cold water, comfortable camping, and closeness to Bogota, let me tell you a little more about this place – starry nights, perfect stillness at dawn, and wooded pine forests. Dam. Here are some tips for car camping!

The Sisga Dam: we love biking, and there’s a route that goes all around the Sisga Dam. On top of being moderately difficult, which we love, you get to enjoy the landscape from all of its angles.

The Tatacoita Desert: this desert that lies hidden outside the town of Nemocón is a wonderful place to hike, bike, picnic, and camp.

Check out videos for most of these places on our YouTube channel!

*We will update the list many times throughout the years! Be on the lookout or subscribe to our mailing list to stay on top of updates!

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