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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

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

How to get to Las Moyas Trail

Posted on September 11, 2017
How to get to Las Moyas Trail, hike in bogota, colombia, nature

The Las Moyas Trail, or Sendero las Moyas, was closed for years. But it’s been open to the public since 2022, and the whole process was re-organized to be efficient, quick and safe. I appreciate Live Happy Colombia and the land owners, who opened this trail for people to enjoy it, while still taking care of the area and all its beauty. This is how to get to Las Moyas Trail!

But first, a comment from the heart. Bogota, with its mountains, could be like Santiago, Chile or Boulder, Colorado. If Colombia’s Eastern Mountains (Cerros Orientales) were full of hiking and mountain biking trails, Bogota would be completely different. However, that culture just doesn’t exist, and trails get damaged due to bad use or over-use when they do open. The only way that culture can change is by organizations taking the initative and taking the risk of opening lots of trails to share the load, teach people to take care of what they have and regulating their use. It looks like that’s already starting to happen, and we’re SO excited for what the future holds!

If you like hiking, click here to read about Quebrada la Vieja, which is 6 blocks from Las Moyas!

How to get to Las Moyas Trail

*Note: You can find the map to get to Las Moyas Trail at the bottom of this post!

Walking:

  1. Get to the Transmilenio station called Calle 76 and then walk to Carrera 7 (towards the mountain).
  2. Cross Carrera 7, and keep walking towards the mountain on Calle 74. You’ll get to the Circunvalar, which is Carrera 1. Cross it and continue on Calle 74, which bends to the left becoming Carrera 1 East.
  3. Turn right on Calle 77 and then take the next left, which is Carrera 2 East.
  4. Walk along this road until you find the entrance to the Horizontes – Las Moyas Trail. It’s on the right after a sign that points you to the Metropolitan Club.
  5. Hike for about 2 hours until you get to a boulder field past the antenna on the summit.

In a car:

With a GPS: Use Waze or Google Maps to look up “Umbral Cultural Horizontes” and follow the instructions. Parking is prohibited on the street, but there’s a parking area for the hike next to the Metropolitan Club (I marked the spot on the map).

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogota, get to the Carrera 7 and go up towards the mountain on Calle 74 until you get to Carrera 2.
  2. Take a right on Carrera 2 and then take the next right turn and then your next right turn again to be on Diagonal 76. Cross the Circunvalar, which is Carrera 1.
  3. Once you cross the Circunvalar, the road will turn left becoming Carrera 1 East.
  4. Take the first right turn onto Calle 77 and then take a left where the street ends, which is Carrera 2 East.
  5. On this road, go right and park at the Metropolitan Club. The spot is marked on the map below. The Las Moyas Trail begins at the end of the road going up to the right.
  6. Hike for about 2 hours until you get to a boulder field past the antenna on the summit.

Some things to know:

  • The trail opens from Tuesday to Friday from 6-9:00 AM and you have to be starting the hike between 6 and 6:30 AM. Entry on the weekends is subject to group outings, which are organized on their Telegram.
  • The entry fee to Sendero las Moyas is $15,000 pesos, and you can buy a monthly “membership” for 60,000 pesos. This money goes towards the trails conservation and some social inclusion projects.
  • The trail is totally safe during the authorized hours.
  • The hike is 4.2 kilometers or 2.6 miles long.
  • To make a reservation and pay, click on this link to go to Live Happy Colombia’s website and follow the instructions. You’ll also find your QR code at that link, which you have to show to start hiking the trail.
  • Pets are not allowed.

What to do in Las Moyas:

Picnic on top of a rock: have your breakfast at the summit of Las Moyas Trail, with amazing landscapes whichever way you turn.

Take care of your surroundings: people sometimes damage beauty while they try to enjoy it, like when they’re eating on top of a boulder. Don’t graffiti the boulders or even engrave anything on them. Take everything you brought with you back to the city, even organic waste. The beauty of a pristine place is that it’s pristine. Let’s keep it that way.

This hike is my favorite one on Bogota’s eastern mountains, partly because it has some amazingly photogenic views. The only thing missing is the Pine Forest of Quebrada la Vieja but, you know, nothing’s perfect! I hope you get to it now that you know exactly how to get to Las Moyas Trail!

Read some more posts about outdoor adventures close to Bogota to get psyched for more!

Travel Guide

How to get to Iguaque Park

Posted on August 16, 2017
How to get to Iguaque National Park, favorite hike, paramo, close to villa de leyva, adventure

For me, the hike up to see the Iguaque Lagoon (at  3,800m or 12,500 ft) is the best in the world because it’s the first actual hike I ever did… when I was 3. Although, at that age, I mostly went up and down the mountain on my dad’s shoulders… asleep. Oh well; since then I’ve visited the Park quite a few times and I always come down blissful.

Last time I was at the Iguaque Fauna and Flora Sanctuary I didn’t make it all the way up to the lagoon because of the rain, but boy is that a story.

I was with Lala, her sister and her husband, and Guille, a life-long friend who has lived his entire life on the coast of Colombia, where it’s HOT and there’s little rain. We started hiking up and got to the paramo, or above the tree line, easily. The path gets steep there, so we took a break before continuing our hike.

A few minutes later, it started drizzling. It doesn’t matter, we said, it’ll stop. Well, it didn’t stop and it only got harder. Soon, the rain was hitting us horizontally, sped up by the mountain’s winds. When we got to a flatter part of the hike that goes around the tip of the mountain to start the descent towards the Iguaque Lagoon, we found a boulder and used it as a shelter to stop and eat.

It wasn’t a rock you’d ever say is perfect as a shelter – it’s a vertical rock- but the rain was so horizontal that the boulder, which was taller than us, kept us away from the rain.

I remember that scene to this day and it makes me laugh. I see Guille to my left and Lala to my right, both of them sitting down, eating, and trembling completely soaked. The funniest part was seeing Guille, who’s life has been spent under the scorching sun, experiencing the famously cold and wet Colombian paramo in full. What an experience! And we had shorts on!

We never made it to the lagoon, but it was one of the best experiences I’ve had at Iguaque because it was different (I had never experienced rain on that hike before), pretty rough, and it happened with amazing friends. That’s the kind of experience that creates an image in my mind that remains.

How to get to Iguaque Park

All of the instructions below are assuming you’re in Villa de Leyva, a historic town in Colombia about 3 hours from Bogota.

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

Without a car:

Getting to the Iguaque Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is difficult if you don’t have a car because there is no public transportation that will take you all the way to the entrance. Here are two options.

Take a taxi: find a taxi to take you all the way to the Iguaque Visitor Center or ask your hotel or a tourism business in Villa de Leyva to get someone to take you. If you find someone you won’t have to walk any extra miles.

Take a bus: there is a bus that will take you to “Casa de Piedra” that leaves the Villa de Leyva bus terminal until 7:00 AM. When you leave, tell the bus driver to drop you off at “Casa de Piedra.” It’s 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from there to Iguaque. There is a big sign where the bus will drop you off that shows you which way to go.

In a car:

With GPS: use Waze or Google Maps to look up “Visitor Centre Iguaque National Park” and follow the directions.

Without GPS:

  1. Get to Villa de Leyva.
  2. From the main plaza drive the opposite direction from the church and the mountains until you find a paved road. That road is Carrera 13 (13th street).
  3. Take a right and drive 6 kilometers (4 miles) on that road, which becomes unpaved.
  4. Once you’ve driven 6 kilometers be very attentive because the sign for Iguaque is small. You’re going to take a right on a road that goes up. The sign is made of wood and has a drawing on it.
  5. From there on out it’s easy to get to Iguaque because there are signs at every major fork in the road. If you do get lost, ask a local the way. They’ll know!
  6. Almost all cars can make it to the Visitor Center, but if it’s rainy it’ll be difficult for cars that are low to the ground. If that is the case, there’s a farm that consists of two houses with a metal gate about 1 kilometer from the Center. Ask the family for permission to park there and they’ll probably let you.

Some things to know:

Entrance fee:

  • $17,000 COP or about $6 dollars for Colombian adults.
  • $9,000 COP or about $3 dollars for children 5-12 and students.
  • $44,500 COP or about $15 dollars for foreign adults.

Parking: $13,000 COP or about $4.5 dollars.

There is a restaurant and hostel a few minutes from the Visitor Center along the path towards the lagoon.

  • The hostel costs $50,000 COP or about $18 dollars per person per night.
  • Breakfast costs $13,000 COP or about $4.5 dollars.
  • Lunch costs $19,000 COP or about $6.5 dollars.
  • Dinner costs $16,000 COP or about $5.5 dollars.

There is also a camping zone with bathrooms, electric showers, and an area to prepare food. The cost per person per night is $10,000.

The time to start hiking is between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. Sometimes the park rangers don’t let you start if you arrive after 10 because they don’t want it to get dark while you’re still hiking.

Take a towel and clothes to change into in case you get in the water (more info below) or it rains!

The rainy season is between April and May and October and November. The dry season is between January and March and September and December.

What to do in Iguaque:

  • Camp or stay at the Furachiogua Hostel: the nights and mornings in Iguaque are beautiful whether it’s cloudy and foggy or clear. They’re worth experiencing.
  • Drink an agua-panela when you get back down: one of the best things about a tough hike is the reward at the end. On the mountain, the reward is the view and my recommendation is that your reward back at the restaurant be a hot agua-panela. It’s a drink that’s a mixture of water, raw cane sugar, and lime. So good!
  • Hike up and keep hiking: when you get to the lagoon, take a breather. There’s a path crossing the creek where the lake water runs down the mountain. Take this path and go all the way up. From the top, you can see two more lagoons on the other side. Look for a big boulder to eat lunch on way above the Iguaque Lagoon. The people down there look like ants.
  • Bathe in the creek close to the hostel: the path between the Visitor Center and the hostel runs parallel to a creek. I have the tradition of getting into that ice-cold water for a few minutes. It’s refreshing and gives me renewed energies. On top of that, it makes me feel like a badass (although you probably won’t think it’s that cold if you’re from anywhere where there’s snow). There’s a section of the creek that’s perfect for about 4 people to fit easily.

Read some more posts to get psyched to go an adventure, or read our last post!

 

Travel Guide

How to get to Pionono Park

Posted on July 13, 2017
How to get to Pionono Park, ecological, nature, outdoor adventures close to bogota, hiking, sopo, alpina, what to do, colombia

We got to Sopó excited, not knowing what to expect.

Getting to know the small town that we used to know only because of Alpina, a famous Colombian dairy and food company located there, Lala and I looked at the mountains that loom over Sopó looking for a tiny cross. There it was… and that was where we were going.

We took the shortest, steepest route and we couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculously steep the road was. Only a 4×4 could have gone up it, and on a bike, you would surely fall backwards. (There is an easier way to get to Pionono – see below for directions!)

After walking for about 2 hours, we reached the entrance of Pionono Park and we began the hike within the park. Once inside, we were pretty much already on top of the mountain, so the hike seemed easy and short in comparison to what we had already walked. We passed three beautiful lookouts: Cacique Sopó, Alto de las Aguilas and Valle de Sopó.

Sadly, the path to the cross was closed, and still is, because the path is really sketchy. Hopefully someday it will reopen, but at least every lookout has spectacular views.

Pionono was a great destination for a day trip, but I would have preferred to stay a night. Since it’s an ecological park, you feel like you’re in wild nature even though Sopó is about 600 meters below you.

Hiking down was much easier, although our knees wept (yeah, we took the steep way down again) and we laughed at how steep the path was the entire way down.

I’ll leave you with this thought that summarized the hike for me. At one of the lookouts, I gazed out at the grassy tropical plain and thought, “This savannah that raised me and that I take for granted… sure is beautiful!”

How to get to Pionono Park

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

Without a car:

Your adventure will begin at the North Portal (sounds like sci-fi, right?), which is the bus terminal in the north of Bogotá right on the main highway, or autopista. Get on a bus that says “Sopó” and tell the bus driver to stop in front of Sopó’s Hospital, which is right after Alpina. Tell him: “Pare en frente del Hospital de Sopó, después de Alpina” (good luck pronouncing that!)

From here you have three options (they’re on the map!):

  1. Take 6th street, which is the first left turn you can take after the round-about, in front of the Hospital. It turns left into 3rd street and, staying on that main road, you will get to Pionono Park. There are signs everywhere, so it’s hard to get lost. If you do get lost, just ask a local, “Como llego a Pionono?”
  2. The other option is even steeper (the one Lala and I took), but shorter. Instead of taking 6th street take 4th street, which is two blocks further from the round-about. Go up 4th street for about four blocks until you see an archway that says, “Santuario del Señor de la Piedra.”
    1. There, take a left. Follow this road, which curves to the right. A few meters later you have to pick between left (steep) and straight (steeper). Keep going straight, taking the steeper route. Be impressed.
    2. Follow this road for a while. It’s hard to get lost and you will eventually link with the main road, having completed the road less taken. There are signs everywhere, so you’ll arrive at Pionono Park without a problem
  3. Take a cab up to Pionono. These cabs drive down 6th street in front of the hospital (the first left turn you can take after the round-about). It costs $14,500 Colombian Pesos or $5 USD per trip, so if you take it with a group of 4 people, it’s nice and inexpensive.

In a car:

With Waze: look for “Parque Ecológico PIONONO Sopó” and follow the directions.

Without Waze:

  1. Leave Bogotá heading north on the main highway (Autopista) and stay on the main road for about 30 minutes. Pass El Corral on your left, and after 500 more meters (1,500 feet) take a right towards Sopó.
  2. Stay on this road until you get to a round-about and take the second exit.
  3. Right after Alpina’s parking lot, in front of a hospital, take a left on 6th street (it’s the first left turn you can take after the roundabout).
  4. Stay on this road until you get to Pionono. There are signs everywhere, so it’s hard to get lost. If you do get lost just ask a local, “Como llego a Pionono?”

Some things to know:

The park is open Wednesday to Sunday and Holidays from 9:00am to 4:30pm.

There is no parking at Pionono Park during the day, but you can park outside on the road. There are always park officials there during the day watching over the entrance and taking payments. If you’re camping, you can take your car inside all the way to the camping area from 5pm to 9am.

Camping per person per night: $24,600 Colombian Pesos or about $9 USD.

Entrance fee: $4,900 Colombian Pesos or about $2 USD.

Taxi up to Pionono Park: $14,500 Colombian Pesos or about $5 USD

What to do in Pionono Park:

  • Go Paragliding: one kilometer before the Pionono Park entrance is a detour left through which you can get to Parapente Paraiso, one of the most well-known paragliding centers in Colombia. It’s easy to get to, they have comfortable facilities (restaurant, parking, etc.), and the view of the Tominé dam is spectacular.
  • Go Camping: to really feel in the middle of nowhere, you have to camp. The climate is near-alpine, so it’s cold at night, but with a good jacket, I can just imagine the sunrises and sunsets. If you’re lucky, you might even get a beautiful starry night. Plus, Pionono Park’s camping infrastructure is prepared with bathrooms, water, and grill to make food… or a barbeque.
  • Take a lot of Pictures: from every vantage point. The landscape is beautiful all around. If it’s cloudy, there are plants, insect, birds, and flowers that would love to pose for you. If you camp, you should have a camera ready to capture the sunset, sunrise, and stars. Yeah, you’re not gonna sleep much.
  • Reward Yourself at Alpina: especially if you walked all the way to Pionono Park! Sopó is known for being Alpina’s center of operation. At the cabaña de Alpina (Alpina Cabin), which is right next to the Hospital I mentioned in the directions above, you can eat. A LOT. My recommendations are fresas con crema (strawberries and cream), the repollas (cream puffs), and, of course, some chocolate milk. There’s nothing like a yummy prize at the end of an adventure.

We hope this guide is helpful!

To learn about another beautiful place near Bogotá, read our post about the Tatacoita Desert!

Here’s a video to motivate you to go to Pionono Park!

Travel Guide

How to get to Isla Fuerte

Posted on June 29, 2017
How to get to Isla Fuerte, caribbean, scuba diving, adventure, isla fuerte ecolodge

The ocean, scuba diving, food, and hammocks. Those are the 4 things that come to mind when I think of Isla Fuerte.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting scuba diving destinations since I was young because my dad is a Scuba Instructor. One of those places is Isla Fuerte.

The ocean and the diving in Isla Fuerte are spectacular. The visibility underwater is almost always great. You can go on beautiful dives 5 minutes from the coast on a boat, you can dive a wreck, and even dive at a reef an hour away from the island in the open ocean.

From the time you place foot on Isla Fuerte you get pampered, especially with the food. The time of arrival is always right before lunch and the initial surprise at how good the food is never fades. In fact, what I know I will miss most every time I leave Isla Fuerte is the food.

And the hammocks. Oh the hours you spend in a hammock. The sun and scuba diving are tiring – and those are two things that you will surely find in Isla Fuerte. What better way to rest than in hammocks by the sea?

Isla Fuerte is a hidden paradise.

How to get to Isla Fuerte:

*Note: at the bottom of this post you can find a map to get familiar with where all the places I’ll mention are!

There are a few airports you can fly into to get to Isla Fuerte, but one route that’s the simplest – arriving in Monteria:

  1. Fly to Monteria’s Aeropuerto (Airport) los Garzones.
  2. From there, take a taxi to Paso Nuevo, a town on the coast of Cordoba close to San Bernardo del Viento. It usually costs $150,000 COP or about $50 dollars. People at the hostel you’re staying at on the island probably know some taxi drivers they trust. Make sure you ask them! The ride is beautiful, following the riverbed of the Sinu River and going through the landscapes that make Monteria and the region famous for its cattle.
  3. There’s only one way to get to Isla Fuerte from Paso Nuevo and that’s on a boat. Talk to the people at your lodging in Isla Fuerte and they will arrange to pick you up (they usually do that in the morning). You can find my hostel advice below!

Other places from which you can get to Paso Nuevo:

  • Cartagena: fly into Cartagena and take a bus or a car for 4 to 5 hours to Paso Nuevo. If you’re going on a bus you’ll have to get off at Lorica and take a taxi to Paso Nuevo.
  • Medellin: fly into Medellin and take a bus or a car for 10 to 12 hours to Paso Nuevo. If you’re going on a bus you’ll have to get off at Monteria or Lorica and take a taxi to Paso Nuevo.
  • Barranquilla: fly into Barranquilla and take a bus or a car for 7 to 8 hours to Paso Nuevo. If you’re going on a bus you’ll have to get off at Lorica and take a taxi to Paso Nuevo.

Some things to know:

My hostel advice (totally non-sponsored, I just like them): The best hostal by far on the island is the Isla Fuerte Ecolodge. Being privileged in having a scuba instructor for a Dad, I’ve stayed at this hostel around 5 times and the experience has always been incredible. On an isolated island with no water source and only recently electricity, the hostel is big on sustainability. They invest heavily in Isla Fuerte’s natural environment and native community. On top of being great people, you just have a good time. You can dive, kayak, aqua-plane, there are beautiful walks, and the food is spectacular 100% of the time. You also leave Isla Fuerte having made a bunch of friends. It’s really a unique, joyful place.

Something to take into account, as comfortable as the hostel is, is that since there’s limited water and electricity there’s no air conditioning.

Read more at islafuerte.com

Taxi from Paso Nuevo to Monteria: about $150,000 COP or $50 dollars.

Parking in Paso Nuevo: before you get on the boat to Isla Fuerte, you can park in Paso Nuevo if you drove. When you get off the main highway to enter Paso Nuevo, go all the way until the paved road ends. There, take a left and on the first corner of the second block you’ll see a yellow house with a big patio to its right. Tell them you need to park and they’ll show you how to go about it. They have a huge parking lot behind the house.

Trash: all the trash on Isla Fuerte must eventually be taken to the mainland, but even on the coast trash is handled badly and will end up in the ocean. Take your trash as far inland as you´re going!

Water: be careful with how much water you use. Isla Fuerte does not have a natural source of water, so all their water is collected during the few rainy months they get on the Island.

The lighthouse of death: one of the hikes in Isla Fuete leads you to a lighthouse. Usually people dare each other to climb up it, but please don’t. When I was in Isla Fuerte recently, my plan was to climb it until a local showed us a rung that had rusted off the ladder all by itself and fallen to the ground. All the rungs are probably in the same condition. (If you’ve ever climbed up, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments though!)

What to do in Isla Fuerte:

  • Go see the Bonga: this tree is gigantic. You have to go see it. You think the ocean is amazing? There are epic things on land too, like this tree!
  • Swing on the Roots of the Walking Tree: this tree is an enormous Ficus whose canopy spans 70 meters. Roots grow from its branches, which hold the canopy up as it expands. Some of these roots haven’t reached the ground and are so strong that you can climb up them or swing on them.
  • Morgan’s Cave: they say this cave got its name because the Pirate Morgan has a cave in San Andres, Providencia, Islas del Rosario, and everywhere really, so there had to be one in Isla Fuerte. You won’t find his treasure or his body, but there are bats and tiny frogs.
  • Quibbes: one of my traditions is to stop in Cerete on the way to Paso Nuevo and eat quibbes, which are Arab empanadas. You can get them filled with curdled milk, eggplant, or meat. They may not sound that appealing but they are amazing.
  • Scuba, kayak, paddle boarding, and aqua-plane: being on an island and not doing all these ocean activities is pretty much a sin. You can do all of these in Isla Fuerte. My favorite is the aqua-plane, which is like a plane underwater. You can maneuver it above and below the surface of the water and make it turn around like an airplane doing pirouettes as you hold onto it and a boat pulls you. Two people can hang on it while one drives. The challenge: who can hold on the longest?
  • Go birdwatching: this tiny island has 83 species of birds to watch for days! Birds migrate to Isla Fuerte during winter, finding the perfect place to reproduce and making it a heavenly place if you’re a birdwatcher.

Check out our tourism tips for exploring Bogota if you’re there for some time or read some more posts to get psyched to go an adventure!

Here’s a small glimpse of what a few days in Isla Fuerte are like!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Tatacoita Desert

Posted on June 13, 2017
How to get to the Tatacoita Desert, Desierto de la Tatacoita, hiking, outdoor adventures close to bogota, bike

How my feet hurt. That’s what happens when you’re not sure how to get somewhere new on foot. It happened to me getting to the Tatacoita Desert (not to be confused with the well-known Tatacoa Desert).

In fact, my trip to this desert is what motivated me to create this website. I got frustrated looking for how to get there because when I searched for it on Google, I only found company’s websites offering tours. But I don’t like tours. I prefer enjoying nature with a group of friends.

I finally found a page with directions to the Tatacoita Desert, so we followed them. And how my feet hurt! We walked twice as much as it said. So I, being the extremely detailed person I am, thought it would be great to have detailed guides about how to get to relatively unknown places like the Tatacoita Desert.

Still, despite the pain in my feet, I always enjoy an adventure like this one. We had a great time visiting the desert – that’s how awesome it is. It’s a unique landscape.

I hope this and all the guides to come will help you plan your adventures!

How to get to the Tatacoita Desert

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

Without a car:

  1. The adventure begins at the Portal Norte (Northern Bus Terminal) in Bogota. Take a bus to Zipaquira. Once in Zipaquira, take a bus to Nemocon.
  2. Get off the bus in Nemocon before the bus takes a right, ‘cause you’re going left. From here, you have two options: walk to the park (about three hours) or ask a motorcycle-taxi to take you as far as it will.
    1. Walking: keep going until you get to a fork in the road. In the middle of the fork there are signs that say “Finca la Macarena,” “Sumicol,” and “Las Nubes.” When I went in December there was also a manger-scene. Go left. One kilometer (about .7 miles) later, take a right. Walk along that road until you pass a small bridge. A little after the bridge you’ll see a steep road going upwards to the right. Go that way and when the road forks again, take a right. You’ll arrive at a red door that is the entrance to a farm. There may not be anyone there, so you can call 3102279771 and ask for Juan Jose. Tell him you want to enter the Desierto de la Tatacoita. The entrance fee is $5,000 COP or about $2 dollars.
    2.  In a motorcycle-taxi: ask a moto-taxi (a motorcycle with a compartment behind it that makes it a taxi) to take you to the Desierto de la Tatacoita or as close as it can. If it can’t drive through the last bit of road, which is an unpaved road in bad conditions, it will at least save you 2.5 hours of walking. This service costs $15,000 COP or $5 USD. You’ll arrive at a red door that is the entrance to a farm. There may not be anyone there, so you can call 3102279771 and ask for Juan Jose. Tell him you want to enter the Desierto de la Tatacoita. The entrance fee is $5,000 COP or about $2 dollars.

 In a car:

With GPS: look up “Desierto de la Tatacoita” on Waze or Google Maps and follow the instructions.

*Note: a GPS will take you a way that I am not sure actually exists, so you may want to follow the directions without a GPS below.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit Bogota north. Follow directions to Chia (to the right and under the first car bridge) but don’t enter Chia. Keep going until you get to another bridge and stay to your right on the bridge. This is the road to Zipaquira.
  2. When the road divides in two again, get on the bridge, which will take you right towards Zipaquira and Ubate (following the signs). Stay on this road until you reach a round-about and take the second exit.
  3. A few minutes later you will run into a stoplight and a sign that indicates Zipaquira is to the left, Ubate is going straight, and Nemocon is to the right. Go right. You’ll get right to Nemocon that way.
  4. Again, and not for the last time, you will come to a fork in the road once to get to Nemocon. Go left and stay on that road until you once again get to a fork in the road. In the middle of the fork there are signs that say “Finca la Macarena,” “Sumicol,” and “Las Nubes.” When I went in December there was also a manger-scene. Go left. One kilometer (about .7 miles) later, take a right.
  5. Drive along this road until you see a sign that reads “Tienda Santana” and go in. This is where you will park your car if you’re not in a 4×4. You’ll have to walk the rest of the way.
  6. If you’re going in a 4×4, ignore step 5 and continue along the road until you reach a small bridge. A little after the bridge you’ll see a steep road going upwards to the right. Go that way and when the road forks again, take a right. That’s where the unpaved road gets really bad.
  7. You’ll arrive at a red door that is the entrance to a farm. There may not be anyone there, so you can call 3102279771 and ask for Juan Jose. Tell him you want to enter the Desierto de la Tatacoita. The entrance fee is $5,000 COP or about $2 dollars.

Some things to keep in mind:

Entrance fee: $5,000 COP or about $2 dollars.

Moto-taxi fee: $15,000 COP or about $5 dollars.

There is no parking at the Desierto de la Tatacoita, but ask the man that lets you in where you can leave your car or talk to the folks at “Tienda Santana” and, if they let you, leave your car there.

Bus to Zipaquira: $6,000 COP or about $2 dollars.

Bus to Nemocon: $3,000 COP or about $1 dollars.

What to do in the Desierto de la Tatacoita:

  • Camp: I sadly didn’t go camping here, but I have heard that it’s amazing because you feel so far from civilization. It’s also a great place if you love gazing at the stars.
  • Ride your bike: there are trails inside the desert that are awesome. If you can’t take your bike in a car, you can get to the Desierto de la Tatacoita on your bike or ask the bus driver if he’ll let you take your bike in the bus’s baggage compartment. The fee for that is usually half to all of your fee.
  • Take pictures: the way the earth has eroded in the Desierto de la Tatacoita is beautiful! Take pictures of the huge dunes, the green and orange landscape, and, if you camp, the stars! And post those pictures on your social media so that more people can get to know this desert even if it’s just in photos.

To learn about another beautiful place near Bogotá, read our post about Chingaza National Park!

Here’s a video about our adventure in the Tatacoita Desert:

 

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