Cartagena | How many days do you need to explore the city?
Cartagena is a port city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Located right by the sea is the old walled town founded in the 16th century
Colombia
Colombia was our entry point into South America and the start of our epic exploration of the continent. We arrived after a thirteen hour Journey into Bogota international airport. Straight away for me the altitude was a struggle, Lynne on the other hand seemed to cope very well at the dizzying heights of 2640m above mean sea level.
We both found Bogota kind of edgy it’s not what you would expect from a touristed city say like Rome or Paris, it’s edgy and the air is thick with exhaust fumes. We both never quite felt safe. In complete contrast Santa Marta felt different, back at sea level this busy bustling town felt friendlier the people smiling and happy the air thick with a very apparent Caribbean vibe.
The plan was to only be here as a stopping off point to other places in the area such as Minca, Palomino and The lost city trek but the joy of this form of travel is that plans can change you never know we may stay a little longer before our move up the coast to Cartagena and the surrounding area.
“I love my country and it hurts not to be able to see my country, as I did for so many years. I hope that I will one day be able to live in a peaceful Colombia.”
Fernando Botero
After a long and gruelling bus journey we find ourselves in the wonderful city of Medellin from here we continue our journey south taking in the beautiful Pueblo of Jardin with is amazing square, unspoilt vibe and waterfalls then onto Salento for more hiking in the spectacular Valle de Cocora.
Still further south and ever closer to the Ecuadorian boarder we reach an area we have been looking forward to exploring since we started planning our South American adventure. First Popayan the white city with it’s many churches and fascinating history. Then onto the archolgical sites in and around San Agustin and Tierradentro then finally the boarder crossing between Ipiales Colombia and Tulcán Ecuador,
Our Colombia posts
Medellin Visit | The top 5 things to see and do in the city
In this blog we will describe for you five amazing things to discover in the Colombian city of Medellin. Once notorious as being the murder capital of the world the new improved cleaned up Medellin is a delight to explore.
Santa Marta | The top 5 best things to see and do
We visited Santa Marta after our short stay in Bogota. Santa Marta is a lively and hectic city on the northern coast of Colombia in the area of Magdalena. Its a really bustling city and port and was the first settled site when the Spanish came to Colombia.
Colombia to Ecuador | Via the Rumichaca bridge border crossing
We were quite nervous about making the crossing from Colombia to Ecuador via the Rumichaca bridge land crossing. Some of the stories we had heard from other travellers made it sound like a real ordeal and very stressful.
Hike the ancient tombs of Tierradentro | San Andrés de Pisimbalá
To visit Tierradentro you need to head to the tiny pueblo of San Andrés de Pisimbalá. It’s about a 4 hour bus ride, from Popayan
Minca, our view | Is it still worth visiting?
As part of our South American adventure in 2022, we headed to Minca after spending some time in Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast with the full intention of doing some hiking in the lush green forest area in the foothills of the Sierra
Our guide to hiking the Cocora Valley Colombia
The Valle del Cócora is situated in the Quindio department of Colombia about ten kilometres from Salento which is where most people base themselves to access the valley and its hiking trials.
Explore San Agustin | Our guide to viewing the archaeological site
The road from Popayan to San Agustín climbs quite steeply to over three thousand metres and then just seems to disappear. This is one of those destinations where getting there makes it feel like an amazing adventure.
Jardin | Our guide to the best Colonial Town in Colombia
Jardin, means Garden in Spanish, is a small Andean town south of Medellin which has relatively few tourists and the most interesting vibe.
Bogota | Tips & Tricks to survive the city
Bogota is the capital city of Colombia, for us it was the starting point of our adventure travelling the South American continent.
Palomino | Is it still the place to chill?
If you’re looking for that chilled out hippy vibe of fifteen years ago perhaps you may find Palomino disappointing. At times we found it more Benidorm than beguiling. Or maybe more Magaluf than mystic. Having said that if you take it for what it is a rustic holiday resort on the Caribbean coast of Colombia then you can still find plenty of reasons to visit.
Discovering Popayan | What to do in the white city
We arrived into popayan the weekend of the Colombian presidential elections. The streets were unnaturally quiet with the anticipation that something monumental may happen.
The Lost city trek | Is it worth the effort?
The simple answer is yes most definitely the effort is what makes the getting there so sweet. Not only is the Lost city an amazing place to visit but the trek through the lush cloud forrest of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a rewarding venture in itself.
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