Torrentismo

Yet another reason we have to see and do everything before we offer it to you: We have to make sure it's enjoyable!

We went to see this waterfall where we have a guide that can lead torrentismo, which is rappelling through a waterfall (why don't we have a word for that in English?). Sounds very exciting, and indeed it is, but this place is FREEZING!

It would be one thing to do this with a wetsuit, but that's not part of the plan at this place, which means we're not making this beautiful cascade part of our plan.

Of course, it's good to know that it's there in case a rappelling fanatic wants to give it a go in spite of the temperatures. Just let us know what you love and we probably know a place to do it! (Even if we think you're crazy ;)

Keys

We had a big blooper during our last trip to Manizales when we stopped for gas. The gas cap was stuck closed a bit, and the gas attendant had the brilliant idea to use the (only) car key to pry it open. It seemed like a good idea until the key snapped in half and we were left wondering how we were going to get the car to start!

Our guide decided to hold the key together and stick the broken off tip in first, followed by the big half of the key and key ring. We´ve never been so relieved to hear the revving of an engine! Of course, this meant that for the rest of the weekend (and probably still today), a piece of the key was permanently left in the ignition. For the entire weekend, the car was started by inserting the stub of the key until it touched the tip that was left inside and turning with force. By some sort of miracle, the car started every time!

When we go on these tours, we sometimes get the "extra" car that might not be in the best shape, but don´t worry, we make sure you get upgrades, such as non-broken keys, for example.

Tarzan

Last week we went on an incredible canyon walk near Manizales. What is supposed to be a 5 hour walk became a 7 hour walk when our car had to drop us off early because the road had collapsed (the trail we are on in the photo at the left was once a road). You have to be flexible with these things here in Colombia!

Two hours into our trek, we reached the official starting point hot and sweaty, but it was well worth it when we finally made it to the canyon and got our feet in the water that runs down it. A heavy winter (which means rainy season) has turned the otherwise crystal-clear stream a bit foggy with sand, but it was beautiful and cool and that was all we needed!

Advice for future-trekkers: beware of Tarzan attempts:



















You never know which vine is going to snap!

Los Nevados, Manizales

At the beginning of December we went on our greatest adventure yet as a company: El Nevado del Ruíz. Of course, we saw way more than just the incredible, snow-capped volcano.

Day 1

We climbed the Nevado to 5000 meters and, short of breath and light-headed, made our way back to 4200 meters, where we spent the night camping.

El Nevado del Ruíz is an Andean volcano that lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where the Earth’s crust is particularly unstable, resulting in a significant amount of volcanic activity in the region. It is estimated that El Nevado del Ruiz has been active for 2 million years, but it’s last eruption was in 1985. The evidence of such a recent eruption surrounded us on our first and second days as we climbed to 5000 meters (over 16,000 feet).

The lava that violently ran down the mountain 23 years ago left behind bizarre rock formations and tons of volcanic ash. Consequently, the constantly changing horizon looks like something from the moon and the surface feels more like walking in flour than walking on solid ground:


And the Colombians were so excited about the snow, some of them took their clothes off and went skiing!

Day 2

We trekked from our base camp for about 5 hours to El Cisne, heading toward another Nevado called El Nevado de Santa Isabel.

The most incredible aspect of this day was the change in eco-systems. We went from the seeminly dead lands of El Nevado del Ruiz to full-on Paramo, an eco-system that only exists between approximately 3000 and 5000 meters near the equator. This bizarre combination of circumstances creates flora and fauna that are literally unlike anywhere else.

Here we are yelling into the Paramo... our echos were incredible, though it´s not so obvious in the video:


At the end of the day, we received a warm welcome (literally!!) in El Cisne, where there is a heated cabin and a common room that is open for campers to warm their toes, stretch their muscles, and relax (or do yoga, as Sam & I did) until it's time to crash in the tent.

Day 3

We went from El Cisne to Laguna Verde, a beautiful green lagoon that unfortunately we couldn´t see because of the thick cloud cover. Amazingly enough, that afternoon we had skies as blue as blue could be, leading to breath-taking views. Check it out:


All in all, this was an incredible adventure!

Juan Valdez

Colombia is all about connections. I realize that "knowing someone" can be a helpful thing in many countries, but in Colombia, it's essential. Some of the best things we have found as a company only happened because we know someone, or maybe we know someone who knows someone, but anything to get a foot in the door helps! Colombians rely heavily on word-of-mouth for their businesses, as they are much more likely to trust someone they have met face to face than to trust a website or an email.

We are working hard to build that connection for you, to help you find your way around Colombia in the adventure of a lifetime. Sometimes the connections we make with new people (guides, hotels, etc.) work out, sometimes they don't, and sometimes they just aren't relevant. This connection just isn't relevant because he travels too much for us to organize anything with him, but I have to share it!

I met Juan Valdez! Yup, the real guy. He's not wearing the traditional gear here because in the photo above, I'm actually at his house enjoying a few bites of tiramisu (the dessert has to have coffee in it, right?). What a genuine, sincere guy! Colombians are famous for being friendly, but Mr. Juan Valdez personifies that warm friendliness! How did I end up at his house, you ask? Oooh, it's a friend of a friend kind of thing. Just another connection, only this one happens to be an international icon!

...when do I get to meet Juanes?

My Favorite Video

Colombia: El Riesgo Es Que Te Quieras Quedar!!!

Getting Around

Maps in Colombia usually look like this:













Yup, a rolled down window and a local. They usually flail their hands around saying "left, left, left" and pointing "right, right, right" and from there you should go straight until... until you reach the point that you are lost again.

Roll down the window and repeat as necessary.

I would hardly say Colombia is any more renowned for its signage than it is for its maps, either, but the Coffee Region does seem to have some decent signs. Or at least we thought so until we got here:



















So, the eco-park... Is it straight, or left? Because if they had hung the sign properly, it would be left. But maybe the messed up the sign and didn't want to invest in a new one, so they just hung it wrong, on purpose...?

The answer: Roll down the window and ask a local.

(These are exactly the reasons why we want to help you plan your trip -- let us get lost for you!)