The Vagabond Hiker

Situated in the northwest of South America, Colombia boasts the second-highest biodiversity in the world after Brazil (which is about 7 times larger) and the greatest biodiversity of birds, representing about 18% of all species according to Wikipedia. Its territory encompasses Amazon rain-forest, highlands, grasslands, and deserts, and has islands and coastlines along both the Atlantic and Pacific, the only country in South America having that distinction. Altogether Colombia is a great destination for both nature lovers and hikers. Our journey started in the small town of Salento in the Zona Cafetera – the Coffee Zone – a short flight west from the capital of Bogotá.

After an enjoyable Christmas in and around Salento, we flew via Bogotá to the city of Medellín (due to very long travel times by bus, for the most part we took low-cost flights between cities) where we rented an inexpensive AirBnb apartment in the leafy Poblado neighborhood, convenient to all of Medellín. We spent two of our 4 days seeing sites around the city and the other two visiting the nearby Spanish colonial towns of Guatapé and Santa Fe. During these trips we experienced more different modes of transport than I thought possible in such a short time: cable cars, taxis, the metro, a tuk-tuk and buses both large and small. And of course, our feet. The area around our apartment was not at all bad for walking and the traffic seemed calmer than in most cities.

On New Year’s day we caught a flight north to Cartagena and the Caribbean coast where we spent the rest of out time in Colombia. Our wonderful (air conditioned!) AirBnb apartment in the barrio of Getsemani, about 10 minutes’ walk from the walled Old Town of Cartagena, provided an ideal base for the next three nights. Getsemani is now jammed with the backpacking crowd driven out by the outrageous prices in the Old Town, and sadly is now just as touristy in its own way.

After Cartagena we took a 5-hour shuttle bus east along the coast to Santa Marta, our jumping off point for the Cuidad Perdida, or Lost City trek. The most famous trek in Colombia, and one of the most well known in all of South America, it is not to be missed. We did a 4 day, 3 night version with Magic Tour Colombia, but one can also choose 3 and 5 day options. In any case, guides are mandatory as part of the agreement the licensed tour companies have with the indigenous population to permit tourists on their land.

We returned from the Cuidad Perdida trek looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation (well in my case, a few weeks!). I rented a unique ecological AirBnb, Casa Biyuka in the hills just outside of the fishing village of Taganga, a few kilometers east of Santa Marta, but a world away from that supremely uninteresting city.

After getting a bit bored at Taganga, I caught a taxi up to the village of Minca. Situated in a valley at about 600 meters elevation, it is the birding capital of northern Colombia.

After two nights in Minca and I returned to the coast to an apartment on the Playa Rodadero, a few kilometers west of Santa Marta, for better swimming and views for my last few days in Colombia.

This weekend I travel to Granada, Nicaragua, my base for the following week as I explore some highlights of the west of that country. A quick 3-day stopover in El Salvador will be followed by a one day/night layover in Bogotá on my way back to the UK, from where I will post my next blog. Until then,

The Vagabond Hiker

Holiday Greetings from Cartagena Colombia!

It’s difficult for me to believe sometimes, but it’s been three years since I started this blog post. Fifty eight posts from 33 countries (18 of which I had not been to previously) and 6 continents. At times, traveling continuously has been a real challenge. Many a morning I’ve awoken and had no idea what country I was in (don’t be too concerned – by the first cuppa’ I always figured it out). Often alone or surrounded by strangers that I didn’t know a week ago and in a week would never see again. And the airports. Only those who haven’t traveled could possibly think of the long lines, bad food, unannounced delays, and crying babies as romantic.

But at other times – and those are easily in the majority – I wouldn’t trade my life for anyone’s. The sound of the surf as the sun rises over the ocean. The stunning vista from a high pass. The campsite by the burbling brook. The adrenaline rush of summitting a high peak that few even attempt. Yet another day spent out in nature rather than stuck in an office! All this with friends and family only a phone call, email or text away though I may be half-way around the world.

For this coming year I have decided to set myself another challenge, not physical this time but more mental. My goal for this coming year is to attain a total of 100 countries visited. With Colombia I have traveled to 80 so far, leaving 20 for 2020. While the number is arguably arbitrary, it nonetheless strikes me as a milestone. It is the quality of the time spent in these different countries and not just an opportunity to check another box that will guide my plans. I will post blogs of hikes, treks, and walks, (though probably not any climbs) from at least 15 of these countries. I also plan to blog from countries I have already visited – some many times – such as Spain, England, Italy, and France. As much of my time will be in Europe, visiting cities and seeing cultural sights will also be a part of my program, though largely outside the scope of this blog.

During my more than a month in Lanzarote in November and December I spent a large part of my time planning this coming year. The Calendar Tab on the upper right gives an outline for the next three months. After Colombia it includes Nicaragua, El Salvador, La Gomera (Spain), Cape Verde, and Jordan. Although I have already planned the large majority of 2020, I will update the Calendar Tab on this blog site quarterly as I decide the final details.

My next blog (or two) will be about some of my many outdoor experiences in this wonderfully diverse country of Colombia. In the mean time, I wish you all a happy 2020 enjoying the outdoors.

The Vagabond Hiker