If you’re a traveler itching for a taste of adventure off the tourist spots of another country, Colombia is the perfect destination for you. Here are the top 10 spots in Colombia you might want to check out before the truckloads of tourists arrive in packs:
Desierto de La Tatacoa. Just like the Badlands National Park that can be found in South Dakota, the Tatacoa Desert of hot Colombia remains invisible to the rest of the world. The desert stretches to over 330 sq km which happens to be the biggest prehistoric graveyard of the country. If you plan to visit this undiscovered and unspoiled beauty, it can be reached via the town of Neiva or even from Villaviega. Be sure to bring your campaign gears.
Llanos Orientales. The Llanos Orientales can be reached by traveling south from Bogota. The Colombian Pantanal in this area is home to a wide variety of wild life. The famous Meta River and three different lakes— Mozambique, La Conquista, and Santoya can be found here too. If you fancy horses, there are some horseback riding activities you can try or simply explore the unspoiled beauty of this place.
San Gil. The town of San Gil was made famous by no other than the proprietor of Macondo Hostel, Shaun who was born in Australia. Since then, it’s fast becoming a favorite destination of tourists. This small town is located right in the heart of Santander, the adventure capital of the Colombia. San Gil is simply the best spot for adventure travelers because of its famous rapids, abseiling, caving trails, and paragliding spots.
Salento. Ah, coffee lovers will surely love this place. While everyone seems to know and have tasted the world-famous Colombia coffee, the fact remains that only few people have heard of the “Colombian Cafetero” which the is country’s official coffee area. The Colombian Cafetero can be found in Quindion, Salento which allows you to see the everyday of rural Colombia. Other places of interest include the Valle de Cocora and the national trees of Colombia that reaches up to 60m.
La Guajira. They say that the most amazing sunsets in Colombia can be found in Lag Guajira, but where exactly is it? It rests on the coastline of Colombia just before you reach Venezuela. La Guajira is a department (a group of municipalities) of Colombia and occupies the Guajira Peninsula. The last Colombian railway can be found here and it functions to transport salt and some coal from Cabo de la Vela to different parts of Colombia.
Amacayacu National Park. In the native language of Quecha, Amacayacu literally means “River of the Hamocs.” The Amacayacu National Park is a massive land that consists of almost 150 kinds of mammals, a wide variety of reptiles, and almost 500 kinds of birds. For those seeking for adventure, you can walk through high rope bridges or ride a canoe to explore the 293,500 hectares of area.
Mompos. If you’re a fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, head to Mompos and see for yourself why this place is really a rare treasure. Though Mompos is laid back compared to the other places we’ve mentioned, this is where you can find filigree silver in low, low prices. Imagine sipping fresh juices before reclining to sleep beside the river of Magdalena.
The festivals in Caldas and Valledupar. Of all the festivals in Colombia, there are two notables ones. The first important festival is the Carnaval de Riosucio that is held in Caldas in January every two years. It is also known as the Carnaval del Diablo or the Devil’s Carnaval where evil-like statues thrive and people drink the traditional beverage called the Guarapo which is made from fermented maize. The second notable festival is the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata in Valledupar which takes place in April every year. This festival celebrates the music of vallenato and where people compete for the title of the next Vallenato King.
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