Colombia 2007 Tour

Colombia has been one of my favorite destinations in South America. The scenery is amazing, the people are friendly and the food is great and inexpensive. This time I travelled from Bogota to Santa Marta by plane and visited the Tayrona national park from Taganga, a small fishing village. Passing through the Old City of Cartagena I spent a few more days at the small town of Tolu and Covenas before returning to Medellín by bus. A week-end trip took me to the colonial town of Santa Fe de Antioquia and a bus ride to Manizales in the region of Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis (Eje Cafetero) near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano (5,321 m) which is a strenuous but highly recommended mountaineering destination. I finished my Colombia tour with a visit to Armenia and Salento the Valle de Corcora before returning to Bogota.

In the fall of 2007 I crossed into Colombia from Ecuador. First I visited the spectacular Santuario de Las Lajas near Ipiales. The bus trip from Pasto passing by the active volcano Galeras to Popayan is safe during day-time hours. Entering FARC territory I ventured into the highlands to visit the remote archeological site of Tierradentro; it is recommended that you travel this route in a direct bus, bring extra food and water, and have a good command of Spanish. The conflict between the present government of Colombia and the FARC is an internal one and has been ongoing for 40 years. Only a political solution between the adversaries can end the suffering of the population in these areas. As a foreigner I was always treated professionally at both FARC and local paramilitary checkpoints.

I returned to Bogota via the hot but modern city of Neiva.

Click on the images below to view the slide presentations.

Bogota, Santa Marta, Tayrona Park, Cartagena

Cartagena, Tolu, Santa Fe de Antioquia, Manizales

Nevado del Ruiz, Armenia, Salento and Valle de Corcora

Ipiales, Popayan

Tierradentro, Neiva