Punta Gallinas marks the most northern part of South America, on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. The area mostly desert which has been populated by the indigenous Wayuu people. The area is very different to any other area in Colombia. The headland is also the location of the northernmost lighthouse in South America.
You will mostly likely leave from Cabo de La Vela, the hot stop for wind/kite surfing. From there there are no real roads. Just alot of tracks through the deserts landscapes.. All dirt. Bring fuel and water
Barichara is the kind of town that Hollywood filmmakers dream about. A Spanish colonial town saturated with atmosphere, it boasts cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings with red-tiled roofs that look almost as new as the day they were constructed some 300 years ago. It’s no wonder that many Spanish-language films and telenovelas are shot here.
One of Colombia’s most spectacular national parks, PNN El Cocuy is mostly made up of a diverse ecosystem known as the páramo. This glacially formed, neotropical system of valleys, plains and mountain lakes includes the largest glacier zone in South America north of the equator. The park has 15 peaks that are at least 5000m, the highest being Ritacuba Blanco at 5330m, and is an outdoor playground popular for trekking, mountaineering, camping and climbing, although many activities are currently restricted.
Established in 1977, the park covers 306,000 hectares. The western boundary begins at the 4000m elevation line; the eastern half of the park drops to just 600m elevation to the Colombian llanos (plains).
The park is huge and varies in altitude greatly. This is one of the most remote places in Colombia and has only been ‘open’ for tourists in the last decade.
Highlights
El Cocuy National Park
Established in 1977, the park covers 306,000 hectares. The western boundary begins at the 4000m elevation line; the eastern half of the park drops to just 600m elevation to the Colombian llanos (plains).
Among the park’s most famous features is an unusual rock formation called the Púlpito del Diablo (5120m; Devil’s Pulpit), but it’s just one of many spectacular peaks. Sadly, the park’s glacier fields are rapidly melting due to climate change. Park officials believe that if melting continues at the present rate, the glaciers will be gone within 20 to 30 years.
Despite the harsh environment, PNN El Cocuy is home to diverse species of flora and fauna. Animals you might encounter include the spectacled bear (also called the Andean bear), deer, eagles, condors, mountain tapirs, chinchillas and the beautiful spotted ocelot. The mountaintop plains are covered in a variety of shrubbery, the best known being the yellow-flowered frailejón that’s native to the area.
El Cocuy National Park, Colombia
El Cocuy town
El Cocuy town is located at the base of the National Park. It is a beautiful town with numerous options for accommodation.
One of the most beautiful colonial villages in Colombia, Villa de Leyva is a city frozen in time. Declared a national monument in 1954, the photogenic village has been preserved in its entirety, with cobblestone roads and whitewashed buildings.
The town
Located away from major trade routes in a high altitude valley of semi-desert terrain, and with no mineral deposits nearby to exploit, the town has undergone little development in the last 400 years. As a consequence, it is one of the few towns in Colombia to have preserved much of its original colonial style and architecture: the streets and large central plaza are still paved with cobblestones, and many buildings date from the sixteenth century.
In the centre of the town is the Plaza Mayor, which at 14,000 square meters is the largest square in Colombia and believed to be the largest entirely cobbled square in South America.
Guatapé and it’s surrounding lie in the in northwest of Colombia, east of Medellín. It’s known for its small villages with decorated houses surrounded by the man-made Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir which is home to the Rock of Guatapé (Piedra del Peñol).
Piedra del Peñol
Also known as El Peñon de Guatapé, thanks to the fierce rivalry between the towns it straddles, this 200m-high granite monolith rises from near the edge of the Embalse Guatapé. A brick staircase of 659 steps rises up through a broad fissure in the side of the rock. From the top there are magnificent views of the region, the fingers of the lake sprawling amid a vast expanse of green mountains.
Guatapé
Small little town that could just be the most colourful in the not just Colombia but the world. It is a great base to explore the region.
Quindío is a department of Colombia. It is in the western central region of the country, crossed by the Andes mountains. It is famous for the quality of the coffee plantations, colourful architecture and lust green rolling hills. A great area for a Ride.
You’ll need a few days to enjoy these lush green lands. Distances are short with good roads and alot of exciting bends and viewpoints.
Highlights
Cocora Valley
Cocora Valley is home to the tallest wax palms in the world. It is a very laid back valley with some great hikes.
Valle del Cocora, Quindío, Colombia
Valle del Cocora, Quindío, Colombia
Valle del Cocora, Quindío, Colombia
Time Lapse inside Cocora Valley
Salento
Set amid gorgeous green mountains 24km northeast of Armenia, this small town survives on coffee production, trout farming and tourists, the last drawn by its quaint streets, typical paisa architecture and its proximity to the spectacular Valle de Cocora. It was founded in 1850, and is one of the oldest towns in Quindío and a great base for visiting Cocora Valley.
The ‘Willy’ Jeeps you see all around the towns are a great colourfully site… After the wars, the USA exported its huge numbers of excess jeeps to Colombia for military use. Not many were used by the army and they mostly ended up with the people and they made them their own 🙂
Salento, Colombia
Jardin
Jardín is an Andean town in northwest Colombia, known for its brightly painted houses, colorful floral displays and milk candies. The main plaza, El Libertador Park, features rose gardens, a central fountain and the twin-towered, neo-Gothic Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
San Agustín is a town in the Andes Mountains of western Colombia. It’s known for its proximity to the San Agustín Archaeological Park, home to numerous pre-Columbian remains spread over several sites. Carved volcanic stone figures and tombs litter the Forest of Statues, amid native trees and flowers. Nearby, the Lavapatas Spring’s rock bed is scored with ceremonial water channels and reptilian shapes.
The San Agustín Archaeological Park is a UNESCO site located in the Colombian southwestern Andes. The park contains the largest collection of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in Latin America and is considered the world’s largest necropolis.
Horse Riding around the Archaeological sites and Coffee Farms
One of the best ways to get around the sites and coffee farms is via horse back. There are many trails available and with the hilly terrain, a horse is perfect for the task. Tours can be arranged that visit coffee plantations as well as the Archaeological sites.
San Agustín, Colombia
Coffee, Colombia
La Chaquira
La Chaquira is located in a valley with historic 1st-10th century carved figures and views of valleys & the river.
