Tag: Mavecure

Ultimate Guide to Visit Guainía: Jungle, Rivers and Astounding Views

Posted on by Frank59872

Two events have consolidated Guainía in the minds of travelers, the first, the signing of the peace agreement and the second, the launch of the Ciro Guerra’s film The Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de la Serpiente), winner of multiple awards around the world.

Guainía

Guainía in the Yuri language means “Land of many waters”. Its capital is Inírida, and it is located in the east of the country. The temperature of the region oscillates between 25 and 30 degrees centigrade.

Most of its territory is made up of flat extensions, although there are some elevations, mainly the so-called tepuis, which are remnants of the Guiana shield, the oldest mountainous formation on the planet.

The most famous hills are the Mavecure, but there are others hills and mountains like the so-called Aracuari, Canapiari, Guasacavi, Mavicure, Pajarito, Rana, Salvaje, Sáquiras, Sardinas, and the mountains of Caranacoa and Naquén, with heights slightly above 500 meters above sea level.

In the past this was a region afflicted by armed conflict and violence, but this situation is now in the past and the community has found in tourism an opportunity for life.

Communication Routes and Transportation in Guainía

In the department of Guainía, the main communication route is the rivers, which are the road axes of access. Roads are scarce and only passable in the dry months.

It is also important the air transport. There are two airports located in Inírida and in the town of Barranco Minas. 

Tourism in Guainía

In Guainía one of the main attractions is its people, whose population is mostly composed of indigenous people (65%), who come from almost 30 different communities and belong to ethnic groups such as the puinave, curripaco, tukano, wanano, desano, piratapuyo, piapoco and yeral.

Guainía's people
Guainía’s people

Other attractions are the Cerros de Mavecure, the Las Brujas lagoon, the Sapuara stream and the fluvial star. You can also find the Puinawai National Natural Reserve; the Pavón, Payara and Matevení Lakes, which together with the Inírida River, are destinations where you can practice water sports and sport fishing.

How to get to Guainía

You have to arrive by plane from Bogota to Puerto Inirida. The distance in straight line from Bogota is 720 Km, and it translates into 1 hour 10 min of flight.

 

It is recommended that you stay at least 4 days in the region to enjoy this majestic and sacred place.

In Inirida you can find several hotel offers, and all trips are made to and from the city by boat on the Inirida River and its tributary streams.

Below you will find the best destinations in Guainía.

Guainía Destinations

The Mavecure or Mavicure Hills

The Mavecure Hills are part of what we know today as deep Colombia. Embedded in the Amazon, they have become one of the most emblematic tourist destinations in Colombia.

In a study published about Ciro Guerra’s El Abrazo de la Serpiente, the Hills of Mavecure and surrounds are described as a landscape of enormousness, limitlessness, extraordinariness, and grandeur.

Mavecure Hills – Picture courtesy by Andrés Rodríguez, local indigenous guide.

The hills of Mavicure are three hours away from Puerto Inírida, the capital of Guainía. There are three tepuis called Mavicure, Mono and Pajarito that serve as an impressive viewpoint to the Guainía’s jungles.

From the top of the hills you can appreciate large extensions of jungle inhabited by indigenous communities such as the Puinaves and Curripacos.

According to Puinave Tomás Corda Medina, a native of the Barranco Tigre community, in an interview for a national newspaper:

“in the curripaco language, Mavecure comes from the words ‘mavi’, which is a palm used to make different utensils, and from ‘cure’, a poison that the ancestors took from a tree and put on the tips of their arrows for hunting with blowpipes.”

It is said that the hills were considered a magical space where humans could communicate with their gods.

The hills of Mavecure are 55 kilometers west of this city. To reach them you must take a speedboat that takes about 2 hours to travel the 55 kilometers through the Inírida River.

Climbing the Mavecure Hills

After arrival, you will have to spend the night in the El Remanso or in the El Venado indigenous communities placed at the foot of the hills.

You will need a guide to accompany you to the highest part of the hills, along the only trail suitable for walking and which does not require climbing equipment.

To reach the viewpoint, at 250 meters high, the only conditions are imposed by the weather and your physical condition. You must watch every step, and always go with a certified guide.

It is recommended to go up at a sunny moment. This is because, when it rains, the stone ground becomes slippery, and the slope makes the water run forming strong currents on the way down, which makes it very dangerous.

Once at the top you can see Pajarito and Mono; on their skirts you can see the dark green of a jungle that hides anteaters, water dogs, armadillos, limpets, chigüiros, tapirs, deer and tigers. In the distance, there are the caños that the river Inírida bathes, and other fluvial courses.

Mavecure Hills – Picture courtesy by Andrés Rodríguez, local indigenous guide.

The activities that you can do in the Mavicure Hills are bird watching, hiking, photography, and nocturnal fish watching on the banks of the Inírida River where you can see rays, guaracus, palometas, agujones and cuchas.

Find more details about Mavecure in our entry 5 Things you Should Know Before Visiting the Mavecure Hills in Colombia.

Las Brujas Lagoon

The Laguna de Brujas or Chalchuapa (in the language of the natives) is defined by the locals as an oasis of peace. It is a quiet place where you can escape to feel the sounds of birds and nature in all its splendor.

Situated 10 minutes by boat from Puerto Inírida, you will feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the surrounding forest. Laguna de las Brujas is announced as the preferred habitat of the pink dolphins.

Las Brujas Lagoon © Toninas Tours

A variety of stories are told among the natives, such as the legend of the “Pink Dolphin” which tells that spiritual leaders arrived there to talk to the pink dolphins about the future of the Amazon and its communities.

Others say that it was named after a legend about some witches who stole the water from another place known as “Hoyos de la caldera” (boiler holes), but during the trip they dropped the water in the air, forming the Brujas Lagoon.

The truth is that, regardless of their origins, tourists and locals can take tours through this splendid landscape in canoes, accompanied by an indigenous guide.

Caño Bocón

It is the paradise of fishing. Bocón is one of the main tributaries to the Inírida River. It is bordered by jungle.

This river is located in the territory of the Puinave ethnic community, thanks to which the river, and its lagoons, with its Peacock Bass and the large Payaras that live in it, are cared for and watched over.

Caño Bocón ©adsfishingconcept

Thanks to an agreement with the Puinave, fishing is allowed for a maximum group of 10 people, you will not see anyone else in fishing action during your week.

The fishing is fast and abundant: Peacocks, Payaras, Catfish, Palometas, Bocones, Morocotos, etc.

Viejita Lagoon

Another paradise for fishing in Colombia. Downstream from Puerto Inírida, where the river delivers its waters to the Guaviare.

After two hours of navigation towards the east, you can leave the river and walk around 15 minutes through the jungle until you reach the Viejita lagoon.

On a floating raft you go around the lagoon completely. From the raft you will witness epic sunsets and landscapes.

The Fluvial Star of Inírida (Estrella fluvial del Sur)

This is a must see in Colombia. This is a place where the rivers Guaviare, Atabapo and Inírida converge and swell the Orinoco River, one of the longest rivers in south American, and one of the top five largest rivers in the world.

Estrella fluvial del Sur, with its many rivers and lagoons, has been declared as a Ramsar Territory in 2014. This gave it recognition as a wetland of international importance, whose ecological and social value transcends the borders of a single country and benefits humanity.

The declaration of the Inírida River Star demand research efforts and substantial investments to safeguard the ecological integrity of the area. Ecotourism  appears as a sustainable practice and activity compatible with the rational use promoted by the Ramsar Convention.

Estrella Fluvial del Sur ©El Espectador

Estrella Fluvial del Sur Facts

  • The River Star is home to 34% of Colombia’s wealth in freshwater fish species.
  • Colombia has the second largest number of freshwater fish species in the world. 
  • The River Star is home to 70% of the known avifauna in Eastern Orinoco, 476 species of birds, two of which are exclusive to the place.
  • In the Inírida River Star there are 903 species of plants, 200 of mammals and 40 of amphibians.
  • The otter, the jaguar and the pink dolphin, present in the Fluvial Star, are in critical danger.
  • In the area there are two indigenous peoples, Puinave and Curripaco, five resguardos and 15 communities that inhabit them, who support and legitimize the decision of the declaration as a Ramsar territory.

The Flower of the Inírida

It is an endemic plant of Guainía that grows in humid savannas and whose petals are red tips. Technically, the flower of the Inirida is two species of monocotyledonous herbs belonging to the family Rapateaceae. Both species are endemic to white-sanded savannas, with extremely poor, precarious soil conditions that are hostile to any plant.

Flowers of Inírida, winter Guacamaya superba, and summer Schoenocephalium teretifolium.

There are winter and summer ones and one is bigger than the other. The Winter Flower of Inírida (Guacamaya superba), the bigger one, blooms mainly during the rainy season in the region (June – October). On the other hand the Flower Summer of Inírida (Schoenocephalium teretifolium) blooms mainly during the season of drought (December – March).

Guainianos love and protect it and travelers admire it. It can be seen in all its magnificence in the savannahs on the way to Caño Bitina. During the flowering season, the savannah is dyed red because of the abundance of flowers.

Alto de Caño Mina

The Raudal Alto de Caño Mina, one of the tributaries of the Inírida River, is one of the most overwhelming in the Colombian Amazon.

This is one of the most emblematic destinations of this Secret Colombia. It has has a 15-meter waterfall of black, red and yellow waters. Its color is produced due to a great load of tannins it has. 

It is necessary to go up the Inírida River for two days. Then you leave the Inírida River and enter through the Caño Mina.

Other Plans in Guainía

Ancestral writings (Coco Viejo Indigenous Community)

  • Explanation of the ancestral writings by an interpreter of the Curripaco people and field trip where you will have contact with these writings.
  • Know the petroglyphs.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics.

Visit ndigenous communities of Caño Vitina, Sabanitas, Guamal, Concordia.

  • Experiential tourism.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics.

Caño San Joaquín

  • Sport Fishing.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.

Raudales de Zamuro and Cualet

  • Sport Fishing.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.
  • Experiential tourism.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics

Wildlife observation

  • Toninas (pink dolphins) and bird watching. 
  • Visit the ornamental fish farms.

Water tourism and adventure

  • Practice water ports such as skiing, diving and sport fishing.
  • Camping or hammock nights.

Hiking and trekking

  • Hiking through the forest to the indigenous community of Venado.

Recommendations 

This is a trip to the jungle, so you have to be prepared for BASIC conditions of accommodation, food, transport etc. You will not find luxury things especially at night, because you will have to sleep in the community.

Additionally, take into account that the itinerary can vary according to the changes that the flights can have, the circumstances of the climate or unforeseen last minute.

Things you will need: 

  • Wear comfortable, light-colored and lightweight clothing, hopefully waterproof.
  • Bring hats or caps for protection from the sun and wear a long-sleeved shirt.
  • Wear hiking shoes, preferably waterproof, and extra tennis shoes.
  • Photo or video camera to not lose any detail of these beautiful landscapes.
  • Abundant hydration for the walks, sunscreen and repellent.
  • A raincoat to cover yourself in case it rains.
  • Small backpack for the daily walks.
  • Flashlight.
  • Sleepwear. It is recommended to take a light sleeping, at night it can be cold.
  • Personal hygiene equipment in small quantities.
  • Tape, micropore and anti-irritation creams.
  • Camping equipment (tent, mattress) or hammock with ropes and tarp, depending on your preference for the first night.
  • Swimwear.

If you want to know more about the most incredible natural destinations in Colombia, plan your trip with us!

References
About the author

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

9 Destinations for Trekking and Mountaineering in Colombia  

Posted on by Frank59872

Trekking and mountaineering in Colombia are becoming more popular among all tourists, not only backpackers. This is because these activities provide a different experience that allows people to connect with nature while discovering incredible places. Both require a good physical condition though, so think of this when planning an expedition!  

Colombia offers many trails for go trekking or mountaineering, from the world’s highest coastal mountain in the Caribbean coast to rock hills in the Amazon and some of the greatest snowy peaks in the imposing Andes mountain range that splits into 3 branches in Colombian ground. 

If you are an adventurous traveler, you need to know the diverse trails for trekking and mountaineering in Colombia. Here they are! 

1. The Lost City  

Lost City, or Teyuna, is the greatest archaeological finding in Colombia. This ancient indigenous civilization was built in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, along the Buritaca river, by the Tayrona culture.

Over 200 stone structures including interconnected roads, stairs, terraces, canals, and ceremonial buildings are the remnants of the city, which was forcibly abandoned during the Spanish colonization. 

The round trip is 50 km long approximately and to enter, you must climb a 1,200 step stone stairway through the forest. This unique trek experience takes an average of 4 days but goes up to 6 depending on your physical level and stops done during the trip.

You will not only challenge your body but get to interact with Kogui local indigenous group and discover the immense biodiversity that inhabits this sanctuary. No need to say more, live the Lost City trek yourself! 

2. Tayrona National Natural Park  

The foothills of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta merge into the intense blue-colored Caribbean sea, forming gorgeous white sanded beaches surrounded by mangroves and dense jungle with many endemic fauna and flora species. This is the breathtaking landscape you can appreciate in Tayrona. 

To get to the camping zone from the entrance, you need to take a 2-hour hike and there are other trekking trails:

  • The Kogui trail or Knowledge route from Cañaveral to Arrecife lasts 1 hour and has a low difficulty level.
  • The Arrecifes – Boca del Saco trail, also moderate and 2-hour long, in which you can pass by Playa Arrecifes, La Piscina and Cabo de San Juan del Guia. 
  • Another popular trek is Pueblito, something like the mini version of Lost City where Kogui families live. 

3. Los Nevados National Natural Park 

Los Nevados National Natural Park is in the Central mountain range of the Andes and comprises the three coldest thermal floors.

This means that here you can get to know Andean forest, paramo, and glacier ecosystems. 38 nearby municipalities and crop fields are provided with water thanks to the rivers that descend from the paramos and glaciers in the park. 

The snowy mountains that belong to this protected area are Ruiz, Tolima, Santa Isabel, and El Cisne, Quindio, and Santa Rosa paramillos, which form the greatest volcano complex in the country.

Many tourists visit this park to climb to the highest peaks of these mountains that go up to 5,300 meters above sea level!  

Currently, Nevado del Ruiz presents volcanic activity so access is restricted. Here are the two snowy mountains within the park you can climb to. 

4. Tolima and Santa Isabel Snow-capped Mountains

With its peak at 5,220 MASL, Nevado del Tolima is one of the two currently available options for mountaineering in Colombia.

The excursions take 4 days in total and usually start from Ibague or Salento. When you get to the summit, a view over Los Nevados Park and the Magdalena valley will take your breath away -on sunny days, of course.

This is one of the most demanding treks in Colombia because of its steep slopes and only experienced mountaineers should attempt to climb to the 2.8 km2 glacier.  

Located between the snowy volcanoes of Tolima and Ruiz, Santa Isabel is the lowest snowy mountain in Colombia.

Unlike others, it does not have a conic structure with a crater but a set of domes created by lava outpouring that allows the glacier thermal floor to existing. Poleka Kasue, as the Quimbaya indigenous culture called it, has its highest peak on the central summit at 4,968 meters above sea level.

Unfortunately, it suffered deglaciation in recent years, passing from 1.9 km2 to 0.5 km2 in 10 years. In fact, IDEAM studies have determined that it would take only a decade for this glacier to become extinct. 

The trip to Santa Isabel’s summit starts from Pereira, Santa Rosa de Cabal, or Manizales and takes 1 or 2 days to the summit.

Among the attractions of the trek is the viewpoint of Laguna del Otún and Paramillo del Quindío, and the gorgeous paramo landscapes that boast a frailejones valley and endemic flora and fauna species.

Once again, it is recommended to have experience in mountaineering and take all the safety precautions. 

5. Puracé National Natural Park 

Another Andean volcanic zone, this time declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this is Puracé NNP.

The Coconucos volcanic range has 11 volcanoes, among which Puracé is the only active one. The Magdalena, Cauca, Patía, and Caquetá rivers (some of the main rivers in Colombia) originate in this mountain, along with around 30 crystalline lagoons and several sulfur springs for hot baths.

It is located in the Cauca department and its name means “fire mountain” in the Quechua language, spoken by the homonymous indigenous culture that protects the territory. Puracé is a privileged spot for those looking for the majestic Andean condor, which soars over the paramo ecosystem. 

Departing early from Popayan, a road takes you to the park entrance, where you will find various trekking trails: one directly to the volcano and others with lower difficulty that pass by its beautiful water bodies and are 20 km long approximately. The landscape is stunning and the park is quite calm. 

6. El Cocuy National Natural Park  

Sierra Nevada of Güicán, El Cocuy, and Chita is the largest glacier mass in Colombia: within two mountain ranges it has over 20 snow peaks from 4,800 to 5,330 meters above sea level, Ritacuba Blanco being the highest.

It is located in the departments of Arauca and Boyacá and is sacred territory for the Uwa indigenous community, because of this there are some restricted areas.

This trek is particularly stunning cause you can find waterfalls, lagoons, important rivers such as the Magdalena or the Orinoco, frailejones, Andean condors, spectacled bears, and white-tailed deer! An unbelievable view. 

Mountain climbers of all levels visit the park to go trekking for 5 days usually, although now there are simpler trails for one-day hikes that start from El Cocuy municipality. However, it is better to be in good shape for any trekking trail, especially at such high altitudes. 

Notice: Since February 10th, 2020, El Cocuy NNP closed temporarily due to public order issues. Check its status on the web page before your trip. 

7. Chingaza National Natural Park

Chingaza páramo is a National Natural Park on the Eastern range of the Andes, between the departments of Cundinamarca and Meta.

Here you will face a cloudy environment hiding the blue sky, which reflects on the lakes surrounded by frailejones. Plus, it is possible to spot spectacled bears, deer, pumas, páramo tapirs, Andean condors, and Andean Cock-of-the-rock in the lower areas near Villavicencio.  

Trekking trips start from Guasca or La Calera municipalities and depending on the starting point, you will get to different lagoons. These water bodies were sacred to the former inhabitants, Muisca indigenous communities.

Among the most famous ones are the Siecha Lagoons, three small glacial lakes with high biodiversity around them. The maximum height you can reach is 3,800 meters above sea level and the route to the lagoons can be done in 1 day. This is an excellent option for practicing trekking near Bogota. 

8. Mavecure hills  

In the Guainia department, part of the Colombian Amazon region, three majestic rock hills rise from a pristine jungle by the Inirida river.

El Mono, El Pajarito, and Mavecure belong to the millenary Guiana Shield and can be reached by boat on a 3-hour trip from Puerto Inírida, the capital. Out of the three majestic black rounded hills, you can only climb Mavecure, which is 170 meters high.

Although it is not a really demanding hike that takes about an hour, the experience of sailing the river for hours and exploring a remote natural territory makes it a whole adventure. 

Take into account that this is a tropical zone and the weather here is hot, therefore you should be vaccinated against tetanus and yellow fever, also you should dress properly (long pants and rain boots) and keep with you a piece of basic safety equipment.   

9. Chicaque Natural Park 

Just 30 minutes away from Bogota, this eco-park covered by cloud forest offers several hiking trails for all adventurers. Although the routes individually do not take much time, there are over 20 km (12.5 miles) of hiking trails that you can complete in over 1 day, if you stay there, whether in camping zones, the hostel, cabins, or treehouses.  

After going into the forest, you can get to the Eagle’s peak, a viewpoint at 2,290 MASL from where you can see the Tequendama region and the snow-capped peaks of Los Nevados NNP on clear days.

Other trails are:

  • Roquedal, 667-meter long trail of high difficulty;
  • Butterflies, 1.6 km trail that leads to the hostel;
  • Oak Forest, 2.5 km trail surrounded by 30-meter oak trees;
  • Waterfall, 3.5 km long trail of high difficulty with a 70-meter high gorge; and the 
  • Colonial trail, 1.5 km long which was used by Muisca and Panche natives to connect the Bogota plateau with the Magdalena valley in the pre-Columbian era.

It is worth visiting Chicaque park on the outskirts of Colombia’s capital. 

These were 10 destinations to go trekking and mountaineering in Colombia in different regions of the country: the Caribbean coast, the Andes mountain range in the central region, and the Amazon jungle to the south.

From tropical to cloud forests, moorlands, and glaciers, trekking in Colombia is always a new adventure! 

If you want to know more about the most incredible natural destinations in Colombia, plan your trip with us!

References 
About the author.

Ana María Parra

Modern Languages professional with an emphasis on business translation. Interested in the cultural adaptation of written and audiovisual content.  Passionate about knowing new cultures and languages, tourism, and sustainable living.