The Best Activities To Get Amongst Nature In Buritaca

With El Rio being close to Tayrona National Park and The Lost City Trek, it’s easy to overlook the vast array of other activities and hikes that this side of the Sierra Nevada has to offer. Here at El Rio we have several hikes and tours that are a great way to soak up some astounding nature. All tours are run and operated by local guides from the area. 

The El Rio Nature Tour

Our flagship nature tour showing off the areas’ outstanding natural beauty, the El Rio nature tour on the nearby Don Diego river takes in all sorts of birdlife, caymans big and small and howler monkeys. Sign up at reception, cost - 50,000 COP

Jungle Hikes

At El Rio we have several hikes on offer on and off the hostel site. The sunrise mirador hike, leaving at 4am, is a tough walk but well worth it, with 360 degree views up and down the coast and of the Sierra Nevada. Sign up at reception, cost - 20,000 COP

The Buritaca river basin isn’t just a good place to go tubing, with stunning walks taking you to places like the hidden waterfalls, around 2 hours from El Rio. Sign up at reception, cost - 20,000 COP

There are some great swimming spots on the Buritaca river that are hard to find. Ask at recepton for “jungle hike 2”, a great option if you’re feeling fit and active! The walk is steep and takes in some jaw dropping views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, ending with an extended tube down the river back to El Rio. Sign up at reception, cost - 30,000 COP

On the El Rio land we have a couple of miradors / viewpoints overlooking the coast and river mouth. Good if you want a sweaty, steep hike. Ask at reception, cost - free 

The Cacao Tour

A 45 minute walk each way and operated by our friends at Be Chèvre, the cacao tour culminates in a class teaching you how to make chocolate, from cacao bean to the finished product. Sign up at reception, cost - 70,000 COP

Ask at the kitchen for a delicious home made packed lunch - 20,000 COP including a sandwich, piece of fruit, cake and homemade granola

El Rio Presents: Bonanza

Planting the seed

“We should really throw a party together one day!”, said Ben as he opened another cold bottle of Aguila for me. It was March 2017, me and my boyfriend had been travelling the Colombian Caribbean Coast for a few weeks until we got stuck at this place which I immediately found to be – it. 

El Rio Hostel hugged my soul like a blanket. The dark green trees that dipped their tips into the ice cold river that runs almost through the Hostel greeted my naked skin as I swam past. The howler monkeys seemed to shout my name, so did the choir of the birds and the myriads of insects that live in this ancient jungle. My heart knew it had a found a home away from home.

“A party, huh? Sounds great, I mean, we could actually really do that!” said Guy as he sat down next to Eddy and me. Ben and Guy, the owners of El Rio, had this certain vibe, this special aura unique to people that do what they love in life. People who jumped, who face their fears – and then just did it. It took us just half an hour and half an Aguila more to become friends, and to plant the seed for what later would become one of the greatest events I ever got to plan (and trust me, there have been several).

Moving coastwards

A few month later, I was back in Colombia. I had quit my office job in Berlin and was more than ready to make it happen – our little utopia named “El Rio presenta: Bonanza”. Ben and Guy had quickly brought up the idea of the venue: Playa Bonanza. a stunnign beach, deserted, protected from the street (and nosy neighbours) by a huge banana plantation. But once I got there, I realised: this beach was by no means deserted! An old abandoned villa, built in the 90’s, was defying the strong waves that pounded against it every ten seconds. This place was not deserted… it was magic. It’s the sort of places that gives you goosebumps and that makes you feel like a child again, ready to explore.

A big family was taking care of the house, with all their primos and primas, hijos and hijas. With cute puppies and chickens running around… and, as we found out when we checked for the fuse board in a small room, a huge sow suckling it's piglets. It was literally filling the whole room, leaving us giggling – but also with a huge question in our heads: how on earth were we going to run a festival in this place?

Setting up, getting there…

As the date was coming closer, we really got moving. Ben’s friend Katja was touring Colombia at the time and agreed to bring her brother Niklas Stadler, one of the BAUM partners, and some other Munich friends. We cleaned the ground and made it safe for everyone (the sow was gently moved along), painted the house and ordered a sound system and stage (this wasn’t as simple as it sounds - this is rural Colombia after all!). Meanwhile, volunteers from all over the globe arrived at El Rio to help Eddy, Guy, Ben and me set up the festival ground. We worked in the burning heat of the day and in the cooling shades of the afternoon. We lifted and hammered, we decorated and fixed – and after a week of setup, it suddenly was the night before the party. 

Working with that team was one of the greatest experiences of my 18 month trip – genuine, hard working women and men, creative souls and strong characters. It was pure human beauty, and I still get flooded with gratefulness when I think of them.

Let the show begin

The morning of the event arrived with crisp sunshine. Everything seemed to have a lot of contrast as our small group of artists, builders and travellers headed down to the Bonanza Beach to finalise the setup. 

As we cleaned the venue once again, stocked the bar with ice-cold drinks and welcomed our Colombian food vendors and the Holzkopf Crew who had helped us during the setup, suddenly the Caribbean air seemed to vibrate with bass. The soundcheck made us realise that this was it: all the hard work would either pay off today… or not. Yes, of course we had our doubts: will the vibe be good? Will enough people from Santa Marta and Palomino make their way to our festival? 

Luckily we had no need to worry. A great crowd of people showed up. And then more… and more. The music, the sound of the waves, the swaying palm trees, the crazy rave that it all turned into… When I look back it feels almost like something from a film. But this wasn’t fiction – for one day, we made it become a reality. 

And the best thing is: we will do it again!

I still feel my feet stomping in the sand, feel the hairs on my arms standing on end in moments of bliss. And as with everything too good to let go, we decided that we would do it again. We will gather a great team. We will work hard, burn our foreheads and backs, cut our fingers and pour our hearts and souls into it. Because it’s worth it. It’s our utopia, our party, our festival, that we now want to invite you to.

We put together a killer line up already, and slowly, I can feel my pulse beating to the ticking clock as the 23rd of March comes closer. It’s happening again, ladies and gents.

See you under the palm trees

Is Colombia Safe?

By and large, the answer to this is yes! Most areas in Colombia have stabilised enormously in recent years, with the area around El Rio in particular improving vastly. Colombia has a chequered history and is still recovering, however tourists on the coast can now travel safely to areas that up until as recently as 15 years ago were no-go zones. 

Having said that, like any country Colombia has areas that aren’t as safe as others. Avoid walking alone at night in big cities and be careful about which areas of the city you visit. Big cities like Medellin and Bogotá have no-go areas, whereas the more touristy areas such as Poblado in Medellin are largely very safe; the north of Bogotá such as the area around Parque 93 and the Zona T are pretty safe at night, whereas La Candelaria (where most of the hostels are located) suffers from more petty crime after dark. 

Most bad experiences start with travellers not taking these basic precautions. Walking around quiet streets after a night of partying and entering into transactions with unsavoury characters can be sure-fire ways to end up in trouble. Basic common sense should me your most trusted source of advice. If something feels unsafe, then it may well be so take a step back and be smart!

In a nutshell, Colombia, as with any other destination, is as safe as each person makes it.

For further reading check out what the Lonely Planet has to say, and take a look at what Bookmundi has to say about which times of year are best to visit Colombia

Book your stay at Hostelworld’s best hostel in Colombia 2018 here

Our Tips For The Lost City Trek

Deciding what to pack for any trek can sometimes be as exhausting as the trek itself. But not to worry, this list is as minimalist as possible so you can make sure you have everything you NEED for your 4 or 6 day trek to the lost city!

So to start, the walking: 

1. You’re going to need some shoes or boots to walk in. (Hopefully that was obvious). One thing to note: river crossings mean footwear will get wet!

2. Clothes appropriate for the walk are also key. Many will recommend to take a couple of sets (2 pairs of socks, 2 t-shirts, 1 shorts/leggings and 4 pairs of underwear at least so you have something dry at the start of each day).

3. In this heat, a water bottle is definitely essential. There are regular points to fill up along the way too!

4. Speaking of heat and sweat, let’s not forget the danger for rain as well… A dry-bag (or plastic bag) is essential for keeping anything in your bag dry that needs to be kept dry.

And at camp:

The view at the top!

1. Flip-flops, sandals, thongs… Whatever you want to call them, after a day of trekking your feet are going to want to get some air!

2. You’re going to be sleeping in hammocks, and it can get pretty cold at night, so bring some warmer night-time clothes. Trousers and long sleeves are ideal to try and keep the mozzies at bay.

3. There are places to swim at every campsite, so a small or lightweight towel to dry is very helpful. Swimming costume always optional… ;-)

4. After the first camp there is no electricity, so any torch or flashlight is fine. If you’re planning on using your phone, then maybe a portable charger will be necessary..?

5. Shared bathrooms along a trekking route… Take your own toilet roll people.

Extras:

1. Sun cream (for the sun) and insect repellent (for the insects) can be considered pretty close to 100% essential. You don’t want to come back from this burnt. And the repellent might not feel like it makes a difference as you will definitely still get bitten, but 10 bites is better than 100!

TOP TIP: Book the Lost City at El Rio directly at reception!