El Cabo San Juan de Guía, Parque Nacional Tayrona

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I don't know why Colombia isn't considered part of the Caribbean sea. I was born in Barranquilla and never understood why we are overlooked as part of being Caribbeans. On August 25/06, I went to Colombia with my Cuban friend Tony Guerrero. We landed in Barranquilla and after spending a couple of nights in Barranquilla, we decided to pay a visit to Cartagena.
The visit to Cartagena will be posted as a separate entry. After spending 5 days and nights in Cartagena, we decided it was time to hit the real adventure. On September 2/06, Tony and I went back to Barranquilla and took a bus to Santa Marta for the equivalent of US$2.92. Once there, we took a cab ($6,000.00 pesos) to Taganga, which became our base at the foot of La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta . My friend Einar Jaramillo and Santiago Posada were waiting for us at the Pelican Hotel in Taganga. We got a room which was in the unfinish part of the place for $8,000.00 pesos a night. The first night, we celebrated our arrival and reunion at the most magic night club in the whole caribbean: El Garaje (*The Garage*). If you look carefuly, you'll find a coca tree right by the dance floor. No one knows that but Santiago Posada. He helped to build the place.
I went to sleep early that evening, but Santiago, Einar and Tony decided to hang out and they woke me up next morning at 6:00 am to go to La Tagua to meet with Santiago Gil.


We took a cab from Taganga to Santa Marta's downtown. There, we got into a truck that would take us to La Tagua, via Minca. The Santa Marta-Minca wasn't that bad. However, after Minca, the road isn't paved and the trip could be a challenge for the unfit. It took us almost four hours to make it to La Tagua. Once there, we walked downhill to Santiago Gil's ranch. The scenery is incredible. Green mountains and lush vegetation. Flowers and trees I've never seen before. All the walking was done downhill. I couldn't stop thinking on my way back. When walking, I could hear the river down below getting closer. It took us almost an hour to make it to the bottom of the canyon. Once there, we sat down and enjoyed the fresh air and the cold wind of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Santiago Gil offered us some agua de panela. Then, we decided it was time for a river swim. Tony ran barefooted to the river. Everything was green! Once in the river, we drank as much water as possible. It is well known fact that the water in this part of the country is full of minerals and free of any diseases. Once back, we had a well deserved lunch, our first meal of the day. Santiago Gil's wife cooked it deliciously. I don't remember eating a meal with such a flavor in my whole life. Then it got dark and decided to go to sleep. Since there was no communication or warning that we were planning to visit Santiago Gil, Tony and Santiago Posada had to sleep on the floor. They crashed after partying in The Garage all night. Next day, we woke up with the rooster. A mandatory bath in the river at 6:00 AM. The water was cold but as soon as you get in, you are completely awake and all the cold disappears. We had breakfast, once again cooked by Mr. Gil's wife and started walking before the sun was too hot. Tony and Santiago Posada made it in 1 hour and a half. It took me 2 hours and 45 minutes to make it to the top. Once there, we caught the same truck that took us there. We made it to Santa Marta by 4:00 PM that day. Once there, we showered and got a meal and headed to the beach. That night, Tony got an amazing experience. We went to sleep early. Santiago Posada went partying.
Next day, we headed with Santiago Posada, Manno Spoelstra (our newly dutch friend), Einar and Jaun Carlos Chávez, our guide to the unhabitted bay of Chengue. Chengue was once a Tayrona town with almost 3000 inhabittants. Then the spaniards made them flee to the Sierra Nevada. We miscalculated, terribly, the amount of water we were going to need. We also expected people to be there at the Chengue Bay. Nothing. We had to survive with whatever fish the "Lanchero" caught for us. We went out hiking and saw the remanants of the indian village. The heat was too much to take and with so little water, we had a hard time hiking. Next morning we try to gather some octopus from the coral reef, but no luck there either. We all wanted to go back soon. At 2:40 PM, the boat appeared and we were happier than survivors being rescued. That night we celebrated being rescued. Next day, we decided to go to Pueblito Chairama and finish our trip in El Cabo San Juan de Guía. We caught a cab directly to Calabazo for $40,000.00 and started walking up hill for almost 3 hours. Tony decided to pay tribute to the mountain and did the walk barefooted. Once we got there, we took some photos and relaxed by eating guavas (guayabas). We drank water from a small stream that ran through the village. I can't stop mentioning that water is always too little. The path to Pueblito Chairama connects to El Cabo San Juan de Guía. The hike downhill takes almost 1 hour. The path is made of rocks which were layed in a way that they sound as you step on them. Indian technology that allowed the to know who was coming or going. Friends of foes. Once we made it to the bottom, we got into a little water hole at the bottom of the mountain. Little Tony knew what was coming. El Cabo San Juan de Guía is a small bay that makes part of the chain of places that belong to El Parque Nacional Tayrona. The Colombian Government granted Aviatur the rights to administer the park. A lot has changed as far as services since my last visit in 2001.

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Comments

[Juanes]

me voy a ir a el parque tayrona en deciembre
hey sounds and looks like youhad a great time. it is one of the favourite countries on my list to visit in latin and cental america but thanks for the advice on my planned visit. any plans to visit the lost city near santa marta ?