photo by Leo Cuesta
The new trend in travel is to stay with the locals and truly live their way of life. Eat the food they eat, hike the trails they hike and truly be one with the land that you’re visiting. It’s tough to do this on commercially available tours, though, unless you know where to look. Luckily, Uncharted Colombia has the insider scoop. They went to talk with the locals and made one-of-a-kind touring connections so that you can have a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience during your adventure. So before you book, the hardest thing will be deciding on which one of these amazing adventures you’d like to go do first!
Check out the list below for Uncharted Earth’s top Colombian living like a local hookups.
photo by Paulo Salazar
Farmhouse Homestay in Los Nevados
When it comes to visiting Los Nevados there’s only one way to truly immerse yourself in the local culture and that’s by staying over in a real working farmhouse. You’ll see lots of roaming, free animals and beautifully planted vegetable and flower gardens tucked away in the Andes mountains.
You’ll also get to see the traditional wood fire stoves that homes in this area have as well as enjoy home-cooked traditional meals. During supper, you’ll all sit around the stove family style and swap stories of travels and culture… though you’ll need to brush up on your Spanish first!
During the Los Nevados Traverse , you’ll enjoy several opportunities to stay and eat in real farmhouses. On the first and second day, you’ll stay with Don Humberto and his family where you will enjoy farm-fresh cheese and arepas in a charming farmhouse named Campoalegre. On the third day, you’ll enjoy the hospitality and food from Diego and Maria who reside in The Berlin farmhouse. Then after your hike on the fourth day through the Paramo and and cloud forest, you’ll enjoy a stay at La Argentina farmhouse with Don Javier and his family before going into your final day of the trip. And once you reach the end, you’ll not want to go home because you feel so one with the people and land.
photo by Leo Cuesta
Homestay in La Guajira
The local indigenous people who live in La Guajira are the Wayuu which makes this homestay even more special as you’ll be staying at a Wayuu family’s home during your trip. This is a very exotic experience even for local Colombians so for travellers to experience La Guajira: Where the Desert Meets the Sea , is a true treasure not to be missed.
After exploring the beach, dunes and flamingo sanctuary on days one and two, you’ll nestle into Nazareth on days three and four where you will be greeted by your Wayuu host as well as enjoy local home-cooked Colombian Caribbean food and a good night’s rest.
So what is Colombian Caribbean food? Well, if you’re a fan of lobsters and seafood, you’ll find yourself right at home. Everything from meat stew to fried fish and yes, lobsters, are possible items on the menu for a hearty dinner. And with a charming Wayuu host, you’ll be sure to swap stories, laughs and good times.
By the end of day 6, you’ll feel like a true local and be blessed to have experienced the hospitality of the Wayuu. Tip: make sure to get the inside scoop of where to get your Wayuu mochila before you head back home.
photo by Luis Alejandro Bernal Romero via Flickr
Jungle Lodge Stay in Nuqui
If you ever dreamed of staying at a place that’s surrounded by plant and animals then this jungle lodge stay is one not to miss. Immerse yourself in the deep jungle and truly feel one with the earth during your lodge stay. Look out the window and see lush trees, hear the sounds of the many wondrous birds and catch glimpses of wild animals just a few feet from where you wake.
El Amargal reserve in Choco is located next to the jungle, in an area of 40 hectares of protected rainforest. It also has 1.5 Km of private beach. There you can take a boat ride down the river to a local community where you can eat local food and spend time with the villagers before hiking back to the reserve. Then, after your trek through the jungle, enjoy seeing the whales back in El Amargal – a truly breathtaking experience.
If you’d like to sign up for this one, you’ll be one of the first as this trip is part of a handful of new offerings from Uncharted Colombia.
photo by Apollo via Flickr
Maloca in the Amazon
Still can’t get enough of the jungle? Then check out the iconic Colombian Amazon . Another new offering offered by Uncharted Earth, you’ll visit a maloca which is a traditional indigenous house in the Amazon. You’ll, of course, also immerse yourself in the indigenous communities once there and truly appreciate the people, the land and their beautiful homes.
One such people are the Matapi indigenous community. Getting to know these individuals is a rare treat as it is estimated that only 200 are left in the whole tribe which truly makes this a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In addition to enjoying a home-cooked local meal, you’ll also marvel at the canoe and navigation skills that these people harness as well as their ability to catch almost any river animal with ease. Their tribal gardens and other crops are also a sight to behold and the warm hospitality will keep you telling travel stories for years to come.
Let’s Go!
The hardest part about choosing among these travels is selecting just one. Each one is completely unique and has action-packed adventures rolling day into day. If you’re lucky enough to have a longer vacation time, booking two back-to-back adventures would help you cover the most ground and create the most unforgettable experiences. Prepare to return home transformed. For booking details, reach out to your Uncharted Colombia travel expert today.