The Road to El Dorado (Colombia)
El Dorado Nature Reserve sits high in the coastal hills of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada mountain range. The reserve is known to have one of the most diverse bird populations in the world, including 19 endemic species. While at her previous job in Washington D.C., Bry worked with an organization called Pro Aves to purchase nearly 1,800 acres of land and set up the reserve. When we had the opportunity to visit the project, she couldn’t resist.We decided to splurge and stay at the eco lodge in the reserve. Although it is a bit pricey, it is beautiful and was well worth the money spent. More on the lodge in a bit, but first let me tell you how we got there.
Starting in Taganga beach, we hired a taxi to take us an hour up hill to Minca, a small mountain town popular for its surrounding waterfalls and swimming holes. It has become a hippie, backpacker haven for travelers looking for a break from the heat of the seaside towns below. Minca is roughly the halfway mark on the road to El Dorado.
After Minca, the road gets rough – sometimes merely a pile of rocks or even a large mud hole. There are often streams or waterfalls flowing right across the path. As a result, all taxis stop in Minca. At that point, we had the choice of hiring either a truck for nearly $100 USD or a motorcycle taxi for $20 USD. Since El Dorado itself is a bit expensive, we felt that the cheaper way up was our best option. Whew, were we in for an adventure.
The trip itself was not too bad, but having large packs on our backs made even riding a workout. Because the road at times was very steep, just to keep from falling off the motorbike I had to use all of my strength to lean forward, against the force of gravity pulling me back. After arriving at the lodge, I felt sore throughout my body. However, being on the back of the bike rather than in a car allowed us to better experience our ascent into the clouds. We could smell the air getting fresher, we could feel the temperature getting cooler, and we could, over time, hear the sounds of nature.
Upon arriving at the resort in El Dorado, we were escorted to our room — a cozy, forest sanctuary with a balcony that looked out over the reserve and beyond. After such a long drive, it was hard to believe that we still had a view of the sea. The room had large windows on two sides, which made us feel as if we were sleeping in the forest itself. While falling asleep, we enjoyed the glittering lights of the coast below us and, at the same time, the millions of stars in the sky above.
Since the lodge is in a secluded area, we chose the all-three-meals-provided option. The woman preparing the food was an excellent cook. Everything she made was delicious. Each meal started with a delectable soup and ended with a sumptuous dessert, exactly what one needed after a day of hiking.
On our first full day, we decided to hike farther up the mountain. We were told that we could see the most birds from the road. We are not bird fanatics, however, so we probably missed many of the exotic species, and didn’t know many of the ones we spotted, but we were fascinated by birds we saw, and the walk was beautiful and good exercise. We even got to hear the screams of the howler monkeys in the distance. We hiked to the research station just north of the park and then back to the lodge, about a four-hour leisurely walk round trip.
The next day, we had to head back to Minca. Thinking we wouldn’t be able to stand another moto ride, we decided to make the five-hour journey downhill on foot, with our packs. The hike started off great, but around three hours in, we got caught in a serious downpour. We kept walking for a bit, but then, worried about both the lightning and our cameras, we found a home where we were able to hang out under a roof for about an hour and a half until the rain stopped. Tired and wet, we continued on to Minca where we came upon an adorable hotel run by a jolly Irishman and his NYC-raised, Colombian wife. Once dry, we relaxed with a beer, feeling satisfied by our adventure to El Dorado.
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