New climbing season has just began!

After all those cold winter months and with the spring a little shy, the temperatures are rising again. We thought therefore that it was time to finally open a 2012 climbing season. This time it was at a local crag in Jakub, Slovakia. Lots of elephant moves but the strength's still there, I have to say! :)

Jakub, Slovakia

Read more »

SIERRA NEVADA DEL COCUY: CLIMBING PART 1

SIERRA NEVADA DEL COCUY: CLIMBING PART 1

SOUTHERN COCUY

Southern part of Sierra Nevada del Cocuy is where Pan de Azúcar and Púlpito del Diablo, amongst others, are located. To access this part you need to enter from Cabañas del Púlpito (Cabañas Guaicani on the map), sometimes referred to as Cueva Alta. It takes 1.5 hour from El Cocuy with lechero to get there (see: GETTING THERE for more info). For Púlpito del Diablo, the normal route of Pan de Azúcar and North Ridge of Campanillas Blanco follow the trail to Laguna Pintada and turn left there for what is marked as "Hotelito - Pulpito" and continue to Campamento Lagunilas (4.5h from the entrance). For the East Faces follow the trail at the intersection to Laguna de la Plaza.

A good topographic map can be found HERE

Púlpito del Diablo and Pan de Azúcar

Pico Diamante with the East Face of Pan de Azúcar behind it

PAN DE AZÚCAR
Elevation: 5,120m / 16,797ft

Normal Route (access from Lagunillas)
CLICK HERE for a very detailed description of the route with photos


EAST FACE
Access: from Laguna de la Plaza

“Pared Oriental del Pan de Azúcar” 5.10+, 600m (Agni Morales, Caro Vallejo, April 2005)
A very small image of the topo on Monodedo website (on the left)

"La Sonrisa" 5.10d, 550m (Jairo Bogotá, Rafael Avila)
CLICK HERE for topo and HERE for a route opening report (in Spanish)

 "Matando Bacterias" 5.10, A2, 600m (Monika Bernal, ?

)

Púlpito del Diablo

PÚLPITO DEL DIABLO
Elevation: 5,100m / 16,732ft

There are at least several routes on Púlpito del Diablo but, apart from the "normal route", I could not find any information on them.

Normal route 5.8, 70m
Access: from Lagunillas (see Pan de Azúcar page for detailed description)

First pitch of the normal route

The route is located on the east side of the rock. It follows a crack and then a corner and chimney on the second pitch. Good protection (medium nuts and friends) and belay stations protected by some pitons left by other climbers.

A good photo with a topo HERE and HERE (click "CLICK TO READ", then go to PAGE 47 of 75)

South Face of Campanillas Negro

CAMPANILLAS NEGRO
Elevation: 4,800m / 15,748ft

"Gárgolas" (South Face)
 5.11a / A2, 450m (Luis Pardo, Leyla Cárdenas, Julio Granados, 12 January 2011)

Access: from Laguna Pintada
A good image of the route can be found here

For a detailed topo follow this link (click "CLICK TO READ" and go to page 5 of 9)
To get more info email Club de Escalada Suesca: clubdeescaladasuesca[at]gmail.com

The summit of Campanillas Blanco

Campanillas Blanco seen from Lagunillas

CAMPANILLAS BLANCO
Elevation: 4,900m / 16,076ft

Access: from Lagunillas (below Pan de Azúcar)

Arista Norte (North Ridge) 5.10+, 
500m (Luis Pardo, Leyla Cárdenas, Catalina Noreña)

Click here for an image of the route
To get more info email Club de Escalada Suesca: clubdeescaladasuesca[at]gmail.com

Pared NorOriental (North East Face) 5.10+, 
350m (Andrés Hilarión, Rene Liebert, Iván Macías, 23 January 2010)
Access: from Patio Bolos (Paso "B" on the map)
Photo of the approach and the route.
Story of the route opening on Monodedo website (in Spanish)
To get more info email Club de Escalada Suesca: clubdeescaladasuesca[at]gmail.com

Campanillas Blanco and Pan de Azúcar from Patio Bolos

El Diamante with Pico Toti on the right

PICO TOTI
Elevation: 4,800m / 15,748ft

"Chikara" (East Face) 5.10+ / A1+, 
360m (Luis Ossa, Darwin Bravo, Alex Torres, 01 January 2010)
Access: from Laguna de la Plaza
For a detailed topo follow this link (click "CLICK TO READ" and go to page 5 of 9)

Pico Diamante

PICO DIAMANTE
Elevation: 4800m / 15,748ft

EAST FACE
Access: from Laguna de la Plaza
"Licántropos" 5.9 / A1, 400m (Luis Pardo, Diego Gómez, 9 January 2012)
To get more info email Club de Escalada Suesca: clubdeescaladasuesca[at]gmail.com

PORTALES
Elevation: 4800m / 15,748ft

"Gallito de Roca", 5.10b / A0 120m (Diego Cortés, Diego Parra, Mateo Franco)
Access: from Laguna Grande de la Sierra
Photo of the wall HERE and a small one of the route HERE
Report from the route opening (in Spanish) on Monodedo website
Some more description (in Spanish) here

CAÑÓN DEL RÍO CÓNCAVO

This is a very interesting sector that has a lot of potential for opening new routes.
A couple of routes already opened there:

"Las via U'wa" 5.10d, 4 pitches (Hugo Rocha, ?)
"Un miedo de muerte" 5.10b, 4 pitches (Hugo Rocha, ?)
"No other one bites the dust" 5.7 / A0, 300m, 8 pitches (Michael Schachtner, Frank Helbig)
CLICK HERE for the photo of the route

Read more: Northern Cocuy

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF EL COCUY ON FLICKR

Read more »

TAYRONA: OTHER INFO

TAYRONA: OTHER INFO

ENTRANCE FEE

You will have to pay an entrance fee before you’re allowed to enter the park. You will get a wristband and they will make you put it on your wrist. If you’re arriving by boat a park official will charge the fee. Different prices apply depending on whether you’re a foreigner or a Colombian citizen (a little annoying in my opinion).

Officially, it is forbidden to bring alcohol, plastic and styrofoam to the park (a bit ridiculous if you ask me as beer, soft drinks, etc. are being sold in all restaurants in the park). Your bag might be searched by police at the entrance and inside the park (see below: DANGERS)

El Zaino entrance

The current prices are as follows:

ADULTS:
foreigners $35,000
Colombian residents $18,000
Colombians $13,000

CHILDREN:
5-12 year olds (foreigners&Colombians) $7,000
under 5 and above 65 (foreigners&Colombians) - free

There are no discounts for students

For car entrance fees and prices for all national parks in Colombia download the pricelist here

WHAT TO BRING

CLIMBERS:
Bring your climbing shoes (obviously) and a lot of chalk (there are NO climbing shops on the Caribbean coast).

EVERYBODY:
If you’re on a low budget bring as much food with you as you can as everything here is overpriced. If camping, make sure your tent is waterproof as the almost-nightly rains can be quite intense (even though it’s very near much drier Santa Marta, Tayrona has its own, very humid microclimate). Don’t forget an insect repellent (see: DANGERS below) and sunscreen. Take some comfortable shoes (sandals or trainers) that you can easily rinse&dry after walking on muddy trails.
DO NOT bring your hiking shoes. They will never dry here and will only get destroyed.

MONEY



The nearest ATM is in Santa Marta so make sure you take enough cash with you. You can, however, pay for food and accommodation with most major credit cards at Aviatur restaurants.

PHONE AND INTERNET ACCESS

If you’re desperate for internet access there is a free (and rather slow) Wi-Fi near the Aviatur’s Ecohabs reception in Playa Cañaveral. They also have an internet connection at the reception of their Yuluka sector in Arrecifes. No Wi-Fi there but I suppose they would allow you to use their computer if you had some kind of emergency.
If you want to use your mobile phone in Tayrona there is some mobile network coverage (usually close to the campsites)

DANGERS

Lifeguard and a policeman checking out our work

Tayrona is generally a very safe place. There is a high police presence in the park (their uniforms make them look like military though) and they are (as ALL Colombians) very nice. Don’t be surprised if they randomly choose to search your bag though. Just be polite. There are also a couple of lifeguards in Arrecifes.

Warning board in Arrecifes

Swimming is allowed on some of the beaches only; it might not look like it but the riptides are very strong here; if, by chance, you get caught in one do not try to swim back to the shore but instead save your energy by floating and swimming parallel to the shore until you get rescued or swim out of the current.

Malaria - there is no malaria risk on most of the Caribbean coast of Colombia
Yellow fever - it is recommended (but NOT REQUIRED) to have a vaccination against yellow fever in Tayrona (if you plan to travel in South America for longer I would recommend getting a jab anyway - the protection lasts 10 years)
Mosquitoes - quite a lot so make sure you bring a repellent and, when sleeping in hammock, hire one with a mosquito net

 

Sandflies' bites on my legs

Sandflies - these little critters can give you a really hard time; you won’t even notice (till it swells and begins to hurt)
Ticks - just avoid high grass and shrubs and check your body occasionally (I’ve never caught any ticks before in my life and found 8 sucking my blood in Tayrona!)







SEE MORE PHOTOS OF TAYRONA ON FLICKR

Read more »

TAYRONA: ACCOMMODATION

TAYRONA: ACCOMMODATION

There is a total of 8 campsites in Tayrona National Park. All of them rent hammocks, some have cabañas (huts), others rent tents (with mattresses and blankets). Anything else you might find on the internet that claims to be in Tayrona is located OUTSIDE the park.

Note: all prices here are for low season; they will be higher during high season (e.g. Easter, June-August,  December-January)

PLAYA CAÑAVERAL

Cabañas in Playa Cañaveral

Ecohabs (Aviatur)
Camping, cabañas, restaurant, spa
PRICES:
camping $11,500pp
Ecohab from $552,000 (with breakfast, accommodates 4)
 







PLAYA ARRECIFES 

Camping Yuluka

Camping Yuluka (Aviatur)
Aviatur’s camping ground, cabañas and a restaurant located right at the entrance of the Arrecifes sector. The most expensive option (not significantly though). Very good (and pricey) food in their restaurant. Showers, lockers.
PRICES:
camping $11,500pp
tent with mattress $20.000pp
hammock $20,000
cabaña from $367,000 (with breakfast, accommodates 5)
To book and/or to check the prices visit their website

Camping Paraiso

Camping Paraiso
Right next to Yuluka. Camping, hammocks, cabañas, showers, shop and a decently priced restaurant. Owned by an old grumpy man named Martin. Place a bit dirty and has a money-grubbing feel.
PRICES:
camping $10,000pp
tent with mattress $50,000 (accommodates 2)
hammock $12,000 - 13,000
cabaña with private bathroom $130,000 (accommodates 2)

Camping “between Paraiso and Bukaru”

Camping “between Paraiso and Bukaru”
No idea what it’s called (or whether it has a name at all). Located right next to Paraiso. Camping and hammocks with a sea view. “Hippies’ hangout”. A bit dirty but cheaper than most other places, some interesting characters stay there. Has a shop, restaurant and showers.
PRICES:
?

Finca Don Pedro

Finca Don Pedro
In my opinion the best place to stay in Arrecifes. The only downside is that it is a 5-minute walk from the beach (walk through the campsite “between Paraiso and Bukaru” and follow a path through the forest and next to banana plantation. On the plus side: clean, less mosquitoes, good restaurant, bakery, very nice owners.
PRICES:
camping $10,000pp
tent with mattress $15,000pp
hammock $?

 

Camping Bukaru

Camping Bukaru
Right next to “between Paraiso and Bukaru”. Nice, clean, friendly. Has showers, shop, restaurant, and luggage storage. Next to it there is a bakery.
PRICES:
camping $10,000pp
hammock $12,000
cabaña $120,000





PLAYA CABO SAN JUAN DEL GUÍA

This is where most tourists head. It is the only beach (right by the campsite) where swimming is allowed. Personally, I would avoid staying there (though it’s definitely worth visiting). Arrecifes has several accommodation options and even though you can’t swim on Playa Arrecifes, only a short walk from there, there are a couple of beaches where you can (Playa La Arenilla and Playa La Piscina).
Cabo San Juan del Guía has only one campsite, often crowded and their restaurant serves lousy food.

The beach in Cabo San Juan del Guía

Camping Cabo San Juan del Guía
Shop, restaurant, showers, lockers.
PRICES:
camping $15,000pp
tent with mattress $25,000pp
hammock (in the hammock hut) $25,000
hammock (at the campsite) $20,000
with your own hammock $15,000
cabaña $50,000pp





CASTILLETES

There is another camping ground in the eastern part of Tayrona. Not many people stay there though as it doesn’t have a beach where you can swim. To get there turn right after about 1km from El Zaino entrance (it is marked by a sign)

Camping Castilletes
camping $12,000pp
tent $30,000
room $30,000 ($40,000 with en suite bathroom)

See their website for more info


Read more: Other info

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF TAYRONA ON FLICKR

Read more »

TAYRONA: GETTING THERE

TAYRONA: GETTING THERE

From Taganga: by boat to Cabo San Juan del Guía ($40,000pp)

From Santa Marta: take a bus ($5,000/1h) from the corner of Carrera 11 and Calle 11 (on the edge of street food market, so do your last minute shopping here). The bus driver will shout “Parque Tayrona!” when stopping near the entrance. If you worried he won’t (does happen), let him know earlier that you want to get off by “entrada del parque”. The name of the access village is El Zaino. There are several restaurants and shops there if you forgot to buy something (everything more expensive than in Santa Marta).

El Zaino entrance

After paying the entrance fee (see: OTHER INFO) hop on a minibus parked after the entrance booth ($2,000/15min.). It leaves only when full (or nearly full) so you might have to wait (up to an hour if you’re unlucky).
Alternatively, you can walk all the way to Cañaveral following the paved road (40 minutes to 1 hour)

Turn right for the new path

From Cañaveral to Playa Arrecifes (45min.):
The minibus will drop you off by the car park. Follow the road to the “horse stables” and, instead of taking the VERY muddy and destroyed horse trail to the left, go right and enjoy the new, well-marked, boarded path to Arrecifes.
Otherwise, hire a horse and enjoy a bumpy ride!

The muddy horse trail near Arrecifes

The new, boarded path

From Playa Arrecifes to Cabo San Juan del Guía (45min.):

Walk along the beach and then, after La Piscina, follow a trail through the forest.

NOTE:

There are 2 more official entrances to Tayrona:

Palangana (for Neguanje and Gairaca bays): about 1km after the highway toll booths turn left and follow a dirt road (not sure about transport options there as I havent’ been to this part of Tayrona)

Calabazo: for Chairama/Pueblito (2h) and Cabo San Juan del Guía (another hour from Pueblito)








Read more: Tayrona accommodation

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF TAYRONA ON FLICKR

Read more »

TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK

TAYRONA NATIONAL NATURAL PARK

ABOUT

Stretching along the Colombian Caribbean coast and the foothills of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains lies the second most-visited national park in Colombia - Tayrona. The park contains several ecosystems including dry, spiny and cloud forests, coral reefs and mangrove swamps. It is also a home to more than 100 species of mammals with howler monkey, tigrillo, peccary and anteater among them as well as one of the largest rodents in the world - a capybara-like ñeque. At night, the sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches, while the caimans hunt in the rivers and coastal lagoons. In the park, there are also ruins of a village once inhabited by the ancient Tairona people who, some time after the arrival of Spanish conquistadors moved to the higher parts of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Their descendants - the Kogi Indians, still visit Tayrona beaches, which for centuries have been their sacred places. Dressed in white robes, they constantly rub their poporos and chew coca leafs. The Kogi, who see themselves as the “elder brothers” have for some time now been trying to warn us - the “younger brothers” about the consequences of our actions leading to the destruction of the planet. In 1991, English documentary filmmaker Alan Ereira, made for the first time in history a movie about them (From the Heart of the World: The Elder Brothers Warning), and in 2011 Kogi’s spiritual leaders - Mama visited London to repeat the warning. Currently they are working on a documentary film themselves, which, they hope, “will change our concept of reality.”

Read more: Getting there

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF TAYRONA ON FLICKR

Read more »