Saturday, May 4th, 2019.

Day 8 of Colombian Caribbean Highlights by Bamba adventures

Todays itinerary:

“Day 4: Second Overnight Camp – Adan’s Camp (B/L/D)

Have an early breakfast today at 6:30am and hit the trail by 7:00am for a 10-kilometer return trek to camp 1 crossing back over the Buritaca River and passing through the indigenous community of Mutanshi along the way. Enjoy the fresh jungle air and spectacular scenery as you make your way to the camp 1 where you will get settled in, have dinner and get a good night’s rest.

(10-kilometer trek; 4 hours approx.)

Day 5: Adan’s Camp – El Mamey – Santa Marta

Trek back another 7 kilometers today as you make your way back to the starting point of your trek in El Mamey where you will have lunch. Then take a van back to the coastal town of Santa Marta arriving around 5:00pm to rest up from your challenging trek and enjoy the amenities of civilization. Reminisce about your trek with friends and compare photos. Don’t forget to head over to the beach for a refreshing swim.

(7-kilometer trek; 4 hours approx.)”

I decided to shorten the trekking from 5 to 4 days. So I have to do 17 km trekking today, go down to Machete (Pelao), have late lunch there and then go back to Santa Marta.

The change of the hostel is comitted fine by Bamba, they also booked one additional nicht for my shortened trek. Plan is to go to La Perla hostel and pick up my big luggage and laundry. Guide Cisar checked for me, that the driver will wait for me in front of the hostel and then will bring me to Rua Hostel, Santa Marta.

Wake up time is again 05:00 am. I wake up at 04:05 am automatically and wait for the alarm clock. There it is: 04:10 am. Eduardo gets up to shower. I stay in bed until 05:00 am. I didnot sleep a lot, because of my nose and the mating frogs making a lot of noise. Now it is quiet.

We have been the first group to sleep in a brand new building, new beds, but no light, yet. Showers with lots of water, a lot of lines to dry our stuff. The matraces are still covered in plastic under the linen to keep them clean. The owner, a young indigenous, is very proud of his new building. He is there all the time – no wet here! shower before bed! no dirt here!. Not only proud, really protective. At least they had pillows (air filled!).

5:30 am last lost city trek breakfast.

My clothes from yesterday are not dry. Anyway backpack a little bit heavier. The mules with the kitchen stuff are ready, too.

At 06:00 am, we start walking, as every day. First we climb up, then it’s mostly down to the camp, where we slept the first night.

Beautiful Aras there.

We have a snack (some artificial chocolate packed in plastic American sweets shit) and walk on. It is steep up 40 mins, last part up. A lot of clean fresh people hike towards us. Then mostly downwards in the white sand. Finally we arrive in Machete. Pace was, as in the whole hike, high.

We go to the restaurant. In front of the restaurant the cars are already waiting. They unload fresh groups for their beginning lunch. I go to shower and get my last fresh shirt.

We get our ordered lunch. Whole fish. Cisar is doing his final speech, creates a WhatsApp group for sharing pictures. The colombians start to share already.

We go to the cars and split. Backbags on the roof. Expotours brought big luggage for the ones who go further up north or to Tayrona national park, they take one bus. The others go back to Santa Marta.

Aircondition runs full. Driver is proud of it.

Cisar brings me to La Perla hostel, I take my luggage and laundry and get transferred to Rua hostal. Bamba booked with Expedia, but didnot pay. I pay. I get a quiet nice room (number 9) in the back of the hostel and write Bamba the next mail (I think it is number 10) about their crappy organization.

My room is in the first floor, has a lot of balcony to dry my wet shoes, t shirts. I give them the laundry, they do within one night. AC, soap, shampoo, towels provided, rooftop pool, bar with water refill, “hot” shower. People are very friendly.

I go explore the city and find “Origen Arte Santo”, where I get good coffee and a snack. Around the corner there is a davivienda ATM, where I can get charge free cash.

Afterwards I go to the big supermarket to stock up water, cereals, … there is an Exito at main street. They do Claro recharge, too. It is 20.000 pesos (below 6 eur) for 2 more GB.

Afterwards I go back to the hostel. Write blog, soak in the pool, shower.

In the evening I go to eat at Lulo.

Accomodation: Rua hostal, Santa Marta