Last updated on January 23rd, 2021 at 02:21 pm
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My name is Frank and I run a travel agency in Bogota, Colombia. Have fun while reading!
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Driving from La Guajira to Mompox
After the trip to Punta Gallinas in the department of La Guajira, I spent another night in Cabo de La Vela, and the next morning, I continued my tour to Santa Cruz de Mompox. Unfortunately, I did not have time for a holiday of my own, as I had to travel a distance of almost 500 km and thus should be traveling about 10 hours each day.
Today, my destination was in the department of Bolivar, between different lakes and next to the Rio Magdalena. The drive from the desert back to the fertile, overgrown green areas was fantastic, and the road conditions were better than expected. Fruits and gas were offered along the roadside, and the gasoline, which came from Venezuela, was sold at a knockout price of about 12 USD to fill an 80-liter tank.
The closer I got to Santa Cruz de Mompox, the less traffic there was. Drivers should watch out for potholes and speed bumps that appear without warning. The speed bumps are short, tall, and difficult to see. When I overran one of these objects at 40km/h due to lack of attention, I immediately feared a broken axle. Fortunately, everything remained intact.
Arriving in Santa Cruz de Mompox, I set off on foot to explore the city, which brought me back to colonial Colombia. The colonial-style has made the town a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moreover, Santa Cruz de Mompox is a place of pilgrimage for devout Catholics that Colombians travel to quite frequently.
Barichara in the Department of Santander
I only stayed here for one night, as it was just too hot and too humid for me. Next I set out for the department of Santander. In Colombia, it is said that the “Santanderianas” are “brava”. Loosely translated, this means that women from Santander stand up to their man and talk straight. My neighbor in Bogota is a Santanderiana, so I can confirm it’s true.
In Bucaramanga, the capital of the department of Santander, I had a date with Lina for dinner. Lina is a former classmate and reminds me again and again how Colombian women are unquestionably among the most beautiful women in the world. The next morning, I drove on to Barichara, a village about 3 hours south of Bucaramanga. Barichara is one of the prettiest villages I have visited in Colombia. The colonial architectural style is holistic and very well preserved. The village is also included in the National Heritage Inventory. I can only confidently recommend spending a few days here.
The best preparation for traveling in Colombia anyway is reading my Colombia Travel Guide. And if you still have questions, I run a travel agency in Bogota Colombia, specialized in tailor made and luxury experiences in Colombia.
Close to Barichara is San Gil, a not so pretty city, but nationally known for its sports activities. River rafting, rock climbing, paragliding, and canoeing offer a wide variety of adventure sports. Unfortunately, I did not have time to test these out; however, for a corporate event with my employees, this destination is at the top of my list.
After my journey to the Caribbean, a whole month on the road, and about 4’500 kilometers driven, I finally returned to Bogota. It was an exhausting but worthwhile trip. For people interested in traveling Colombia by car, I can certainly offer you some good advice.
Colombia Travel Guides
There is much more to see in Colombia, you can find everything in my travel guides.
- Colombia Travel Guide
- Bogotá Travel Guide
- Medellin Travel Guide
- Santa Marta Travel Guide
- Cartagena Travel Guide
- La Guajira Travel Guide
- Llanos Travel Guide
- Providencia Travel Guide
- Coffee Triangle Travel Guide
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