Discovering Colombia on Horseback

It’s been a couple of months since my last trip to Colombia, and I have had time to reflect about this amazing experience. During my stay, I have had the chance to ride in very different sceneries throughout the country. From the remarkable Andes mountains surrounding Bogota, to the gigantic palm trees of Salento, and the beautiful beaches of Cartagena, I am excited to share with you some of the highlights on horseback!

Riding in Bogota

Our trip started in Bogota, where my husband and I had planned to stay for a few days to do some sight-seeing and check out some of the emblematic activities. We visited the Gold museum, went on a graffiti tour in the old town la Candelaria, and also climbed the Monserrate (walking up 2km of ‘stairs’ while being at 2600m /8100 ft altitude was hands down the most exhausting physical activity I have done this year).

But let’s come back to the main reason for this post- horses! I initially had not planned to ride in Bogota, but as we did a bit of research on activities available, we stumbled upon Impulse Travel,  a start-up whose mission is to contribute to building a post-war Colombia into a peaceful future, promoting the country as a safe destination where tourism impacts locals and travelers in a positive way. While they offer a wide range of fun and informative tours of all kinds, I of course went for their riding tour just on the outskirts of Bogota.

We drove for a good 30 min from the city center until we reached a rural area up in the mountains where local cowboys were waiting for us, wearing their signature poncho (which I love), while their cute, small but sturdy Colombian Paso Finos were all saddled up and ready to go! We got on our horses and continued to climb up to 3200m until we reached a plateau offering an incredible view overlooking the city of Bogota and the Andes mountains chain surrounding it- absolutely breathtaking.

Two of the mares that were ridden had recently given birth to absolutely adorable foals, who followed closely us throughout the whole trail. It was the first time I had a chance to ride a Paso Fino and absolutely loved the comfort of their unique 4-beat gait, making the ride one of the most comfortable and smooth I have ever been on. On our way back, the tour included a delicious and copious meal of healthy locally grown food, which we shared with our guide before we were dropped off back at our hotel.

Riding in Salento - Cocora Valley

One of the highlights of my trip to Colombia was riding through Cocora Valley and seeing these spectacular wax palm trees. Have you actually looked at these? They seem like they really are from another world! They are in fact Colombia’s National Tree and can grow as high as 60m (200ft)!!

 It had been on my bucket list for years to see this place, so there was no chance I would go to Colombia and miss out on the opportunity to check them out! So…we took a plane from Bogota to Peireira (basically in the middle of nowhere on the northern part of the Andes mountain range), just to be able to see them!

I had come all the way to Colombia to go to Cocora Valley, and literally the night before arriving, I got hit by a violent stomach virus. The next morning, we were supposed to take a local Jeep to Cocora Valley, and I really felt like I couldn’t make it. We walked to the nearest local hospital, and they kept me for a few hours in observation and gave me some meds to relieve the pain. In my head it was pretty clear that there was no way I would have come all the way here and NOT see Cocora Valley. The next morning, we were meant to fly to Cartagena, so this was going to be my only chance to go. To this day I have no idea how I managed to gather enough strength to get up and get on that Jeep. But oh believe me when I say it was worth it. The topography of these mountains, these strange-looking palm trees and the colours were so incredible, it felt like we were in a different planet, almost like in an abstract painting.

Best part of all of this? There are several stables who will let you rent horses for you to hack around the valley. The local guides are more than happy to give you a tour for the equivalent of 20USD.

Just a heads up if you are considering that- the guides will not be riding horses but instead will follow you by foot around the valley while you are riding! I felt a little awkward at first but the reason is that they are usually “third party” individuals who offer their services as guides, but they do not own the horses themselves. Quite an interesting business model, definitely was a first for me!

Riding in Cartagena

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And off we were to Cartagena, where our dear friend Luis Felipe from Horses Cartagena Tours was waiting for us and had planned a wonderful day of activities! From an amazing beach ride on the Caribbean sea, to a private show demonstrating the unique traits of the Colombian Paso Fino and Trocha breeds - impressive four-beat gait, we really had the best time.

As you can see on videos and pictures, no spurs or whips are used, in fact, the rider’s legs play a very small role here (in comparison to dressage and other disciplines), and they barely come in contact with the horse. This was quite new to me and I definitely needed an adjustment period, but I found it really fun and educational!

As a funny side note, the first time I saw videos from @horsescartagenatours on Instagram, and before deciding to go to Colombia, I actually thought these videos were in time-lapse/accelerated mode! That’s how quickly these horses are able to move their legs. However, after seeing it with my very own eyes, and also experiencing it myself, I can assure you that it’s real!

Luis Felipe then took us to the beach were we had a wonderful ride, and were encouraged to go in the water (the horses loved it!). My inexperienced husband (at the time), of course, wanting to be reckless, asked to gallop on his own on the beach and didn’t miss an opportunity to show his highly developed fall techniques. If you have not seen this video before- it’s worth the watch ;)

If you are ever in the Cartagena area, make sure to go show some love to Luis Felipe and his horses, you will not be disappointed by their wonderful welcome and immersion into the local culture and history of the Colombian Paso Fino breed!

Useful tips for Colombia

• Safety: Some people have asked me whether Colombia is a safe country to travel to. My answer is yes, absolutely! As long as you exercise the common-sense standard safety precautions and avoid the “shady areas”. I have not felt concerned for my safety at any point during my trip, and always felt that the Colombians were very kind and welcoming. Okay, maybe just one comment- some taxi drivers drive like total maniacs. That took kind of getting used to... I personally felt safer using Uber (and it’s cheaper!)

• Mosquitoes: Make sure to bring some mosquito repellent with you. While in big cities you would have a very low risk of getting bitten by a mosquito carrying Malaria, you definitely need to take precautions when traveling to certain rural areas, especially near the Amazon.

• Weather: While the country borders the equator, some cities in Colombia, including Bogota, are high in altitude, meaning the temperatures may not always be warm throughout the year. Although we traveled to Colombia during the month of August, we still had some chilly nights, and a sweater (and jacket for me as I am always cold) were very much needed. Make sure to pack some!