My Travels: Rafting Down La Vieja River

It's Sunday, a good day for another travel post. This time, rafting and swimming down La Vieja (old lady) river, there in the middle of Colombia's coffee zone. And guys, this is one of the most amazing outings I've ever had!

Most of the time, I blog about DIY projects and home décor, but once in a while, I change the beat and share a post like this one about my travels. You can check more travel posts right HERE.

Now, if you don't like these travel posts, it's OK. You can come back next time for more décor and DIYs.

My previous travel post was all about arriving at a pretty house in Puerto Samaria. A house where upcycling was taken to the next level.

It was from this pretty house that we boarded our raft. - Below you can watch a video of this wonderful experience.

As you can see, our ride was waiting for us there on the side of the river. A bamboo raft with plastic chairs attached to it, and a couple of shades that shielded us from the sun. 

This isn't a motorized device; the raft rides the river's current, and bamboo poles are used to avoid any collisions with obstacles.

The "Bogaderos" or raft workers were two guys who piloted the raft all the way down the river. They gave us information and fun facts about the ride and the areas we were traveling through. They answered our questions and, above all, they were SO very funny! 

They were the ones who made this entire experience remarkable.

The route: 14 Km -about 8.7 miles done in about 3-4 hours. It was an easy ride with a few gentle rapids.

And there we went!

My daughter, two of my sisters, two nieces, and I.

The raft workers guided the raft, with one at the front and the other at the back. They each used a long bamboo to steer the raft.

It was all so peaceful! Gorgeous views. 

Below you can see a roaming herd of cattle. Many farmers in the region are finding it hard to grow crops, as they require a lot of time and resources. Instead, they are turning to raising livestock, as cattle are easy to care for and profitable. 

However cute they may look, they have been eating entire pastures, polluting the environment, and significantly reducing farmers' crop yields. 

SWIMMING

The Bogaderos also let us know when we could go for a SWIM, as some parts were too shallow or too rocky. These guys knew it all. 

We all had loads of questions before jumping into this river. My youngest niece asked whether any crocodiles lived in the river. One of the Bogaderos told her that not only were crocodiles living in the water, but piranhas as well. But do not worry because they were all vegetarian!   😂

In certain parts of the river, they even organized little games. :D 

When the water became too shallow, he instructed us to do the "Cucaracha envenenada" (poisoned cockroach), which meant we floated on our backs with our legs raised to avoid getting scraped by rocks.  

We were all having so much fun!

My sisters had the hardest time getting back onto the raft. It was hilarious! 

We had to hop back into the raft quickly as the river got too dangerous to swim in some places. 

LA CASCADA - WATERFALL

We then had to disembark and hike up this hill for about 10 minutes until we reached this waterfall. 

We didn't stay too long as the water was cooooold. 

LUNCH

We got back to the river and traveled/swam a few more kilometers before reaching this spot. And at that point, we were all super hungry and tired.

Up there, we sat to have our lunch: FIAMBRE! 😋

With a GREAT view. 😍 

While looking out into the trees, we could hear the growling of what they told us were monkeys. Although we couldn't see them, the sound was blaring.   

Lunch was delicious!

The fiambre consists of chicken, pork, rice, plantain, and egg, all topped with a yummy sauce and served in plantain leaves. Our drink: "Aguapanela" - Sugar cane drink. ;)

They didn't use any plastic materials to avoid polluting the environment. 

Back on the raft, they served us hot Colombian coffee to keep our spirits up. 

Those tiny enamel cups were the cutest.

MORE SWIMMING!

After lunch, these girls were feeling sluggish and didn't even want to get to the water again, too cold!!

Here again, the raft workers turned our sluggish mood into laughter as one of them hit the water with its bamboo pole while exclaiming: "Let me warm it up for you!!" 😂😂 

Many times, he also persuaded us into the water by smacking his pole and warning us about the snakes jumping onto the raft. 

After lunch, I went for a very loooong swim. It felt surreal being there in the middle of it all.

Feeling so little in the middle of all these wonderful mountains and forests. I float and let the river take me downstream.

These pretty girls had a blast!

We still have vivid memories of this outing. An unforgettable experience! ❤️❤️❤️

If you ever visit the coffee zone - Montenegro, Colombia, I totally recommend rafting down the La Vieja river.

Love,

Cristina

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