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COLOMBIA CAMPSPOTS

From Seventeen By Six

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CARTAGENA

NAME: Hotel Marlin, Calle Media Luna

FEE: 45,000 pesos per room per night with fan, inc breakfast

DESCRIPTION: Small clean budget hotel, great price for private rooms with ensuite in this area.

FACILITIES: Good wifi, communal kitchen, communal computers, cheap laundry service.

WEBSITE:

CARTAGENA/LA BOQUILLA

NAME: Boquilla Camping

FEE: 10,000 pesos p/p p/n.

DESCRIPTION: Calls itself a campsite but is not really. Hotel with car park for vehicle camping. One tent was pitched on the concrete outside a hotel room while we were there. Convenient as a place to base yourself that's close enough to Cartagena. Near beach but no views.

FACILITIES: Toilet in hotel area. Basic outdoor shower and toilet in car park area. Plenty of shade. Swimming pool, bar. Good wifi in the hotel.

WEBSITE: .co

DIRECTIONS: La Boquilla, Cra 9a No 38-76.

1km past Cartagena airport. Follow sign left off main road to La Boquilla, drive to t-junction, turn right and hotel is less than a block away on the right.

PALOMINO

NAME: Camping Villa Delia

FEE: We stayed more than once and the price varied from 8,000-10,000 pesos per head per night, depending on time of the year. At xmas she also wanted to charge us another 5,000 per day for plugging in to electricity, but we negotiated this down to 10,000 for four days, partly because the power was terrible - it melted our adaptor plug and it and often went off for half a day at a time. Nevertheless this is the cheapest place we could find to camp in this area.

DESCRIPTION: Camping area is right on the beach, which is the major selling point. Plenty of shade, but be careful of falling coconuts! Swimming here is dangerous. Two people nearly drowned while we were there. There is safe swimming at a river estuary, 15 mins along the beach (left) from Delia's.

Several cabanas and B&Bs are on this beach, some with restaurants and bars. Even at xmas it was very tranquil at night.

FACILITIES: Questionable toilets and showers; awful communal kitchen (which thankfully we didn't need). No wifi. Hostel in town offers terrible connection on a terrible laptop.

DIRECTIONS: Coming to Palomino from Santa Marta, the main road leads directly into Palomino's only main street. When you reach the souvenir shop - set back off the road a little, on the left - turn left down the track next to the shop and drive straight on down this track until you reach the beach. You will pass several small junctions, and at the last 4-way junction you will see a sign for Camping Villa Delia. It's straight all the way.

URIBIA

NAME: Town square, opposite Police station.

FEE: Free.

DESCRIPTION: Police sanctioned us sleeping opposite the station. Plenty of space to park off the road, under trees.

CABO DE LA VELA

NAME: Palapa opposite Ferreteria Andrea

FEE: She didn't want to name a price so we paid her 3,500 p/p p/n.

DESCRIPTION: Great camping spot right on the beach, with a palapa for shade.

FACILITIES: No facilities or access to running water. We sometimes asked to use the toilet in the house attached to the ferreteria. Used the sea to wash dishes etc.

Stock up on food and drinking water in Uribia, where there is a good market, or elsewhere. The prices in Cabo are as outrageous as you would expect from somewhere so isolated. It's difficult to find water in quantities of more than 1l. Relatively cheap Venezuelan beer is available, as is fuel en route.

DIRECTIONS: When you reach Cabo, go right the the t-junction as you come into town. Drive along the beach road. Lots of palapas with possibility of camping. Ask the owner opposite. Keep going past most of the 'hotels' and shops to find the ferreteria, at the other end of town on the right.

PUNTA GALLINAS

NAME: Hospedaje Kijorou.

FEE: 12,000 pesos p/p p/n.

DIRECTIONS: Not possible to take the van here. Stayed here for one night as part of a truck/boat trip from Cabo de la Vela.

TAGANGA

NAME: Ocean Reef Guesthouse

FEE: 6,000 pesos per head per night.

DESCRIPTION: Great value camping spot in Taganga. The only place we could see with space for vehicle camping. Roomy walled garden for camping, with gate locked at night. Very large entrance gate with no height restriction.

Friendly owners and very helpful handyman, whom we paid to do some work in our van. The owner, Jaido, speaks excellent English.

FACILITIES: Shaded communal areas, TV room, communal kitchen, good wifi, toilets and showers, laundry service, lockers.

We hooked up to electricity and were not charged extra.

EMAIL: oceanreefgh@

DIRECTIONS: Right by the football pitch, on the way to Casa de Felipe hostel.

TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK

NAME: Ecohabs, Canaveral, Tayrona NP

FEE: We paid about 20,000 pesos for the car to enter the park, plus a parking fee. No one collected any other camping fee, but this may have been an error. We think the campground was part of the adjacent Ecohabs hotel but chose not to enquire in too much detail!! We didn't use the NP car park, so considered the parking fee to be our camping fee.

DESCRIPTION: Really nice large space, with trees and plenty of flat spots for vehicles and tents.

FACILITIES: Toilet blocks with outdoor showers

DIRECTIONS: Enter the park at Canaveral. After payment booth, drive towards Canaveral beach. After the main car park you cross a little stream, then up on your left is the big campground, which you pull off into before reaching Ecohabs. You will see the toilet blocks, of which there are several.

NEAR TAYRONA NP

NAME: Casa Grande Surf Camp

FEE: 12,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Very spacious camping on the beach. WATCH OUT FOR SOFT DEEP SAND CLOSE TO THE PALAPAS. Quite wild and windy at times but a lovely spot, if a bit pricey for what it is.

FACILITIES: Palapas for shade, some with electricity points. Large toilet and shower block. Restaurant service. No internet services.

DIRECTIONS: Just beyond Los Naranjos, outside the park at its eastern edge. Driving north from Santa Martha, Casa Grande is off the main highway and has a large sign at the entrance. Go past Tayrona NP and through Los Naranjos and it's just beyond there.

MINCA

NAME: Hospedaje Mirador.

FEE: 10,000 pesos p/p p/n.

DESCRIPTION: Gorgeous spot, with amazing view down the valley right over to Santa Marta, and very nice owner. Not a lot of space for vehicle camping in their grassy car park but enough. Other spaces for tents. Not many places in Minca have space for cars, as it's so hilly. Steep approach to this place but we managed it without 4x4. We may not have been able to get in there in rainy season.

FACILITIES: Toilet and rustic outdoor shower. Restaurant and bar, plus sitting areas. We hooked up to the light bulb in the toilet, no extra charge. No wifi but possible to use their internet dongle for approx 2,000 pesos an hour.

DIRECTIONS: As you enter Minca there is a cafe called Cafe Minca. Take a sharp right there and then another right about 50 metres later. There are signs to Mirador. As you get to the top of the hill there is a very sharp steep right-hand turn into the hospedaje.

EL RODADERO/SANTA MARTA

NAME: Rodadero Camping (also known as Camping Cantamar)

FEE: A hefty 16,000 pesos pp p/n.

DESCRIPTION: The closest we found to a US-style RV park/campsite in Colombia.

Level, shaded, marked spots for car and tent camping. Possible to hook up at no extra charge.

Rodadero is a built-up holiday resort, so not your relaxing beach camping spot,  but if you need to stop off and get things done, this is a good option. The campsite was very quiet at all times when we were there as it is not right next to the action or the beaches, which are a short walk away through town.

FACILITIES: Large clean shower and toilet block. Restaurant and bar on site. Laundry service (pricey, but the lavanderia we found in Rodadero was even worse)

Excellent wifi throughout - we were able to Skype from the van, a rare treat!

WEBSITE: (however our payment receipt gave the place the name of Camping Cantamar, with this email address - campingcantamar@)

PUERTO GIRALDO

NAME: Hotel El Socorro

FEE: 6,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Horrible motel! Really dirty, very scruffy parking area out front.

FACILITIES: Use of toilet in unoccupied room. No running water, only rancid stagnant stuff.

MOMPOX

NAME: Wild camping in Mompox town

FEE: Free

DESCRIPTION: Space for vehicle camping next to the river, in the park just beyond La Casa Amarilla [Carrera 1 #13-59 ]

FACILITIES: None.

DIRECTIONS: Head to riverfront. Find La Casa Amarilla hostel, just beyond that there is a park with a football pitch and a few kiosks. We camped near the pitch. Some noise from the kiosks selling beer, but it was new year so was especially noisy throughout the town.

MOMPOX - 2

NAME: Hacienda San Ignacio (Casa del Retiro San Igacio).

FEE: No set fee. We paid 6,000 pesos p/p p/n. Included use of swimming pool (for which there is usually a separate fee).

DESCRIPTION: Bit like a club campestre. Large property with rooms, meeting areas, swimming pool. Usually used by groups. Concrete parking area with shade, or less shaded dusty lot next to pool for camping. Close enough to town to walk there or take moto taxi. Very loud music was played at the poolside when it was open, usually til about 5pm. It was peak season though, so probably busier and more festive than usual. Friendly and helpful owners.

FACILITIES: Toilets, use of shower, swimming pool with bar (until about 5pm when open). No internet.

DIRECTIONS: Coming from ferry, it's 3km before you reach the edge of Mompox, on right hand side of main road. Large sign says Casa del Retiro San Ignacio (but you might also hear it referred to as Hacienda San Ignacio). Go up the long driveway until you see the pool and buildings.

COVEÑAS

NAME: Playa Pinguino

FEE: 15,000 pesos p/p p/n, inc elec plug-in. (we visited during peak of high season, could negotiate more during quieter times)

DESCRIPTION: Cabanas with bar, and some space for camping. On nice beach with good swimming. Relatively peaceful part of beach in what is a very busy place in high season. We pulled right through to the beach, our spot was right next to the bar though, with music often playing as it was very busy right after new year. Weekend parties on beach got quite noisy.

FACILITIES: Toilet, outdoor shower, ability to plug in to power. Bar, food available. No internet.

DIRECTIONS: 6.5 km south of Tolu, about half way to Covenas. Small sign points right off the main road.

OTHER CAMPING OPTION - Camping Susi, near Covenas. Coming south from Tolu, go through Covenas town. About 0.5km past the 28km mark, at Distrito Naval, a sign for Camping Susi points down to the right. We got info but didn't stay in the end, as we were moving on. Nice little beach, kiosk on site, calm water, toilets and basic outdoor shower. 10,000 pesos per head per night.

SAN BERNANDO DEL VIENTO/MONITOS

NAME: Wild camping on beach

FEE: Free

DESCRIPTION: Quiet, flat stretch of beach, with little development except a few rental houses and cabanas. Good swimming, shade from palm trees, great sunsets, very peaceful when we were there, even in the peak of the high season. We asked the owners in house opposite if they were okay with us camping there.

FACILITIES: None

DIRECTIONS: Driving south from Covenas towards Monitos, on route 9003, at KM marker 5 (approx 23km after San Bernando del Viento)  turn right at sign saying 'El Dorado and Cabanas....'. At beach we turned left and camped on the beach just beyond the little football pitch.

OTHER POSSIBLE CAMPING IN AREA - Coming from Tolu, just before the 15KM marker there was a place called TOLIMAR which had a tent symbol on its sign.

TOLU

NAME: Casa del Mar

FEE: 15,000 pesos p/p p/n (we visited during peak of high season, could negotiate more during quieter times, although the owner was quite a money-grabber!). She wanted more money for hooking up to elec. We instead charged individual devices in a socket next to the van.

DESCRIPTION: Decent grassy campsite and cabanas across the road from the beach. Plenty of space for camping, shaded areas. Good beach and calm swimming. Very busy with Colombian tourists after new year but is probably really quiet out of season.

FACILITIES: Clean toilets and showers, sink area, outdoor grill, comfortable communal sitting areas with strong wi-fi and power sockets. Bar on beach, food available.

EMAIL: almarti1981@hotmail.es

DIRECTIONS: Kra 1ra No 7-38 Santiago de Tolu, Sucre.

Large property on the beach at the edge of town.  Just before you get to the little bridge.

NB. There is also another campsite right next door.

BARICHARA

NAME: Camped on street. Calle 4, around corner from Hotel Corata. (hotel address: Carrera 7, 4-08)

FEE: Free.

DESCRIPTION: One of the wider and flatter streets in Barichara, which is generally very narrow and hilly. Was very quiet and safe.

FACILITIES: None

VILLA DE LEYVA

NAME: Hostel Renacer

FEE: 10,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Fabulous place, saw more overlanders here than usual. Space for vehicles and tents, also lots of great communal spaces and nice quiet location with a lovely view. Can easily walk into town.

FACILITIES: Hostel with everything you need - wifi, great hot showers, cheap laundry service, book swap, good kitchen, meals available, honour system for drinks, loads of information on things to do in the area.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: Carrera 10, calle 21. See website.

GUATAVITA

NAME: Montecillo - cabana and camping

FEE: 15,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Sweet family home with a cabin and space for camping. One flat(ish) space for a vehicle. The little cabin was lovely, our friend stayed there while we camped. It had an open fire and kitchen, living room, plus bedroom upstairs. Cabin was 50,000 pesos a night. Friendly family.

FACILITIES: Toilet and cold shower. No wifi or easy access to electricity.

WEBSITE: No

DIRECTIONS: Coming from the north, Montecillo is about 1km before you reach the town of Guatavita, on the left. There is a sign with the name.

LAGUNA DE GUATAVITA

NAME: Tienda 'A La India Maria'

FEE: No set fee. We paid 10,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Lovely flat grassy garden behind this shop, which is on the road up to Laguna Guatavita. Amazing view. Very quiet. Can walk up to the laguna entrance in about 15 minutes.

FACILITIES: Can ask to use toilet in shop /adjacent family house. Water hose outside. Food possibly available at the shop/cafe during the day.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Follow signs to Laguna de Guatavita. Just after the '1.2km to Laguna de Guatavita' sign before you will see the shop and house on the left. There is a disused building there, next to a large open grassy garden. The window has a faded 'camping' sign on it, but don't think it has really run as a campsite for years, if ever.

(there is another place advertising camping, further up the road to the laguna, but it was all closed up when we were there).

SOGAMOSO

NAME: Finca San Pedro

FEE: 10,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Superb small family farm converted into a hostel and campground. Lovely garden for camping. Walking distance to Sogamoso town, plus lots of great hiking/driving in area.

FACILITIES: Loads of great communal space for guests - including comfortable living room/kitchen/diner with wood fire for cold evenings. Wifi, hot shower, free purified water, laundry, table football, hammocks, tours. Breakfast and dinner available to order. Honour system for beers. The owner, Juan, is knowledgable about the area and speaks English if needed.

HIGHLY recommend the hike to Paramo Oseta.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: Find the road out of town that goes to Lago de Tota. The finca is a Km2, via Lago de Tota, on the left.

LAGO DE TOTA, NR SOGAMOSO

NAME: Camping at Playa Blanca, on the lake

FEE: 2,000 pesos parking fee

DESCRIPTION: Can camp in car park right next to beach.

FACILITIES: BBQs, toilets, possibly showers, if a bit rustic.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Drive down to Playa Blanca, car park is at the end of the road next to beach. Well signposted when you are driving around Lago de Tota.

VILLAVICENCIO

NAME: Hotel Los Caballos

FEE: 15,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Hotel campestre. Grassy area round side of building for camping. Not usual for them but they were happy to offer it. Okay for  overnight stop en route to Yopal etc.

FACILITIES: Wifi, toilets, shower, swimming pool, cafe/restaurant.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: Km2, Via Restrepo. Come through Villavicencio and stay on the main route towards Restrepo/Yopal. Hotel is on man road, left hand side.

AGUAZUL

NAME: 'Mirador' (this is what they and locals called it but there is no sign whatsoever)

FEE: No set fee. We paid 7,500 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Hillside bar/restaurant with amazing views. We camped in large car park. Not usual for them but they were happy to offer it. It was quiet while we were there, but could possibly be busier on weekend evenings. Suspect most of their business is daytime.

FACILITIES: Use of restaurant toilet. no shower, electricity access, nor wifi.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Main road from Bogota etc to Yopal. There are two gas stations next to eachother in Aguazul - Terpel and GNV. There's a little road between the two stations that goes up into the hills. Take that road and climb steeply for about 10 mins. 'Mirador' has a very large dark wooden archway at its entrance and a long balcony-style bar for people to admire the views. Its obvious as you come up the hill.

GUADUAS (nr Honda)

NAME: Hotel Campestre El Cacique

FEE: 10,000 p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Camping and cabins, hillside location with good views. Noise from main road above campsite area. Good spot in theory, but vehicle camping area we were given is in a dip, and we ended up stuck in the mud after a whole night of rain. If rainy season be cautious. Possible to ask about gravel parking area, which is beyond the family's house.

FACILITIES: We were given use of a bathroom in an unoccupied cabana.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: On main route between Bogota and Honda. Approx 30km before Honda - if you reach the town of Guaduas you have gone too far, it is about 2km before there. Coming from Bogota it is on the right - very sharp turn into steep entrance on right.

Nr MANIZALES

NAME: Hacienda Venecia

FEE: 15,000 pesos p/p p/n

DESCRIPTION: Beautiful coffee finca, which is also part-hostel and camping.

FACILITIES: Wifi, toilets, fabulous hot showers, swimming pool, clean communal kitchen, free delicious coffee, free drinking water, laundry service, beer honour system, delicious meals available to order,

Good coffee tour (35,000 pesos). Hiking.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: Signposted off main Autopista del Cafe, between Manizales and Pereira - on the northbound side. If coming from Manizales, southbound, the junction is about 19km past the city edge. Turn off is aPuente San Peregrino (next to Restaurant Las Palmas). But coming from the south you have to go past all that, and take the retorno about 1km further down. Now going northbound, take a very sharp right downhill turn at the sign for Hacienda Venecia. Follow it to t-junction, sign points to left, then turn right uphill just before the bridge, following sign for 'casa de huespedes'.

SALENTO

NAME: La Serrana

FEE: 10,000 pesos p/p p/n. Also got charged 5,000 p/n for vehicle. Includes breakfast, and electricity hook-up.

DESCRIPTION: Really nice farm/hostel with large area for camping, great views.

FACILITIES: Wifi, toilets, showers, clean communal kitchen, potable water, laundry service, beer, on-site restaurant, TV room.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: Via Palestina KM 1.5. As you come into Salento from the main road, when you pass fire station on your left, turn right, then left at next junction, then right when you see the cemetery. There is a sign there for La Serrana, which is about 1km further up that road.

BOQUILA/SALENTO

NAME: Camping Tataquies, Boquila, near Salento

FEE: 10,000 pesos pp pn.

DESCRIPTION: Large grassy garden of owner's property + adjacent grassy parking area next door for tent and vehicle camping.

FACILITIES: Communal kitchen. One bathroom with hot shower – problematic at busy times. Additionally it is a very strange bathroom, with a glass door that leads into a communal hallway! No wifi. Near to road to Salento, so a little traffic noise.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Take the road off the highway signposted to Salento. Before you climb to Salento you will pass through the village of Boquila. Cross the bridge and just beyond that the campsite is signed off to the right, through gates leading to the house.

DESIERTO DE LA TATACOA

NAME: Observatorio el Cuzco

FEE: 5,000 pesos pp pn

DESCRIPTION: Large lot beside the observatory. Also possible to follow the track down the hill to the right of the building, and camp in a huge open, and much flatter, area beside cacti. Another traveller advised us to do this because the observatory runs a noisy generator in the evening.

FACILITIES: Building has toilets and rustic cold showers.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Once you enter the desert area the observatory is well signposted off the only road through it.

DESIERTO DE LA TATACOA 2

NAME: Restaurant opposite Observatorio el Cuzco

FEE: 4,000 pesos pp pn

DESCRIPTION: Fabulously situated camping area beside restaurant, directly overlooking canyon of rock formations. Can camp right on the edge. One of the best views we've had – better spot than the observatory.

FACILITIES: Rustic toilet and shower. Restaurant/bar.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: When standing at the observatory, looking out towards the road, look down and slightly left and the restaurant is there.

SAN AGUSTIN

NAME: Camping San Agustin

FEE: 9,000 pesos pp pn (included hook up to electricity)

DESCRIPTION: Lovely, quiet, large grassy garden in a small finca just outside the town of San Agustin. Easy walking distance to town (about 1km) and also to the archaelogical park. Dogs, horses and hens roam around. Owners very friendly and can arrange horse-riding trips, which we did and can recommend.

We were originally heading to nearby Finca El Maco, but the drive was too steep for most campers, they were out of hot water, the wifi was down and the camping area was not good for vehicles.

FACILITIES: Lots of clean toilets and showers (very cold water!), covered BBQ grill with light and plug sockets for hooking up, laundry sink or owner will do laundry on request. No internet.

WEBSITE: No.

DIRECTIONS: Follow signs to archaelogical park from town. About 2km before the park, Camping San Agustin and Finca El Maco are signposted off to the right. Turn off there and Camping San Agustin is up a drive to the right, just before you get to the sign for El Maco. The sign at the bottom of the drive just says 'camping'. The house is red and cream-coloured.

NEAR PASTO

NAME: Parque Nacional Chimayoy

FEE: 10,000 pesos pp pn

DESCRIPTION: Parking lot of national park / leisure park. Not allowed to drive onto grassy area, but can park next to it. Fabulous view of Volcan Galeras. Probably need to enter before ticket office closes, around 5 or 6 pm.

FACILITIES: Toilet block. Cafes during the day (possibly only at weekends). Security guards overnight.

WEBSITE:

DIRECTIONS: On the PanAm about 5 or 6km north of Pasto. Gatehouse/ticket office and sign on your right as you are driving south towards Pasto.

IPIALES (Ecuador border)

NAME: Mobil gas station / truck stop

FEE: Free

DESCRIPTION: Gas station – handy for the border to Ecuador.

FACILITIES: Toilets open all night. Overnight staff.

DIRECTIONS: Just north of town. Also a Terpel station there.

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