Itinerary

Day 1

After a short domestic flight from Bogota, arrive in the city of Bucaramanga, the capital of Santender.  At the airport you will be met by your expedition leader and taken directly to your first class accommodations overlooking the Rio Fonce.  Tonight, during dinner, we will cover all of the details of the upcoming adventure.

 
Day 2

After a nice breakfast, its time to head to the river for our warm up run.  At the put-in of the Rio Fonce, your guides will cover a detailed safety and paddling orientation before navigating your own inflatable kayak downstream through class 2-3 rapids in this scenic forested canyon.  After indulging in a delectable riverside lunch full of fresh local ingredients, we’ll separate into rafts and continue through the more difficult lower section of the Rio Fonce.  Take-out is at our hotel and a short walk to your room with time to relax by the pool or take a stroll down to the river before dinner on the patio.

 
Day 3

This morning we enjoy a short drive to the put-in of the famous Rio Suarez.  Our section today will begin with a short walk through the forest to the put-in of the river at Las Palmas.  The first part of the river starts slowly with class 2-3 rapids before passing under Puente Vasquez where the river picks up speed.  After lunch, we encounter some of the greatest rafting in all of South America.  Strong paddling will be required as we negotiate numerous class 4-5 rapids such as Upper and Lower Labyrinth, Martha’s Tongue and Surprise.  Tonight we’ll celebrate a great day on the river back at our riverside hotel.

 
Day 4

Our break from the river today brings two unforgettable adventures!  We will have a leisurely start this morning, enjoy breakfast and pack our bags.  Afterwards we’ll drive a few miles up the road to the Cascadas de Juan Curri.  The adventure begins with a beautiful 20 min. hike uphill through lush vegetation.  The trail ends in a series of pools above a 200 ft. waterfall.  Your guides will give you detailed instructions and distribute harnesses and helmets which will all be fitted properly and double checked prior to the rappel.  Next, it’s time to start your descent down the side of this massive waterfall.  The water is warm and the experience is incredible.  At the bottom of the falls is a bedrock pool that is perfect for swimming and believed by locals to possess healing waters.  After a short hike down from the pool we’ll enjoy a nice lunch at the farm below.  After lunch it’s time to explore the Cueva de los Indios.  Our guides will lead us along a small river which flows through a cave that leads us to a number of large rooms as well as pools to wade and swim through.  Of course there are a variety of stalactites and stalagmites as well as different species of bats that we’ll encounter throughout this journey.   Before exiting the cave there is an optional 15 foot leap into a dark pool below that is sure to get your attention.  After exiting the cave, our vehicle will be waiting to drive us to our next destination, the village of Barichara.  This sleepy town was given the title of “Colombia’s most beautiful” and declared a National Monument in 1975.  Here we will check into our colonial hotel with gorgeous views of the town and enjoy a nice dinner and celebration of the days activities.

 
Day 5

Layover Day!  This is a day to yourself in the pristine colonial village of Barichara.  Founded in 1705 Barichara hasn’t changed much with its cobblestoned streets and white colonial houses.  Barichara is also the best spot to enjoy shopping through its large variety of local artisanal shops and wonderful restaurants.  There is also an optional hike to the nearby village of Guane.  Guane is a lovely 1.5 – 2 hour walk from Barichara on El Camino Real de Guane also known as the Lenguerke trail – an 1840’s path that travels across the province of Santander linking small towns.  Highlights of Guane include the Guane Museum which is divided into three sections: Paleontology and Archaeology, Pottery and Antiques.  Tonight will be our last nights stay in Barichara.

 
Day 6

After packing up this morning, we will drive for about an hour to the rim of the Chicamocha Canyon in the Chicamocha National Park.  Here we will begin the most unique and exciting beginning to any river trip in the world.  Each person will be paired with a guide/pilot and enjoy a 30 minute paraglide flight into the canyon, landing on a riverside beach where our rafts and lunch await.  This is truly an amazing flight!!  After lunch we’ll separate into rafts and head downstream into the depths of the Chicamocha Canyon.   This is an incredibly deep scenic canyon with challenging class 3 and 4 rapids.  After a long stretch of rapids we’ll make camp near the remote village of Jordan, an historically significant settlement which has less than 100 habitants.

 
Day 7

We will wake this morning on “river time” to the smell of hot coffee and a hearty breakfast.  After the boats are loaded, its time to head downstream for more class 3 and 4 excitement and equally stunning views from the depths of the Chicamocha Canyon.  This is a full day on the river.  As we reach the confluence with the Rio Suarez, the volume increases dramatically and the rapids begin to subside.  We should reach take-out in the early afternoon with plenty of time to de-rig and start the hour long drive to our final destination of Giron near the capital of Bucaramanga.  Giron is another quaint colonial town with all the activity of town surrounding the central plaza.  Tonight will be our final night banquet and party as we celebrate an incredible week of adventure in this amazing country.

 
Day 8

After breakfast its time to say goodbye to Giron and transfer to the Bucaramanga airport 15 min. away.  Here you will board your domestic flight back to Bogota and onward to your final destination or you next stop in South America.

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