Ipiales
Last stage in Colombia before passing into Ecuador ... Two days driving in sight.
We are still in the Andes and the landscapes here are also breathtaking.
We cross a region of deep gorges, steep mountains, raging rivers and among a varied vegetation (cactus, pines, firs...)
The road crosses gently enough to reach 3 000 m ... Our companion does not suffer too much from the altitude and climbs quite easily.
Our GPS displays for the first day: 81 km/ 2 h 21 m without counting the roadwork ... It takes us more than 4 h ... Same punishment for the next day.
We are joined by Sindy and Antony throughout these two days.
The rain accompanies us at night but the sun is present during the day.
We are sad to leave Colombia that we loved so much...
The image conveyed by years of guerrilla warfare has left its mark on the minds and often the astonishment and even fear have been formulated among our acquaintances.
It must be admitted that this is not a very popular destination and the news broadcast by our various media are not always encouraging ... South America is very often a source of internal conflicts.
It is a country that is reconnecting with peace and stability.
Tourists are very wellcome here. Every day we were greeted by Colombians happy to meet us. Only once in more than 3 months of travel did we feel unsafe.
Colombia has an incredible natural and cultural diversity.
Popayan
We continue our way south towards Popayan.
The gears crack a bit, so we stop in a garage for a control ... Small screwdriver turn and the clutch pedal is tightened ... We are reassured until the next alert!!
Depending on the gas for the kitchen, fridge and hot water, we prefer to refill our gas cylinders immediately when switching from one to the other. That’s what we’re doing on the way.
* Popayan : A small colonial town known for its white chalk facades. It is the second best preserved historical city in Colombia after Cartagena. Perched under towering mountains in the Pubenza Valley, it was the capital of southern Colombia for centuries, before Cali passed it.
Founded in 1537 by the conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar, Popayán has become an important stop on the road between Cartagena and Quito. Its mild climate has attracted the rich families of sugar haciendas from the warm region of Valle de Cauca. In the 17th century, they began to build mansions, schools, churches and monasteries.
Popayán is now home to many universities, and the streets of its former center are filled with students during the day.
We go to the tourist office to get information .... Which turns out wrong!!!
It’s Monday and most of the monuments or churches are closed!!!
We return the next morning before leaving ... still closed for a special event!!!
We have met Anne Ségolène and Antony several times who join us in the south.
La Estrella
We quickly leave "Cali" but in a very dense traffic.
We go to the campsite "La Bonanza" held by a Franco-Moroccan couple installed a few years ago.
It is the meeting place of all motorhomes of all nationalities.
Kika has created a group on Facebook that allows all travellers to exchange information.
For us, she has been a great help with our non-compliant TIP problem and her advice paid off, but unfortunately she is not present during our stay.
On the spot we meet a group of French travellers and spend our first evening around a tajine prepared by Anouar.
It’s a chance to meet
* Estelle, Olivier and their children
* Cindy, Mathieu and their children
* Anne Ségolène, Antony and their children
Three absolutely adorable couples.
Unfortunately some of them have to leave to join Cartagena to ship their vehicle and they only have a short time... Of course we keep in touch.
We stay there three nights where the morning temperatures are low .... Barely 12
Cali
We head down to the Ecuadorian border and take a first break at "Cali".
Santiago de Cali was founded on July 25, 1536 by the Spanish conquistador Sebastián de Belalcázar near the río Cali.
Located in the Cauca Valley at an altitude of 995 meters, Cali has developed thanks to sugar cane plantations and animal breeding. For a long time, it was mostly haciendas that settled in the middle of large farms where many African slaves worked.
We find a secure parking lot for accommodation because the city has a bad reputation in terms of security. This was confirmed by a lady in the city centre the next day.
The atmosphere is heavy and we are not reassured. We have to be careful with our backpacks and our laptops or devices... Not great!!
We visit the rare open monuments and among others
* The Museo del Oro Calima which exhibits beautiful gold pieces and pottery made by the indigenous Calima culture
We didn’t appreciate this stop.
Salento
We chose to visit the "Desierto de Tatacoa", "San Agustín" and "Tierredentro", knowing that the road to these three sites ended in an impassable route.
Going there meant going the other way, 2,200 km ... Knowing the state of the road network, it can seems crazy!!!
We do not regret our choice ... The crossing of 2 of the 3 cordillera of the Andes where we breathe the good air of the mountain is an unforgettable sight.
This region is home to an incredible variety of richness: virgin forests, mountains, coffee and banana plantations, waterfalls, fincas of all colors, colonial cities and pre-Columbian sites.
And yes, we enjoyed it.
Now heading north to reach "Salento".
This big town is part of one of the charming colonial villages of the coffee region. The facades of the houses are colorful and jeeps are present everywhere.
Famous, with the "Valle de Cocora", it’s extremely frequented by Colombians and tourists.
The particularity of this valley? Its wax palms of Quindio (Ceroxylon quindiuense), the highest in the world. They can reach 80 meters and live for 100 years. It is an endemic species of Colombia.
We arrive on a Sunday and the local tourist agencies are closed. We take the opportunity to visit this village, but we quickly give it up ... An immense crowd invaded the streets...
On Monday we take our information and decide not to do the proposed 23 km tour with a departure at 7 am ... The price is exorbitant.
The chosen option is to take a jeep that takes us to the valley in the heart of the palm forest. From there "the Sendero Bosque de Palmas" at 2,200 m of altitude, to reach 2,850 m.
We don’t do the big loop of 6 hours but the average one of 3 hours. This gives us the opportunity to meet a young French couple on a 6-month trip to South America.
These palm trees stand on the mountainside in meadows where cows graze. Another beauty of nature.
Back to the camper, we prepare the end of our trip in Colombia and the beginning in Ecuador (especially the program of the Galapagos Islands)!!!
ROAD BOOK 126
MAVROS ODYSSEE
