Las Siete Cascadas hike

Despite lack of sleep due to noisy street until 2:00 a.m. I still got an incredibly great hike in for 6 hours.
Leaving right from town walked a 4x4 road up to a remote farm from where the single track started, climbing into the woods over steeply rooted sections, running by 6 waterfalls. There are ropes to hang from to prevent slipping on the wet roots. Awesome challenging fun.

At the seventh cascade I hear voices, it had been a solo deep in the woods experience, partly in a horrendous downpour. I run into two Dutch, one German and a Kiwi who are stayed at the bio farm hostel that I walked by. They were trying to find their way. I hooked up with them as were headed in the same direction. They were a ton of fun as lively conversation never ceased. Ah, the energy of the young is so invigorating no matter how young you are in your own mind.

There are owls in the grotto under the cliff they point out, I go check and see if I can get a picture. Back in town I find out they were oilbirds, aka Gaucharos, an endangered bird that has been protected in a Colombian national park named just for them. What a treat to see them here unexpectedly.

We walk back to town on the road that another group used coming in the other direction after using a Jeep for a high elevation drop. Now we understand how they got so far so fast. The farmer asks for a ransom to pass their gate, 17,000 pesos per person. Daily they earn what's considered a small fortune in this country. Smart thinking!Read more