Magical Places after the Post-Conflict Period
Since the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2016, more than ten regions have embraced tourism as the new way to boost the economy and provide livelihoods for those who have reintegrated into civilian life. Welcome to learn about the tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia!
The inhabitants of these beautiful and remote places are now protagonists of change. They have formed committed communities that, with the support of the government and non-governmental organizations, have developed world-class projects to become important tourist destinations.
Thus, what were once impenetrable territories are now places where landscapes, adventure, gastronomy, music, and indigenous and Afro-descendant communities weave together in harmony to offer travelers a glimpse of the blend between natural richness and national indigenous culture, which enchants and attracts even the most demanding visitors.
With over two thousand new options for legal and dignified employment, and over a hundred professional guides, you can access exclusive sites where freedom, security, and peace prevail.
Among the most recently visited destinations by hikers and nature lovers, which stand out for the new tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia, serving as examples of organization and reconciliation, are:
Sierra de la Macarena and Caño Cristales are part of the tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia
Caño Cristales is the wonderful river known as the "most beautiful in the world" or the "five colors", which was first photographed in the late eighties.
No one in the country at that time seemed to believe that such beauty could be found in the Sierra de la Macarena in the Meta Department. Today, it is possible to visit it during a certain time of the year, when the river shows its charms thanks to the flowering of the "Macarenia Clavigera" algae, the main cause of the colors that run through it.
Around this natural wonder, there is an adventure trip, developed hand in hand with associations of professional guides, canoe operators, hotels, and restaurants.
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While enjoying recreational activities, an education on ecology and the environment is provided to teach the world about the fragility of the ecosystem surrounding the river. The Autonomous Corporation of La Macarena (Cormacarena) is responsible for guarding the place and ensuring that over six hundred families benefit from this well-implemented tourism activity.
The journey through the Sierra de la Macarena is not limited to knowing Caño Cristales. There are numerous places that are part of this experience that promises an intense approach to the unforgettable Colombian natural heritage.
You can reach the Laguna del Silencio between walks and rapids, while observing turtles, pink dolphins or tucuxis, howler monkeys, oropendolas, and herons. The Stone City is also a destination that attracts attention for its ancient rock formations arranged in mazes whose walls seem to have windows and doors. These Guiana Shield stones present countless shapes among which figures resembling houses, castles, dogs, crowns, and crocodiles can be found. Lejanías, Mesetas, and San Juan de Arama are other destinations that you can visit with the help of the local community and that are part of the tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia.
The Urabá Antioqueño
This beautiful territory has virgin beaches on the edge of mangrove ecosystems and large banana plantations, which for many years were closed off from the world due to violence.
Today, places like Turbo, Necoclí, Chigorodó, Apartadó, and Mutatá among other six Antioquian municipalities that are part of this region, are moving forward through community-led tourism, using the enormous biological wealth they possess and organizing birdwatching activities, artisanal fishing, and gastronomic and cultural exhibitions that attract travelers interested in learning about new cultures and stunning landscapes.
This is the new way of life for the inhabitants of these towns, strategically located in terms of the country's geography and belonging to programs like the Tourism and Peace initiative.
Lost City
One of the most beautiful places that has brought peace to Colombia is Teyuna, or Lost City. This example of reconciliation is one of the most emblematic tourist attractions in our territory.
The indigenous communities that inhabit it have organized into an association, which works in coordination with guilds and companies forming CorpoTeyuna, to offer travelers a five-day experience that includes trekking to Lost City, a journey that seems like a trip back in time to another dimension, as guides lead it from the center of their customs, knowledge, and ancestral cosmogony.
These communities have experienced development and improvement in welfare through tourism activity and the professionalization of local guides. Undoubtedly, one of the best options to visit in terms of tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia.
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The social fabric that has been built allows many farmers and entrepreneurs to also join this dignified and legal activity.
Cauca
The Department of Cauca has municipalities such as Santander del Quilichao, Jambaló, Puerto Tejada, el Tambo, Guapi and Toribío among others, where beautiful Natural Parks ideal for exploring in search of a nature experience like Puracé, Munchique, and Gorgona Island are located.
In these areas of spectacular mountain, sea, jungle, and river landscapes, local indigenous and Afro-descendant communities offer a cultural experience that includes an approach to their traditions, natural treatments, handicrafts, music, and their delicious cuisine.
There is also the adventure route, where you can do water sports like surfing and diving in Gorgona, canoeing on rivers, hiking, bird watching, ferry trips, and learn about mining in Suárez.
San Vicente del Caguán
Thanks to the signing of the Peace Agreement, the “golden gate” of the Amazon has opened, whose main attraction is the dense nature with abundant rivers where you can do adventure sports like rappelling and rafting, accompanied by expert guides who know the area perfectly. These are some of the initiatives of tourism and post-conflict in Colombia.
Caguán Expeditions is the most outstanding venture for the rebirth of the department, the result of the union between communities, professionals, and ex-combatant population in the process of reintegration. The former guerrillas and community members are the guides responsible for the safety of the canoeing experience on the Pato River, which has eight professional guides, five ex-combatants, and three members of the Miravalle community.
Their experience includes hiking plans, visits to waterfalls, workshops on crops and harvests, and learning more about Peacebuilding through memory tourism. You will hear firsthand moving life stories, where hope and the achievement of peace is the main moral.
More initiatives of tourism and post-conflict in Colombia
Vichada
You can get to Puerto Carreño by air, via the Meta River, or by road. This is a destination for those seeking silence, memorable sunsets, and surreal landscapes.
The Orinoco River and the visit to the El Tuparro National Natural Park and its natural reserves like Bohonawi (a word in the Sikuani language meaning “water dog or large otter”) are the main attractions offered by this land full of petroglyphs, stone sculptures superimposed by nature and shaped by river waters, rapids of uncontrollable forces, pink dolphins, turtles, and abundant mango harvests.
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A perfect place for sport fishing, bird watching, hiking, ecotourism, and of course photography, with local guides who know the area perfectly and have seen in tourism a great opportunity for the development of local communities.
Discover the new Colombia
There are many other destinations that are examples of the tenacity and goodwill of a nation that loves peace and wants to share the beauties of its territory by hosting and guiding anyone who wants to visit.
Places like the Sibundoy Valley in Putumayo, San Basilio de Palenque in Bolívar, Mesetas in Meta, the Chocoan Darién, and the departments of Córdoba or Nariño, are also part of these examples that with time see the rebirth and joy of the development of their regions through the riches that were once hidden from the eyes of travelers.
Get excited to discover the great Colombia, you will surely want to come back! Explore all the tourism and post-conflict initiatives in Colombia that the country has for you.
