Our 12 Favorite Moments From the Latest Women Who Travel Trip to Colombia

Travel, Travel Tips, World Roaming 4 Minutes

Slide 1 of 14: Travel is a lot of things—exciting, scary, life changing—but sometimes it can be downright awkward. Who hasn’t had a conversation with a stranger that gets lost in translation? Or accidentally ordered something unpalatable in a restaurant? One time, I got butt naked at a Japanese onsen (that’s a hot spring to the uninitiated) only to discover that I’d walked into the men’s section by mistake. So when I was asked to submerge myself in a crowded pool of thick, volcanic mud in Cartagena, Colombia, a few weeks ago...well, I didn’t think twice about doing it. That thrill of awkwardness—being far outside of your comfort zone—is part of the reason you travel, isn’t it? Let the most adventurous, spontaneous, fun version of yourself kick in. How did I end up there, exactly? It was all part of our recent Women Who Travel trip to Colombia, a nine-day adventure through Cartagena and Medellín with 12 intrepid women. We learned to dance champeta alongside the pros; ate piping hot arepa de huevos, fresh out of streetside deep fryers; walked around the rainbow-colored streets of Guatapé; and stayed up late drinking too much aguardiente under the palm trees. But before all of that—before the bonding and inside jokes that come with group travel—we took a mud bath together. We’d known each other less than 24 hours when we put on our swimsuits and ascended the steep, uneven steps that lead you to the top of El Totumo, an active mud volcano an hour’s drive outside of Cartagena. The mud is thought to have healing properties by locals, but all I could think about as I lowered myself down into the abyss was that I had no idea if I’d be able to touch the bottom. (I couldn’t.) It was, in no uncertain terms, chaos in the mud pool. Swimming was virtually impossible. Mud splashed in our eyes. A woman from New Jersey may or may not have been having a panic attack. But each time one of us floated on our backs, or tried to pose for a photo, we’d shriek with laughter. It was weird. Unpredictable. Hilarious. And, like all of the best travel moments, it brought us closer together. On the way back up the mud-covered ladder I slipped and lost my footing, and for one split second I feared I’d be lost to the mud bath forever. Another unfortunate tourist relegated to brief, Internet stardom. But I needn’t have worried, of course—my new friends were already there to catch me.

Travel is a lot of things—exciting, scary, life changing—but sometimes it can be downright awkward. Who hasn’t had a conversation with a stranger that gets lost in translation? Or accidentally ordered something unpalatable in a restaurant? One time, I got butt naked at a Japanese onsen (that’s a hot spring to the uninitiated) only to discover that I’d walked into the men’s section by mistake. So when I was asked to submerge myself in a crowded pool of thick, volcanic mud in Cartagena, Colombia, a few weeks ago…well, I didn’t think twice about doing it. That thrill of awkwardness—being far outside of your comfort zone—is part of the reason you travel, isn’t it? Let the most adventurous, spontaneous, fun version of yourself kick in.

How did I end up there, exactly? It was all part of our recent Women Who Travel trip to Colombia, a nine-day adventure through Cartagena and Medellín with 12 intrepid women. We learned to dance champeta alongside the pros; ate piping hot arepa de huevos, fresh out of streetside deep fryers; walked around the rainbow-colored streets of Guatapé; and stayed up late drinking too much aguardiente under the palm trees. But before all of that—before the bonding and inside jokes that come with group travel—we took a mud bath together.

We’d known each other less than 24 hours when we put on our swimsuits and ascended the steep, uneven steps that lead you to the top of El Totumo, an active mud volcano an hour’s drive outside of Cartagena. The mud is thought to have healing properties by locals, but all I could think about as I lowered myself down into the abyss was that I had no idea if I’d be able to touch the bottom. (I couldn’t.) It was, in no uncertain terms, chaos in the mud pool. Swimming was virtually impossible. Mud splashed in our eyes. A woman from New Jersey may or may not have been having a panic attack. But each time one of us floated on our backs, or tried to pose for a photo, we’d shriek with laughter. It was weird. Unpredictable. Hilarious. And, like all of the best travel moments, it brought us closer together.

On the way back up the mud-covered ladder I slipped and lost my footing, and for one split second I feared I’d be lost to the mud bath forever. Another unfortunate tourist relegated to brief, Internet stardom. But I needn’t have worried, of course—my new friends were already there to catch me.

Slide 2 of 14: As I said, the mud bath was intense. But where else can you treat yourself to an all-natural facial while sitting at the top of a volcano?

 

Diving Into the Mud at El Totumo

As I said, the mud bath was intense. But where else can you treat yourself to an all-natural facial while sitting at the top of a volcano?

Slide 3 of 14: We ditched the tourist circuit for the afternoon and cut our teeth at a few local salsa joints instead. All it took was a little encouragement from our teacher, Anderson—and a little Dutch courage—to get us dancing out on the street.

Learning How to Salsa in Cartagena

We ditched the tourist circuit for the afternoon and cut our teeth at a few local salsa joints instead. All it took was a little encouragement from our teacher, Anderson—and a little Dutch courage—to get us dancing out on the street.

Slide 4 of 14: The historic walled city of Cartagena is an Instagrammer's playground, and thankfully we had our on-trip photographer Simone at our side to capture all of the highlights (wall selfies included).

Striking a Pose For the On-Trip Photographer

The historic walled city of Cartagena is an Instagrammer’s playground, and thankfully we had our on-trip photographer Simone at our side to capture all of the highlights (wall selfies included).

Slide 5 of 14: Have you ever had a deep-fried arepa with egg and cheese cooked inside of it? Well, you should. Not only is it a piping hot mouthful of greasy goodness, but an ideal hangover cure after too much aguardiente and salsa dancing.

Sampling Street Food in Old Town Cartagena

Have you ever had a deep-fried arepa with egg and cheese cooked inside of it? Well, you should. Not only is it a piping hot mouthful of greasy goodness, but an ideal hangover cure after too much aguardiente and salsa dancing.

Slide 6 of 14: Clear Caribbean waters, 85-degree weather, and a private catamaran? I dare you to find an image that screams "out of office" more than this one.

Snorkeling Along the Coastline

Clear Caribbean waters, 85-degree weather, and a private catamaran? I dare you to find an image that screams “out of office” more than this one.
Slide 7 of 14: For the second half of the trip, we headed to Medellín—also known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” thanks to its year-round temperate weather. Needless to say, cocktail hour meant watching the sun set in a purple-pink haze over the skyline and neighboring Aburrá Valley.
 

Sunsets in Medellín

For the second half of the trip, we headed to Medellín—also known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” thanks to its year-round temperate weather. Needless to say, cocktail hour meant watching the sun set in a purple-pink haze over the skyline and neighboring Aburrá Valley.

Slide 8 of 14: Colombia has been long-considered one of the best places in the world for coffee. We spent an afternoon getting a coffee tutorial from the experts—and discovered that we'd been brewing our own coffee all wrong.

Tasting the Best of Colombian Coffee

Colombia has been long-considered one of the best places in the world for coffee. We spent an afternoon getting a coffee tutorial from the experts—and discovered that we’d been brewing our own coffee all wrong.

Slide 9 of 14: Two hours outside of Medellín lies Guatapé, a tiny cobblestoned town filled with plenty of colorful buildings and murals. Plus, the town's public transport is nothing short of adorable.

Exploring Multi-Colored Guatapé

Two hours outside of Medellín lies Guatapé, a tiny cobblestoned town filled with plenty of colorful buildings and murals. Plus, the town’s public transport is nothing short of adorable.

Slide 10 of 14: All that walking around Guatapé is tiring (and no, we didn't attempt the 659-step climb to the top of the region's landmark rock, El Peñón) so we set up camp at a private lake house for the day, complete with a swimming pool, hammocks, and unrivaled views. Not pictured: a six-course Argentinian lunch, fresh off the grill.

Spending the Day at a Private Lake House

All that walking around Guatapé is tiring (and no, we didn’t attempt the 659-step climb to the top of the region’s landmark rock, El Peñón) so we set up camp at a private lake house for the day, complete with a swimming pool, hammocks, and unrivaled views. Not pictured: a six-course Argentinian lunch, fresh off the grill.
Slide 11 of 14: If you live in New York, like I do, watching breakdancers is basically part of your daily commute. But watching this group perform in Comuna 13—a neighborhood that was once the most dangerous in the city, and now the most visited—took things to a whole other level. One thing that made them really stand out from the crowd? Their best performer was a woman.

 

Watching Breakdancers in Medellín’s Comuna 13

If you live in New York, like I do, watching breakdancers is basically part of your daily commute. But watching this group perform in Comuna 13—a neighborhood that was once the most dangerous in the city, and now the most visited—took things to a whole other level. One thing that made them really stand out from the crowd? Their best performer was a woman.
Slide 12 of 14: Street art has been an intrinsic part of rebuilding communities within Comuna 13—so much so that thousands of visitors flock to see its murals each year. We got a lesson from one of the neighborhood's most famous street artists, Chota, who helped us leave our very own mark on Medellín.

Creating Our Own Street Art

Street art has been an intrinsic part of rebuilding communities within Comuna 13—so much so that thousands of visitors flock to see its murals each year. We got a lesson from one of the neighborhood’s most famous street artists, Chota, who helped us leave our very own mark on Medellín.
Slide 13 of 14: And in case you were wondering, we're already plotting our next trip together.

Making Lifelong Travel Buddies

And in case you were wondering, we’re already plotting our next trip together.
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Published by Sarha

Helping those who are looking for good international travel tips. I also have published few articles posted by top notch writers on different sites.

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