Colombia

Border: Colon – Cartagena

For shipping information refer to our The Darien Gap – Shipping Your Rig section. The border here is a piece of cake if you sail the San Blas Islands. Basically, the vehicle export part is handled during the shipping process. The passports are handed over to the captain for sailing and when you get them back in Cartagena, they’re all stamped up and ready to go. Easy.

Our Route

Colombia Tips

Colombia is not the Colombia of 10 years ago you will hear horror stories about. The people are amazing, the roads are safe to drive with numerous checkpoints, and there are lots of places to camp and hostels/hotels that will accommodate for good prices.
Be prepared to spend a lot of money at the peajes! Virtually every road you can drive on in Colombia is a toll road. We went through dozens and dozens of them and they range from $4 to $7 a pop. We spent well over $100, prob closer to $200 just driving.
The Refugio de la Roca at the La Mojarra climbing area–whether you climb or not–is one of the most beautifully stunning hostel/camping places we have ever laid eyes on. Amazing place, exquisite views, and it’s built right on the side of the cliff. It’s between Bucaramanga and San Gil. Amazing, go there.
Suesca is the best climbing in Colombia and not to be missed if you have trad gear.
If you hike Monte Cerade in Bogota, don’t bring anything you care about with you (see our The Most Expensive Picture I’ve Ever Taken – Ups and Downs on the Road post)
Seemed like south of Cali it’s best to find a hotel or hostel with parking if you’re going to lay up in a city. Stealth camping on the streets of this area would be risky (and we stealth camped 100% of Mexico’s entirety). You look at the street during the night and not a single car will be seen anywhere. Everything is locked up tight behind iron and spikes. Fortunately, you can get a hotel room with private bath for $10 in this next of the woods. Take advantage, it’s a nice change of pace from camping and hostels.

Quito

There are several places to sport climb and boulder around Quito. We didn’t go to any of them but the info for them can be found at mondedo.com

Banos

There were two obvious spots in Banos to climb. One below the zoo and the other directly under the bridge where the puenting takes place. The puenting by the way while still likely to be a good time is so small a rope jump for the size and potential of the bridge that I was a little embarrassed for them, though at $20 a jump I hardly think they care what I think. The climbing is grid bolted sport on short basalt. Something to do if your bored but nothing special.

Cuenca

Paunte – Sport climbing about 40 minutes from Cuenca. Good sport routes. Well bolted but not over bolted. Sharp, positive volcanic rock. Many routes from 5.10 up. Both the description of how to get there and the topo provided on monodedo.com were pretty bad. I’ve added a better description on how to get there and where to camp on Mountain Project here. As for the routes, we never had much luck with the topo, but it’s sport, eyeball and jump on it!

High in the Andes

July 23, 2014February 2, 2016 Eric 2 Comments

After a healthy acclimatization period in Quito we hit the road and drove the Craggin’ Wagon to Cotopaxi. We turned off the road at the first sign we saw for the park and ended up driving a 26km cobblestone/dirt track to a secondary entrance into the park. It was fun and the rig did not disappoint. (more…)

The Galapagos Islands

July 7, 2014February 2, 2016 Eric 5 Comments

I hope you’re ready for a lot of photos because that’s mostly what this post will consist of – namely because I snapped more than 1500 pics during the 7 days we spent there! We couldn’t walk 10 feet without practically stepping on the unique wildlife there and flipping the camera back on. But first, some Galapagos background info for your reading pleasure. (more…)

Ecuadorian Awesomeness!

June 28, 2014February 2, 2016 Eric 1 Comment

We started Ecuador with another beautiful drive in the Andes. The taller mountains here aren’t as green as the Colombian Andes and they reminded us a bit of The Rockies in some places. (more…)