Santa Marta and Cartegena

Tyrona National Park
Protected area of mountains, jungle and beaches on the Caribbean coast.

Local transport into Tyrona National Park

Good hike into the park through beautiful jungle

No cars into the park beyond a certain point

Wild horses used roam and gallop along the beaches

Miles of coast and beaches to walk


Lots of friends to be made here

Home for 11 days

Beautiful jungle trek up to the Indian village


Got there in the end!


Tropical rain - oh that wet look!

Trek out of the park and back to Bogota.

Cartegena - beautiful and atmospheric world heritage colonial city.

Previously a major Spanish colonial centre from where much of the South American conquest and plunder was orchestrated. It was from here that most of the gold left the country and was the port into which millions of African slaves were brought.

For centuries the city was repeatedly attacked and plundered by pirates and other nations, and Cartegena built and expanded impressive fortifications. The main fortress was never taken although Francis Drake amongst others attaked with a pirate army of 18, 000.

Millions of slaves were brought into S.A via Cartegena and the African influence is huge here in

the music, culture and dance.

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Fantastic dance and music.

What the Spanish came for.

The fortress that was never taken. Drake tried with a pirate army of 18,000.

The Inquisition was brutal and lasted several hundred years in Cartegena.