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Another Choco trip

I recently (June 2008) completed a trip from Turbo -> Quibdo (boat) -> Medellin (bus). I couldn't find any information on doing the boat-trip this way round, so I thought I'd provide some here. It didn't all go entirely according to plan.

Arrived in Turbo (from Capurgana) on a Saturday and enquired at the port (El Waffe) about boats to Quibdo. Was told at first that there was a boat leaving Sunday, but was later told Monday. Service is roughly every other day, seemingly depending on demand. Arrived at port 6am Monday and bought ticket (150000 COP). Price has been rising due to gasoline costs.

Boat left at 7am. Fully loaded (18 passengers). Tight squeeze. Luggage everywhere including huge pile tied to the bow, obscuring driver's view. An hour into the trip we developed engine troubles. Single-engined boat. Progress slow. Stopped at several tiny villages on the lower Atrato (Darien region) in attempts to fix engine and get parts (to no avail). Long stop in Riosucio for lunch while mechanic tried to fix engine (again, to no avail).

Left Riosucio. Lots of rain. Progress still slow. Became clear that we weren't going to reach Quibdo that day. Boat had to be off the river by 6pm, so at 5pm we started calling ashore to small villages to see if we could stay the night. No joy. We spluttered on and made it to the town of Bijia just as it got dark (6:30pm). We stayed here in a small residencia. Some people had to share beds. I am told that there are many paramilitaries in town.

Left at 8am the next morning. Three hour wait at Bete for engine parts coming from Quibdo. Engine was fixed (sort of). Arrived in Quibdo around 5pm. Total journey time 34 hours including stops.

Two days later I took the bus from Quibdo to Medellin (after enquiring about security situation in DAS Quibdo). Rapido Ochoa leaves daily at 7am (57000 COP). I asked for a discount and got it for 52000. There is another bus company near DAS with cheaper buses leaving at 5, 6 and 7am but I was told that they weren't direct. Road in very bad state for first 80km. Was told by locals living at around 60km from Quibdo that guerrillas had been seen on the road there one week earlier. Lots of rain. Encountered a broken truck blocking the road and had to squeeze past it on the edge of a very steep drop using slippery wooden blocks. Total journey time 15 hours.

General comments...

Boat:

- Pristine jungle scenery, especially in the lower Atrato. Many birds, especially when passing through Parque Los Katios in the Darien. Boat usually travels just a few metres from jungle. Opportunities to see indigenous peoples.
- Turbo very friendly, Quibdo friendly and Atrato villages generally friendly. I'm tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, so tend to attract attention. Am referred to by everyone as 'mono' or gringo.
- Stopped by Infanteria de Marina on the river several times. Asked for passport and reason for journey. No personal searches. Serious but courteous.

Bus:

- Jungle scenery from the hilltops is spectacular. Saw Embera peoples and pretty butterflies en route.
- Many stops by police and military including 3 searches (2 body searches).

Finally...

I'm not recommending that people do or do not take this trip - I'm just sharing my experiences. I learned a lot.

By moai on Jun 14, 2008, 17:37 in Travel tips.

beisbollover says on Jun 14, 2008, 18:39:

Holy S--t are you out of your mind. Why not just go bungee jumping with a broken cord. Or sky diving with a hole in your parachute. Seems just as risky. Guerrillas were seen a week ago on the road and you took it anyway? WTF is wrong with you. Do you have any idea how lucky you are? I wonder if you had gotten picked up by the farc if your family would be crying to the Colombian government to do more to try and rescue you?

I do not recommend this trip he took to anyone who values their well being. In five or ten years we all will have the chance to go to these places as easily as Bogota or Melgar but until then please be more careful in your choices.

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moai says on Jun 14, 2008, 20:28:

beisbollover, let me clear something up. I wasn't told that guerrillas had been seen on the road until I was 60km (6 hours) into the trip.

Like I said, I also enquired about the current security situation at the DAS office in Quibdo before buying a ticket - and they told me it was safe to take the bus. I also spoke to police and to locals in Quibdo who had taken the bus recently and they all said it was safe. This is how I chose to evaluate the risk, and I remain happy with my decision.

To reiterate, I'm not recommending that people do or do not take this trip - I'm just sharing my experiences.

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Sam Salmon says on Jun 14, 2008, 21:46:

Great report my friend!!

Thanks for letting us know how it was Colombia has so much to offer in terms of the natural world.

' a la orden!'

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RUV says on Jun 14, 2008, 21:52:

Got any pictures to share.

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webmanco says on Jun 14, 2008, 21:58:

Thanks for sharing.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Cheers Terry says on Jun 14, 2008, 23:12:

I did this trip several months ago. Our Turbo/Quibdo boat was fast, comfortable and not crowded partially due to luck and partially because I paid 600,000 for 3 people so we let a little early.

Fabulous experience, and no, I'm definitely not recommending to anyone else either.

Thanks for the post.

Cheers,
Terry

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ixent says on Jun 15, 2008, 03:22:

Wow... sounds like an amazing trip. The boat journey seems a bit long though. Does you think it's feasible/safe to break it up into smaller sub-trips and stop at villages along the way? Maybe spend a week or 10 days...

A question... when stopped by the Infanteria de Marina, what explanation did you give for your trip?

Note that being stopped by the guerilla is NOT an automatic kidnapping sentence, even if you are a foreigner. We were stopped near El Cocuy a few years ago (2001), and were searched, had our passports checked, asked for the reason for our journey ("practicando montañismo") and then allowed to leave with a "que pasen un buen dia". I know of more than one case of foreign backpackers being stopped between San Agustin and Popayan, and again, being allowed to continue inhindered. However, is it worth **knowingy** taking the risk (which is **not** the case with moai)? Probably not.

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Gator says on Jun 15, 2008, 09:05:

Sounds interesting. I let Mrs Gator read it and she left muttering something, in Spanish, that translates into death wish.

"Credidi pretio parvo emere et magno vendere tibi in animo fuisse!" .

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sloopskipper says on Jun 15, 2008, 12:20:

Seems I remember there were 4 kidnapped by FARC, near Turbo, maybe a few months ago. Across the border in the Darien is certainly unsafe.

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elchocoano says on Jun 15, 2008, 20:29:

Moai, thanks for the report. Your method of evaluating the risk of the bus trip was exactly the one I used for the trip in the opposite direction, and I agree with it.

Myself, I back out when the locals tell me that I'm not going to make it. In 1989, I was at Huancayo, Peru, contemplating a bus trip to Ayacucho, the region at the time being in Sendero control. I was told in no uncertain terms by the locals that I was at great risk, and so I stopped and went back to Lima. Had no problems making that decision.

Nice to read that you also found Turbo to be friendly.

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