safety in the countryside: hiking and rock climbing?

getting better says on Jun 21, 2007, 02:02:

Colombia is a huge country. Many parts are now pretty safe. I believe there is an active rock climbing scene around Bogota and also at least one hiking club. I don't think comparing one country against another is going to be that meaningful, there are going to be dangerous areas in both countries. Some of the nicest safe areas for hiking may be a very long from Bogota, and internal travel is often slow and expensive, the roads are very poor in many parts of Colombia and you might find it frustrating how much time you spend travelling compared with how much actually hiking. I imagine the most popular mapped climbing routes near Bogota are going to be packed at weekends and holidays and you may have to queue to climb them, whilst if you go on a weekday when there is no-one around you are going to feel much more vulnerable. No doubt other people know much more than me, but I thought I would kick off anyway.

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Peter (Moderator) (Trustee board) (Dev team) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 21, 2007, 04:05:

chicomalo says on Jun 21, 2007, 05:15:

around Melgar is pretty safe as well but you need to go with a club to know where to go and where not to go. If you want to go by yourself anywhere in Colombia prepare yourself for a kidnapping.

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Robert Jorge says on Jun 21, 2007, 10:37:

Villavicencio is 2.5 hours south of Bogota, relatively safe, and I saw lots of places that one could climb. Hiking. When I was hiking, that is when I saw the places that would be cool to climb. My favorite hike was going up the mountain overlooking Villvo, and then walking along the little road that winds through the mountains. There is also a para-sailing club on the peak of the mountain if your into that.

He who farts in church, sits in his own pew.

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dharmabumin06 says on Jun 22, 2007, 22:27:

thanks everybody

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dwmte7 says on Jun 23, 2007, 18:37:

yo, dharma... is that a jack k kickback? just curious. anyway, it's a nice name.

i don't know about rock climbing anywhere in colombia, but hiking is everywhere. colombians are avid walkers. you'll find many groups that take off all the time; especiallyon weekends and holidays. two of my sisters spend every weekend walking their butts offl. and my suegro just never stops. so as for hiking about, anywhere is cool. don't sweat the kidnap too much, things have change a great deal over the last decade. i've bee all the way out in eastern antioquia where it's definitely dangerous and oddly enough no body paid me a never mind. so just be alert, conscious of your surroundings, hike with a friend (local) and don't do stupid shit. that's what gets folks dead.

dw

dwmte

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dharmabumin06 says on Jun 23, 2007, 22:18:

nice pick up...kerouac was the impetus for my current trip (ive been in asia for the last 6 months) but now i think im headed to S. America to get a job and practice my spanish.

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dwmte7 says on Jun 24, 2007, 05:17:

i live by kerouac's life long haunt, here in florida. in fact, on the road was the very first book i ever read....grew up in a farming family in rural california. i was maybe 14. it was like mental labotomy for my 'country-bumpkin go to the fair mind. it was followed a year or so later by, 'a clockwork orange'. i think between the two i was screwed for life. in fact, life was never the same. i went from hay-buck to hadjii over the next 15-20 years. imagine, some hay bucker's son visiting the tombs of islams most exalted saints.....

i think it was GOD'S grace which made colombia the last on my 25 years of working around the world. trust me, i've been in so many shit holes in the middle east, india, africa that finally landing in colombia was like dying and going to heaven.

welcome aboard. DONT MISS MEDELLIN

DW

dwmte

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dharmabumin06 says on Jun 26, 2007, 08:30:

"If you are making a planned trip for rock climbing I would not choose Colombia for a number of reasons beyond security issues. "

what reasons beyond safety?

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