Trip to the Cienaga de Pijino

Get back to nature and get out there in the wetlands surrounding Mompos

Touts and legitimate guides will approach you in Mompos to come out on a tour of the Cienega de Pijino, shop around and then decide on which tour you like the look of best. As stated in the overall guide all hotels and guesthouses in Mompos will be able to set you up with a reputable tour.

What Is the Cienega de Pijino?

Basically it is a huge wetland that is a short boat-ride away. You have to head out for some 40 minutes from Mompos and then you leave civilisation behind. Smallholders and cattle farmers inhabit this flooded terrain and it is a haven for the endemic species found in this region of Colombia.

Wildlife

You could spot some cayman and perhaps a snake or two. But the real wonder lies in the variety and abundance of bird-life, you can glimpse anything from hummingbirds, hawks and egrets and more. In addition to these you could spot turtles, armadillos, chiguiros (known in Brazil as Capybara), perhaps an anteater and monkeys (sloths, micos and howlers).

How Does the Tour Work?

Like everything, the more people that you group together on your trip, the more economically viable it will become. I recommend that you get at least 4 people together and your budget will descend to the region of 20,000 per person. This may seem steep but the tour will take about 4 hours and in addition to paying the guide the chalupero (boat driver) needs to pay his gasoline!

You can opt for a tour that leaves early in the morning, in particular those eager ornithologists are recommended to do so, but most likely you will find yourself on a tour that leaves at roughly 2pm. This is not designed to have you bake to a chicharron in the Mompos midday sun, but so that you can get out to the more distant parts of the Cienaga further away from human interference and spend sunset out there in a remarkable setting.

First posted by emp99 on Nov 23, 2008, 12:41. Last edit by Peter on Nov 23, 2008, 12:49. Edit this | History.

What's this? A free and open travel guide, written by all of us together. Feel free to print it out, photocopy it and share it with your friends. If you're travelling while you're reading this, don't forget to make notes on these pages and add them to the site when you're online. This content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.

Americas:

Colombia (travelguide)