Colombia: Just for the FARC of it!

UK4X4

Expedition Leader
"Fantastic trip, can you recommend any moderate off-road trails in Colombia or know anyone we could tag along with?

Ps we are from the Dorset area too, just one town along from you :) "

Actually I finished 3 years in Colombia back last jan and am currently working for our Aberdeen office

Most if not all of the trails near Bogota are pretty bad, if not when you enter, then after it rains the conditions change really quickly in the mountains
high angles rock ledges and mud mud mud, black organic sludge.

If you hit Los Llanos in the dry season almost all the roads are dirt tracks, intersperced with challanas for river crossings (ferry's) the odd mud hole would be still there, its red mud..in the most.....people help each other in those areas

Villavicencio is the gateway to los LLanos a 3hour down hill from the BOG and has quite a large selection of places to stay and lots of trips routes can be taken from here.

Yopal a bit further along was the start point of the Llanos trip, but we took a back route not commonaly used in the rainy season....hence the conditions...there are dirt roads from there heading towards the orinoco, tourism is a bit far and between but many places let you camp or sling a hammock, there are some haciendas that do 3-4 days llanos trips for animal spotting anacondas etc

Farc issues come and go, its a risk, but was acceptable for me, I think most of the 4x4 community in the BOG have come across them at some point or another, they usually just take money and the odd GPS.

Military will often shut down entry to areas where they've been seen, so you just follow their advice.

If you need a Toyo mechanic in the BOG I can recomend one ! his truck was the large blue LC on 36" tyres
 
We are currently in Colombia, a few hours from Bogota, let us know if there are any interesting off road routes we can join you on...

Martin


We will be in Bogota in a day or two for the next few days, so let us know if you are free for beer,

We have been speaking to some of your colleagues about contributing some work to the OJ and Expedition Portal. It would be great to expand on this.
 
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Scott Brady

Founder
We will be in Bogota in a day or two for the next few days, so let us know if you are free for beer,

We have been speaking to some of your collogues about contributing some work to the OJ and Expedition Portal. It would be great to expand on this.

Yeah, let's see if we can get together. We are in BOG for one more day, so maybe dinner tomorrow night.

909-374-1153
 

cruiseroutfit

Supporting Sponsor: Cruiser Outfitters
Sounds like experience talking! Neither a happy ending?? ;)

I'll have to share that story around a campfire... just remember to ask me about the time Jeremiah got shaken down for $20 on the beach :D

There are old Patrols EVERYWHERE here. I have seen hundreds, many in wonderful condition.

Easily the highest concentration of Patrols I've every seen. Farm trucks, tow trucks, taxi's... you name it, the Patrol is doing it in Colombia.
 

4xdog

Explorer
...Easily the highest concentration of Patrols I've every seen. Farm trucks, tow trucks, taxi's... you name it, the Patrol is doing it in Colombia.

There used to be a ton of the little Renault 4, too. The quatrelle was assembled locally for some years, IIRC. One used to be able to buy parts at the grocery store.
 

OldGreen

Active member
I spent a fair amount of time in Barrancabermeja in the last couple of years. It isn't the "eternal springtime" of Bogota. The exact opposite but the people and the culture are just fantastic. Can't wait for pics. Especially interested if you get down in the Magdalena valley. Such a beautiful jungle. . .
 

Scott Brady

Founder
The adventure is just winding down, and it has been by far one of the most amazing journeys of my travels, including extreme remoteness, loading GSAs into pangas, and a flight in a 70 year old DC3 from the Venezuelan border. Los Llanos is like the African Savanna of South America, and we encountered rich wildlife.

The Colombian people are wonderful.

Here are a few images. More when I get back to the US.

View attachment 261066

View attachment 261067

View attachment 261068

image.jpg

image.jpg
 

RMP&O

Expedition Leader
There are old Patrols EVERYWHERE here. I have seen hundreds, many in wonderful condition.

That is what took me to Colombia for the first time in early 2004. I met a guy in Colombia on the internet who was/is a die hard Patrol owner. He invited me down. I went knowing not a single thing about the country. Fell in love with the place and not just because of the Patrols. It is a wonderful country full of wonderful people.

Cheers and keep having fun!
 

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