Responsible tourism in Colombia
Our Colombia Vacations
Colombia vacation, small group
From one enticing town to the next, a two week tour of Colombia
Colombia vacation, tailor made
Amazing Colombia from Caribbean to Amazon, tailor made
Highlights of Colombia vacation, tailor-made
Bogota, Coffee Region, Medellin & Cartagena - Tailormade
Small group vacation to Colombia
One of South America's most beautiful and interesting countries
Colombia small group tour
A comprehensive overview of Colombian diversity
Colombia multi activity tour
Hike, bike and raft through beautiful Colombia!
Off the beaten track vacation to Colombia
Adventure through Colombia - highlights and off the beaten track
Colombia tour, Colombia encompassed
An amazing 20 day adventure through Colombia
Colombia vacation, San Agustin and the Amazon
Off the beaten track Colombia vacation
Biking vacation in Colombia
Road cycling in the beautiful 'Eje Cafetero' coffee region
Colombia vacation, Andes, Amazon & Caribbean
Explore the Andes, Amazon Jungle and Caribbean Coast
Salsa vacation in Cali, Colombia
Salsa vacation in Cali during annual World Salsa Festival
Cycling tour of Colombia
15 day bike tour through beautiful, colourful Colombia!
Colombia adventure vacation, viva Colombia
Experience nature & culture on this fantastic adventure
Colombia tour, highlights
Guided tour of Colombia cultural and historic highlights
Colombia highlights tour
Roundtrip Colombia, from coffee tasting, art and history to the Caribbean coast
Colombia trekking vacation, hidden Colombia
Travel back 1000 years to the Lost City of the Sierra Nevada
Quito to Cartagena, Colombia overland truck tour
Experience the wonders of Colombia and Ecuador overland
South America Overland tour with carnival
Ultimate overland trip throughout South America
Colombia tailor made tour, culture & coffee
Visit one of Latin America's most distinctive countries
Colombia tour, small group
Explore Medellin, the coffee triangle, and nature's splendor
Colombia horse riding vacation
Ride The Independence Trail in Columbia
Luxury Colombia vacation
Experience coffee hacienda, islands, history & landscapes
Colombia to Brazil overland tour
Spectacular overland adventure from Colombia to Brazil
Classic Colombia small group tour
Discover the history, charms and rhythms of Colombia
Colombia & Galapagos, Cartagena to Quito vacation
Group tour combining Colombia and the Galapagos
Colombia bird watching tour
Explore Colombia and discover it's 1900 bird species
South American overland tour
Overland tour from Colombia to Argentina
Colombia tour, 7 days
Discover the north and the capital of Colombia.
People and culture in Colombia
The Kogi
Trekking to the mountaintop Ciudad Perdida – the Lost City – could be described as Colombia’s Inca Trail. This five day expedition follows a river through dense jungle close to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and the heat, mud and humidity present physical challenges to trekkers. In Peru, the Quechua – modern day descendants of the Inca – are well known, and Quechua porters, cooks and sometimes guides will accompany travelers along the tough trail to Machu Picchu. In Colombia, the indigenous Kogi that live along the route to the Ciudad Perdida are the descendants of the Tairona people that built this ancient city. They are somewhat more mysterious and private than the Quechua, and a balance has not yet been struck between them and the thousands of tourists who trek here each year.The Kogi are innate environmentalists who are at odds with Western society in many ways. They believe in a Mother Earth type creator-goddess, Aluna, and believe that non-Kogi are causing irreversible harm to the planet. They don’t like to be photographed and don’t wear shoes, so that their soles are always in contact with the earth. The Kogi have lived in the mountains self sufficiently, in virtual isolation, since the arrival of the Caribs in 1000 BCE, and then of the Spanish conquistadors in the early 1500s.
Most Kogi still choose not to interact with outsiders, although the increasing popularity of the Ciudad Perdida trek means that some of them no longer have a choice. Some communities have opted to receive payment from trekking companies who cross their land, or are paid to be trail caretakers and even guides. This is controversial amongst the Kogi, who fear the spread of materialism and a conflict with their traditional values.
At Responsible Travel, we generally encourage travelers to be involved with local communities: using local guides, making efforts to learn about traditional cultures and buying food or crafts direct from producers. In the case of the Kogi, this is not necessarily the most ethical option. Anyone who chooses not to be involved in tourism should be granted their privacy, and out here, money is certainly not the answer to all problems.
If considering the Ciudad Perdida trek, the best approach is to chat with your vacation company to find out how they address this issue. Do they do their best to leave the Kogi in peace, or do they employ willing guides en route? Do they visit Kogi villages? This is not a great option, as most Kogi prefer their villages to be closed to outsiders, and even if some village leaders have agreed to accept visitors, not all community members may be comfortable with this. Money might not always be the best form of payment; are companies contributing in other ways, such as by bringing food, medicine or perhaps school supplies?
If you encounter Kogi people during your trek, don’t approach them, and definitely do not take pictures. Even those who have ‘agreements’ with certain tour companies to allow photos may not be doing so willingly. If people do want to speak to you, by all means take the opportunity to have a conversation; pointing a camera in someone’s face can be an unnecessary barrier.
In 1990, BBC filmmakers worked with the Kogi to create a film which acted as a kind of warning to the Western world about the dangers facing the planet, including climate change, drugs and violence. 22 years later, the Kogi created a ‘sequel’ called Aluna, with their own film crew. It is worth watching these films to gain a great insight into Kogi beliefs and perhaps also to learn something about caring for our planet, too
Wildlife & environment in Colombia
The demise of the FARC and the end of the 52 year civil war that blighted the country is what has now made tourism possible here, and this also has implications for Colombia’s landscapes. The guerrilla army blew up oil pipelines, sprayed toxic herbicides on illegal plantations, and established illegal mines. Close to 60 percent of deforestation in Colombia took place in areas affected by the conflict. Conversely, the presence of the FARC acted as a deterrent for industrial logging, mining and agricultural companies – as well as smaller scale farmers – so in certain areas, resource exploitation may have been reduced.
The regions most affected by the conflict are, unsurprisingly, some of the poorest in the country. While there are plans to create protected areas and focus on the restoration of decimated landscapes, in order to stand a chance of success, any initiative will need to support local communities and allow them, too, to recover from the war. Responsible tourism has the potential to do both; incentivising communities to keep their surrounding environment intact, while allowing them to make sustainable incomes and develop infrastructure.
There are promising initiatives underway, with schemes to train over 1,000 former FARC fighters to become forest guardians, teaching them to track and report illegal activity. These initiatives promote sustainable farming techniques as well as responsible tourism, and some of the trainees may go on to become national park rangers – the perfect marriage of the guerrillas’ jungle survival skills and instincts, and the need to reintegrate them in civil society.