Adventure is Out There: Tayrona National Park

Clare DeVeau is a student at Hope College and an ISA Featured Blogger. Clare is currently studying abroad with ISA in Barranquilla, Colombia.

My legs are covered in mosquito bites and my shoulders are bright red from the sun, but I couldn’t be happier. I have only been in Colombia for a few days, but with the amount that I did this past weekend I feel like I have been here for weeks.

Just one day after arriving in Barranquilla, Colombia we had out first excursion as an ISA group. So, Sunday morning we woke up bright and early to head to Tayrona National Park at 5 AM. It was ridiculously early and the drive was pretty long but it was totally worth it once we arrived. There are so many ways to describe Tayrona but I think I can break it down using 3 different words: Jungle, Mountains, and Beach

 1. Jungle – La Selva

Being from Michigan I have lots of experience with the forest, but the jungle is something completely new for me. In order to get to Tayrona we had to hike for about 45 minutes. I cannot even begin to name all the wildlife and vegetation that we saw; from iguanas to bright colored flowers to parrots to huge towering trees, it’s all there.

2. Mountains – Las Montañas

The mountains are also something that I don’t get to see very much, because on the Western Shore of Michigan we only have sand dunes. The mountains here are unreal. We spent the entire drive in the mountains weaving in and out of some pretty crazy switchbacks. Although the height is the same, the mountains here are different than most in the States because they are literally covered in lush greenery. As we stood on the beach at Tayrona I couldn’t believe my eyes as I turned around to see never-ending green up and down the coast.

3. The Beach – La Playa

The beach is the one thing that I am no stranger to. The west shore of Michigan is famous for its white sandy beaches. In other words, Colombia’s beaches had a lot to live up to and let me tell you- they surpassed my expectations! The water is a million shades of blue and it washes up on a white sandy shore. It is a true paradise!

The beauty here in Colombia has blown me away. I honestly can’t believe that I was completely unaware of the incredible nature in the country. I can’t wait for more adventures and more surprises as I continue to see more and more of this amazing country.