Vereda Alto Guapayá

After spending the night in Vista Hermosa, a town that was significantly impacted by Colombian guerrillas over 15 years ago, it has now transformed into a beautiful and prosperous area where families are thriving, and where tranquility and strong social connections prevail.

Following a delightful dinner in the heart of Vista Hermosa, where we were treated to arepas made with a variety of ingredients such as beef tongue, pork rinds, chicken, and vegetables, we were also served a refreshing Colombiana soft drink.

We had a peaceful night at our hotel, and the next morning, we woke up early at 5:30 am to head towards the Alto Guapayá community.

To reach this destination, we traveled in unique 4×4 Daihatsu vehicles, as we needed to navigate dirt roads and cross rivers. After a two-hour journey, we arrived at our destination, where a delightful and unexpected surprise awaited us.

This surprise involved the entire town gathering at the visitor center to host a festival for us, which I will refer to as the Harpy Eagle Festival.

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted. As we made our way to the house of one of the community members, we engaged in bird watching and were fortunate to spot the Whistling Heron, Jacamar, and some Oropendolas.

Our first stop was at Isabel’s house. Isabel is the mother of Robinson, a young entrepreneur in the town who is currently leading eco-tourism tours in their community.

One of the customs of the women in the town is to maintain their cooking pots in impeccable condition, proudly displaying them on the walls of their kitchens. Isabel is one of these women and seemingly has the largest collection of shiny and polished pots in the entire town.

She welcomed us with a hot panela drink and fresh cheese to whet our appetite and break our fast, and later she demonstrated how to polish one of those pots that become completely black with soot after being used in the wood stove.

After Isabel taught us the technique for polishing the kitchen utensils, we then made our way back to the town’s visitor center where we were greeted with a sumptuous breakfast consisting of corn arepas, plantain patacones, and a delectable fish soup made from a local fish called Cucha. This fish, belonging to the Plecostomus genus, is a local freshwater species found in the clean rivers of the community.

This is a local delicacy, that they prepared fried like shrimp. After removing the head and outer layer, we were able to savor the meat of this delicious fish, which we enjoyed alongside the fish soup and the previously mentioned arepas and patacones.

Following a delightful breakfast, we proceeded to gain insights into the community.

Various members shared information about the activities carried out in the town including the fishing of Cucha, additionally, they conducted a class on making knots with ropes, and a demonstration was made by one of the elders of the community about how rope was obtained from natural fibers of agave many years back before the modern petroleum-based synthetic ropes.

A captivating workshop on chocolate harvesting and usage was also presented, along with a demonstration on its versatile applications in cooking. Lucila’s resourcefulness in utilizing every aspect of the cacao plant was evident.

The children’s traditional dance performance was a highlight, and we also learned about the different types of loads carried by mules and horses and the techniques used to secure them.

Following this extensive session, we enjoyed a delicious regional lunch consisting of sancocho, a traditional Colombian chicken and vegetable broth, and “las secas,” a dish of yuca, fried chicken, and vegetables. We also savored panela with lemon and fresh papaya and bananas for dessert.

As a parting gesture, the community’s children presented us with a beautiful drawing of the Harpy Eagle bearing our company name as a welcome gift. Later, Luis Urueña of Manakin Tours and Juan Jacobo Castillo of ProColombia handed us backpacks containing gifts for the children, including a headlamp, a notebook, a sun-protective cap, pencils, a sharpener, and an eraser.

The mini festival was truly fantastic, and it underscored the community’s significance as a nature tourism destination with rich cultural expressions and excellent cuisine.