Kolumbien Trekking San Gil Wanderung 'El Camino Real'

[Daggi78]

Hallo,

unten findet ihr Infos fuer eine sehr schoene mehrtaegige Wanderung in der Naehe von San Gil in Kolumbien. Die Trekking-Beschreibung basiert auf den Informationen des "Macondo Guesthouse" in San Gil und wurde von uns waehrend der Wanderung noch ein wenig ergaenzt.

In unserem Blog gibt es ein paar Bilder und Eindruecke zu der Strecke:
http://do-travelling.travellerspoint.com/34/


Camino Real - Lengerke

Beautiful hike from San Gil to colonial villages Cabrera, Barichara, Guane, Villanueva, Jordan and Los Santos.

Duration: 1 to 4 days - as there is accomodation available in every one of the villages and from every section of the trail there are busses leading back to San Gil, expect Jordan!

1) Cabrera to Barichara (2,5 - 3 hours)
- bus from San Gil to Cabrera, last stop at market place
- leave Cabrera at the upper left corner of the market place
- follow the road and turn left at the end
- follow the path uphill along the stations of the cross (steep)
- on the top turn left at the cross and walk down again - along the road there are chicken farms, a swimming pool and a football ground
- follow the road further and pass a stone bridge leading to the left of the main road
- 10 minutes later you will arrive at Barichara
- the cheapest hostel there is Los Tiestesitos, from town square follow main road for two blocks and turn right. The hostel is on your right after 1,5 blocks.

2) Barichara to Guane (2 hours)
- in Barichara from the main square pass the church on the right hand side up calle 6 until you reach the Iglesia de Santa Barbara at Carrera 11
- in front of the church turn left and follow Carrera 11 a bit downhill
- after around 50 meters there is a monument on the left hand side, where you need to turn right into the footpath "Camino Real", which is clearly marked by a sign
- always follow the path, crossing the main road twice

3) Guane to Villanueva (3 hours)
- at the main square in Guane, standing in front of the church, turn left 90 degrees and walk uphill
- you will pass a hostel on the left hand side, the road will turn into a footpath
- if you need to ask for directions, take care that you are not being send back to Barichara, as this seems to be the most common way to reach Villanueva
- the path leads uphill through fields
- after a paved section turn right at a T-junction
- immediately turn left again - the way here is marked by red arrows
- always stay on main path now and if uncertain keep asking for directions
- on the very top of the hill you will reach another T-junction, where you need to turn left (ignore the red arrow here); you can already see Villanueva in the valley below you
- after about 30 meters a small path will lead downhill on your right hand side
- in Villanueva there are two hostels at the main square - we were charged 10.000 per person (July 2010)

4) Villanueva to Jordan (6 hours)
- in Villanueva buy plenty of water as the last part of the hike may be a bit strenuous without any shade (you will have to decent 900 meters into a canyon)
- at the main square, facing the church, pass the church on the left hand side
- follow the road until you reach the end of the village
- turn right, you should have houses on your right and fields on your left
- at T-junction turn left
- follow the gravel road for a very long time
- you will pass a sports field and a school (colegio)
- keep on the main gravel road further uphill
- after a while the road leads downhill again until you reach the next T-junction, where there are some farm houses and another school
- turn left at the T-junction and follow the main road
- after a short while, you will reach a fork, where you need to turn right further downhill
- you will reach a farm that you need to enter through a barbed wire gate
- after a while you will see the farm house on your right hand side
- if the farmer is home, ask him for directions
- if not, try to follow this description:
- pass the farm house
- on your right hand side, pass through another barbed wire gate (there might be some goats in the area you are entering)
- leave this area through another gate right in front of you
- walk a short bit further and at the next possibility turn left downhill
- after a couple of minutes you will see Jordan down in the valley
- now you will walk about 900 meters difference in altitude down into the canyon
- ignore all branch-offs that do not lead downhill into the canyon to the river
- once at the foot of the hill, you reach a road
- turn right into the road and keep following it for around 30 minutes until you have reached Jordan
- currently (July 2010) the building of a hostel is in progress, for now, cross the bridge in front of the church and at the first building on the left after the bridge ask the Señora for meals and accomodation. When we were there we were put into an entrance hall of a building in front of the police station and had two matresses with sheets on the floor (for dinner, softdrink and accomodation for two we payed 20.000)

5) Jordan to Los Santos (2 hours, 6,5 kilometres uphill)
- on the main square in Jordan cross the bridge in front of the church
- always follow the main path which leads straight up the hill
- on top you will have reached Los Santos

- from Los Santos it is possible to take a bus to Piedecuesta
- you will need to get off at Los Curos (about 1 hour, 5000 Pesos per person) to change to a bus to San Gil
- ask the bus before entering if it goes to Los Curos, there are two different routes
- in Los Curos wave down a bus heading south to San Gil (about 2 hours, 12.000 per person)