El Dorado Nature Reserve

The trails are beautiful for walking and exploring, and you can really connect with nature here. The views from the rooms are spectacular, with breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. It’s so peaceful, with birds and even monkeys around, a dream for bird lovers and anyone who enjoys nature. Karen arranged our stay and kept in touch constantly over WhatsApp to check that we were okay and everything was in order, even though she wasn’t at the property. Her care made a real difference. Fred, who runs the restaurant, was incredible too, always checking what we needed and going out of his way to make us feel at home. From the moment we arrived, all the staff were friendly, attentive, and smiling. Bring a jacket and comfortable shoes because it can get cold, and pack enough snacks since choices are limited. We highly recommend it and can’t wait to return!

We came for the birdwatching, and the area is world class. The accommodation was great, especially for such a remote lodge. The staff were all friendly, greeted us with warm smiles, and clearly wanted us to enjoy our stay. They went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable.

The Kogi Habs have a broad glass front, so we had unique panoramic views across the valley. The design of the buildings, from the architecture to the smaller details, draws on Kogi tradition. We also loved the new restaurant, with its full glass walls and fantastic views across the mountains and coast, from Santa Marta to Baranquilla. The creative food was outstanding. The reserve has lovely forest and mountain walks, great birding, and rich flora, which is the main reason many people visit. We came back after our first stay in November 2019, which left us with great memories. Getting here takes a partly adventurous ride on a road that really calls for a good 4x4, but the experience is well worth it.

For wildlife and the outdoors, this place is hard to beat. Sitting quietly in the forest, we had wonderful encounters with howler monkeys, toucans, quetzals, frogs, and tarantulas. If you’re fit, the hike to the La Laguna viewpoint is fantastic, with the plants, wildlife, and weather changing as you gain elevation. The views, rooms, forest, and staff were all wonderful, and I’d still recommend visiting, but there are some real issues. The food was really bad, and nobody told us the prices. I was surprised to learn we’d paid over $20 USD per meal. I’m not sure whether breakfast was included in the room fee. If it was, lunch and dinner were closer to $30. Some meals were just a tiny bit of scrambled egg with a couple of arepas. They don’t sell snacks of any kind, so bring food. Getting to the lodge is complicated if you don’t have your own 4x4. They connect you with a guy called Jose, who manages a fleet of cars bringing guests from Santa Marta and nearby areas up the mountain and along the very bumpy last few KMs. We agreed to be picked up from Tayrona, taken to the lodge, and then driven to Santa Marta for 480.000 COP. When the driver eventually dropped us at the airport, he suddenly said that 480.000 COP covered only one leg, then came up with an extra 350.000 fee. He said he had no change, so we were overcharged 70.000 on top of the surprise charge. The lodge did offer to refund that 70.000 when we raised it with them. Make sure any prices you discuss include the return journey. One more thing: the hotel needs to do more to prevent birds from hitting the windows. Within minutes of our arrival, a bird flew into our hut and killed itself. There are notes asking guests to keep curtains closed to reduce collisions, but they’re easy to miss and more action is needed.