Chasing waterfalls in La Danta
I continue my motorcycle journey through Colombia. I left Guatapé and I'm headed south-west towards La Danta, a very small town in the municipality of Sonsón. La Danta means tapir (animal) and it was given this name because there used to be many of them in the area.
It was a long, scorching ride and a crash course in Colombian rules of the road. I lost count of how many trucks I passed that day, but those encounters were very entertaining because it seems like there are no two of the same trucks in Colombia. They all come in different shapes and colors, and at night, they turn into scenes from Coca-Cola commercials. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a running competition for the most lit and well-decorated truck around here. They are all runners-up.
The Gallery of Trucks of Colombia
When I finally found my way to La Danta (as I didn't have a permission to pass through a plant that apparently swallowed a public road—I later found out it was the biggest cement factory in Colombia), I was very happy to get off the asphalt, but I didn't realize that it didn't mean I was done with the trucks. What came after totally made up for the effort, and also, once I learned about the marble, it all made sense.
Beyond being the major source of marble, La Danta area is surrounded by natural beauty, system of active and inactive caves and multiple stunning waterfalls with crystal clear (warm) water and hardly anyone around. I took a day off riding to enjoy a hike in rainforest, swim in the waterfalls and, a very educational, visit to the caves. I learned about the history of the place, its indigenous people and the incredible wildlife, which seems to be abundant everywhere you go in Colombia. One of the caves was inhabited by birds I have never heard of before, and didn't really get to see in the total darkness, but they made sure I knew they were present. The sounds they made, amplified by the caves, were like nothing I have ever heard before. You can hear them at some point in the video:
I stayed at a lovely place called Bakú Hostal. It is run by a local family working very hard to promote eco-tourism in the area and dedicating themselves to sharing the knowledge about the history, beauty and the rich fauna & flora of the area, and Colombia overall. I learned, for example, that Colombia is home to almost 2,000 bird species and that makes it a home to approximately 20% of all bird diversity worldwide. I have to say that even riding on a motorbike I'd got to appreciate the most colorful and incredible birds flying across the road from time to time.
