Tatacoa Desert #1 - Colombia Feb 2020

The next stop after Bogotá was the Tatacoa Desert. The two places could not be more different. Tatacoa, while not an actual desert, certainly looks and acts like one. It is arid, desolate and remote. It is also difficult to get to there, but "vale la pena" (worth the effort).

I took a 4+ hour bus ride south from Bogotá to Neiva. The bus was big and comfortable. At the Neiva terminal, I changed to a small mini-van for the last hour to Villavieja. This small town is the closest place to the desert with decent accommodations and a few restaurants. I stayed in Hotel Colonial Villavieja. I could not recommend it more highly. It is truly a little oasis close to the desert and the owner and his wife could not be nicer and more accommodating. Totally clean rooms and grounds and a nice breakfast. The showers do not have hot water, but you won't miss it as the temperatures in the area are plenty hot.

There is no regular bus service to the desert from Villavieja. The only way to get there without your own car is by tuk-tuk (photo below) or by motorcycle. The hotel owner took me to and from the hotel and the desert several times for a minimal charge - but with no helmet. The tuk-tuk drivers are also trained guides, so if you want to spend a little more money,

they will not only provide transportation but can guide you through some of the desert trails. You can also rent bicycles from Villavieja but it is a long, hot ride.

Photos:

Some character lost in the desert

Tuk-tuk

Spectacled Parrotlet pair