Totally unique Cartagena-adjacent wildlife experience
I just don't know how to describe the joy of seeing wild monkeys in a Colombian jungle. I'll never get over it. I'm a nature nerd but stick to day hikes (nothing too extreme). I was looking for a land-based nature experience within a day trip of Cartagena before my city-loving friends arrived and I kept circling back to Orinto's Howling Trail Hike. After some searching, I didn't see anything else like it that I could do in within a single day w/o my own transportation...and definitely not for this tour price. As advertised, Orinto picked us up from your accommodations in Cartagena, drove to breakfast, then to the hike, then for some fruit at the property caretaker's home, then to lunch and then dropped us back off early PM. Both meals were included in the tour price. We visited in June (rainy season) so the hiking trail was 'all terrain' - sand, rock, mud, packed dirt, streams. Orinto brought rubber boots to for us to walk in and he provided trekking poles. Two other locals joined our walk (3 guides, 2 guests!) to help spot wildlife - the kind we wanted to see and anything that we may need to stay away from - and they casually pointed out interesting insects, butterflies, birds, a small tree-dwelling mammal that Orinto had never seen before, a green snake (non-ven) and red howlers and cotton top tamarins (super endangered!). Orinto is fascinating and answered my million questions as he shared about Colombian flora, fauna, cultures, food, conservation, politics (only b/c I asked), etc. I could not recommend this experience more highly.Tips: 1) it's a Colombian jungle...very hot, very humid, some bugs...come prepared - dress for it (plus hat/sunscreen, bug spray) and have good socks either for your shoes or the borrowed boots, 2) tip the local guides too; ask Orinto if you aren't sure about how that works, 3) listen to Orinto's rules - he knows how to keep you safe and respectful on someone else's land