Monday, 3 June 2024

EcoParque El Hayal Cascada y Cuevas

 As part of the Paso del Angel package, we also got a tour of the EcoParque El Hayal Cascada y Cuevas (so some caves and a waterfall).  I didn't know about this place when I planned the trip although I had heard of Ventana de Tisquizoque Falls in Santander and I REALLY wanted to go there too on this trip, but that got axed because of not enough time and it was pretty out of the way. 

While these falls didn't compare really (seriously look at them below), it was kind of neat that we unexpectedly got to play in some falls and explore the caves like a much smaller version or what I wanted.
Tisquizoque Windows, Guide 2025: How to get there, where it is, hotels and  useful tips | Mochiliante
Santander is so beautiful.  Someday maybe I'll go visit those falls.


Anyway the tour guide took us inside these caves.  
There were bats and apparently an indigenous burial site that was looted at some point. 


Isabel had exposure therapy and cried the whole time while gripping my arm.  She does not like caves.

I loved the pictographs!
Hiking down to the caves and waterfall.
A few of the kids played in the waterfall but it was getting close to dusk and it was cold. 










This was their Lion King point.













A few of the hills nearby.
The kids were tired out once we got home. 
And poor Isabel was eaten alive by something.   I'm not sure what.  

Paso del Angel

 I found Paso del Angel on some travel blog or video, but AMAZINGLY, it actually had a working website.  Crazy, I know.  I thought the kids would love the ropes course and zipline and hiking across the aptly named Paso del Angel where the sides both drop off on either side of you. 

And they did like it.  

The ropes course was not super extensive, and we were only like 5 ft off the ground, but the kids still had fun.

This was the Paso del Angel part.  They all liked that.  



And the swing was a hit!
Except for Elena, she isn't a fan of heights.





We had driven on that little windy backroad to get there when we were lost with Google maps.





And then how could there not be angel wings at the Paso del Angel?  


Oh Leo.  I love that man.



And then we zip lined back down. 

Do you see the kid?




Elena  cried.  Poor girl was scared.  

This was looking from the other direction up the zipline.

I thought it was funny that out of the few license plates they had from around the world, two were from Utah.