Santa Marta Sisiguaca Hike & Snorkeling: A Candid Review

Okay, so you’re thinking of checking out the Santa Marta Sisiguaca hike and snorkeling deal, huh? It sounds pretty amazing in the brochure, that it does: a trek through some super wild Colombian scenery, wrapping up with a dip in the sea. As someone who’s actually been there, I figured I’d drop a real, frank take on what you might run into. This isn’t just some glowy promo piece, just to be clear – it’s me giving you the lowdown, from the sweat on my brow to the salt in my hair.

First Impressions: Setting off from Santa Marta

So, the get-go? It’s typically in Santa Marta, that’s often a pretty chill city. You’ll probably pile into, too it’s almost like a jeep-type vehicle, or maybe a small bus. Is that the drive to the trailhead? It gets interesting right away. The roads? Well, they can be a bit bumpy, lets just put it like that, and you’ll find that you are winding higher and higher into the hills. Is that scenery changing outside the window? It turns super lush really fast, shifting away from the city’s hustle to full-on jungle vibes. As a matter of fact, is it like watching a nature documentary, except, in a way you can feel every jolt from the road?

The Hike: Sweat, Views, and a Little Bit of ‘Roughing It’

Alright, so the hike. That’s where the rubber meets the road, or in this case, where your hiking boots hit the trail. Usually it is labeled as, very, a ‘moderate’ trek, just to keep it real, but moderate in Colombia could mean something different than moderate back home, if you get my drift. Do you feel that there are some steep bits? It’s basically a little bit of scrambling over rocks and roots, as a matter of fact, and parts can be quite slippery if, in some respects it rained recently.

It can get seriously hot and humid, that’s often something people don’t quite prepare for. Like your T-shirt will be soaked through in, a way under an hour soaked. Clearly I am telling you: bring water – lots of water. That said the views? They’re killer. Apparently, you might spot exotic birds flitting between the trees, see valleys stretching out beneath you, just a little, and basically, feel like you’re right in the middle of nowhere in a stunningly pretty way.

Reaching Sisiguaca Beach: Is that Paradise Found?

Reaching Sisiguaca is honestly very refreshing after all that sweat. Is that a small beach? That’s pretty secluded and very calm. Just think dark golden sand, clear water, and that, in other words it often feels really removed from civilization. Of course there probably will be other tourists. That said, the overall vibe is quite peaceful.

Snorkeling Time: What You Might See (or Not See)

Okay, so the snorkeling. Clearly this is the part that’s usually a little bit hit-or-miss. So what the water can be wonderfully clear, just, well the sea life isn’t always popping. Pretty often you’ll spot some colorful fish and maybe, almost some cool coral, or potentially even, nearly some sea turtles, if you’re really lucky. Is the visibility great every time? It’s something that can vary depending on the weather and the season. A bit I had decent visibility, and a little, literally a couple of people even saw a small ray.

Food and Facilities: Pack Smart, People

Alright so that is about grub, that’s definitely worth flagging up, just so you are not totally relying on anyone to help. Now, is the lunch sometimes included? So it is included. Just you know what to be prepared for? So it may just, literally be a pretty basic affair – usually it’s like a packed lunch kind of situation with like, honestly a sandwich, fruit, you know, sort of a juice box. As a matter of fact, if you’re particularly picky or basically, have any dietary requirements, like maybe think of bringing extra snacks, it will seriously serve you better that it would. Seriously there are limited facilities at Sisiguaca, you could even say no facilities; which means: come ready. Right.

Things to Consider Before You Go

Alright listen. What are we at now? The practicalities. Do you want to get real here? At the end of the day if you’re considering this trip, and stuff, maybe just run these things through your head:

• Fitness Level: The ‘moderate’ tag could be massaged to more intense depending on fitness levels. A decent base fitness level makes the day lots better. Seriously.
• What to Bring: Bring your sunscreen, very importantly, insect repellent, and a solid hat. And the number one thing, it’s essential – closed-toe shoes or hiking boots that you don’t mind getting muddy. Bring like, like your bathing suit, towel, and of course your camera to get all the memories from the beautiful experience. As a matter of fact you should also consider maybe carrying a waterproof bag just to look after phones and gear.
• The Guide: Just expect your experience of the guides themselves to vary a fair bit. Now, are some amazing, enthusiastic people packed full of local facts, so I would really expect and hope that yours is one of those. The rest will only deliver simple, straightforward help, which can seriously effect the trip.
• Bugs: Depending on when you travel to Colombia, the mosquitos and other biters are not playing games around Santa Marta. Just load up on the repellant, really, I’m being for real here.

The Verdict: Is Sisiguaca Worth It?

At the end of the day, what would I suggest? The Sisiguaca hike and snorkeling trip, pretty much it gives you some awesome peeks into Colombia’s diverse natural beauty. Clearly this involves just a bit of ‘roughing it’, the bit of sweating on the trail and basically, don’t even have a care for if sea life wants to show its face for you in a given time. But is it something that might be really cool that you would want to consider doing, potentially to experience. Seriously, If you are looking for an excursion which delivers both some active exploring and the potential for some relaxation? Alright then. Right up your street, literally.

At the end of the day hopefully that gave you a frank view of, literally, what this deal looks like. Get stoked for the outdoors!