I recently took a last-minute trip to the small town of Victoria in the very south of Caldas department (so far south in fact, that much of the landscape you can see in these photos is actually Tolima), ostensibly in search of birds (the forests above the town are home to a surprisingly number of special endemic species); however, I was struck by the startling beauty of the landscapes around the town, and by the nature within the town itself, particularly the gigantic 120 year old ceiba tree which towers over the town from the central plaza.
Victoria is a very small, but delightfully friendly and welcoming town, and I would recommend a visit to anyone who wants to experience a truly off-the-beaten-track Colombian travel experience…(I explored the surroundings of the town with the excellent local guide Arturo of Eco Turismo La Ceiba Aventura Extrema, who also offer visits to nearby waterfalls.) The town will be celebrating their ceiba festival on the final weekend of June (which is also a holiday): I’ll be there, so should you! So here’s a photo gallery of my visit to Victoria in Caldas…
Chris
