Just a few days ago in Bogotá, Colombia 🇨🇴, I was strolling down the lively bar-lined streets late at night, amazed by how safe it felt. But today, I learned an unforgettable lesson.
I flew from Bogotá to Pereira and then hopped on a bus to Salento, the gateway to the world’s tallest palm trees 🌴 and the iconic coffee regions. Initially, my plan was simple: hike solo through the stunning Cocora Valley. But fate had other plans. I stumbled upon a hidden gem called La Carbonera (or simply “La”), a place brimming with so many towering palm trees that it made Cocora seem modest in comparison. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I decided this was where I wanted to go.
When I arrived at the hostel shown in the fourth picture, I met Inty, a travel agency ticket seller (the one wearing a hat on the far right in the fifth picture). He pitched me an irresistible deal: a full-day excursion for just $50 per person. Three others had already signed up, as seen in our group photo in the seventh picture.
The itinerary promised a three-hour drive to the destination, two hours of guided hiking through the lush landscapes, and a three-hour return trip—all with meals, water, and a knowledgeable guide included. If I wanted in, I’d need to pay immediately for the next-day departure.
At that moment, I was genuinely excited but cautious. I pulled out my phone and searched for the travel agency’s name. The only review I found was a single glowing 5-star comment with no details. However, just a few streets away, there was another agency with a strikingly similar name—but this one had numerous 1-star reviews, each warning potential customers to steer clear.
None of them mentioned anyone named Inty, and the names were subtly different. Still, since the allure of the destination was too strong to resist, I handed over my money and signed up.
The next morning, we were supposed to meet at 8 AM sharp. I joined the other three adventurers: an enthusiastic Argentine student (seen in the fourth and seventh pictures) and a charming Czech couple who were university professors (also in the seventh picture). We exchanged introductions, excitement buzzing in the crisp morning air.
But as the clock ticked past 9 AM, there was still no sign of Inty. Calls and texts went unanswered. Finally, at 9:30, he appeared, accompanied by a local driver. We piled into the car, and off we went.
Once inside, we asked about the guide—the highlight of the trip according to the package description. The driver shrugged, explaining that while there usually is a guide, today there wasn’t one. His role, he said, was merely to drive us there and back. I was speechless, a mix of frustration and disbelief washing over me. It felt like I’d been played.
The Argentine girl was in an even worse predicament. She had signed up for a motorcycle tour, but when she climbed into the jeep, she realized something was off and asked about the motorcycles. The driver casually replied that there were no motorcycles—just the jeep. Talk about false advertising! Meanwhile, the Czech couple, who didn’t speak a word of Spanish, found themselves stuck in a tour that promised an English-speaking guide but instead delivered a Spanish-only driver.
They spent the entire ride lost in translation, confusion etched on their faces.
The Argentine girl also mentioned that she stayed at the hostel in the fourth picture, while the owner in the fifth picture was named Andrea. It turned out that Inty, who was selling this questionable travel service through her hostel, had a boss named Felpe. As we later discovered on Instagram, Felpe wasn’t just any ordinary guy—he was a notorious local drug lord. And guess what? The one-star-rated place I stumbled upon online? That was Felpe’s hostel.
Because of its abysmal reviews, Felpe had cleverly used Andrea’s hostel as a front to keep peddling his travel packages. Andrea, it turns out, was none other than his wife! One was a ruthless thug, and the other played the part of a warm, welcoming hostel owner—all part of a scheme to dupe unsuspecting tourists.
According to the many one-star reviews, countless travelers had already fallen victim to their scam. But I wasn’t about to let myself be fooled. After our group of four returned from the disastrous tour, we decided to confront them. Little did we know, this confrontation would mark the beginning of a nightmare.
Stay tuned for the next chapter.
