We took the tour with Pedro on a very hot day, so that might influence my review ;) we had a great time but some things we didn’t know from the description or reviews, so here it goes for a better understanding of the tour 😊 apparently, Pedro changes it up a bit in different seasons etc.
First up, Pedro is one of the most attentive tour guides out there and really loves the area, the national park and the people there. It was great having him as a guide!
The transfer is 2h of driving time each way with two stops each way (one scenic, and one the cafe/refueling). Our group was quite chill and had no appointments (which Pedro asked about beforehand) and so somehow the tour ended up being way longer, and we got back at 10.30pm, with Pedro dropping people off close to their lodgings.
The first half of the tour is very basic hiking with not much elevation and a nice view, before you get to the waterfalls and pools where you can take a break and swim (that’s about 2h of walking with pauses for interesting info about the area). The water is pretty cold, which was great on the hot day!
After that, Pedro asks the group if they want to go back the same way or continue on and loop around another mountain. (I think he said, the group could also split up with people going back the easy way on their own). If you choose the loop, is where the going gets tough, there are multiple pretty steep parts with a big incline at the end. It’s no joke if you’re not fit. But the most annoying part was the thorns that people have mentioned before, it’s different kinds but one that comes up often for example is blackberry bushes, so it does scratch you up good/will rip less sturdy clothing. There is another lagoon/pool situation on that route and the vistas are a bit different, so my friends and I are divided on if that makes the second half worth it. The second half was around 2.5h of hiking, plus the second break.
Sadly, we didn’t see any of the animals that could’ve been there but that’s nature! The fauna is pretty interesting with a lot of rock formations and ferns with a lot of cute little flowers. You get pretty scenic views as you’re high up from the beginning.
So, all in all:
- expect an actual hike if you do the big loop.
- wear long, sturdy pants bc of the thorns
- definitely wear at least sneakers with some grip
- bring a water bottle - there are a few spots to refill them with mountain spring water, which is awesome!
- And pack enough snacks and food for a really long day