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Just 15 minutes from Belén de Umbría is Taparcal. It’s a tiny little village set beautifully on a small mountain ridge with incredible views in every direction. It’s located within the UNESCO World Heritage listed Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia.
Getting to Taparcal
While there’s nothing to do in Taparcal itself, the resort fincas just outside the village are a popular getaway for both locals from Belén and Colombians from other cities. If you don’t have your own car and you’re staying at one of the fincas, they can arrange transportation on a jeep from Belén. Otherwise, it’s possible to get to Taparcal using a local Cootransbel bus from the bus terminal in Belén. They run frequently.
Fincas near Taparcal
I’ve stayed at two fincas about 20 minutes from Taparcal. Both offer very different experiences.
Hacienda San Isidro
Hacienda San Isidro is a fantastic getaway. We spent a night there and absolutely loved it. It’s set beautifully in a traditional coffee plantation with spectacular views. If you’re lucky and the skies are clear, far in the distance you can even see the ash cloud spewing from Nevado del Ruiz!
Main Building
Rooms are situated in a colorful three-story traditional Colombian building. There are a few simple rooms on the top two floors, each with a different setup to meet the needs of visitors.
The building also contains a few common areas, including a game room on the ground floor. The common areas are available for use until 11pm.
Facilities
Next to the building is an infinity pool and a small kid’s pool as well as a sauna. On the upper level is a jacuzzi and massage tables.
Other facilities include a gazebo and a dining area where meals are served. There’s also a tennis court at the lower end of the property. Just one warning – take bug spray. The bugs will eat you alive!
Meals
There’s no choice on what to eat, but the meals are delicious with moderate portion sizes. They serve traditional Colombian dishes. We’ve had steak, chicken, beans, and ajiaco.
Finca El Paraíso
Fince El Paraíso is the smaller and simpler of the two fincas. We stayed for one night with a large group of friends and enjoyed our time there. It’s much more affordable for travelers or groups on a budget, and the hospitality and service is excellent.
Finca El Paraíso is more of a recreation center. Events are often held there, such as school outings, birthday parties, and graduation parties. Near the entrance is a dining and game area where meals are served. A few steps away is a nice pool, which is very refreshing on a hot day. Nearby is a small play area for kids, including a trampoline.
Finca El Paraíso has a traditional house that can sleep about 16. The only negative is that there’s only one bathroom in the house, but there’s another one a few steps away. The house also contains a kitchen for groups to prepare their own meals.
As far as food, it’s delicious and portions are huge. We had two lunches, a dinner, and breakfast during our stay. We were given choices on what to eat for lunch and dinner while breakfast was more simple. Meals aren’t included in the overnight rate but are reasonably priced.
Cascada Los Ángeles
Cascada Los Ángeles is a gorgeous waterfall outside Taparcal. It’s on the property of Hacienda San Isidro. You can walk there from the finca in about an hour, or if you’re staying there, you can arrange transportation to get you to the trailhead. Hold on tight – it’s a bumpy ride – and watch out for low branches! If walking, there are plenty of signs pointing you in the right direction.
Once at the trailhead, it’s a short 10-15 minute walk through a coffee and plantain farm, with a few abandoned buildings along the way. The first half is out in the open with amazing views of the countryside. A sign tells you when to duck into the forest for the final descent to the waterfall. From that point, it’s a nice cool downhill walk under the shade of the trees. Parts of it are steep and there are stairs with railings in some sections.
The plunge pool of the waterfall comes into view at the bottom of the trail. You can safely get into the water and cool off under the roaring water of the falls. I highly recommend wearing water shoes to avoid hurting yourself on the rocks. When you’re done, you can hike back up to the trailhead where the driver will be waiting for you.
My Connection to Taparcal
I taught at the high school in Taparcal every Thursday with an English teacher named Alberto, who has since passed away. He lived in Santa Barbara, California, for a few years in the 1980s and spoke English like a native speaker with almost no accent. Alberto ran his classes with a very different atmosphere than my school in Belén – much more relaxed and informal. Some days, I played football with the students or they would sing songs. Other days, the classes looked at my travel pictures and talked about them.
The school has a dramatic setting among coffee plantations and plantain trees. I saw the color green in every direction I looked.
My favorite thing about the school was the gazebo. We often had class under the gazebo, sitting in a circle and having conversation in English. It was a lot of fun and the students always felt relaxed there.
Lunches in Taparcal
For lunch, I would eat at the house of a woman named Luciela. It’s a short walk from the school. She made incredible food with the freshest ingredients possible. She has her own farm in her backyard. Luciela served me the freshest plantains and avocados, huge meals with beef or fish, salad, rice and beans, and soup. She made mazamorra with milk directly from her cow. I always looked forward to Thursdays because I knew I would have the best meal of my week at Luciela’s house.
Afternoons in Taparcal
In the afternoons after school was finished, I taught an English lesson to the local teachers who wanted to learn English. They were very dedicated and improved quickly. Sometimes, the best English students in the school joined the class and helped the teachers. It was a great learning environment for everyone.
Placita El Alto
Placita El Alto is a small plaza with a garden where I used to sit and sometimes wait for the bus back to Belén. It’s a peaceful little place with good views of the landscape and town.
