SAWA
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We are a responsible tourism agency with our natural resources and with the worldview of our Afro, indigenous and peasant communities. We are focused on accompanying the traveler-nature correlation trying to seek ethical interactions that allow sustainability and protection of the environment.
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Medellin, Colombia
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2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
101 reviews
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Heather G
Dublin, Ireland83 contributions
Dec 2021 • Couples
We had a fantastic experience with Sawa from start to finish. I initially contacted Mateo and he presented several different options to me, recommending ones that would suit us best. As we are quite fit and experienced in the mountains, we went with the 3 day Nevado del Tolima expedition. Our guide, German, was super friendly, professional and we felt completely safe with him at all times, even when being ropped up to do some rock climbing during the ascent in the middle of the night.
I can't recommend Sawa enough, the organising of the trip and the trip itself went incredibly smoothly and Mateo was quickly responsive to all my questions in the lead up to our departure. I would definitely book another trip with Sawa.
Just as a side note - doing this trek in 3 days is extremely physically challenging, so I would recommend the 4 day option instead, unless you are super super fit (endurance fit) and comfortable in altitude:) it is a beautiful trek and off the beaten track. We were the only ones to attempt summit on the day we did our ascent, so had the whole mountain and views to ourselves, magic :)
I can't recommend Sawa enough, the organising of the trip and the trip itself went incredibly smoothly and Mateo was quickly responsive to all my questions in the lead up to our departure. I would definitely book another trip with Sawa.
Just as a side note - doing this trek in 3 days is extremely physically challenging, so I would recommend the 4 day option instead, unless you are super super fit (endurance fit) and comfortable in altitude:) it is a beautiful trek and off the beaten track. We were the only ones to attempt summit on the day we did our ascent, so had the whole mountain and views to ourselves, magic :)
Written December 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David
4 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
My friend and I signed up for the 3 days Paramillo del Quindio trek and our guide was Cesar. He is fluent in English and Spanish. The hike up the summit isn’t easy. Make sure you’re in good shape and have some experiences in high altitude.
We went late August and the trails were muddy. You can rent most gears at El Brunch restaurant like rubber boots(highly recommend if the trails are muddy), gloves, walking stick, and etc. The first day hike was listed as 10 km mostly uphills but both my friend and I were suspicious about the lengths. It felt longer. You will end the day at a local farm house(bring toilet papers) where you will be served dinner and rest for the night. The night will be cold if you don’t have proper gears like base layer and down jacket.
The second day hike will be the toughest of the three day. Remember to rest and eat up the day before. The last 600 meter to the summit is extremely steep. This will be the most difficult part of the whole three days hike. You will end your day at another farm house for dinner and rest for the night.
The last day is an easy hike back to the Cocora Valley. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area and throughout the hike he would point things out and explain how the locals would use it. Overall, my group was happy Cesar was our guide and would recommend him to others. For in shape nature lovers this is a must.
We went late August and the trails were muddy. You can rent most gears at El Brunch restaurant like rubber boots(highly recommend if the trails are muddy), gloves, walking stick, and etc. The first day hike was listed as 10 km mostly uphills but both my friend and I were suspicious about the lengths. It felt longer. You will end the day at a local farm house(bring toilet papers) where you will be served dinner and rest for the night. The night will be cold if you don’t have proper gears like base layer and down jacket.
The second day hike will be the toughest of the three day. Remember to rest and eat up the day before. The last 600 meter to the summit is extremely steep. This will be the most difficult part of the whole three days hike. You will end your day at another farm house for dinner and rest for the night.
The last day is an easy hike back to the Cocora Valley. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the area and throughout the hike he would point things out and explain how the locals would use it. Overall, my group was happy Cesar was our guide and would recommend him to others. For in shape nature lovers this is a must.
Written August 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Petra B
3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We hired a private guide for the tolima summit hike. SAWA were incredibly responsive and helpful and kind at all times. In terms of organisation, everything was absolutely perfect, in fact Mateo went above and beyond to help us find the right gear as well as storage and other things we needed.
Our guide Julian was amazing, incredibly experienced, calm, kind and understanding.
Julian also went above and beyond in so many ways, taking nice photos of us, being flexible with timing. We felt incredibly safe and well looked after.
Both Julian and Mateo have perfect English which made communication a breeze.
When I was researching tour guide companies I saw this one had only 5 star reviews, and I can see why. If I could give more stars I would!
Our guide Julian was amazing, incredibly experienced, calm, kind and understanding.
Julian also went above and beyond in so many ways, taking nice photos of us, being flexible with timing. We felt incredibly safe and well looked after.
Both Julian and Mateo have perfect English which made communication a breeze.
When I was researching tour guide companies I saw this one had only 5 star reviews, and I can see why. If I could give more stars I would!
Written August 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin L
Singapore, Singapore3 contributions
Dec 2022
We did a five-day tour in the Amazon with SAWA.
In short: this was an amazing experience with wonderful people running both the company and the tour. Highly recommended and I hope that everyone visiting Colombia gives them some consideration.
In detail: three aspects of the experience were particularly outstanding. First, in the planning of the trip, Mateo (the founder of SAWA) was extremely responsive, polite, and helpful. He was in contact personally via WhatsApp and patiently answered our many questions about different tour options. We did not get to meet him in person, but from what I could tell, Mateo is an all-around cool guy who is really into the wildness of his country. Pretty sure that traveling with him around Colombia would be quite the adventure.
Second, the guide that did lead us around the Amazon – Claudio – was one of the best guides that we have had in our travels. He is a true embodiment of Amazonian culture: he lives in an indigenous community an hour-walk outside of Leticia, gets visibly excited when anyone asks him about indigenous practices and traditions, and seems to know just about everyone in the area. Furthermore, he speaks perfect English, almost to the extent of being poetic when he talks about his community. His knowledge of the Amazonas area is rich and deep, but more importantly, his heart for its people and their way of life is resoundingly strong. He also took a genuine interest in where we came from and our culture, displaying a true curiosity about learning more from the world. At the end of the trip, we certainly felt like we had met not only an outstanding guide but a new friend as well.
Finally, in terms of the place itself, the wildlife, and tour activities – the photos below describe better than words what a rare corner of the world this is and what a good job SAWA did in allowing us to share a piece of it.
In short: this was an amazing experience with wonderful people running both the company and the tour. Highly recommended and I hope that everyone visiting Colombia gives them some consideration.
In detail: three aspects of the experience were particularly outstanding. First, in the planning of the trip, Mateo (the founder of SAWA) was extremely responsive, polite, and helpful. He was in contact personally via WhatsApp and patiently answered our many questions about different tour options. We did not get to meet him in person, but from what I could tell, Mateo is an all-around cool guy who is really into the wildness of his country. Pretty sure that traveling with him around Colombia would be quite the adventure.
Second, the guide that did lead us around the Amazon – Claudio – was one of the best guides that we have had in our travels. He is a true embodiment of Amazonian culture: he lives in an indigenous community an hour-walk outside of Leticia, gets visibly excited when anyone asks him about indigenous practices and traditions, and seems to know just about everyone in the area. Furthermore, he speaks perfect English, almost to the extent of being poetic when he talks about his community. His knowledge of the Amazonas area is rich and deep, but more importantly, his heart for its people and their way of life is resoundingly strong. He also took a genuine interest in where we came from and our culture, displaying a true curiosity about learning more from the world. At the end of the trip, we certainly felt like we had met not only an outstanding guide but a new friend as well.
Finally, in terms of the place itself, the wildlife, and tour activities – the photos below describe better than words what a rare corner of the world this is and what a good job SAWA did in allowing us to share a piece of it.
Written January 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wojtek L
2 contributions
Mar 2023
Hi,
I trekked with Sawa to Nevado del Tolima in March 2023 - 3 days variant. Everything was perfectly organized, the guide (Yecid) is very professional and he was a perfect hiking company. Food, accommodation, climbing equipment, everything was very good. I had a lot of fun and highly recommend Sawa!
The mountain, Salento, and all the hiking areas are beautiful. Must see if you visit Colombia.
Cheers,
Wojtek
I trekked with Sawa to Nevado del Tolima in March 2023 - 3 days variant. Everything was perfectly organized, the guide (Yecid) is very professional and he was a perfect hiking company. Food, accommodation, climbing equipment, everything was very good. I had a lot of fun and highly recommend Sawa!
The mountain, Salento, and all the hiking areas are beautiful. Must see if you visit Colombia.
Cheers,
Wojtek
Written March 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katharina B
Amsterdam, The Netherlands28 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
Amazing trek to the top of the Tolima Volcano at 5260. Physically challenging but so rewarding!
Sawa travel is a highly professional agency with guides qualified in high mountain expeditions. I loved every second of the 4 day trek and our guides were great company and very knowledgeable in the history and fauna & Flora of the places we trekked through.
The starts in the Cocora valley and one ascends through lush tropical vegetation before reaching the treeless Páramo (altiplano) landscapes. so. The 3rd day, we woke up at 1:30am to hike up to the top of the vulcano to admire the sunrise and enjoy the perfect whiteness of this place.
It’s a tough 4 day hike and you need good base fitness and preferably acclimatise a few days before at higher altitude. It was worth all the pain, though. We were rewarded with the most amazing views every day.
Thanks Sawa for the experience
Sawa travel is a highly professional agency with guides qualified in high mountain expeditions. I loved every second of the 4 day trek and our guides were great company and very knowledgeable in the history and fauna & Flora of the places we trekked through.
The starts in the Cocora valley and one ascends through lush tropical vegetation before reaching the treeless Páramo (altiplano) landscapes. so. The 3rd day, we woke up at 1:30am to hike up to the top of the vulcano to admire the sunrise and enjoy the perfect whiteness of this place.
It’s a tough 4 day hike and you need good base fitness and preferably acclimatise a few days before at higher altitude. It was worth all the pain, though. We were rewarded with the most amazing views every day.
Thanks Sawa for the experience
Written February 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan O
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Couples
We got the chance to be guided by Mateo from SAWA to climb the Nevado del Tolima.
Every detail of the trip was perfect. We felt safe, had fun, heard a lot of different stories about the mountains, learned about the national park and simply enjoyed every moment. If you want to be in good hands and have a qualitative trip, just choose SAWA. One of us had his first time on the glacier and was not so confident about it, but Mateo made it very easy and we felt secure all the time - what erased any fear. SAWA is reflecting quality, professionalism, security and a huge passion for nature.
We have chosen the short version - 3 days - and it was perfect for us, but you have to be fit if you want to do this one as it is quite challenging (3000 meters up in around 24 hours).
Every detail of the trip was perfect. We felt safe, had fun, heard a lot of different stories about the mountains, learned about the national park and simply enjoyed every moment. If you want to be in good hands and have a qualitative trip, just choose SAWA. One of us had his first time on the glacier and was not so confident about it, but Mateo made it very easy and we felt secure all the time - what erased any fear. SAWA is reflecting quality, professionalism, security and a huge passion for nature.
We have chosen the short version - 3 days - and it was perfect for us, but you have to be fit if you want to do this one as it is quite challenging (3000 meters up in around 24 hours).
Written June 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cavalerist
Malaga, Spain16 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Our Colombian tour guide Mateo provided an exceptional experience, seamlessly navigating us through the diverse landscapes of the Amazon, Andes, and Caribbean. His deep knowledge of local culture, flora, and fauna enriched every moment. His enthusiasm and professionalism made the journey not just a trip, but a captivating exploration of Colombia's wonders. Highly recommended for an immersive and unforgettable adventure.
Written November 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joann G
2 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
I do not want to rate our recent Colombian adventure with Mateo and our SAWA guides as a 5. Instead, I’d double that. During a recent tour that took us to Amazonas, the Andes and Caribbean beaches, we were introduced to members of indigenous communities, learned about their way of life and the struggles they and their homelands are facing, and delved into questions about how our own travel has an impact on our world. Mateo helped meticulously plan every component of our voyage and sensitively supported each and every member of our diverse group made up of people from different regions of the world and of all ages from 20s-70s. As the elder of the group at 72 years old, I can say that Mateo’s patience, encouragement and support lifted me (literally sometimes) to new heights. I was able to summit Santa Isabel in Los Nevados, hike to some of the most beautiful beaches in this world, and immerse myself in Amazonian cultures. If you are interested in traveling to learn and to challenge yourself, and if you want to be guided by true professionals, join Mateo and SAWA. You will likely have adventures of a lifetime. I say this as one who has traveled with other groups to destinations like Bhutan and Madagascar as well as other “off the beaten path” locations. Experiencing Colombia with SAWA truly equaled or topped my other global adventures. Rating it a 10.
Written November 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Din peri
3 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
This is the second time we went on a trip with sawa, and specifically with Mateo as our guide. The first time we went to caño cristales and this time we went to choco. As always the trip was amazing, we saw a lot of nature and we learned a lot from Mateo, which is a true profesional. His knowledge about Colombia’s nature (and even other countries) is just amazing and everywhere we went he had something interesting to teach us.
Big recommendation exploring Colombia with sawa and Mateo!!
Big recommendation exploring Colombia with sawa and Mateo!!
Written September 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience