Taking a mud bath in El Totumo volcano


El Totumo volcano is located to the North of Colombia in the municipality of Santa Catalina. We did the tour bus heading out of town of Cartagena. It took about an hour to get there.

The volcano is very small and actually looks nothing like a volcano. Who says outside sees only a small lot of 15 meters high with a wooden ladder well “crappy” which gives access to the top.

El TotumoUpstairs (in the crater) you see a hole in its interior is a real mess.

El Totumo-04

Many people give up, disgusted, but the vast majority views and enjoyed the joke. A tip I give is if you did not like or go to the site because there is nothing else to do there. The “volcano” is in the middle of nowhere in a region whose population is extremely humble and lives of tourism to survive. For the hipsters the tour is at least funny.

There is a legend that says that once the fire volcano but the local priest thought it was the Devil’s work. Then he threw holy water on the volcano and then it stopped spitting fire-turned-mud and drowned the devil.

In the well fit some 30 people expressed to each other. It’s so crowded that we had to wait to enter. The well depth is more than 800 metres but still, no matter how much you try, you can’t sink. The contact with the mud it feels a little different. The mud is pretty consistent and moves the sands are you poking (but not bad). Besides the mud is hot.

El Totumo-03

They say that the mud has medicinal properties, which is good for skin and hair. A real fountain of youth. Bullshit, it’s all in my head anyway.

Inside of the volcano are some people doing massage. The service is optional and has a symbolic cost of 3 thousand pesos or whatever you want to. As I said earlier, the people that live there.


El Totumo-06
El Totumo-07In addition to this service has the guy who is taking pictures with your camera and have the ladies that help you in the bath in the river after you get out of the volcano. This part is really fun because you enter the river and they ask you to take off your clothes. That’s right, you’re naked under water while they wash their clothes.  And that goes for girls. In addition get a gourd playing water on your hair, removing dirt from the ear and everywhere (fear). After you go out and get your slippers that someone washed and will also charge you a tip (that you can pass right).

El Totumo-08Before you can take advantage of a little bit in the bar there or buy the mud which is sold in powder form.

In the back is made a stop at a beach near Cartagena (Playa Los Morros).  Then lunch is served, which is included in the tour. Lunch is the old typical dish of the region: rice (slightly sweet), salad, fried fish and patacones (some mashed bananas and fried).

Cartagena-Rice-Salad-Fried Fish-Patacones

Then you can take advantage of a little Beach, which is also not that great but at least the sea water is warm.

Marcus Siqueira
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