100km Jungle Expedition into the Heart of Colombia

Had the best time with the MBA team, thank you so much! The guides were professional, fun and experienced, the food was great, staying in the homestays was really special, and the scenery was incredible. The walking was really fun and satisfying, and the rafting was a fantastic adrenaline rush with great little side trips each day. Loved it!

Mael and his team have done a brilliant job developing this trip to high light the rare beauty of the free flowing Samana river. But that beauty is wild and untamed, you can expect steep thick jungle. Roaring rivers crossed by rickety rope bridges and cascading waterfalls that few people have ever seen. A true jungle adventure. Mael calls it a dynamic environment. The river can rise 10 metres overnight. Roads get blocked or washed away. So Mael always has a plan A,B and C for each stage of the trip, designed to keep you safe while showing off the beauty of the region. To enjoy the jungle you will need to bring your own sense of adventure. The trekking is tuff and you will be dirty and wet almost the whole time. The home stays are completely authentic ( rustic ). Giving you a real insight into the lives of the people who live there. The food too is completely authentic and plentiful ( I brought lots of snacks but didn’t need them). In saying that, vegetarians seem to be well accommodated and we got a glass of wine with our evening meals. Be fit, don’t carry too much( just be wet and dirty). bring trekking poles. Bring boots with good grips for the trek. And water shoes with good grips for the rafting ( side treks to waterfalls were more like canyoning). And enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet

Mael took us through mountains and along rivers that vanishingly few non-Colombians have been. A path he and his mates designed out of mule paths of mountain villagers, we were completely enveloped in the cloud forest, hidden farm houses and rickety bridges straight out of Indiana Jones. The rainforest is not a light excursion so expect to be wet, bruised, bitten, muddy and sore and you’ll be in heaven. The food was authentic and delicious with plenty to spare. Our home stays were clean and perfectly rustic. Mael and his river guides’ Oscar and Didier’s knowledge of the flora and fauna was profound. I learned much of a culture and environment much removed from the bustling city of Medellin. Be in good shape, bring clothes you’re prepared to get roughed up, good hikers and I would suggest shoes for some tough canyoning up gushing and slippery streams while on the rafting portion. Avoid open-toed or those with no tread. Toe socks and plenty of blister tape are a must and walking poles will save you many a fall in the mud. As of today I would say the pictures on this site severely undersell the majestic beauty of the Samana Watershed. Would love to come back for some more rips down those rapids and watching thunderstorms from a hammock.

We were very lucky with the weather, not so much sun made the jungle part so much more enjoyable. Great trekking tour with amazing views and to see how the flora literally changed hourly. Rafting was also great not in term of rapid and techniques, but just to enjoy the 22C water (unlike in Europe where it is 5-10C). Great to see all the little streams and waterfalls. There was only 4 people in our group, which meant more attention from crew at times, at other times I missed some energy from group dynamics.

Been on about 9 MBA trips so far all of which were amazing but this was probably my favourite if not in the top 3. The guides Diana, Mael, Oscar and Didier were really friendly and experienced at what they do. The local communities were very welcoming and it was a unique experience to stay with them. The scenery during the hikes were stunning despite the heat with some waterfalls to cool down in, rafting was super fun especially in the rapids aswell as some cliff jumping along the way. It was a pleasure to meet everyone in the group and glad I got to see such a beautiful country with them!

This was an amazing experience I’d recommend to everyone! Great group of people and the guides were excellent- really fun, knowledgeable and did everything they could to make it a memorable trip. Itinerary description is spot on with some added extras along the way. The country is stunning and this is the perfect way to see it getting off grid and immersed in nature with like minded people! The accommodation in Medellín was great as well so made for a fun time outwith the jungle too! Brilliant adventure, everyone loved it. If you’re thinking about signing up then definitely go for it!

I was very lucky to be part of a fantastic group of 12 who just bonded from the start. The guides and local hosts were really friendly and enhanced to experience when least expected. I loved the food that the families prepared and the prepared lunches. Wet underfoot due to heavy rainfall in the weeks leading up to the walking, I would definitely recommend walking poles. Colombian trekking is either up or down so be well prepared! The rafting was fantastic, amazing views and challenging enough to raise the pulse. I loved how the guides would set camp and the hammocks - made all the difference after a long day. This was my first trip of this type, I hope to do a few more

Had a great time on this trip. Was lucky to join a group who all made the effort and looked out for one another. The guides were really professional, friendly and made every effort to make sure we were all having a good time. Hiking through the jungle was hot but we stopped a good few times at perfect water holes to cool down. The rafting was good craic, some great rapids. I'd recommend bringing walking poles to help on a few of the downhill sections, and wearing long pants to avoid sunburn while rafting. Top trip, would definitely recommend.

This was a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime experience. I joined as a solo traveler and all four other guys on the trip were the same. Everyone was around the age of 30ish and quite like-minded. The trip consisted of 2-3 days of hiking followed by another few more days rafting and exploring around the river before heading back. On around day 5, overnight rainfall meant that we had to divert onto a different river, which was done really efficiently. The team of guides were fantastic, skilled and really enthusiastic about the area and preservation of the area. The activities themselves were tough at times. The hikes were long and had plenty of uphill sections. The terrain was also tricky. The rafting was really fun and the guides really knew what they were doing. When I was there the rain was quite strong over most nights with some thunder. However, it would typically clear up by morning. Our first and last nights were both in Medellin, which is a fantastic, vibrant city. The hotel we stayed in had a brilliant rooftop bar and was nearby several great cafes, bars, restaurants etc. All-in-all it's not for the faint-hearted, but an awesome experience that I'll never forget!

This was one of the best weeks of my life!

Hiking through the jungle was stunning. It was a very challenging but rewarding hike with many special views and waterfall swim stops. You felt very remote, only seeing the odd farmer or miner often traveling on donkey and very little else.

The group that were on the trip were all like minded people and really made the trip as enjoyable as it was. The team on the ground were also amazing! They were all passionate and full of enthusiasm for the trip and the country, their company over the week further enhanced the experience. They were also very diligent adapting the schedule to suit the ability of our group. The logistics were almost seamless from the rustic homestays, to camping on the side of the river to picking up food from a donkey in the jungle everything went without a hitch. Even when the heavens opened and we had to swap rivers due to the high water.

I would highly recommend this trip to anybody who wants a wild adventure in a beautiful country with some amazing people!

Brilliant trip - a real adventure. Trekking was great and hard work - don't expect to just turn up with no training and cruise it. Lots of ups and downs through amazing scenery with some tricky paths in places. Rafting was much more sedate! Although we had to swap to an easier river for the last 2 days due to rain making the original one unsafe. I think those days were to be more thrilling. Rafting was still great though, just not as difficult as the trekking - lots of jumping into the river if that's your thing.

Amazing experience. Definitely a challenge. Jungle trek very remote and challenging terrain. Long steep downs and ups. Very long days, but the group support was brilliant. 3 very long tiring but great days trekking. Rafting really good, although due to days of rain had to do less challenging river on last day for safety.

Amazing trip! Totally recommended. Colombia is a beautiful country and the outdoor spaces are just incredible. The hosts were great, they really taught us about the country, customs, people and area. The hike was more difficult than I had expected due to the terrain: lots of narrow paths, wet slippery rocks, loose pebbles etc. But still completely manageable. Sleeping in a hammock was a different experience but I did enjoy it. The rafting is just fun, not physically difficult at all.

Definitely off the beaten track, a real wilderness experience!

What a trip! One of the best things I have ever done. The guides were truly fantastic and made everything we experienced so exciting and fun. A special thank you to Diana, Jonathan and Didier 😊 The landscape was breath-taking, I kept pinching myself and could hardly believe I was there. The rafting was unbelievably cool! One of the best things about it was getting to meet so many local people along the way too. It’s great to know our trip contributes in some way to keeping the area beautiful and providing sustainable livelihoods that don’t rely on deforestation. Oh my goodness and the food – it was hearty, wholesome and fresh and we got to try lots of interesting new things. Still dreaming about those pork ribs cooked on a bbq in the jungle. We were so lucky our trip coincided with a local fiesta so we saw a great band and latin American dancing in a tiny village in the mountains after 10h walking. I would agree with the other reviews that the trek is tough and definitely important to be prepared. A lot of my companions suffered from terrible blisters and as walking poles were not on the essential kit list, they didn’t have them which made it so much tougher. I would say walking poles are essential (unless you are a mountain goat), as are good socks that fit well, waterproof good quality hiking boots are too. I found the kit list confusing in places and a little incomplete. If they run the trip in the same way they ran ours, I found it useful to have a 30 litre dry bag and a smaller dry bag to take on the raft, and then a 30 litre backpack for the hike separately (we didn’t need to hike with our raft gear). Finally, I would recommend a medical kit with blister plasters, Imodium, insect bite cream and savlon.

What an experience! Tough days trekking through pristine jungle, rafting an untamed river, wholesome food cooked on an open fire, and sleeping under the stars. A true adventure in every sense.

I couldn’t rate this trip more highly. MBA and hosts were absolutely fantastic, the guides were probably the best I’ve ever had on any adventure: experienced, knowledgeable and really hard-working (how they managed the behind the scenes logistics so well in such a remote area amazes me), as well as generally kind, supportive (and hilarious) human beings. The surroundings were absolutely beautiful, both the pristine jungle and the river, it felt like a privilege to be there. The links the company appeared to have with the local communities made me feel we were a part of something positive and special, rather than intruding, and people we met along the way were warm and welcoming. I loved wild camping in hammocks, washing in streams and eating and chatting around the campfire in the evening, under the starry sky. Being this close to nature, as well as having no phones or any idea (or cares) what we looked like for a week was a real tonic for the soul. A much-needed break from modern life and a reminder of the important things. I was also incredibly lucky to be part of an amazing group of people. We had a brilliant tour group, which is always such a big part of any experience. The terrain and conditions, particularly for the trekking, was quite challenging, so do train and prepare properly if you’re going and make sure you have the right kit. The trip is more than worth it :-). This really was an amazing life experience, thanks so much to all involved.

Love, love, loved it. If you're up for beautiful, remote landscapes, superb guides, great food, traveling light, sleeping in the open, and hard graft then this is the trip for you.

This was an epic trip, a must for the adventurous among us. I have previous hiking experience and also have spent time in the Amazon, so I thought I was fully prepared....wrong! This was the toughest hike I have done. The heat and humidity was always going to be a challenge but the hike itself was on another level to anything I have previously done. I had spent time in the gym working on my cardio, time well spent! But I would also recommend a few good hikes in the weeks leading up to this trip. I made the mistake of not taking hiking poles, I’m not a big fan of them....or rather I wasn’t! They are an essential piece of kit for this hike. Our guides were excellent all the way through this trip, we surely tested their patience!

Fantastic adventure that will test your grit and determination. Not for the faint of heart or mind but a lot of fun and amazing experiences to be had.

This was a truly amazing experience. The guide team was exceptionally capable, and Colombia was spectacular - such a treat to explore such remote parts. The trekking was physically challenging, and a good level of both fitness and trekking experience is a must. I would not hesitate to do an expedition with Jules and his team again.

Expect digital detox, challenging terrain, amazing views, extraordinary guides, bring loads of humour and stamina and you will have an adventure of a lifetime. This is not for faint-hearted, and I have done some epic hikes in my life i.e hiking across Iceland and Kilimanjaro climb.