Remote Colombian Rock Formations See Rising Visitor Numbers

Three massive rock formations known as the Cerros de Mavecure rise about 2,000 feet from the jungle floor in eastern Colombia near Venezuela. The buttes, made of sandstone, shale and quartz, stand barren and rounded at the top. " The name Mavecure refers to the poison-dart blowguns once used by Indigenous groups for hunting, according to guide Ignacio Rodriguez.

The site is sacred to the Puinave and Curipaco Indians, who climb the ridges to leave offerings to the spirits. Reaching the summit of the smallest peak requires a couple of hours of hiking in 90-degree heat along a route fitted with guide ropes and ladders.

The remote site has seen a sharp increase in visitors in recent years, though it remains accessible only by river and has limited infrastructure.

The country is also home to Caribbean beaches, three Andean Mountain ranges and 1,900 avian species. A 2016 peace treaty with cocaine-trafficking rebels opened previously restricted areas to travel. Delio Agapito, mayor of the village of Remanso at the foot of the mountains, said tourism is now the main engine of the local economy.

Many residents have left gold mining, which polluted rivers with mercury and sediment, to work as guides, in restaurants and hostels, or selling crafts. Fabio Pérez, who once mined gold for months at a time, now runs a hostel and an apiary project and sells honey to visitors. "Now, I don't abandon my family like I used to.

My family is with me. My sons are with me. Tourism has improved our quality of life," Pérez said. No roads connect Mavecure to the rest of the country, only rivers, and flights at the nearest airport remain sporadic.

Tourists stay in rustic bunkhouses because there are no proper hotels. Fernando Carrillo, who runs the environmental foundation Aroma Verde, said tourism at the site is still very small-scale. During one climb, guide Ignacio Rodriguez warned visitors not to grab branches for support because of thorns and to watch for snakes.

Sebastian Rivera, a Colombian anesthesiologist, tasted an edible rainforest ant near the summit and said the head tasted like lemon. "It's weird," he said. " Rivera added that most Colombians still find the location too remote for typical vacations.

"I know they're trying to make it more touristy. But for most Colombians it's still a little too out-in-the-forest," he said.