John and I are very lucky to have the opportunity to work from wherever we want. This usually means that we enjoy a much longer “weekend away” than most, and have a chance to explore certain places before they’re booked out. That’s why, once we’d left Montebello, we decided to extend our holiday and test Mamba’s patience with a pet-friendly camping experience.
Just 19 kilometers of windy, uphill road from La Vega (Cundinamarca), Manai is a small nature reserve with on-site camping facilities and hiking trails, as well as the opportunity to take on some canyoning and rappel. Tucked away, it’s a quiet getaway for local travelers looking to unwind.
Here’s a little run-down of our weekend away to inspire your next adventure outside of the city!
How to get to Manai & Cascadas del Chupal
Getting to Manai is actually very easy: there’s only one road that leads up to it. That means that once you hit the end of the road, you’ll know you’ve made it.
Traveling from Bogotá
From Bogotá, you’ll need to travel all the way to La Vega before making your way up to Manai. There are a few different options for this: driving yourself, using a local bus, or hiring a private driver.
Now that we have a car, we drive ourselves most places because it’s a lot more comfortable for everyone. Set your preferred navigation app to leave the city through Calle 80 (in Engativá). It’s the same highway that takes you from Bogotá to Medellín and there will be plenty of signs along the way. The route is pretty straightforward and the landscapes are stunning.
If you can’t drive yourself, there are also plenty of buses that will take you to La Vega from Bogotá. Head over to Terminal Salitre and ask for the Flota Águila counter. They’re one of the companies that do direct buses to La Vega. Tickets should be quite cheap, too: around 12,500 COP (3 USD) one-away.
Traveling from La Vega
Once you’ve arrived in La Vega, there’s only one road out of town that will take you all the way up to Cascadas del Chupal. If you’re driving yourself, hop on La Vega – Supatá and follow the winding road all the way up. You’ll see signs along the way with bright orange MANAI on them, and there’s really no way to get lost. Make a pit-stop at the Laguna el Tabacal to stretch your legs, shake off the carsick-ness, and enjoy a delicious sancocho de gallina before hitting the road again.
If you want, you can also squeeze in a quick visit to the Laguna el Tabacal. The entrance fee is 4,500 COP (just over 1 USD) for adults and 2,500 COP (less than 1 USD) for kids. The park is also pet-friendly as long as you pick up after your dog and don’t disturb other guests. We visited the laguna a few years back during our first trip to La Vega, so we decided to skip it this time.
If you opted for the bus from Bogotá to La Vega, there will be taxis and jeeps in town looking for customers heading up to the laguna and beyond. Negotiate a price with them beforehand, and try and coordinate a pick-up the next day (or any day after that) so you’re not left struggling when it’s time to return home. These rides are usually very cheap – especially if you’re sharing with other locals.
Pet-friendly camping at Manai
When we first arrived in Manai, our plan was to explore the waterfalls and then head back down to a different camping site we had previously booked. However, once there, I told John I’d prefer it if we just stayed put. The space looked beautiful, it was pretty empty, and I was feeling so iffy about the car ride up (aka sick as hell) that I didn’t want to put myself through another winding trip down.
PRO TIP: Signs for Manai stop before you reach the actual entrance. You’ll see a parking lot and a small restaurant and think you’ve made it – but that’s not necessarily the case. We found out the hard way that campers can continue the drive past the restaurant and through the narrow road up to the actual entrance to avoid carrying all their stuff back and forth. Just let the caretaker know you’ll be camping and he’ll let you drive through with no problem.
Camping at Manai is totally pet-friendly, which means Mamba was free to roam around the grounds while we set up the tent and organized our bearings. There are a few dogs that live on the property, so if you don’t feel comfortable about having your pup surrounded by dogs, I suggest you look elsewhere.
How much does the pet-friendly camping cost?
Camping at Manai costs 33,000 COP per person (10 USD). This includes the overnight stay as well as your entrance to all 7 of the waterfalls dotted around the property. Campers can enjoy their stay for 24 hours (from 3 PM to 3 PM the next day).
Shared bathrooms are available and there are also fire pits so guests can enjoy a nice evening under the stars. Manai also sells packs of wood for 5,000 COP (1.50 USD) as well as lighters.
Food and drink at Manai
The on-site shop is very basic. They have drinks, snacks, toilet paper, and not much else. Looking back, I wish we’d come a little more prepared for the evening. However, because we decided to stay once we were already there, we weren’t as prepared as we would have liked. With little to no food, no wine, and our phones almost out of battery, we wish we’d planned better!
The restaurant by the entrance where day-trippers park does offer a pretty tasty menú del día with your choice of protein for 12,000 COP (about 4 USD). The portions are quite big, so John and I were both pretty full for the rest of the evening. The wine, however, was impossible to find. Mental note for next time: always carry an extra bottle of wine!
Our first pet-friendly camping experience
We spent our first afternoon at Manai getting ready for Mamba’s first pet-friendly camping experience. Although she’d just been a total glamping superstar, it’s very different to lock 2 grown adults and one hyperactive dog inside a tent for a whole evening.
Not to brag or anything, but…she totally nailed it. Although there was a lot of movement outside the tent with dogs, other guests, and your typical nature noises, Mamba managed to sleep through the night. She even slept on her own bed! That was a total win, considering both John and I were floor-level with her, and she’s not one to miss out on a good cuddle.
Comfort-wise we were pretty lucky as well. This whole pet-friendly camping idea started because we’d been to Decathlon the week before and stocked up on all camping essentials: from a sturdy (BIG) tent to camping chairs, a mat, inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, pots, and lamps. This was a sort of “test” to see what else we might need when we’re actually camping for real. And, although I got pretty ill halfway through the night (I’m talking full-body aches, fever, headache, and an upset stomach…), I managed to sleep surprisingly well. Overall, the experience was a success.
Exploring Cascadas del Chupal
The next morning – after my mystery illness had long disappeared – we put on our swimming gear, strapped on Mamba’s life vest, and headed out for a little outdoor exploration of the 7 waterfalls located within the property.
The waterfalls are all located close to one another, and the team at Manai has done a great job of marking the route. The trails are also very well-kept, which means they’re all very easy to navigate and walk. From hanging bridges to stone hopping across creeks and waddling through calf-deep rivers, you can reach each of the waterfalls and enjoy a refreshing dip before continuing to the next.
Mamba had a blast stepping through the water, but we weren’t totally comfortable letting her swim around some of the deeper pools because the currents could easily sweep her away. However, John and I did enjoy dipping in and out of the pools after a night inside the tent. Yes, the water is freezing, but it’s a great alternative to showering with no door or curtain at one of the communal showers.
Once we’d had enough, we packed up our equipment, hosed Mamba down, and hit the road again eager to get home.
Our experience with pet-friendly camping at the Cascadas del Chupal
There’s a reason visiting the Cascadas del Chupal is hailed as one of the best things to do in La Vega, Cundinamarca. Whether you come by for a quick day trip or you spend the night as we did, you’ll leave the reserve feeling refreshed ( not just because of the cold water) and re-energized. It was a great way to close-off our weekend away from the hustle and bustle of Bogotá and part of me wishes we’d spent another night camping to fully take it in without a silly, one-night illness creeping up on me.
I also think this was a great first taste of what pet-friendly camping with Mamba can be like. She’s already a pretty chill dog, and if she was alright with switching rooms twice in three nights, I feel like she’ll be alright with moving around a little bit more often, too.
We’re counting down the days until we can pack up the gear and test her (and, let’s be honest, our) limits with another camping excursion.
What have your pet-friendly camping experiences been like? Let us know in the comments!
