Pandora Forest — Attraction in Santander

This company was extremely disappointing. The only time they are attentive is when they want to sell you something. Upon arriving, we had basically 2.5 days to do the adventures. we had already paid for 5 adventures, and Natalia sold us 2 additional adventures never telling us that we didn't have near enough time to complete them all. As a matter of fact, we only were able to do 3 of them. Not only were we still charged for 5, she made us still pay for the additional 2 adventures. The crazy thing is, we could have done a lot more if they actually tried to pay attention to logistics. There was never any communication on what we were doing activity wise, what we needed to bring, etc. I'm going to ask Amex for a refund because I really feel scammed. Our room was over a kilometer away, and you have to walk uphill to get there. After one adventure she let us walk there and back knowing we didn't have a key(we told her before that we didn't have one) because she had given it to a worker to go make copies. She should have just told us that instead of letting us walk there and back, which takes about 30 minutes. On our last day we only had until 12pm to do our 3 remaining adventures. We finished the Pandora forest early and got back. We were supposed to rappelling and Rock climbing, but even though we got back early enough to do them no one asked us what we were doing next or told us anything. We sat there for an hour with no one saying anything to us, so we finally went back to our room to pack. I've travelled all over Colombia and usually have gotten great service everywhere I've gone. This was without a doubt the worst service I've ever had. There are many beautiful places to see in Colombia with excellent service....

Summary: An excellent experience with fantastic activities, but clearer communication of the itinerary would be welcomed. The tent was comfortable, with a mattress and sufficient bedding.

Food & Drinks:

Dinner on the first night was a single (cold) slice of pizza from a local pizzeria—no other options or extra slices available. Wine was sold, but no prices were listed, and there was no bottle opener. Breakfast was enjoyable: eggs, arepas, and a fresh fruit salad. Lunch was tasty, with options of pork, fish, or vegetarian. Dinner was a simple chicken or vegetarian sandwich—not ideal for those needing a more substantial meal after hiking. A small shop sells drinks, including beer and wine, but staff were hard to find in the evening. Activities & Organization:

No itinerary was explained on the first night, leaving us unsure of what to expect. Morning felt disorganized, with little guidance on where to go or which group we were in. The cave exploration was enjoyable, but our group didn’t descend as low as others for unclear reasons, despite asking. Pandora’s Forest was amazing—bring wellington boots (they are provided). The Bromeliad Forest hike is longer and steeper than expected but rewards you with an excellent view. Rappelling is exhilarating but not for the faint-hearted! Overall Experience: The staff were warm and welcoming, but the lack of structure made it feel chaotic. If you have specific activities in mind, it's best to be proactive and communicate your interests directly—those who speak up the most get priority. Our experience improved over...

"The Forests of Pandora" / "Bosques de Pandora" is a fascinating place. You can take short or long walks through Andean forests, many of which are filled with rock formations and appreciate different species of mosses, being amazed by their colors (literally, I'm talking about impressive moss layer accumulations over massive rocks).

It is also possible to descend into caves and explore unique formations, such as the basement of the "Carracos Cave" or the "Tronera." All these activities are guided by locals like Daniel, Camilo, "El Bro," Edwin, Sara, Santiago, and Jonatan (among many other local guides). Important: most activities are quite demanding (moderate to high), so it's important to be in good physical condition and have no mobility limitations.

The food is delicious, prepared in a homemade style by community members. At lunchtime, I recommend trying the homemade desserts made by Doña Mariela and Don Salvador.

There are various accommodation options, ranging from shared accommodations and private rooms to independent cabins.

This is a family initiative led by José Ulloa, Juan José Ulloa and Yolanda Hernández, and supported in partnership with local communities. To me, this represents an environmentally responsible and socially...