VALLEDUPAR
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student to take you for a quick tour. It's a very vibrant and energetic
environment when students are practicing.
NABUSIMAKE
A major attraction and highly recommended overnight trip in the Valledupar
area is a visit to Nabusimake, the spiritual center of the Arhuacos. This trip is
broken down into two traveling parts. Part one takes you from Valledupar to
Pueblo Bello in a small bus. The cost is 8,000 COP for a one hour ride. For part
two, you must take a 4 x 4 from Pueblo Bello to Nabusimake; the cost is 12,000
COP, for a two to three hours ride. The second part is on a road that can be
quite a journey. The road is not well maintained and can be a rough ride, but it's
worth it if you like adventure. You have a few options for lodging when you get
to Nabusimake. You can either tell the driver where you want to go or just ask to
be taken to a place for lodgings. In Nabusimake, there are four or so such
establishments and the area is rather small. For 35,000 COP, at Casa María, you
get three meals and a bed. María offers fish, meat, chicken and eggs. María and
her husband have lived on this property for over fifty years. The room is simple
and easy to sleep in. It's like staying at a grandparent’s house, but without T.V. or
electricity; bring a headlamp or flashlight. They are very kind hosts. Another
option is to stay at Casa Mila down the way. Mila runs a school off her property
with a small class size of about fifty students to one teacher. Mila's is a more
modern property and there may be some better chances for interaction with
more people. For 50,000 COP, at Mila's, you get three meals and a bed. Mila
has a small store with candy and other small important items. If you want to
enter Nabusimake, you must pay 10,000 COP for permission. Mila and María
will direct you to where you take care of this payment. Nabusimake is a five
minute or so walk from the lodgings. At the front, there is a gate that is locked
and you must walk over rocks to get inside. It's best, out of respect, not to take
pictures of Nabusimake. It's a quick visit and be prepared to show your
permission paper. You may be asked for more money if there are Arhuaco at the
gate. Show your paper and be polite, but don't pay more, you have already paid