Queen Mary University of London SLLF student, Alycha, studied abroad at the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia and was a Turing Scheme grant recipient. Learn more in their article below!

My main reason for choosing to study in Colombia was my excitement regarding the country’s diversity. Like many others, I considered my year abroad an opportunity to experience a different culture from the UK. Most recognise Colombia for its cultural diversity; however, Colombia is also surprisingly diverse in terms of the environment. There are five different environments within Colombia. Thanks to the Turing Scheme, I had the fantastic opportunity to visit some of these places and make long-lasting memories. Travelling through Colombia was 100% the highlight of my first semester, and here I will talk about the fun hiking trips I took part in thanks to the Turing Scheme.

One thing to note about Colombians is their love for hiking, especially in the Andes region, which includes Bogotá (the capital) and Medellin. Outside of exploring the famous Monserrate in the capital, Bogotá, I could travel to Medellin and a beautiful place called Salento.

In Salento, I did two breathtaking hikes. The hostel I stayed at organised one trek that lasted a couple of hours. In contrast, the other hike was the famous Valle de Cócora which you will undoubtedly hear about if you study or work in Colombia. Valle de Cócora is located in the Andes region and is a hike of great difficulty, which takes around 3-5 hours to complete depending on fitness level. There are two routes for the hike, and many people take the scenic route down to enjoy and take in the scenery better.

I visited Medellin during a festival called ‘Feria de las Flores’, and it was quite an experience. I was excited to see an abundance of flowers, so a Canadian exchange student and I hastily booked flights and accommodation days before and headed out to enjoy the bank holiday weekend. Despite the ‘Feria de las Flores’ being the main reason for ‘La Puente,’ the long bank holiday weekend, hiking in Medellin was what I enjoyed the most about the city. This hike was in a neighbourhood called ‘Trece de noviembre’ and took around 3 hours to complete. The trail was rich in culture, and we could see a different view of Medellin at each stage.

Overall I recommend Colombia as it allows you to discover a land like no other, and hiking in such a diverse environment enriched my experience further.