Mud Volcano Tour

           Volcan El Totumo a 65-foot tall mud volcano is located about 30 minutes outside Cartagena.  A popular attraction among backpackers as well as Colombians the Volcano is believed to have skin-enhancing qualities.  Upon arrival the tour guide tells everyone to leave their baggage in the bus and to put on their bathing suits.  Most people already were prepared only wearing their bathing suits.   You walk up an interestingly built wooden staircase to get to the mud crater.  At the top of the Volcano are sweeping views of lagoons and plenty of greenery.  At the top of the Volcano is the mud crater, you pass your camera to a local villager and they take pictures for you while you bathe in the mud bath.  The mud was grey and thick.  Being engulfed in warm thick mud was an odd feeling, it’s much harder to move then one would think.  Often getting stuck in weird positions.  It felt great though and there are villagers who give you massages in the mud and then just throw your body to the next masseur as you float around the mud.  It’s impossible to sink down in the mud unless you use leverage from someone to push you down.  The mud is being pushed up from the earth and extremely thick.  After the 30-40 mins or so they allow you in the mud bath you are sent to the lagoon for a scrub.  You have the option to wash yourself or have a local village woman scrub you.  I decided I was capable of washing myself and just did a few dives into the warm lagoon and the mud was gone.   I definitely liked the mud bath; it was a new experience and only cost $15.