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A Visit to El Totumo Mud Volcano Near Cartagena

August 9, 2012 by Arianwen Morris 24 Comments

El Totumo is a mud volcano near Cartagena City. As the story goes, it’s a natural volcano that used to spew fire, until a local priest declared that this was the Devil’s work and turned the fire to mud by sprinkling holy water on it.

THE MUD VOLCANO

El Totumo Mud Volcano - the mound itself

I’m sceptical about whether or not the legend is true. In reality, it seems more likely that this 15-metre mound was designed as a gimmick to attract tourists. Either way, though, it’s a lot of fun.

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

El Totumo Mud Volcano - posing with new friends

You can book a trop to the mud volcano from various places in Cartagena. At the time of writing, a tour with El Viajero Hostel, including transport, was $35,000 COP.

The minibus picked us up at 2pm and it took about an hour to get there.

FACILITIES AT THE MUD VOLCANO

El Totumo Mud Volcano - point of entry

The mud volcano is a really popular attraction. There are changing rooms where you can get into your bathing gear, but no showers.

If you’d like photos of your experience you can hand your camera over to a staff member for £3000 COP and he’ll become your personal photographer.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?

El Totumo Mud Volcano - missed a bit

The mud is warm and thick, and very hard to navigate. The pool is also very small and you will find it impossible not to migrate slowly towards total strangers, accidentally putting your feet in their face in a desperate attempt to gain some control.

There’s no perceivable bottom to the pit. It’s the density of the mud that holds you afloat. This makes for the most comfortable bed you’ll ever lie in

MUD VOLCANO MASSAGES

El Totumo Mud Volcano - quick nap

For another $3000, you can pay for a massage from one of the guys who spends his entire day bobbing about in the mud.

Be wary of this. I met a fellow traveller who’d experiences wandering hands.

CLEANING UP

El Totumo Mud Volcano - slippery slope

To get out of the mud volcano, you have to navigate some slippery steps. The mud slips off you in clumps.

Then it’s time for a bath in the lake.

If you thought the mud bath was the weird part of the trip, you’d be mistaken.

Any attempts to tell the local women that you can wash yourself are ignored. They chase you through the shallow water and then pounce. As they pour litres of water over your head, the mud washes into your eyes and you resign yourself to the fact that you will have to hand over another $3000 COP for the privilege of a thorough scrubbing.

Not only that, they whip off your bikini top without warning, as you desperately try to cover your modesty in about a foot of water. By the time they’re finished with you, you’ll be lucky if you’re not completely starkers.

Comments

  1. Les Petits Pas de Juls says

    August 9, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    Let’s! oh no, you just make me laugh out loud! thanks!
    what’s next?
    J.
    Les Petits Pas de Juls recently posted..Lamposts & BikesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 9, 2012 at 6:16 pm

      Excellent. The only issue is finding a lake warm enough to wash in after! Perhaps the UK isn’t the right place for it. Off to Medellin this afternoon. It’s the Feria del Flores at the moment. Should be fun!

      Reply
  2. Bex says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:44 pm

    I love it – you insist you are capable of washing yourself, and then resign yourself to having someone do it for you, and then in true British fashion pay for the privilege! It reminds me of the time you were attacked by the henna tattooist in Marrakech, and then paid her for it! :-)

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 11, 2012 at 12:16 am

      Yep, that’s the way it always goes. I do think they did a better job of getting rid of the mud than I would have though :)

      Reply
  3. Mads says

    August 10, 2012 at 8:36 pm

    This looks a lot more fun than rapelling down that waterfall!
    PS Looking hot!!! x

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 11, 2012 at 12:16 am

      Different kinds of fun! PS. Looking sunburnt!

      Reply
  4. Lucy says

    August 13, 2012 at 9:18 am

    Love it, we so need somewhere like that in the UK (though without the enforced nakedness, not very British!)
    Lucy recently posted..Capturing the colour of my travelsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 13, 2012 at 4:48 pm

      So true! I don’t think the American or German girls I was with enjoyed the nakedness much either. But it added to the experience!

      Reply
  5. Lauren, Ephemerratic says

    August 14, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Wow, now I know why you’re so gung ho to chase down the secret Incan slide in Cusco, Peru — you’re game for just about any adventure!

    Actually, besides the weird locals engaging with your privates, this mud pit sounds pretty sweet.

    I hope to get to Columbia sooner rather than later…glad to have found you.
    Lauren, Ephemerratic recently posted..Cusco, Peru travel guide – The YEH, MEH, NAHsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 15, 2012 at 3:06 pm

      Haha. I don’t know about that. I do have that mentality of just doing it ‘because it’s there’ though. Hope you make it to Colombia soon. It’s a great country.

      Reply
  6. jim says

    August 14, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    Did you let the helpers dunk you under the mud so you become a mud statue?

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 15, 2012 at 3:05 pm

      There was no way I was going right under. I already had grit in my mouth and couldn’t hear very well because my ears were clogged!

      Reply
  7. Yasmin says

    August 16, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    hey sweetheart,

    too funny and u bring it to a point…loved sharing this muddy experience with u

    yas

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 17, 2012 at 7:32 am

      It was such a cool day! Miss you!

      Reply
  8. Stephanie - The Travel Chica says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:50 pm

    I heard the same thing about rinsing off in the lake being the worst part of the visit to the volcano. Looks super touristy, but it does look like a fun experience to have… just once.
    Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..8 Fun, Amusing, and Odd Things from Tupiza to UyuniMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 21, 2012 at 4:37 pm

      I’m glad I’d read blogs about it before I went so I knew what to expect :)

      Reply
  9. memographer says

    August 26, 2012 at 12:12 am

    Ahh! So fun! The second pic from the top should be called “Rise of the beauty statues”
    memographer recently posted..Each and Every Friday Flashback: Paris and ParisiansMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      August 26, 2012 at 10:56 am

      Haha. I’m not sure about that! It was a great laugh. Despite being a proper tourist trap I would recommend it to anyone :)

      Reply
  10. Ale says

    June 28, 2015 at 10:17 am

    So the massage guys spend all day inside the volcano hoping to make some money and you decided that you were too good and gringa to let them work? That pisses me off that you just assume and you are spreading lies. I went to the volcano and thought it was a pretty awesome massage!

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      June 29, 2015 at 9:29 am

      I’m glad you had a good experience. It is unfortunate that my friend did not. I trust that friend and she had no reason to lie about it. I’m in no way insinuating that the same thing will happen to anyone else who visits, and I would love to hear from people who have been and have nothing but great things to say about it.

      Reply
  11. Chanel | Cultural Xplorer says

    February 12, 2016 at 12:53 am

    Planning to go there in a couple days and thanks for the tip on booking the trip super cheap through the hostel! I laughed so hard when you said they snatched your bikini off, but I won’t be having any of that, I will run for my life and wash my own bikini!
    Chanel | Cultural Xplorer recently posted..Slavery to Civil Rights: A Brief Look at Black History in the United StatesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      February 12, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      Honestly, you hardly have a choice! I was trying really hard to tell them I just wanted to wash myself. I’d love to hear how successful you are :P

      Reply
  12. Jakki says

    April 1, 2017 at 12:21 am

    Wow…..this sounds like a fun time, but I’m with Chanel, they won’t be pulling my clothes off !! This reminds me of being at The Dead Sea in Jordan last January. There was an attendant and he insisted on applying mud to the women and then helping rinse off. My friend asked if I gave him a tip…..ummm NO…. he helped himself to a free feel up…that was his tip

    Reply
    • Arianwen Morris says

      April 3, 2017 at 9:11 am

      Oh dear! That’s not good at all! At least the women washing us down seemed to genuinely just be trying to do the best clean up possible. In fairness, it was the only way to get all of the mud out – but it still would have been nice to have the choice!

      Reply

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