On route fromSanta Fe de Antioquia in the direction of Mutata we were impressed, as we started out in the morning, with the nice road and the beautiful winding Magdalena River following the valley. It also struck us, that there was suspiciously little traffic… no cars on regular weekday. And soon we found out why.
A few kilometers further up the valley, we were stopped by someone signaling and quickly saw a few cars stopped waiting in line. The reason was that the river was overflowing the road several hundred meters ahead. Some “entrepreneurial” youngsters were guiding vehicles across the overflown riverbank with water high up on their thighs. The guides were simply walking through the water showing where the road was supposed to go…
Having a vehicle with relatively high ground clearance in addition to a snorkel (high air intake), the other people waiting suggested that we follow one of the guides across the flooded area. I guess it was about 400 meters or so long – and as suggested we did. We crossed the flooded area like a steamer, pushing water in front of the vehicle as a boat with a flat bow. I guess the water reached about ¾ high on the side doors (but thankfully no water got in). It was actually quite fun being able to pass water this high.
However, it was shocking to later learn that the day after we passed the flooded area, the road was completely washed away by the river. Reportedly the road is now closed and in the process of being rebuilt. A combination of good timing, good luck and maybe a little guidance from above! 😊
elworldtrip 
Posted on June 7, 2025 by oyvinkyvik
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