Steel Horse Colombia | Hostel

We arrived on two motorcycles to stay for a few days and ended up staying four. The road to Steel Horse is gravel at the very beginning off the main road with some good dips and bumps, then quickly switches to paved sections with also some sections of cobblestone strips for each tire if you are driving a car. We communicated with Yvette beforehand about our stay. She runs the place on her own, and has for several years now. She is actively turning it into a horse riding program and yoga studio for retreats. Several room options to choose from, secure parking, hot water, and full kitchen access. Lots of space to spread out and feel comfortable in the main house, plenty of porch area also. For parked big rigs, she asks $28,000 COP per person, not per rig. Her room prices are as listed on the website. Laundry available. Bring your own potable water for drinking or you can purchase large jugs from her at the farm. Water is available in the kitchen for cooking and washing dishes.

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Really nice place! Quiet, clean and hot shower. Real hospitality and very nice people. Horse riding and close to Filandia (40’ nice walking). 18000p/p sleeping in your van.

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Steel Horse Hostel was a gem and such a treat in our long and winding journey! Annett was a wonderful host and so full of suggestions on what to see in the area and all around Colombia. We loved the seclusion, atmosphere, view and living amongst the horses. SHH is a must stop place for overlanders!

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Big rig, 7.7 metres, after a couple of shunts we were in.
Planned to stay for three days, turned into two weeks, including Christmas Day.
Finlandia town is touristy, with a strong Colombian market town twist.
Yvette runs an oasis of relaxation, superb hostel, and a horse riding and horse trekking paradise.
Guests are a mix of serious travelers, Colombians, folk from Europe, Asia, USA on an adventure holiday.
It you can, drop by for a few days!

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Kind of a must stop when you traveling Colombia as an Overlander. What an amazing peaceful place. I guess the 30+ comments here on IOverlander speaks for it self.

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Peacefull location in the countryside. Well worth a visit. Fully equiped kitchen available.
On saturdays there are sometimes BBQ's and these are fun happenings and great occassions to meet other people/travellers/expats.
Thank you Yvette for a wonderfull stay!

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Arrived intending to stay 1 night. Ended up staying 4. I think that kinda says it all. Such a relaxing place with wonderful people running it.

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Paradise. Hobbit Land. Mystical. Tranquilo. Hermosa!

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Paul & Yvettes travellers hostal.
absolutely fabulous.

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Wow, I can write a book about our short time here. It would be called something like, "How to do EVERYTHING right when running a bed and breakfast. Something like that I reckon?

My wife Alyssa and I stayed here for a few nights after narrowly escaping an INSANE all night music festival in nearby (and more popular) "quiet" town of Salento.

We arrived here and Yvette (even though she was busy cooking dinner) immediately showed us around the property and made us feel right at home. And people say "they made me feel right at home" all the time, but I never do because I (think I) tend to see through people's fake niceties. I really mean it here. She was an absolute pleasure. She gave us advice on what to do in the nearby town (about a 25 minutes peaceful walk uphill - the way back is downhill and even more serene) and she helped us with all the loaded questions we had.

The room are beautiful, rustic and very clean. We slept like babies. We had their home-cooked meals (breakfast and dinner) which they made to suit us as we are vegetarians and the food was heavenly.

They have beer and wine on site (honour system- write down what you take and pay at the end) and everything else you could want, whether it's good company in like-minded travelers, netflix or some of the cutest dogs you've ever encountered. Oh, also DIY projects. If that's your thing, their property will be a treasure trove of fun projects Yvette and Paul somehow strung together. She is brilliant and can offer great advice on a wide range of topics and ideas you may have from all the inspiration you find lining the walls and floors of this house.

Then there's Paul, Yvette's other half. We had the pleasure of talking with him one night to the wee hours of the morning and he's just as brilliant and cool as she is. He is full of great conversation and, for me, it was like kicking back and talking about life with an old friend. We loved him just as much as we loved Yvette. A brilliant team they are and I (strangely enough) feel like we've made dear friends in them.

So, in conclusion, I would highly recommend this place if you're looking for a true holiday a short distance (but easily walkable/drivable/bike-able) from the downtown of Filandia. I'd even say it's impossible that one would regret staying here. And it may just be the greatest place you ever stayed too.

Thanks to Yvette and Paul and if you're ever in California/Canada (depending on where we are), you've got family there. Our home is your home.

Alyssa and Joe

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The young couple from England have done a fantastic job. They know exactly what overlanders need. Very spacious property. Awesome place to meet other people and chill. Close to the main square of Filandia. Everything you need!

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We stayed at Steel Horse Finca for 4 days, and we have to say: it is definitely worth the small adventure to get there. The road is passable for motorcyclists (if you're not shy of a bit of off-road), but not for cars. The works should be over soon, we guess. Yvette and Paul have done and are still doing some really nice work on the hostel and finca, currently they are working on a really cosy firepit to give just one example. They are easy going people, and Yvette is an amazing cook! We paid 60000 pesos per night for a private room with bathroom. No tent camping available.

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Great spot for first leg of trip. Beautiful ranch

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Perfect for Overlanders looking for like minded people. Yvette and Paul travelled extensively across South America before settling in Filandia and creating Steel Horse Colombia. I guarantee you will want to extend your stay. I did!
I hope to return in a few months. This place is truly special.
P.s use Maps.me to get here. not Google maps!

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This truly is a place for overlanders. If you are looking for a place to recharge your batteries or a place to connect with like minded people this is it. Paul and Yvette have a great dream started here and we were happy to support it. The house is spacious, and the room was bigger than we are used to. The guest kitchen was perfect to cook our own meals, but if your looking to have meals provided they offer a great menu. The beer fridge was convenient and well priced, a dangerous combo. We only wish we had more time to spend here. Our room was 60000 cop, outstanding hospitality included.

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amazing place, gorgeous view of the surrounding are. grate owners, very pleasant to chat with. hot shower, grate wifi. i would highly recommend it!

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As all others have described. A wonderful place with wonderful people. Very comfortable and relaxing.

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spend a few relaxing days here enjoying the wifi. a nice spot. hot water in shower was a bit hit or miss. dogs were a bit “protective” of the house from our dog but there were otherwise very friendly. nicely stocked kitchen.

gate was a bit tricky to enter but i suppose most any vehicle could find a way in.

nice stop.

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It is absolutely astounding what Ivette and Paul have accomplished here in just 15 months! It’s worth a visit and look around and come to appreciate just what an outstanding place these two are preparing for us overlanders.
For us, the road in was in fine shape; heck, we’ve been on numbered highways which were worse; absolutely no problem for any vehicle.
We loved the peace and quiet out there on this busy election-day weekend. Filandia is a friendly little town, and the stroll there is enjoyable in good weather.

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What a nice place!
I think the previous comments speaks for itself. Yvette is super friendly, the bathroom is clean, the shower is hot, the common areas are a must. There is a kitchen if you want to cook, but we didnt use it.

They sell colombian beers (3000 COP) and imported (6000 COP). We had dinner (Fajitas Night - delicious!!!) for 18000 COP per person. I wish we could stayed longer :(

15000 COP pppn (I think this price does not includes electricity. We stayed just 1 night so we didnt use it).

We have a Defender with rooftop tent.

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We spent Christmas at Steel Horse and absolutely loved it. Spending the holidays here with Yvette and a full-house of overlanders was the closest thing to being home imaginable.

Good internet, hot showers, home cooked meals, and a great family atmosphere. They've expanded the parking, we were able to fit 8 rigs of various sizes including a trailer with rooftop tent, and a few good sized trucks. Things were cozy, but comfortable.

Thanks to Yvette (and Paul) for making such a special place available to us and for giving us such a wonderful Christmas!

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We spent about a week here on that lovely Finca with Yvette and her housekeeper. Couldn't have been better (was back in November 17). We enjoyed the silence and the around 1 hour walk to town. Could also full our van with water from the hose.

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The parking lot here is being expanded and it's a good thing as it got crowded during our stay! Nice place but at least 40 minutes walk into town. Yvette makes "family meals" at an extra cost but not every day. They are really working hard to improve and add comforts as they grow and are open to suggestions. Recommend. We paid extra 10,000 per day to be plugged in. Bathrooms are clean, have seats and TP.

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Very friendly, feels like family. Good meals. Good infrastructure.
Ok for Big Rigs, if you are not longer then 7,5m. Its bit tricky to get in and out. If you are a good driver, it works. No High Limits.

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We enjoyed two days here. It’s a nice place for overlanders. The BBQ on Friday night is awesome! All facilities are clean and shower is hot. We payed 15000 COP per people per night.

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Bikers and overlanders.... this is a winner! One of the best hostels/campsites we have visited in Central and South America . traditional finca style buildings in very peaceful surroundings. Offering camping, space for vans/trucks and a variety of rooms the atmosphere is full of life but with plenty of space to relax and recharge. Too many features to list but the highlights were homecooked meals, hot showers, chill out areas, wifi and even Tejo! The focus is on overlanders so if you are looking to share stories and learn from others then this is the place! We have found all of Colombia to be stunning and the people are friendly everywhere but Finlandia is a special place; the mirador and town is a short hike away (or willys jeep/taxi), waterfalls, coffee finca/tours and there is both cheap eats and quality restaurants in town. As everyone says... came for a day stayed a little longer;-) thanks to Yvette (owner) and Joanna (ever busy housekeeper and local knowledge expert!) and we wish you all the success!

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Lovely place, perfect for overlander. Fast internet, HOT water and great host. Must stop in the coffee triangle!

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I cannot recommend Steel Horse filandia enough - our experience here was one of the best we've had. Lots of comfortable places to sit and admire the stunning views, wifi, hot showers, all the things you'd hope for in a great place to stay, but it also has some secret ingredient which puts it above and beyond. You can tell how much love and work is being put into it and the enthusiasm of Yvette for what they're doing here is contagious. The food she cooked for dinner was also the best meal we've had since being away - highly recommend having dinner here around the big wooden table.

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Thanks Paul for reaching out to us and inviting us to your wonderful finca you call home. We of course had to stop in, say hello, and support a young couple who took a big risk to change their lives and at the same time provide a restful respite for the weary traveler. You guys are doing an amazing job and from what I have seen have put in a lot of work to make your dream come true. Fellow overlanders, do not miss a stop here. The finca is fab, the town is so cute and my 3 kids got their fill of Netflix for a while. Plus it's only the second hot shower I've had in Colombia in 5 weeks. It's true. Great job Yvette and Paul and keep up the good work!

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Nice quiet place not far from Filandia. Room for 3-4 smaller rigs. Good shower. Owners working on making the place a welcoming experience. Narrow 2km road/track in.

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We had a great stop here, its a really relaxed and restful place with lovely hosts. The track in is a little tight, but we made it with our 7.5m camper. The road is being upgraded. very reasonably priced meals and beer available. Large washing machine 10000p.

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Wonderful place ! Huge property, orange trees, chicken around. Hard bed but quiet spot! Great owners! Feels like home !

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Feels like home ! The owners are amazing ! 18k a night in dorms. Look. This is a safe haven of peace. Highly recommended !

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just a quick update guys. entrance height restriction has been removed, asphalting/tarmaccing of the road started this week and much of the property has been improved for guests! we are still not on any booking platform yet (we are british so want to do it legally) so the only guests we receive are overlanders and those who have spread the word through mouth (thankyou former overlanders!!!). please follow our progress on

steelhorsefilandia.com

(please forgive any spelling mistakes). FYI as i amass more tools you are welcome to do any maintainence here or leave your vehicles long term.... we definately have the space.

After your first night please feel free to ask us about longterm rates in one of our rooms or self contained apartment... the place is too big to be here alone and we need ideas from you!

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I wanted to leave a review here, because it looks like not many people have visited these awesome guys, but it's the opposite - they hosted many many overlanders since they've opened, just not many people leave reviews :)
It's true that it's work in progress, but the views are stunning, the shower hot, and the owners very friendly and they go out of their way to help you feel welcome. We bought a roasted chicken somewhere before arriving and actually regreted it, they made a pretty nice dinner :)
Place for 2-3 cars (we fit 2 cars with rooftoptents both), 4x4 is not needed, maybe just a bit of clearance - the road is a bit rough, but a 2wd toyota 4runner made it.

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Curious to meet bikers who set up a place for Overlander and traveller, we went there and stayed 3 nights. Very friendly place, perfect for a stop during the roadtrip! Safe, quiet (the road is a dead end, so no traffic and sooner going to be asphalt)
Good people, wifi, hot shower, dinning room, Netflix (if you miss watching TV!), ....
They have plenty of ideas to improve the Finca. Worth to stop and to share experience with Ex Overlander !!
Great moment with them, we wish the best for them, and that place become a famous Overlander spot.

PS: Filandia is way more nicer than Salento (and less touristic!).

Follow French translation....

Ils nous ont demandés d'écrire en français car nous serions vraisemblablement nombreux sur les routes...
N'hésitez pas à venir camper ou parquer dans ce merveilleux lieux. Ils ont pleins d'idées pour faire de ce lieu un petit paradis pour Overlander. Vous y trouverez tout ce qu'il vous faut : un endroit sûr, tranquille, wifi, douche chaude, TV, salle commune, hamac, etc. La route de 2km va bientôt être asphalté ! Donc n'hésitez pas à aller les rencontrer. Nous y sommes allés avant tout pour partager nos expériences communes de motards sur les routes d'Amérique du Sud ! Un très moment ! V à eux deux.

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Paul and Yvette are very welcoming hosts and open to any suggestions.
They have a great place, a very hot shower and clean bathrooms. There is a fire place and a barbecue. Wifi is fast. Electricity is available .
The views are beautiful from the Finca.The walk to town is about 40 minutes on a quiet dirt road.
The gate height is about 8.5 feet but they plan to take that obstacle out soon. Width is more than enough for a full size truck.
The charge us $20000 cop per unit.
They offer dinner too for a small fee. In summary ,this is a great place in which to relax and leisurely take in the surrounding zona cafetera.

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fellow overlanders.... after 14 months of travelling around south america on 2 motorcycles, we liked it here so much that we decided not to leave! We have spent everything we have and bought a finca/farm/hacienda/Gaff which we moved into on 24/12/2016! We would be delighted if you came to stay with us.

We are a 30 year old british:british couple from London, and have decided to change our lives completely and give finca/hostal ownership in colombia a go based on our experiences of what we think backpackers and overlanders want such as (but not limited to) a smile when you arrive, a quick tour, visible price list, not "nickel and diming", hot shower, approachable owners and with some hope, doing our best to make it a nice place to stay for a few days before you move on.

here you will find no workers (except us), a work in progress hostal, a comfortable and hopefully welcoming place to stay, home 1.5km from the center of filandia (mostly downhill), 1 km from the mirador of filandia via unpaved road only accessible by walkers, bikers, 4x4's and an entrance gate to the property with width limited to Toyota hilux or similar. We have a fully stocked bar, and some essentials for sale. You can eat "foreigner" meals with us for a nominal fee. We have wifi, a BBQ, free secure parking, indoor fireplace, 3 hectares you are free to explore with papaya, oranges, lemons, limes and a bamboo "forest".

We are still learning Spanish so please be patient with us

we also have a 7 month old very friendly "street" dog we found in the gutter somewhere near Cartagena so of course well behaved pets are allowed.

double rooms around 50,000 COP, though bank transfer PayPal etc are welcomed forms of payment.

Please see the photos (it is not a building site!). We have alot of ideas for the place and welcome your support by staying with us.

feel free to discuss any ideas with us!

The finca (soon to be steel horse filandia) is called "Finca/vereda Santa Rita", on the first gravel road to the right, 100meters before the filandia mirador if coming from filandia"

We hope to see you soon, are flexible on price until we find our feet and can guarantee that you have stayed at worse!

[email protected]

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