Among the Colombian mountains, ALMALOCA is a project that weaves together nature, community, and personal growth, redefining the way we travel
In the heart of the Colombian mountains, among Andean forests and ancient indigenous traditions, there is a sustainable hospitality project that is also a true regenerative lifestyle. Its name is ALMALOCA, and its motto — regeneración en movimiento — says it all: it’s not just about hosting travelers, but about transforming the way we inhabit the world.
ALMALOCA is a project that brings together ecology, community, and personal transformation. A place where tourism becomes a tool for regeneration and where every experience is designed to reconnect people with the land, with others, and with themselves.
We interviewed Andrés and Nat, founders of ALMALOCA, to learn how this regenerative tourism project in Colombia was born and is evolving.
How was Almaloca born?
Naty and I met in the mountains; we recognized each other in the meeting of our visions. Everything began in a maloca in Cocorná, Antioquia, a space of indigenous thought where we connected from that very first encounter. The next day, in front of a sacred stone at Cascada Corazón, we shared our deepest dreams and discovered that we were walking toward the same purpose. From that moment on, we chose the path of weaving trust, merging our journeys to co-create a project that is, above all, an expression of our lifestyle.
The name ALMALOCA came to Nat as a clear and powerful vision during an ancestral medicine ceremony. Receiving this gift, she understood that the message integrated our fundamental essence: the “soul”, the expansive freedom that some call “mad”, and the “maloca”, our sacred refuge of thought. It was born from our choice to surrender to the process and fully trust that sign, turning that inspiration into our path of inner coherence.
ALMALOCA was not created as a traditional tourism business with rigid structures, but as a deep way of life. It is the path of inner coherence, grounded in will and in the philosophy of “BE through doing and do for BEING”.
ALMALOCA was born the moment we decided that our company would be an extension of our own evolutionary journey. It arose from pure will and our courage to constantly transform ourselves. We understood that this path did not require fitting into traditional models.
We began to materialize this energy in “ALMALOCA House”, our apartment in the city of Medellín, where every decision has become a celebration of our authenticity.
What eco-sustainable practices have you adopted?
Regenerative architecture and bioclimatic design
We are located on a 9-hectare property in Vereda Astilleros (San Antonio de Prado, Medellín), at 2,300 meters above sea level, where the “Casita Amarilla” — our first refuge — was transformed while respecting the original structure inherited from the previous owner.
Active reforestation and ecosystem restoration
We are engaged in active reforestation of a strategic green corridor that connects with the Astilleros Forest Reserve and Cerro del Padre Amaya. This territory hosts more than 2,000 bird species and 32 archaeological sites.
Each guest who visits us becomes a “forest builder”, participating in the restoration of the Andean forest we are planting from scratch.
Circular economy and organic waste transformation
We are designing a biofactory, a system that transforms organic waste into valuable resources instead of treating it as waste.
Following circular economy models, we develop composting processes that return nutrients to the land. 61.5% of household waste in Colombia is compostable, and we see ourselves as part of the solution from a rural perspective.
Regenerative agriculture without chemicals
The project includes supporting local farmers in the transition to organic farming, eliminating pesticides and toxins. Our table is nourished by what they grow, creating a direct, fair, and transparent supply chain.
Regenerative tourism
Each experience is designed so that the visitor becomes an active agent of regeneration: participating in planting, learning ecological restoration, and contributing directly to the local economy.
Community integration and local governance
We are part of the Junta de Acción Comunal and actively participate in territorial decisions, supporting local entrepreneurs and building alliances with community leaders.
Education and knowledge sharing
We are developing the School of Regeneration in Motion, sharing regenerative methodologies with entrepreneurs and local communities.
Strategic alliances
We collaborate with public institutions and social movements to strengthen sustainable practices and circular economy policies.
Digital platform for regenerative travelers
We are developing an e-commerce platform that connects regenerative local products with conscious consumers.
Respect for ancestral knowledge
We maintain a living connection with the Kogui and Arhuaco communities, from whom we have learned respect for thought and Mother Earth.
What do guests value most about the Almaloca experience?
“At ALMALOCA we accompany traveling souls who arrive searching for something they cannot yet name, and leave having found it.”
Reconnection with oneself
What guests value most is the sacred space for self-recognition. “the little home of my soul”, where one finds a calm that is not just silence, but presence.
Transformational inspiration
“A traveler who experiences Almaloca becomes inspired”: to change, to create, to live more authentically.
Contrast between mountain and vision
They deeply appreciate the meeting between ancestral wisdom and regenerative innovation.
Essential simplicity
Pure air, silence, connection: simplicity becomes abundance.
Co-creation
Each guest contributes to reforestation and the local economy.
Community of kindred souls
A meeting of people who share the same path of transformation.
What experiences do you recommend not to miss nearby?
Hiking in the forests, immersion in waterfalls, panoramic trekking, sunset rituals, and nature-based experiential paths.
From the Colombian Andes to Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru, each itinerary is designed as a transformative journey between nature and awareness.
What does it mean to be part of Ecobnb?
“For Almaloca, being part of Ecobnb is an encounter with regenerative accomplices.”
Ecobnb represents the recognition of a community of shared values, a bridge between conscious travelers and projects that believe in regenerative tourism. It is a space of co-creation, where personal and territorial regeneration become one and the same.
Thank you Andrés and Nat for this interview!
ALMALOCA is concrete proof that another way of traveling is possible—and already happening.
In a world where tourism often consumes places and cultures, projects like this show that another path is possible: one of regeneration, community, and awareness.
Connecting with realities like ALMALOCA means rediscovering the deepest meaning of travel: not just exploring the world, but transforming it—and transforming ourselves, step by step, along the way.
Refugio en la Montaña: Networking con Proposito – Green Refuge in Medellín, Medellin, Antioquia, CO 
