Founded in 1539 on the ruins of the ancient Muisca capital of Hunza, TUNJA is not the region’s most exciting city, though its historic centre is one of the foremost preserves of the country’s colonial heritage, and is worth a quick stop on the way to Villa de Leyva.
Rising to a high point of 5330m above sea level, and taking in 32 glacial lakes and 22 snowcapped peaks on the way, PARQUE NACIONAL EL COCUY is a hiker’s dream come true. Tourism is increasing but, for now at least, you can hike for a week surrounded by natural splendours with little contact with other people. Be prepared for any climatic conditions and be aware that at night it gets bitterly cold, so pack plenty of warm gear and a four-season sleeping bag (you can rent sleeping bags from tour companies, but they may not be as warm as you need). Pack reasonably light, as you’ll be carrying your own gear for much of the trek. By far the best weather is from December to February, when the park is at its busiest.
The starting points for any trip to the park are the towns of El Cocuy and Güicán.
With its whitewashed colonial buildings, leafy main square, stone bridges and elegant churches, pretty GIRÓN makes for a great day-trip from nearby Bucaramanga, and is particularly worthwhile for those who don’t have time to visit other colonial gems like Villa de Leyva and Barichara. The pace of life here is extremely relaxed, and the narrow cobbled streets are perfect for a wander. Keep an eye out for the main Catedral del Señor de los Milagros and the attractive eighteenth-century capilla de las Nieves on the tiny namesake square.
Founded in 1622, BUCARAMANGA has shed much of its colonial heritage and evolved into one of Colombia’s largest, most modern cities. The centre might be low on attractions, but it makes a great jumping-off point for visits to nearby Girón, the mountains surrounding the city make for superb paragliding, and it makes a convenient stopover for anyone travelling to the coast or Venezuela.
Across the street from the Casa del Bolívar another colonial mansion houses the Casa de la Cultura, which holds displays of regional art. Also of interest to art lovers is the Museo de Arte Moderno, featuring temporary exhibitions of contemporary painting and sculpture.
Simón Bolívar (El Libertadór) spent a grand total of seventy days living in Bucaramanga in 1828, enough for the locals to rename the beautiful house where he stayed, at C 37 No. 12–15, Casa de Bolívar. It now contains a small historical museum, the highlight of which is the Guane mummies and artefacts.
With its undulating stone-slab roads, clay-tiled tejas roofs draped in bougainvillea blossoms and single-storey adobe homes, the sedate colonial town of BARICHARA looks like it hasn’t changed much in its 250 years. So well kept is the town that it was declared a national monument in 1978 and, with its historical buildings restored, it now makes a popular set for Spanish-language films. Barichara is considerably less crowded than similarly picturesque Villa de Leyva, making it a peaceful, if expensive, resting spot for travellers. Indeed, the town’s name comes from an Indian word, Barachala, meaning “a good place to rest”. Alternatively, it makes for a great day-trip from San Gil.
Barichara’s quiet streets, lined with beautiful architecture, combined with a tranquil vibe, are its biggest attraction. Once you’ve checked out the striking Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción which stands on fluted sandstone columns on the Parque Principal, the leafy main square, take a look at the elaborate marble tombs at the Capilla de Jesús Resucitado cemetery. Surrounding an attractive patio at Casa de la Cultura is a collection of regional photos, Guane pottery, fossils and various early twentieth-century paraphernalia.
Very popular with hikers is the 9km Camino Real, an ancient stone-paved trail used by the indigenous Guane people, leading down through a cactus-filled valley with great mountain views to the tiny village of Guane.To join the path, head uphill along C 5 from the cathedral before taking a left along Cra 10 to the edge of Barichara. From Guane, there are five buses daily back to Barichara, the last leaving at 6pm; bring plenty of water and wear sturdy footwear.
An adventure-sports hotspot, SAN GIL is one of the biggest backpacker draws in northern Colombia. The compact town is a premier destination for white-water rafting and paragliding, as well as other outdoorsy activities that take place in the surrounding countryside, and also for day-trips to quiet colonial Barichara. For those craving a spot of culinary adventure, fried hormigas culonas, or fat-bottomed ants, a Santander delicacy, can be bought from a few places around town including the market and the street by the river.
San Gil’s main attractions lie outside town, but if you want a quiet moment in between adventures, make your way to the large riverside Parque El Gallineral, its trees atmospherically festooned with tendrils of “old man’s beard” moss. There’s a natural spring-fed swimming pool, and the entrance fee gets you a wristband that means you can go in and out of the park all day. To get here, head to the river and turn left along the Malecón to its end.
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Adrenaline junkies are spoilt for choice by the array of adventure sports on offer in San Gil. There are two main white-water rafting routes: a hair-raising day-trip down the Class IV/V (depends on the season) Río Suarez costs about COP$130,000, while a more sedate half-day on the Río Fonce is COP$35,000. Abseiling down the Juan Curí waterfalls will set you back COP$40,000, or you can take flight with a tandem paraglide (COP$65,000–175,000 depending on location). Spelunkers have the choice of several caves to explore (around COP$25,000). Other sporty options include kayaking, horseriding and extreme mountain biking.
About an hour from San Gil on the road to Bucaramanga, Colombia’s newest national park holds a collection of tacky, forgettable attractions situated next to a beautiful canyon. The teleférico, a cable car which runs down into the canyon and over to the other side, is the best way to get sweeping views. You can also watch the scenery whizz by at much higher speed while hurtling along a zipline, or get a bird’s-eye view by paragliding above the valley, though it is far more expensive than at Curiti, which is nearer town.
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