boyaca & santander, the perfect places for outdoor lovers!
Visiting Boyacá, one of the departments located in the eastern center of Colombia, adjacent to the capital of the country; is walking through lands full of adventures, beautiful landscapes, culture, and delicious cuisine. Located in the Andean region, it consists of 123 municipalities full of the most varied places and climates with colonial and ecological attractions that are a center of attraction for travelers looking for something more than sun and beach.
Boyacá is full of small and beautiful villages and in each one a different experience is lived. Variety is the main attribute of Santander. Climates, landscapes, and ecosystems are combined in this northern area of the Eastern Cordillera, it is an ideal destination for all those who travel in search of natural and ecological scenarios. Boyaca and Santander are ideal areas in Colombia for travellers who enjoy adventure sports, mountainous terrain and tranquil colonial towns.
Villa de Leyva is one of those colonial towns in Boyaca where you should spend at least a night because of its natural charm and sprawling landscapes. While Villa de Leyva offers a calm environment, San Gil in Santander caters to adrenaline junkies looking to go paragliding, rock climbing, white-water rafting and more. Be sure to hike the historic Camino Real while visiting picturesque Barichara in Santander.
top places to visit in boyaca and santander
villa de leyva
Located about 3 hours by car from Bogota, Villa de Leyva is a Spanish colonial town surrounded by stunning hills and terrain. This city is well known for its whitewashed colonial houses, cobbled streets and terracotta roofs remarkably well-preserved. Wander the colonial streets, go horseback riding outside the city or visit the Terracotta House, an impressive architectural gem made from terracotta.
raquira
This picturesque town has always been a place where artisans produce pieces of pottery and wool. Its name means "city of pots" in the Native American Chibcha language. The houses, streets and central square are splashed with colour and adorned with an infinite variety of clay pieces. Spend an afternoon appreciating the exquisite handicrafts in this little town.
barichara
Deemed the “prettiest town in Colombia,” Barichara is located about 2.5 hours outside the Santanderian city of Bucaramanga. It offers a unique charming, colonial, and romantic atmosphere – complete with cobblestone streets and historic churches. Visit local artisan shops and try regional specialty hormigas culonas, giant edible ants.
chicamocha
Chicamocha Canyon is one of the world's deepest canyons, offering awe-inspiring views and thrilling activities like paragliding, hiking, and zip-lining. This natural marvel is a highlight of the region, surrounded by rugged, dramatic landscapes.
parque gallineral
Gallineral Park, located in San Gil, is a lush, tranquil park known for its towering trees draped in Spanish moss. Situated along the Fonce River, it offers peaceful walking paths, diverse flora, and a serene escape into nature. It also offers rafting options for various skill levels.
camino real
The Camino Real is a historic stone trail connecting the towns of Barichara and Guane. Offering stunning views of the Andean countryside, this scenic hike showcases colonial history, cobblestone paths, and beautiful, rustic landscapes.
colombia tours including boyaca & santander tours
more things to do in boyaca & santander
- Explore other charming colonial towns near Villa de Leyva, such as Paipa, Nobsa, and Mongui. Each town has unique architecture, lively plazas, artisan crafts, and a rich cultural heritage, offering an immersive experience of Boyacá's picturesque landscapes and traditional Andean life.
- Hike in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy: The Sierra Nevada del Cocuy is formed by a chain of more than 25 snow-capped peaks, in an area of thirty kilometres. Also known as Guican and Chita, it is one of the most important glacial masses in Colombia, which can be walked on foot. This mountain range is part of the El Cocuy National Natural Park, in which there are Andean forests and basal jungle. The perfect location to spot a large amount of fauna such as danta, morrocoy, maiceros and araguato.
- Look for the monster of the Lake Tota: The legends say that the "devil whale" is the Colombian version of the Loch Ness Monster and can be found in the Lake Tota. If you're not scared (especially by the cold) you can take a dip in this icy cold lake and then relax on the white sandy beach. This place is so peaceful and is perfect if you like water, sports and fishing.
- Walk on the Camino Real: This 10 km trail hike connects Barichara and Guane. The path is mostly downhill, perfect for novice hikers. Enjoy sprawling green farmland and mountain views while walking along Camino Real. And if you're too tired to walk back, you can always take cheap public buses back to your starting point in Barichara.
- Connect with the nature in The Chicamocha national park: Established in 2006, this national park is home to the Chicamocha River, which flows through the majestic Chicamocha Canyon. Take in the incredible panoramic beauty of this natural wonder by riding a cable car or zip-lining across the canyon. Visitors can also enjoy views from a giant swing or by riding in a dune buggy.
- Contemplate the landscapes from the Cerro del Santísimo Ecopark: Located on the ‘El Helechales’ sidewalk, Floridablanca is the Cerro del Santísimo Ecopark, one of Santander's main tourist destinations. You can contemplate the landscapes, the nature that surrounds the Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area while enjoying the weather. In ‘El Santísimo’ stands a sculpture of Jesus of Nazareth that measures 33 m high, making it a pilgrimage site during Holy Week.
- Climb The Mesa de los Santos: The perfect place for climbers, lovers of nautical activities and walkers. Usually visited as an alternative to live experiences with the natural wealth of Santander. From this place you can see the imposing Chicamocha Canyon.
Local
Gastronomy
Santander and Boyaca are both well known for their rich and highly traditional cuisine. With all their cultivated lands and farms they never run out of fresh produce to introduce to their recipes. Their knowledge is a perfect blend between Hispanic, Indian and African cultures and is passed down from one generation to the next.
Oreada Meat: It's a thinly sliced beef steak marinated in spices and herbs, then sun-dried. The texture is unusual and quite similar to beef jerky. It's usually served with rice and boiled yuccas with an almond-based cream sauce.
Petitoria: Santandereana cuisine is not aimed at vegetarians, as this other traditional dish of Santander cuisine is made with the viscera and blood of the goat as the main ingredient. It is an omelet-shaped mixture, which also has egg, cheese, breadcrumbs, rice and other spices and is usually used to accompany the main dishes; in other regions of Colombia there is a similar dish prepared with Lamb, called chanfaina, both of Spanish origin.
Mute: This soup is one of the most traditional dishes of the Andean Region. It's a mixture of pork, beef, vegetables, corn and spices. In some restaurants, they still make it in the woodstove. It's the perfect comfort food for cool evenings.
Culonas ants: Hormigas Culonas are big ants that are popular in the departments of Santander and North Santander. They are crispy and salty and rumoured to strengthen virility and vitality. These giant ants have been cultivated and eaten since pre-Columbian times.
Little Mazamorra: This dish is made with cooked cornmeal that is mixed with onion, peas, potatoes, peas, coriander, garlic, beans and beef. It is a soup of indigenous origin, since the Muisca natives who lived in this region consumed a similar thick soup that they spiced with an herb called guasca, to give it the spicy flavor.
Puchero: It is considered as the main course of this region. In this, several types of meat are mixed delicately with vegetables and other foods produced in the Colombian highlands. The ingredients of the stew are chicken meat and pork loin, with green banana and corn cob.
Cuchuco de trigo con espinazo: This is the typical dish of Runta, one of the rural paths located on the outskirts of the city of Tunja. Cuchuco is a very cheap and popular soup made with peeled wheat, which gives it a very thick consistency.
Boyacense stew: It is another main dish of Boyacense cuisine that is served as lunch. It is made with ingredients such as turnips, beans, cubes, hibias and tender green peas cooked together with chicken, pork and beef ribs. It is accompanied with coriander and pennyroyal.
Corn Patties or Regañonas: Santander is known for its grilled corn patties made with cornmeal, cassava and pork. Crispy outside and soft inside these arepas are completely different from the ones you may have tried before and are perfect as a snack.
Bocadillo veleño: This sweet jam or paste is made from guava pulp and panela mixed together and shaped into red squares. They are often wrapped in bijou leaves and accompanied with a piece of cottage cheese. They make a delightful treat for any time of the day.
Best time to go
when is the best time to visit boyaca and santander?
Weather
The temperatures, which range between 14 ° C and 18 ° C in the central region of Boyaca, force the use of well-protected garments that mitigate the effects of the cold. But there are also warmer territories, which demand the use of sunscreen and dark glasses.
In Santander are all thermal floors, from the warm to the moor. In the Magdalena Valley, for example, the average climate is 29 ° C; in the Chicamocha canyon, the temperature reaches 32 ° C; and in the moors, on the contrary, the temperature can drop to 7 ° C. The majority of urban settlements are located in warm thermal floors, with temperatures around 24 ° C.
Main Festivals
Boyaca
- The Astronomy Festival (February): If you're a nerdy space lover, this festival is perfect for you. Every February in Villa de Leyva, thousands of international space enthusiasts congregate to admire the Colombian sky with telescopes and participate in different conferences, games and exhibitions. During the event, they turn off the lights of the city to give you the best show possible.
- The Wind and Kite Festival (August): During this month, the wind is very strong, so for three days, hundreds of people are filling the sky with their coloured kites. You can have fun and watch professionals but also participate in one of the different kite-flying competitions.
- The Aguinaldo Boyacense (December): This “Fiesta Grande, from Boyacá for Colombia,” as it has been called by its inhabitants, presents cultural exhibitions and nightly musical events that celebrate the December holidays for seven days.
- The Festival of Lights (December): In Villa de Leyva, residents decorate their balconies, houses and businesses with lights and candles to celebrate the Immaculate Conception. You can expect fireworks, concerts and activities for kids during this festive time.
Santander
- Fiestas and Carnivals of San Jerónimo (January): from January 2 to 6, the streets of Malaga become the epicenter of rumba and fun. Parade of floats, comparsas, pelayeros groups, gastronomic exhibitions and bullfighting runs encourage the local celebration.
- Festival of the Guabina and the Tiple (August): Created in 1940, it brings together interpreters of the guabina and the whirlwind, among other typical rhythms of the region. Annually, every August 7, floats, the flower parade and musical concerts are taken by the municipality of Vélez, in the south of the department.
Transport
how to get there?
Getting to Boyacá, Colombia, typically involves a drive from Bogotá, about 2-4 hours depending on your destination. The journey offers scenic views of Andean landscapes. Public buses and private vehicles are popular options, with roads generally well-maintained. You can also travel by land from Bucaramanga but it will take from 4 to 6 hours depending on the places to visit
To Santander you can also travel by land from Bogota, but usually involves a 6-8 hour drive. Alternatevely, you can take a flight to Bucaramanga, the region's capital, and from there travel by land.
Moving around
The most of the roads that communicate to the municipalities of Boyaca and Santander are paved and in good condition. The double road that leaves from Bogotá and crosses the towns of Tunja, Paipa, Duitama and Sogamoso is the backbone of the department in interconnection. From this route other road arteries communicate to the municipalities of the center and the towns of the north end of Boyacá, among them the snowy mountain range of El Cocuy, Güicán or Chita. There are public transport from Bogota and between most of the towns in the area.
Safety
is it safe to travel to boyaca and santander?
Many people are worried about safety in Colombia because of the country’s dark past. There is no denying Colombia used to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because of drug trafficking, kidnappings and an internal conflict that raged for more than 50 years. Fortunately, the safety situation has improved drastically in Colombia over the past decade, resulting in more international visitors discovering the beauty of Colombia that has been hidden from the world for so long. People no longer have to be afraid to visit Colombia and can enjoy everything this fascinating country has to offer in peace.
These are some simple tips that should keep you out of trouble:
- Don’t flash large amounts of money in public
- Look out for pickpockets on public transportation
- Call or use a smartphone app to arrange for a taxi instead of hailing it on the street
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Keep your phones and cameras out of sight
- Don’t wear flashy jewellery
- Avoid taking cards or passports out with you
more travel tips to visit boyaca & santander
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