Travel in Colombia :
tour of the Andes

Departure for the Boyaca department, with a stopover at the Nemocón salt mines, 30 minutes from Zipaquira. Here, 80 metres underground, you’ll pass through 1,600 metres of tunnels through which eight million tonnes of salt were extracted between 1816 and 1968. Numerous optical effects caused by the dissolved rock salt reveal 28 mirrors. Impressive attractions include the chapel chamber, where an immense field of 1,300 kilos of stone symbolizes the world, or the 1,600-kilogram salt crystal, cut into a heart shape in the 1960s by miner Miguel Sánchez. The stalactites and stalagmites also include an ecological trail, an auditorium and a geology room. We then continue our journey towards Boyaca department and Sugamuxi province, staying overnight at the Mongui Plaza hotel in a standard room.

You’ll take the road to Paramo d’Oceta, one of Colombia’s best-preserved paramos. The paramo (from the Spanish páramo, plateau, moor) is a high-altitude neotropical biotope found between 3000m and 4000m in the Andes Cordillera, between the forest limit and the eternal snows.

arriving at the Laguna Negra, 3750m above sea level, you’ll stroll around this high-altitude lagoon, where you’ll discover frailejones (plants with silvery leaves). In the afternoon, you’ll visit various villages in the Sugamuxi province of the Boyaca department: On the program: – Mongua: the village’s main square is the focal point. Here, you can visit the small archaeological museum explaining the history of the Muisca community in the region. The village is also famous for its coffee-making. Topaga: the village is famous for its charcoal workshops. Watch as men and women carve this black rock into original pieces. Also, enter the church, one of the few to have a statue of a devil on its ceiling – Mongui: a Boyaca village that is part of the Colombian Heritage Villages. Stroll through cobbled streets and colonial houses, visit churches including the Basilica of Notre Dame de Mongui, and cross the Calicanto bridge. Nobsa: Nobsa’s speciality is its hand-woven wool crafts. Blankets, gloves, hats, ponchos… you name it. Don’t hesitate to enter the workshops to see the men and women at work. Overnight at Hotel Mongui Plaza in a Standard room.

Departure for Villa de Leyva , to the west of Boyaca department.Note: approx. 2 hours’ drive.Half-day tour of Villa de Leyva and surrounding area, starting with a visit to the Convent del Santo Ecce Homo , founded in 1620 by Dominican monks. The monastery buildings feature numerous fossils scattered throughout the stonework. The original chapel boasts an impressive gilded altar, while religious objects and works of art dating from the 16th to 19th centuries are on display. Afterwards, a walking tour of Villa de Leyva’s historic and cultural center takes you along cobbled streets to discover: – The homes of the heroes of Colombian independence (Casa Antonio Nariño and Casa Antonio Ricaurte).

– The El Carmen church, which houses a small (but remarkable) museum of religious art, with beautiful pieces of silverware from the colonial era; – The Plaza Mayor, with its 14,000m2 surface area, is one of the largest cobbled squares in America. Overnight at Hotel Posada San Antonio in a Standard room.

Departing from Villa de Leyva, after a 1h40 drive, we pass the village of Barbosa, renowned for its production of bocadillos (local fruit jellies). Just before arriving in Barichara, we stop at the pretty colonial village of El Socorro. Check-in at the hotel in Barichara, considered one of the prettiest towns in Colombia. The Santander region is renowned for its gastronomy.

On this half-day tour, you’ll take part in a complete cooking course: preparation of the drink (tropical fruit juice or sangria) and preparation of the meal based on local products (starter, main course, dessert), all accompanied by a Barichara chef. To round off the activity, you’ll taste what you’ve prepared. Overnight at the Casa Oniri hotel in a Standard Superior room.

Hike between cacti and bucolic landscapes along the Camino Real. Upon arrival in the village of the same name, you’ll have the opportunity to discover the colonial houses and visit a museum housing numerous fossils dating back 60 million years, as well as a mummified princess. Visit Barichara, considered one of Colombia’s prettiest towns. Stroll through the cobbled streets, visit the churches (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and Santa Barbara), discover local workshops (stone-cutters, cigar-making) and take part in a « hormigas culonas » (roasted ants) workshop, the local specialty.

on the program: explanation and history of this tradition, preparation, cooking and tasting of the ants accompanied by a corn speciality (such as a delicious arepa santandereana) and a fresh fruit juice. The walk ends at the mirador offering a splendid panorama from the Rio Suarez to the Cordillera de los Cobardes. Overnight at the Casa Oniri hotel in a Standard Superior room.

Barichara and the Santander region, in addition to offering some of the best coffee in Colombia, are home to the country’s largest tobacco plantations. This morning, you’ll set off to discover tobacco at the heart of a typical farm in the region, in the company of a person who is passionate about his region, his land and his profession. Walking tour of the plantations with a full explanation (from seed to harvested leaf). The tobacco leaves are then dried and processed, ready for export. In the afternoon, you’ll visit Jaime and Jimena’s pottery workshop. During this ceramics course, you’ll have the chance to take part in the Raku technique, a traditional glazing technique. At the end of the session, you’ll have the chance to take the piece home with you. Overnight at Hotel Casa Oniri in a Standard Superior room.

Early in the morning, departure for another day in the heart of the Santander department. Enjoy the impressive scenery of the Chicamocha Canyon. Return to Bucaramanga airport for your domestic flight to Bogotá.