Birthplace of freedom, cyclists, and peasants
Duration: 4 days, 3 nights
Keywords: Puente de Boyacá, Villa de Leyva, Sáchica, Ráquira, Monguí, Páramo de Oceta, Laguna de Tota, Duitama, Paipa, Pueblito Boyacense, Pantano de Vargas
Author: S&P
Summary:
This is a four round-trip from Bogotá to the beautiful Department of Boyacá visiting some of the top tourist attractions of the region, but also some hidden jewels for adventurous travellers. The trip took place between Christmas and New Years’ Eve in 2020, and therefore allowed us to experience some of the best and worst consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Note: The blog entry about Monguí is the first entry of a series showcasing current (and previous) coal mining regions in Colombia, which Paola is particularly interested about thanks to her doctoral research.
- Sight Seeing and landscapes 90%
- Family friendly 60%
- Aventure and sports 80%
- Culture, history, and art 90%
Boyacá is one of the 32 Departments in which Colombia is divided, and a must-see in Colombia due to its beautiful landscapes, importance in the Latin American history, cultural richness, and the charm of its many small towns. It is also conveniently located only a couple of hours away north from Bogotá, which makes it a perfect destination for a road-trip from the Capital. Here, we show a 4-day round-trip, visiting some of the top tourist attractions of the region (but also some hidden jewels for adventurous travellers) which can be shortened for a weekend trip, or extended for a up to 10-day adventure.
The trip took place between Christmas and New Years’ Eve in 2020, and therefore allowed us to experience some of the best and worst consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. On the downside, due to the pandemic restrictions and our own sense of self-responsibility, we could not share much with locals, which is a pity considering the kindness and hospitality of the people from this region. On the positive side, we got to experience amazing locations with very few tourists (as you will see in our pictures) and benefited from planning spontaneously at reasonable prices.
We highly recommend visiting Boyacá in the month of December (or early January) to enjoy the extra-charm of Christmas lights and decorations that highlight the beauty of all Colombian towns every year. However, keep in mind that this is a high season for tourism, so you will need to plan less spontaneously than us.
Travel tips
1. Bring warm clothes and sunscreen
Bring warm clothes for the night, high mountains, and rainy days. But be also remember to use sunscreen everyday since the sunny days in the high mountains require it.
2. Mind the height before planning sporty activities
Most towns in Boyacá are located very high up in the mountains. Don’t let yourself be misguided by the old people cycling up in the mountains while carrying heavy weights, you will need some training and some time to get used to the height for the most adventurous and physically challenging activities in Boyacá.
3. Don’t forget to bring some cash
While most of the activities, food and accommodattion options in Boyacá are quite affordable, ATMs and payment by card is not the standard, so be prepared to pay in cash for most of the activities and food. Hotels and hostels usually accept card or payment in advance with any online booking platform but will be cheaper if you pay in cash at the reception.
Day 1-2 Villa de Leyva and surroundings
This colonial town is the most touristic and renown town of Boyacá, it is characterized for its stone-paved streets, colonial white houses, high-quality dining and handcrafts, and picturesque landscapes.
Villa de Leyva and its surroundings are a must-see in Boyacá and has a modest, but diverse cultural and touristic offer for all sorts of tourists, ranking from the couple looking for a romantic weekend getaway, to big families with children.
Day 3 Monguí and Páramo de Oceta
Although much less touristy than Villa de Leyva, Monguí is one the most beautiful towns of Boyacá and it is totally worth a visit.
This former coal-mining region, which now hosts the largest ball-manufacturing industry in Colombia, offers a very well conversed colonial style architecture, breathtaking views of the mountains, and prime access to one of the most beautiful Paramos in the world: the Páramo de Oceta.
Day 4 Laguna de Tota and Pueblito
The Laguna de Tota is one of the largest lakes in Colombia, and is located at the surprisingly high elevation of 3000 mamsl, the lake and its nearby villages offer very beautiful views of the mountains, fresh fish, and even a small beach and water sports.
Just 50km away from the Lake, in the city of Duitama, you will find one of the top tourist attractions of the region: Pueblito Boyacense, a commercial and cultural centre with replicas of the most beautiful towns of Boyacá.
Suggestions for longer road trips
1. Add a spa-day in Paipa
Paipa, conveniently located on the way from (to) Pueblito Boyacense, is known for its natural hot springs (termales) and has a huge offer to enjoy the thermal waters and relax, which goes from packages for a romantic spa and detox weekend, to water parks with attractions for families.
2. High mountain hiking adventure to El Cocuy National Park
For real adventure lovers, after visiting Monguí, you can add an extreme hiking adventure in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy National Natural Park. You will need to be well trained and get used to the height, but together with local guides you can reach the edge of snow (4800 mamsl) or the peak Pan de Azucar at a height of (5200 mamsl) within a couple of days.
3. Glamping under the stars
The night sky of Boyacá is spectacular and even allows seeing with the naked eye dozens of moving lights (most likely satellites) that locals talk about as proof of aliens’ existence. The best way to enjoy this beautiful sky and a breathtaking sunset or sunrise in the high mountains is to add a glamping or camping night in your road trip, for which hundreds of offers are available in Boyacá.
It is funny how people alwyays travel far away from home to discover the world and miss completely the amazing things to discover just around the corner. This was also my story until this year, when COVID-19 showed us the many possibilities we have for local tourism in Colombia. Boyacá is definitely one of those hidden jewels all Colombians should discover
Recent Travels
In our most recent and upcoming blog-posts we will discover locally one of the most unexplored and fascinating countries in South America, which is also Paola’s homeland: Colombia.
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