Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [199]
Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia ( 893 2441; Av Colombia No 5 Oeste-105; admission COP$4000; 10am-6pm) presents temporary exhibitions of contemporary painting, sculpture and photography. It’s a 15-minute walk from the city center along the Río Cali.
If you’re into contemporary art, try Cali’s leading contemporary art gallery, ADN ( 661 2847; www.adn-colombia.org; Calle 16N No 9N-44; admission free; 11:30am-8pm Mon-Sat). There’s a small cafe and bookstore on-site.
Return to beginning of chapter
ACTIVITIES
Return to beginning of chapter
Tejo
A small, working-class bar, Club Social Los Amigos ( 442 1258; Calle 49 No 8A-23) has two canchas de tejo where you can play a round of this unique Colombian game where you throw a heavy metal disc onto gunpowder, which then lets off a satisfying bang! A taxi here will cost around COP$6000.
Return to beginning of chapter
Soccer
Cali has two fútbol teams. Deportivo Cali (www.deporcali.com) plays in the new Estadio Deportivo Cali near the airport in Palmira. America de Cali (www.america.com.co) plays in the city at Estadio Pascual Guerrero (cnr Calle 5 & Calle 24). Any Palmira-bound bus can take you to the former; the Mio passes right outside the latter.
Return to beginning of chapter
Tren Turístico Café y Azucar
Colombia’s long-neglected rail network now offers scenic excursions from Cali to El Cumbre, on the road to Buenaventura, and La Tebaida, near Armenia. All trips include live music, cafeteria and bar service, and include several hours at a mountain finca (farm) with a pool (COP$45,000). There’s also a nighttime party train (COP$25,000), chiva-style (Click here).
Plans are afoot to extend service to Buenaventura, Pereira and Manizales. Trains run here from the Cali train station (Av Vásquez Cobo No 23N-47) near the bus terminal, a few kilometers from the city center.
Return to beginning of chapter
Hiking
CERRO DE LAS TRES CRUCES
No trip to Cali is complete without visiting the Three Crosses that tower over the city. The views of the city are spectacular. It’s a hefty two- to three-hour walk return, or take a taxi (COP$35,000).
KM18–DAPA
Eighteen kilometers west of the city lies mile-marker Kilometro 18. There are numerous bars and restaurants here. At 1800m it’s pleasantly cool, and the nearby cloud forest is an Important Bird Area (see www.mapalina.com, in Spanish) with high biodiversity. The walk from here to Dapa (four hours) is a pleasant stroll. There are numerous crossroads – always take the left-hand fork.
Dapa (www.vivedapa.com), with a population of 2500, is a spread-out holiday area off the Cali–Yumbo road. There are hotels (and motels) and restaurants here, open principally on the weekend. There are other little-trafficked roads you can walk along, including to a tea plantation in El Chicoral.
There are regular bus services to Km18 (COP$1000, one hour). Look for the bus labeled ‘Dagua.’ Buses and jeeps service Dapa every half hour (COP$3000, 30 minutes).
Return to beginning of chapter
COURSES
Return to beginning of chapter
Dance Courses
For a complete guide to salsa schools and discos in Cali, see www.salsapower.com.
Recommended schools include Compañía Artística Rucafé ( 557 8833; Carrera 36 No 8-49, El Templete) and Escuela de Baile Acrosalsa Latina ( 437 3145; Carrera 33A No 45-38, El Vergel). You’ll pay around COP$20,000 per hour for private instruction in your hotel, less in a studio or in a group.
Return to beginning of chapter
Spanish Courses
The well-regarded Universidad Santiago de Cali ( 518 3000, ext 421; http://virtual.usc.edu.co/espaextranjeros; cnr Calle 5 & Carrera 62) is a Cali institution and runs a Spanish-language program for foreigners. See the website for latest prices and schedules.
Return to beginning of chapter
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Cali’s big bash is the Feria de Cali (www.feriadecali.com) from Christmas to New Year, with parades, music, theater, a beauty pageant and general citywide revelry.