Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [86]
A small chapel was built in Güicán to house the Virgen Morenita. During one of the many civil wars between the rival towns of Güicán and El Cocuy, the Virgen was stolen and hidden in El Cocuy, supposedly behind a wall in what is now La Posada del Molino hotel. The family residing there was haunted until they returned the Virgen to Güicán, where it resides today under lock and key.
The grand Festival of the Virgen Morenita is celebrated every year on February 2 to 4, attracting faithful religious pilgrims from far and wide.
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Sights & Activities
Güicán’s most famous attraction is the Virgen Morenita de Güicán, an image of a dark-skinned Virgin Mary that appeared to the indigenous U’wa people in 1756 (see the boxed text). The shrine to the Morenita is located inside the Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria church on Parque Principal (town square). The brown brick and faux marble church isn’t much to look at outside, but inside it’s richly decorated and painted in pastel pinks, greens and blues.
East of town is a 300m high cliff known as El Peñol de los Muertos, where U’wa people jumped to their deaths upon the arrival of the conquistadores rather than live under Spanish rule. The trail to the cliff begins at the end of Carrera 4. A hike to the top of the cliff takes about two hours. The Monumento a la Dignidad de la Raza U’wa depicting this mass act of suicide is located at the entrance of town. U’wa artisans are famous for their handmade bags and woolen goods that can be found in many shops around town.
A short, muddy hike along an old stone-paved road called Camino Deshecho leads to a boulder covered in ancient petroglyphs. Continue down another 20 minutes to reach some aguas termales, or hot spring water pools. The trail begins at the bottom of Calle 5.
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Information
The nearest ATM is in El Cocuy.
Moviestar Internet Cafe (Calle 6 No 5-66; per hr COP$2000; 9am-1pm & 2:30pm-8pm)
Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy (Carrera 4 No 3-30; 8am-noon & 2-6pm) All park visitors must pay the park admission fee here and register their itinerary.
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Sleeping & Eating
Hotel El Frailejón ( 312 586 0619; Carrera 5, plaza; r per person COP$5000) This is the cheapest place in town, for good reason. The rooms are dark, bare and cramped with worn beds, but at least they’re clean. Ask for a room overlooking the town square.
Hotel El Eden ( 789 7093, 311 808 8334; luishernandonc@hotmail.com; Transversal 2 No 9-58; campsites/dm/r per person COP$5000/11,000/15,000) More Noah’s Ark than El Eden, this family-run guesthouse is a favorite with foreigners. The garden is filled with turkeys, ducks, rabbits, gerbils and a trout pond. Rooms are covered floor to ceiling in wood, giving off a wonderful aroma. Most have private baths and some have lofts. There’s also a little bar and restaurant. Eden is a 12-minute walk north of the plaza. To get here, walk north up Carrera 4, turn right onto the dirt road leading up past the basketball court, make your first right then second left to the hotel.
Brisas del Nevado ( 789 7028, 310 629 9001; Carrera 5 No 4-57; r per person COP$15,000) The comfiest hotel in town also houses Güicán’s best restaurant. Most rooms have private baths and TVs. The best rooms are the two private cabañas located in the garden behind the main building.
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Getting There & Away
All buses arrive and depart from their respective offices on the main plaza.
Luxurious Concorde buses to Bogotá depart from the plaza at 3am and 5pm daily (COP$35,000, 12 hours); buses from Bogotá to Güicán depart Bogotá’s main bus terminal at 7am and 7:30pm daily (COP$40,000, 12 hours). Less comfortable Libertadores and Gacela buses to Bogotá operate on alternate days at 4:30am and 6pm daily (COP$35,000, 12 hours); they depart Bogotá to El Cocuy at 6:30am and 8pm daily.
To El Cocuy, local Cootradatil buses depart at 7am, 11am and 2pm (COP$2500, 40 minutes). Alternatively, take one of the Bogotá-bound buses, which