Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [90]
If all goes well, you should reach the Laguna Hoja Larga within five hours. Another hour further, you will arrive at the marvelous, large Laguna de la Plaza where you can pitch your tent.
DAY SIX: LAGUNA DE LA PLAZA TO LAGUNILLAS
Take the path from the southern end of the Laguna de la Plaza, and you’ll soon get to the well-defined trail leading to Alto de la Cueva. It’s a three-hour walk to the last pass, the Boquerón de Cusiri (4500m), then an hour’s descent to the lovely chain of lakes, Lagunillas, where you will find lots of charming campsites. If you are here early enough, you continue on to the Alto de la Cueva.
DAY SEVEN: LAGUNILLAS TO ALTO DE LA CUEVA
From Lagunillas you have an easy four-hour walk beside the Río Lagunillas to the Alto de la Cueva, where the Himat meteorological station is located. You are back on the road. Hitch (transport is scarce) or walk along the road for another four hours to El Cocuy. There are also footpaths to both El Cocuy and Güicán.
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SANTANDER
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The north-central department of Santander is a patchwork of steep craggy mountains, deep canyons, plummeting waterfalls, raging rivers, unexplored caves and a temperate, dry climate. Mix them together and it’s easy to see why Santander has become a favorite destination for outdoor lovers. Extreme sports nuts can chose from white-water rafting, paragliding, caving, rappelling, hiking and mountain biking. More-sane visitors can enjoy exploring the rustic charms of colonial Barichara, shopping in Girón or the nightclubs in the department capital city of Bucaramanga. Foodies will appreciate Santander’s fantastic restaurant offerings. Don’t miss trying the regional culinary specialty – hormigas culonas (fried ants).
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SOCORRO
7 / pop 30,000 / elev 1230m
Socorro is birthplace of the so-called Revolución Comunera, the first massive revolt against Spanish rule. The 1781 rebellion was organized by a peasant woman, Manuela Beltrán, initially in protest against tax rises levied by the Crown, but it soon spread and took on more pro-independence tones. Socorro was one of the first towns in Nueva Granada to declare independence, on July 10, 1810. Colonial rule was brutally re-established in 1816; three years later Simón Bolívar sealed the country’s independence.
This pretty colonial town has a few sites that are worthy of a quick detour. The Plaza de La Independencia town square has statues honoring the heroes of the Revolución Comunera. The east side of the square is dominated by the Catedral del Nuestra Señora de Socorro, built from 1873 to 1943. It houses an image of the Virgen del Socorro, the city’s patron saint. The 300-year-old Casa de la Cultura (Calle 14 No 12-31; admission COP$2000; 8am-noon & 2-6pm) houses documents and objects that lay testimony to the revolution, plus exhibits of Guane indigenous artifacts.
Socorro is 20km south of San Gil. All buses trawling the Tunja–San Gil route stop here.
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SAN GIL
7 / pop 50,000 / elev 1110m
For a small city, San Gil packs a lot of punch. This is the outdoor capital of Colombia and a mecca for extreme sporting enthusiasts. The area is best known for white-water rafting, but other popular pastimes include paragliding, caving, rappelling and trekking. Closer to earth, San Gil has a quaint 300-year-old town square and Parque El Gallineral, a beautiful nature reserve on the banks of the Río Fonce.
San Gil may not the prettiest town in Colombia, but dig beneath the exterior shell and you’ll discover a wonderful city of natural beauty and friendly, welcoming residents.