Kalymnos in Colombia. It has a nice ring to it. Florian is a small town in Santander, Colombia. 3 kilometers into the jungle is an enormous cave with a river flowing through it (it really rushes during the rainy season) and some stellar climbing inside of it. Though there’s only 1 cave with rock climbing, this place is known for its many caves carved into the side of the mountain. That’s why it’s called the Ventanas de Tisquizoque (Tisquizoque Windows). People come here just to camp, hike and climb. There’s also a number of other climbing areas further down the mountain, but of course the cave is the main attraction. You climb on some great limestone, stalactites and the weirdest-shaped holds. The place is worth a visit, it’s kind of mind blowing! This is how to get to Florian and the Tisquizoque Windows.
If you’re researching climbing areas in Colombia, we have the perfect list for you here!
How to get to Florian
*Note: the map to get to Florian from Bogotá is at the end of this post!
In Public Transportation:
- Go to Bogota’s main Bus Terminal or Northern Terminal and take a bus to Puente Nacional. One of the companies that offers the trip is “Reina.” If you’re not in Bogota, any main city will offer bus rides here or close to it.
- Once you’re in Puente Nacional, you’ll take a bus or car that will drop you off in Florian. They leave Puente Nacional from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. every 2 hours (but don’t count on them being punctual). They can drop you off at Florian or at the hostel on the way, which I’ll talk more about later.
In a Car:
With a GPS: enter “Florian, Santander” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions. Make sure your map sends you through Puente Nacional (as in the map below). There’s a shorter way, but it’s a terrible road.
Without a GPS (I really recommend having a GPS or a map to look at):
- In Bogota, drive north out of the city. Follow directions to Chia.
- After passing a big university on your left, stay right on the bridge right before entering Chia. After to see a Homecenter on your right, go right where there’s a sign towards Zipaquira and Ubate.
- Keep driving until you get to yet another bridge. Stay left and get on the bridge, which will take you to the right, following the sign to Ubate.
- Soon, you’ll get to a round-about. Take the second exit. It will end eventually, connecting to another road. Stay on this road, following signs towards Chiquinquira and Puente Nacional.
- Next, you have to go through Puente Nacional’s main plaza and head to the tiny town of Jesus Maria. From there, you turn at a really random left turn (marked on the map below) and it’s a straight shot to Florian on a mostly unpaved road.
- Again, I really recommend having a GPS because after Puente Nacional because there are barely any signs to help you get to your destination. What’s amazing is that Google has street view all the way to Florian!
- If you’re headed to the climber hostel, its 4 km before Florian when you see a red house on your right and a white one on your left.
If you’re looking places to hike, camp and enjoy the outdoors close to Bogota, read this blog post here!
Where to Stay
The best place to stay while you’re here is Refugio Munay, although there are some hostels in Florian. Refugio Munay was built very recently by climbers we know, for all kinds of travelers. There are some rooms with beds, but most people will be camping. The camping facilities have community bathrooms and a kitchen. Most importantly, the place is gorgeous. You camp in the middle of the mountains. This place is only 4 kilometers from Florian as you follow the instructions above!
What to do at Florian:
Climb
Obviously! The only reason you’re reading this is probably because you’re a climber! Anyway, the climbing here is all limestone, and everything used to be quite hard. Now that there’s been more development, there are more easy climbs, ranging from 5.9 to 5.14a. The climbing style here tends to be very overhung, pumpy and physical, especially in the cave. The newer zones are outside, on the side of the mountain, and are more vertical. There are a number of different areas, but the most popular is the large cave. Here’s a list of the zones:
- El portón : 14 climbs from 5.10a – 5.13a
- La guaca: 13 climbs from 5.11c -5.13b
- La cueva del indio: 7 climbs from 5.11b – to projects.
Bike
Mountain biking around here, whether on the unpaved roads between tiny towns or on mountain trails, is spectacular. The views are gorgeous and the air is fresh and alpine-ish (Florian is 1800 meters, or 5,900 feet above sea level).
Waterfall Hopping
If you’re only here for the climbing, you’ll still get to see enough waterfalls. But if you’re into hiking and visiting beautiful spots, there are definitely enough waterfalls to visit. Get some exercise, have a picnic, and enjoy. Ask around at your hostels or around town for trails and waterfalls worth visiting!
Take Photos
Florian and its surroundings are extremely photogenic. It doesn’t take much to get some great shots!
Go Pond Hopping
Where there are waterfalls, there are ponds. Two great ponds for a nice swim are Charco Paila and Charco Azul. Even better, getting to them involves some pretty nice hikes. Ask around at the links I included right below to find out how to get there! Or you can just get the info or a guide while you’re there.
Some things to know:
- One of Florian’s main men is named Miguel Angel Garcia, and this place is his baby. You can contact him if you’re thinking of heading to climb or do some tourism. His phone number is 3118709992.
- You can also get more information about Florian and the climbing, by messaging this Facebook page or contact Refugio Munay here!
- There are various climbing areas in Florian that are owned by individuals. Because of that, there are rules in some places, such as leaving before 6 pm, etc. Before you head over, talk to someone who knows the place to get your do’s and don’ts.
- The road to Florian is mostly unpaved, but pretty much any car can make it when it’s dry. It’ll just be very bumpy. You can call Miguel Angel or Refugio Munay to ask about the road conditions.
So why go to Kalymnos now that you know how to get to Florian?! Ok, don’t answer that.
BUT, if you liked reading about this place, or went and loved it, you might like to know about our favorite climbing area in Colombia: La Mojarra!
