The Páramo de Santurbán is a massif. I love that word because it makes me think of massive, and that is exactly what this páramo is. (What is a páramo?) Its rocky formations are astounding. Off the start, I’ll encourage you to visit Páramo de Santurbán without a guide or with a local guide. I think that’s the best way to get to Páramo de Santurbán and truly enjoy your time. More on that below!
(See a map to get to Páramo de Santurbán from Bucaramanga at the end of this post!)
In Public Transportation:
Take a Flota Cáchira bus at carrera 16 #24-50 in Bucaramanga. It costs $22,000 pesos and takes you straight to Vetas, a town in the middle of the páramo.
This place is so large that you’ll find entrances to lots of paths to the páramo and its lagoons before and after Vetas.
In a Car:
With a GPS: look for “Vetas, Santander” on Google Maps or Waze and follow the instructions.
Without a GPS:
Beginning at Megamall, exit Bucaramanga headed towards Cúcuta. When you reach the roundabout, take the first exit towards Berlin.
Once you get to Berlin, take a left when you see the Berlin Police Station. This road will take you straight to Vetas, which happens to be right next to California! Go figure… Berlin and California. The road is unpaved.
What to Do at Páramo de Santurbán
Visit its Lagoons
What the Páramo de Santurbán has is lagoons! You can see lagoons everywhere just looking at the area on Google Maps, and a lot of them are quite close to the road. The easiest ones to get to are Laguna Pajarito and Laguna Las Calles, only 3 kilometers from Vetas, and Laguna Negra, which I marked on the map below. No guide is necessary for the hike to Laguna Negra, since there are red rocks marking the path to the lagoon. And that’s just 3 of 57 lagoons you can visit!
¿Access with or without a Guide?
There are some long hikes unknown to tourists, as well as short, easily hikable trails, like the hike to Laguna Negra. For this reason, I would say definitely try to visit without a guide if you’re there for a day trip, or at least hire completely local guides. If you do need a guide or simply need information, you can contact the following agencies from the region:
For tours and information in English, we recommend you contact Wolf Tours.
There are a lot of access points to different hikes within the Páramo de Santurban. Each one may have different owners, so be aware you may have to pay various entry fees depending on where you go (usually about $3 USD).
The road to Vetas may be difficult for low or old cars.
Vetas is the highest municipality above sea level in Colombia!
Some areas, such as the Laguna Negra, have a limit of people allowed inside in a day.
Carry cash, since few places will accept card payments and getting cash is extremely complicated in the area.
The cell service that connects best is Claro.
This is the best way to get to Páramo de Santurbán: with local guides or alone, ready to hike a lot and get to know new places! It’s definitely an amazing ecosystem!
Just 2 hours from Bucaramanga is a tiny town in the middle of the mountains called Tona. “Middle of the mountains” could not be a fairer description. People in the area are mainly farmers, and the town is not that well known, but tourism has recently been on the rise. For example, there are a ton of quaint hostels you can visit, hikes you can go on and, most importantly for us, a climbing area with crazy potential! Learn more and get motivated to visit below… this is what to do in Tona, Santander.
*Note: the map to get to Tona from Bucaramanga is at the end of this post!
In Public Transportation:
Take a bus straight to Tona from Plaza Guarin in Bucaramanga (I marked it on the map). Buses leave at 6, 7, and 11 a.m. and 1, 3 and 5 p.m.
In a Car:
With a GPS: enter “Tona, Santander” into Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions.
Without a GPS:
In Bucaramanga, start your trip at Megamall taking the road to Cúcuta.
At kilometer 18, you’ll run into a roundabout. Take the second exit towards Tona.
Follow this road, which is pretty beat up, all the way straight to Tona. There are no tolls.
A little video of our time in Tona!
What to do in Tona, Santander:
Rock Climb!
This is why we traveled to Tona in the first place. Our friend, Silvio, found a crag with incredible climbing potential, so he bought some land and moved there to start his project of building a hostel and developing the climbing, all while contributing to the local economy. Why he moved is understandable – he lives in the midst of gorgeous valleys and rivers just below the paramo, and every sunset is spectacular. Clouds are constantly rolling in, giving the landscape and ever-changing personality. There are already a good few routes and probably hundreds waiting to be bolted. Definitely get to know this place! Silvio’s hostel is called La Antigua Floresta and you can read all about it by clicking here!
Enjoy all the Hostels
Though tourism is still developing in the area, you’d be surprised at the amount of hostels there are around here! They’re perfect for a weekend getaway. I’ll just name them and you can take care of the rest: La Antigua Floresta, Casa Tona, Cabaña de Lobos, Hostal la Montaña, Refugio Piedra Parada and Guatoque, just to name a few!
Páramo de Santurbán
First, what is a páramo? It’s an alpine ecosystem that you can only find on mountains close to the equator. The Páramo de Santurbán is very well known because it has some absolutely gorgeous rocky formations and beautiful lagoons. Plus, it’s quite close to Bucaramanga. If you’re staying close to Tona or even Bucaramanga, the trip to hike here is absolutely worth it.
Valle de Totona
This valley close to La Antigua Floresta and Tona is said to be similar to the famous Cocora Valley, also in Colombia. It has tall palm trees, and, of course, includes the beautiful hike to get there. Definitely do not miss out!
Mountain Biking
Being in the mountains, of course there are going to be a lot of paths for mountain biking. You can even ride along the royal road, which is a very old road that indigenous communities made from sections of an ancient riverbed. The ride from Bucaramanga to the roundabout and then Tona is very popular among cyclists, but it is very hard. The amount of kilometers isn’t anything otherworldly, but almost all of them are an uphill climb.
Some things to know:
You can contact Silvio, our friend and local guide, for more information about Tona and his hostel, La Antigua Floresta. Call or WhatsApp him at (321) 389-9107. Or you can message his Instagram pages, which are La Antigua Floresta and Escalada Tona. Might as well drop him a follow while you’re at it!
The roads close to Tona, Santander are not all paved, but unless you have an old, low car, you should be fine almost everywhere.
There are no tolls between Bucaramanga and Tona.
Make sure you take cash, because few places will take credit or debit.
Tona may not be very well known, and that’s exactly why you should visit. Now that you know what to do in Tona, go get to know some very special, personal experiences and contribute to the area’s micro-tourism!
Deep in the mountains of Santander, about 2 hours from Bucaramanga, there is our friend, Silvio Bejarano. His vision, quite literally, since you can see it from his front door, is a cliff-side with incredible climbing potential. He moved there by himself to launch his hostal, La Antigua Floresta, and develop the climbing nearby. This place is worth visiting because it is going to be big in the climbing community. It already has some spectacular climbs, without even scratching the surface. Plus, out there you really are far from civilization, so it’s a great place to take a deep breath of nature and rest. Read on to get to know La Antigua Floresta and the new climbing area close to Bucaramanga and Tona!
(Find a map to get to La Antigua Floresta from Bucaramanga at the end of this blog post!)
Traveling on Colombia’s bus system is usually easy and inexpensive, but getting to La Antigua Floresta is quite complicated, so we recommend getting there in a car or motorcycle. If you need transportation from Bucaramanga, you can contact Silvio and he’ll set it up for you (more on that below).
With a GPS: look up “La Antigua Floresta, Tona, Santander” on Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions. Park your car at an entrance to a path on the road, shortly after passing “El Gramal” (I marked the spot on the map below). Someone will meet you there for the hike up to the hostel.
Without a GPS:
Exit downtown Bucaramanga on the road to Cúcuta from Megamall. At kilometer 18, take the second exit on the roundabout headed towards Tona.
When you enter the town of Tona, keep going straight, passing the plaza. Head up the road until “El Gramal.” This is the last place you can buy groceries. We recommend you buy them here to support the local economy!
Continue 10 minutes until you find the entrance to the hostal on a wide curve (marked on the map). You can leave your car inside the fence.
From here, you have a 30-40 minute hike left to get to La Antigua Floresta!
What to Do at La Antigua Floresta
Rock Climb!
At the time we visited in October, 2020, there were 17 routes, 11 in one climbing area and 6 in another. All were slabby, but we watched as Silvio bolted a 3-bolt roof with some crazy moves. Further up the cliff (on the second pitch, which you can climb up to on a via ferrata) are several undeveloped climbing areas. There’s everything from insane, layered overhangs to long-ass cracks to slabs waiting to be bolted, and surely of every climbing level. This place is going to have a lot of classic climbs, so it’s worth a visit… and if you can contribute just a tiny bit to developing it by simply visiting and having a great time, I’m sure our buddy Silvio Bejarano would greatly appreciate that.
Hike Along the Whole Edge of the Middle of the Cliff
One of the days we visited Silvio, he showed us one of the hikes on which he plans to take people. You start off hiking up to the first climbing area and along the edge of the cliff where there’s a via ferrata to climb up to a ledge in the middle of the cliff. This ledge spans the entire length of the cliff. From there, you keep hiking all the way up through valleys and boulder fields as you watch the clouds roll in and out of the panorama. The whole way, you have incredible (potential) climbs above your head. It was an 8 hour hike with lunch stop and everything, and worth every moment!
Get in the River
It will be cold! But in a place with so many rivers and watering holes, you just have to take advantage of them. Pretty much every hike runs across a river or creek, so your options are extensive. Lale actually got into the pool from where La Antigua Floresta gets its water and helped clear the pipe of leaves (everyone gets their water from the rivers here, since there is no piping system, and it’s absolutely drinkable).
Pick Andean Blueberries
There are scores of Andean Blueberry plants behind La Antigua Floresta. During a chill day, there’s nothing quite like picking blueberries and then making jelly, dessert or pancakes with them.
You can Apply to Volunteer
As of now, La Antigua Floresta has a ways to go. Silvio is looking to make it a proper hostel for climbers and non-climbers alike, with a capacity to host lots of people and make them feel like they’re at home. If you’re looking to get cheaper lodging, want to get your hands dirty or would like to help develop this upcoming climbing area, we suggest you contact the place and see what you can set up! (Contact info below).
Eat. A lot.
One thing La Antigua Floresta has had from the start is a fully equipped kitchen. They even have one of those industrial ovens with four doors! We made some delicacies while we were there: French bread, lasagna, pizza, cinnamon rolls, some delicious oatmeal and pancakes with Andean blueberries and more. Silvio is a great chef, or you can pay for cooking space. You’ll have to hike in with all your groceries, so choose wisely. Still, I’d say a difficult hike is worth it for a full belly at all times.
Biosafety
The hostel has important biosafety protocols for everyone’s safety. You have to make a reservation beforehand, fill out a Health Statement and Liability Exemption Form and disinfect yourself and your belongings upon arrival. The maximum number of climbers allowed during the pilot program is 8 climbers in the climbing area.
Some Things to Know
To contact Silvio directly, you can call or WhatsApp him at (321) 389-9107. You can also message him on Instagram on La Antigua Floresta or Escalada Tona‘s pages. Drop them a follow too to support this venture!
Staying at La Antigua Floresta costs $25,000 pesos per day.
You can rent all sorts of camping and climbing gear.
Low or old cars might have trouble on the last stretch of the journey up. If you want to play it safe, you can take the same road from above, though it is a longer trip.
Before getting to the hostel, you have to hike a 1.5 km path from the road. We highly recommend taking luggage with which you can hike (learn from our mistake)!
As of October, 2020, there are 11 climbing routes in one climbing area and 6 in the other. Routes are being opened as often as possible, but nuts and bolts are expensive, so the endeavor may be slow at times.
There is ONE toll from Bucaramanga to La Antigua Floresta, and none on the way back.
The cell service that connects best in this area is Claro.
We truly hope this helps make up your mind to visit! It’s a new climbing area close to Bucaramanga, and its going to be huge. If you’ve been wondering where to climb in Colombia or Santander, this is as good a place as any. Let us know if you do!
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.
*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.
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.
*Note: You can find the map to get to La Mojarra at the bottom of this post!
Using Waze or Google Maps: search for “Hostal Sol de la Mojarra.” This is the entrance to the park, but the hostel here isn’t great. There are two hostels a block away that are much more comfortable, and minutes away from the park there are lots more.
In a car from Bogota:
Exit the city from the north and take the Zipaquirá-Ubaté highway. Follow the signs towards Bucaramanga.
After you’ve descended the Chicamocha Canyon in Pescadero and passed the Los Curos toll booth, take a left on the Teleférico (Cable Car) Piedecuesta Highway.
5 kilometers down this road, you’ll come to a fork in the road. Don’t head down to Piedecuesta. Stay left towards La Mesa de los Santos.
Stay on this road for 22 kilometers until you see the Refugio la Roca on your left. One block away is the entrance to La Mojarra.
On a bus from Bogota: Take a bus going to Bucaramanga. Tell the bus driver, “Me bajo en Los Curos para irme a La Mesa de los Santos (I’ll get off at Los Curos to head to La Mesa de los Santos).” Make sure you remind the bus driver after you go down the Chicamocha Canyon. Cross the street where the bus drops you off and take a bus that says Los Santos. The words may be very small; another option is to take any bus that says Flota Cachira. Tell the bus driver “Voy para la Mojarra (I’m going to la Mojarra) and get off where he tells you. Good luck pronouncing all that! J
On a bus from Bucaramanga: get on a Flota Cachira bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.
On a bus from Piedecuesta: get on a Flota Cachira or La Culona bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.
Some things to know:
La Mojarra is a natural preserve and rock climbing park. There’s been a lot of work put into it and it’s a privilege to have this place open to the public. So make sure you pay the entrance fee to the park. Find the park’s rock climbing guide here.
Take lots of insect repellent. Once we went during fertilizing season in the valley and the amount of flies was insane!
What to do in La Mojarra:
Climb: well, La Mojarra is a climbing park. If you’re a climber, grab a partner and do your thing. If you’re not, you can book a guide here or ask around hotels when you arrive.
Hike: the path through the park is beautiful and great for running or hiking. The path gets interesting at one point where it stops and the only way to continue is on a via ferrata, on steel cables and metal footholds put in the rock. To use this path you have to have climbing gear and know how to use it!
Take pictures: La Mojarra has a unique, spectacular landscape. Don’t leave without having taken some good pictures!
Watch sunrises and sunsets: these are the best times of the day! Sunsets are easy to watch; they happen while you’re awake. But it takes a little more will power to wake up and see the sunrise – which makes it more special. You have to watch at least one sunrise!
Want more tips on what to do while in Colombia? Check out our latest post, a list of great outdoor spots close to Bogota!
Here’s a video of one of our latest trips to La Mojarra!
