Is it worth your while to drive to the middle of nowhere to see an imposing architectural and historic wonder towering over a gorgeous river? The answer is absolutely yes, although I also have to say the experience isn’t quite as magical as other travel bloggers make it seem. Though Las Lajas Sanctuary is everything they say it is, you’d definitely have to squint a little to ignore some of the negative sides of it, which is relentless crowds (we went on an average Thursday morning) and the gray, disorganized mass tourism infrastructure around the cathedral. That being said, the trip is still worth your while for a foray into culture, history and nature, all at the same time! This is how to get to Las Lajas Sanctuary in Nariño, Colombia.
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How to get to Las Lajas Sanctuary
I’ve marked all the places and some directions in this travel guide in the map at the end of this post!
If you’re driving, look up “Las Lajas Sanctuary” Google Maps or Waze and follow the directions (there’s 1 toll between Pasto and Ipiales).
If you’ve decided to take a taxi, at what I’d consider an unnecessarily steep price, they’ll take you and some will even work as your guides for a day trip. Finding someone who will do this isn’t exactly straightforward, but if you ask around at your hotel, friends or someone trustworthy, pretty much everyone will know someone who offers this service.
If public transportation is your method of choice (probably a good idea because its inexpensive and easy), here’s what you need to know.
From Pasto:
- Take a bus from the bus terminal in Pasto to Ipiales (costs $15,000 pesos, or 3.3 dollars).
- Take a bus from the bus terminal in Ipiales straight to the parking lot of Las Lajas (costs $2,500 pesos, or half a dollar).
From Ecuador:
- Take a bus from the Quito bus terminal (or any other) towards Tulcán, which is on the border with Colombia.
- If the bus doesn’t take you straight to the border (a location called Puente Internacional de Rumichaca), take a quick taxi ride from Tulcán to the border.
- Once you’ve made it into Colombia, you can either take another quick taxi ride straight to the Las Lajas Sanctuary or grab a bus to Ipiales and then grab another bus to Las Lajas Sanctuary.
Buses will take you back to Ipiales from Las Lajas Sanctuary until 9 p.m.
Watch this video!
What to do at Las Lajas Sanctuary:
Now that you know how to get to Las Lajas Sanctuary, here’s what we think is worth your while to do!
Take advantage and walk!
Since you made it all the way out here, you might as well view the cathedral from every possible vantage point! From my memory, I believe there are 5 or 6 different lookouts with amazing views of the cathedral, the waterfall (yep, there’s a waterfall) and the river below. It ends up being a lot of uphill walking, and being 2,900 meters (almost 10,000 feet) above sea level doesn’t help.
Paseo de olla.
This is an EXTREMELY Colombian tradition, where families will travel out of the city, usually on Sunday, taking a pot (olla in Spanish) full of potatoes, onion, spices, hen, plantain and other delicacies with them. Paseo de olla translates to pot trip. Families will usually cook everything at their destination. At Las Lajas Sanctuary, you can buy one of these pots full of traditional Colombian food and eat on some stumps while you look up at the giant cathedral.
Visit the inexpensive museum and the inside of the cathedral.
I’m not usually a museum guy, but since it cost $3,000 pesos (66 cents), we gave it a try and it was worth it. The inside of the cathedral is also amazing.
Ride the Cable Car.
On your way to Las Lajas Sanctuary, I recommend you tell the bus driver you’ll be getting off at the cable cars. That way, you can arrive at the Sanctuary with style, enjoying the view of the entire canyon and cathedral from WAY above. It’s also a good idea because then, when you’re ready to leave, you can walk up to the buses and taxis through a gorgeous walkway with traditional foods and souvenirs jam-packed on either side of you all the way there.
The cable car ride costs $10,000 pesos (2.2 dollars) one way and $16,000 pesos (3.5 dollars) there and back. The price goes up on weekends and holidays, to $12,000 pesos one way and $20,000 roundtrip.
Crossing the Border
Whether you’re entering or exiting Colombia, the key word is patience. You never know what you’re going to find at the border. It could be a pristine day and a quick process, or it may take you hours to get a stamp on your passport. This could be due to protests going on in Colombia or Ecuador, or because of Venezuelans migrating to-and-fro. Just wait it out and you’ll be on your way!
