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.
Read about the climbing and adventures close to Tona here!
How to get to 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.
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!
Read about another beauty of the region, La Mojarra, here!
