Travel Guide for
Bucaramanga

TOUR COMPARTIDO- Chicamocha National Park-Panachi

The Chicamocha National Park also known as “Panachi” is located in the heart of the Chicamocha Canyon. The Chicamocha Canyon is more than 200 km long and from its highest peak down to the river approx. 2000 m deep. That means it is deeper than the famous Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. The main attraction is the cable car that goes 1200 m down the canyon and up on the other side (duration: 30 minutes). The theme park combines cultural and historical elements and offers adventurous activities such as an extreme swing, climbing down an artificial waterfall, virtual reality, zip lining, a waterpark, etc. Panachi is divided into three parts: The lower part at the cable car station is a little town representing Barichara with its colonial architecture. Going up more than 100 stairs you will find the monument “Monumento a la Santandereanidad” which represents the Revolution of the Comuneros, the first step of the Colombian independence. The third part is a 360-degree viewpoint of the canyon.

Private Tour - Barichara (Culture)

Barichara, known as the most beautiful town in Colombia, is famous for its colonial architecture, the quiet cobbled streets, adobe houses and artisan workshops and its craft shops among other things. You will see amazing churches, chapels, graveyards, sculptures and parks. Also, you will be entering the stores where the handcrafted goods are made and sold. These handcrafted goods include baskets, paper, clothing, bags, shoes, tiny figures, dream catchers, etc. which will become great souvenirs to take back home. You will even have the opportunity to make handmade paper yourself from different plants, making this activity an experience you won't want to miss. If you wish to do a physical activity, you will have the opportunity to walk down the Camino Real (or parts of it). It is a trail that was build 150 years ago by the famous German immigrant Geo von Lengerke and has a lot of history. The complete hiking trail is about 5 km (3.1 miles) long and takes you about 2 hours.

Private Market Tour and Cooking Class in Bucaramanga with a Mother-Son Duo

Discover with Fabio, a gastronomist, the variety of fruit and vegetables harvested in Santander at Bucaramanga’s central market. Fabio will take you to one of the oldest cafes in the city for a typical coffee and pandebono, a sweet and savory cheese bread. Return to his apartment to prepare regional cuisine such as empanadas and arepas or a fish stew with Fabio and his mother Carmen. You will learn to make the dough and prepare a variety of fillings such as beef and rice, chicken and mushroom or santandereanas (carne oreada with hogao) accompanied by sauces like a Colombian pepper sauce, herb mayonnaise or caramel pineapple. Enjoy your home-cooked meal with fun locals that will start with a taste of fresh fruit. Soups are a staple of the Colombian diet so your meal will continue with a typical soup or stew filled with seasonal vegetables and meat followed by empanadas or fish in criolla sauce. End your meal with dessert and limonada made from panela, sour fruit juice spices and ice.

Private Tour - Bucaramanga Paragliding (Adventure)

Paragliding is a breathtaking experience which in contrast to other official extreme sports does not produce high levels of adrenaline (if you are not afraid of heights). The platform is located on a hill close to Bucaramanga so that the paragliding flight provides you with an amazing view over the metropolitan area and the countryside close to Bucaramanga. The paragliding is located on a hill 300 meters above the valley of the metropolitan area. Before you start the 10 to 15-minute tandem flight with a professional guide you will receive safety instructions and information about the paragliding flight.

Private Tour - City Night Tour Cerro Del Santisimo (Culture)

The Eco Park Cerro del Santísimo is a popular attraction among the people living in Bucaramanga and therefore it is a must-see for travelers. The statue itself not considering the platform is just 3 meters (10 feet) smaller than the famous statue Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) in Rio de Janeiro. The special thing about Santísimo is that it is not overcrowded with tourists and that there even is an elevator right behind the statue different to the statue in Rio de Janeiro. Furthermore, the park offers a magnificent view of the entire metropolitan area of Bucaramanga and is the best place to enjoy the sunset. In the park you can also find souvenir stores and regional products. After the sunset there is a beautiful water show with colors, lights and music. To reach the park you have to take a cable car that takes you 500 meters up the hill and during the ride you will have an incredible view on the tropical rainforest.

Private Tour - Páramo de Santurban (Nature)

The experience at the Páramo de Santurbán is designed for nature lovers who like to hike at high altitudes and with a cool climate. The Black Lagoon “Laguna Negra” you will visit is located at almost 4.000 meters (=13.000 feet) above sea level. Having one of the largest fresh water reserves on earth, the Páramo de Santurbán is protected by the local people who admire its amazing ecosystem including the unique “high-altitude” plants Frailejones. After a ride of approx. 2 hours on a well-paved street and one hour on an unpaved road, you will start the hike of about 2 km to the lagoon. The hike is slightly upwards and due to the height and low level of oxygen, it will seem a lot more than 2 km. Arriving at the lagoon you will have the opportunity to take amazing pictures and if you want to keep hiking, you will be able to walk around the lagoon for another hour.

Private Tour - San Gil Extreme Sports (Adventure)

San Gil is the adventure capital of Santander. You can do river rafting, paragliding, zip lining, bungee jumping, canyoneering, caving, mountain-biking, etc. River rafting can be done on different rivers: the Fonce River which is up to class III rafting (medium), and the Suarez River which is up to class V rafting (extreme). The paragliding sites are Curití and the Chicamocha Canyon. The zip lines and the bungee-jumping platform are located in San Gil. Canyoning is climbing down a 50- meter part of the Juan Curí Waterfalls on a secured rope and for the caving activity you have a professional guide and hike through the Indian Cave or the Cow Cave for approx. 2 hours. Note: EXTREME SPORTS are NOT included. Any of these you wish to do will be at an additional cost.

Private Tour - Piedecuesta Waterfall (Hiking/Trekking)

The waterfall “Cascada El Ensueño” in Piedecuesta is located at the fringe of Bucaramanga´s metropolitan area and we highly recommend the hike to the waterfall if you want to visit a natural place but do not want to ride far away from the city. On the way to the waterfall you will see the quick transition of city and nature since you start the walk in a residential area and suddenly you are in the middle of the nature. During the hike you will have a beautiful view over Piedecusta and the grasslands close to the city. The hike is going up an elevation of approx. 400 meters and probably takes you about 1.5 hours, taking several little breaks. The length of the hike is about 3 km (1.9 miles). Arriving at the waterfall you can swim in the natural ponds of the waterfall or just sit down and enjoy the amazing scenery of the place. The way back to the parking lot is a lot faster since it is mostly going down the hill.

Private City Tour - Bucaramanga / Girón / Santísimo (Culture)

As the fifth largest metropolitan area in Colombia and known as the safest and cleanest city in the country, Bucaramanga offers a lot of interesting sites to see, such as important buildings in the city center, a historical and cultural museum, the famous leather shoe stores, shopping malls, one of the longest suspension bridges in Colombia, etc. Girón is located in this metropolitan area and is one of Colombia's 17 heritage towns. Its preserved colonial architecture makes it an interesting place to visit allowing you to imagine the way people lived in this town 300 years ago. At the end of the tour you will contemplate the entire metropolitan area from the Ecoparque Cerro del Santísimo which is reached by cable car. The statue of Christ El Santísimo, 37 meters high, is the second tallest sculpture in Colombia, making it a must-see during your stay in Bucaramanga. In addition, the park has souvenir stores and regional products, and at night, you will enjoy the multimedia fountain show.

Bucaramanga, PANACHI Canyon Cable Car + Barichara tour

More than just a transfer to Barichara from Bucaramanga. This tour includes a 30-minute cable car ride through the Chicamocha Canyon, a tour of PANACHI with its magical views, and a tour of the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara!

Panachi - Chicamocha National Park

The Chicamocha Canyon is over 125 miles long (200 km) and from the river to its tallest peak approximately 1.25 miles (2000 m) high. This makes it a greater depth than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The piece de resistance is the cable car which travels 0.75 miles (1200m) down into the canyon and also up on the opposite side, with a total travel time of ½ hour giving you plenty of time to take the perfect photo. The actual theme park is a combination of historical and cultural events as well as supplying more adventurous activities such as climbing an artificial waterfall, zip lining, an extreme swing, virtual reality, a waterpark, trampolines and more.

Private Tour - Natural Bird Reserve - Proaves (Hiking/Trekking)

The Reinita Cielo Azul Bird Reserve of Proaves was created in 2005 with the purpose of preserving the habitat of the migratory bird Reinita Cielo Azul (Setophaga cerulea), being the first Colombian and South American reserve created by the aim of preserving a migratory bird. Upon arrival you will have a brief introduction of a local guide before you continue with a hike on a colonial path observing the landscape of San Vicente de Chucurí, its surroundings and the tropical rainforest of the reserve. The cobblestone path was built about 150 years ago by the German engineer Geo von Lengerke, with a length of 40 kilometers going from San Vicente de Chucurí to Zapatoca. The hiking tour lasts approx. 4 to 5 hours and the distance you will walk is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) or less with an elevation of up to 300 m. At one point you will have the opportunity to watch an endemic hummingbird from Santander: Black Inca (Coeligena prunellei) among other birds, especially hummingbirds.

Shared Tour - Boat Ride Topocoro Lake (Nature)

The Topocoro Lake is beautiful lake that was created because of the construction of the dam “Represa Hidrosogamoso”. It is relatively new and therefore not known by many tourists which makes it a wonderful place to enjoy the nature. You will get to know overflooded parts of the region that three years ago could not even be reached by car. And the best part: Due to the high water temperature of more than 30 °C/ 85 °F it is a perfect place to swim. During the shared boat ride you will enter parts of the Sogamoso river where a waterfall will be visited and you will have the opportunity to jump off a cliff into the water. On the other side of the lake you will visit the Caracolí Waterfalls which are several small waterfalls with natural infinity wells.