Many of you ask us questions about the best way to visit Santander in Colombia, because it’s true that this region is not always easily “integrated” into a classic itinerary. Yet it’s one of Colombia’s most beautiful regions, offering a truly diverse mix of heritage villages and nature activities.
If it’s sometimes difficult to organize things on your own, why not turn to a local english-speaking agency specializing in Santander? The expertise of our friend Laura, a native of Barichara, will be your best ally for guided tours of Barichara, Zapataca or Las Gachas, treks in the Chicamocha Canyon or tours between Bogota and Bucaramanga…
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Guided tours of Barichara in english
English-speaking guide in Santander
Laura offers a range of experiences to help you make the most of the sublime village of Barichara, one of our favorite Colombian villages!
Activities in Barichara (with optional English-speaking guide) :
- Guided tour of the village of Barichara (2h)
- Trek along the Camino Real to Guane (5h)
- Meeting with ceramic craftsmen in Guane (5h)
- Meeting on the making of “Culonas Ants” in Barichara (2h)
- Meeting with painters in Barichara (2h)
Activities available from Barichara (with optional English-speaking guide):
- Day trip to a finca to meet local farmers
- Day trip to the magnificent Cascade Juan Curi and Cueva del Indio
- Day trip to the Las Gachas natural site near the village of Guadalupe
- Trek in the Chicamocha Canyon
- Paragliding and Rafting in San Gil
English-speaking guide around Bucaramanga
Guided tours in english in Santander
It’s possible to discover the Santander region from Bucaramanga, and it’s a great idea! Laura offers a host of great discoveries, including a magical trek we’ll tell you all about below, as well as day-long experiences that are, as always, all about meeting new people!
Visit Santander in Colombia from Bucaramanga
- Guided tour of Bucaramanga
- Guided day tour of Zapataco
- Day trip to Cueva del nitro
- Birdwatching in a nature reserve near Bucaramanga
- Encounter with an artisanal tobacco-manufacturing workshop (5h)
- Guided tour and tasting at Buacaramanga’s Guarin market (2h)
- Day trip to Chicamocha Canyon and coffee tour at Mesa de los Santos
- Coffee finca visit at Mesa de los Santos (5h)
5-day trek in Santander
From San Vicente del Chucuri to Chicamocha Canyon
Special mention for this 5-day trek, which is totally off the beaten track and allows you to discover a little-known region of Colombia around San Vicente del Chucuri and the village of Zapatoca.
5-day/4-night trek from San Vicente del Chucuri to Chicamocha Canyon
A magical roaming adventure from San Vicente del Chucuri to Jordan at the bottom of the Chicamocha Canyon! 4 days of walking totally off the beaten track, for an in-depth discovery of this sublime part of Santander.
Program:
- Day 1 – Transport from Bucaramanga to San Vicente de Chucuri
- D2 – From San Vicente to the “Magic Mountain
- D3 – Magic Mountain to Zapatoca
- D4 – Zapatoca to Guane then transfer to Barichara
- J5 – Barichara to Jordan in Chicamocha Canyon and return to Bucaramanga
What’sincluded:
- Private transport
- Meals
- Lodging
- 6 to 8 hours walking per day
- Difficulty 4/5
- Optional english-speaking guide
Tour of Santander with a local agency
Local agency to visit Santander
With tours departing from Bogotá or Bucaramanga, or linking the two major cities, Laura offers superb all-inclusive itineraries to discover Santander in Colombia.
6-day/5-night tour from Bogotá to Bucaramanga
A perfect itinerary for those who want to discover the two must-see destinations in the region between Bogotá and Bucaramanga. Villa de Leyva and Barichara are among Colombia’s most beautiful villages.
Program:
- Day 1 – Villa de Leyva stop at the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
- D2 – Villa de Leyva
- D3 – Barichara Camino real Guane
- D4 – Coffee tour in a finca around Barichara
- D5 – Meeting with local craftsmen Rafting on the Rio Fonce
- D6 – Transport to Bucaramanga
What’s included:
- Private transport
- Meals
- Lodging
- Difficulty 3/5
- Optional English-speaking guide
10-day tour from Bogota to Bucaramanga
Program:
- D1 – Villa de Leyva stop at the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
- D2 – Barichara stop at Socorrro
- D3 – Barichara Meeting with local craftsmen
- D4 – Guane Meeting with local craftsmen
- D5 – Trek in Chicamocha canyon, cable car ride to Mesa de los Santos
- D6 – Coffee tour in a finca at Mesa de los Santos Transport to Giron
- D7 – Zapatoca Cueva del nitro Mirador los Guanes
- D8 – San Vicente del Chucuri Cacao tour in a finca
- D9 – Cienaga San Silvestre de Barancabermeja
- D10 – Return to Bucaramanga
What’s included:
- Private transport
- Meals
- Lodging
- Difficulty 2/5
- Optional English-speaking guide
Get in touch with a local guide
Best local agency to visit Santander with english-speaking professional guide
Responsible tourism
In addition to offering beautiful nature activities and off-the-beaten-track treks to get away from the most touristy sites, Laura’s agency honors the people of Santander by offering cultural experiences that show a different face of rural life and help maintain ancestral know-how.
