Day Trips
1
day
Silvia Market
& Mizak Indigenous Community
High up in the central Andean range, the village of Silvia comes alive on Tuesdays when farmers from the indigenous communities throughout the region come together to trade produce and socialize.
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Made up mainly by the various Misak communities with their colourful traditional dress, preserved native language and community traditions, this is a great chance to visit an authentic market town, try some of the fresh produce and soak up the atmosphere. We leave Popayan at 8am and return around 2pm allowing plenty of time to look around the market, the village itself and buy lunch if you like.
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Take advantage of this unique opportunity to visit this fascinating cultural highlight with a local indigenous guide who will provide you with an insight into local tradition and culture.
2024 Prices:
1 person: $200 USD
2 people: $210 USD
3 people: $230 USD
4 people: $260 USD
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
Includes
Return transport, local indigenous guide, typical lunch, entrance fees insurance
Doesn't include
additional snacks and drinks (optional)
Recommendations
Bring: warm clothes, waterproof jacket, clothes and shoes suitable for walking, sun protection, money for lunch or packed lunch
1
day
Purace National Park
Discover the beauty of the Paramo
This day trip takes in the highlights of the Puracé National Park and the Puracé Indigenous reserve. We leave Popayan at 8am and drive through the lush Andean landscape surrounding Popayan, up into the lower slopes of Puracé volcano. Here we visit the Piedra del Condor where our local guide places meat on the rock to allow us (with a bit of luck!) to see the magnificent Andean Condor close up. We then continue by car to other sites of natural beauty within the reserve such as the Bedon waterfall, The San Juan thermals with their geysers and coloured mosses and the paramo area with it´s unique vegetation and surrounding landscape.
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There is an optional, short hike that you can take along foot trails through the community farmlands to the administration building at Puente Tierra. There is a small, rustic restaurant here and a short walking trail with examples of the Andean orchid varieties. We return to Popayan around 4pm.
2024 Prices:
1 person: $220 USD
2 people: $230 USD
3 people: $260 USD
4 people: $290 USD
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
Includes
Return transport, entrances fees, local guide fee, typical lunch, insurance.
Doesn't include
additional snacks and drinks (optional)
Recommendations
Bring: warm clothes, waterproof jacket, clothes and shoes suitable for walking, sun protection, money for lunch or packed lunch
1
day
San Agustin Day Trip
Colombia's Archaeological Gem
With over 500 statues scattered throughout the local area left by pre-columbian cultures dating back 5000 years, this UNESCO world heritage site draws the curiosity of visitors from around the world.
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Set amongst rolling, coffee planted hills just outside the farming village of San Agustin, the Parque Arqueologico is considered one of Colombia's most important archaeological sites. We leave Popayan at 7am and cross the central Andean range to arrive in San Agustin at approximately 11.30am. The museum and park are well laid out and informative, with some bilingual (English/Spanish) signs and clearly marked paths. Generally it takes around 3-4 hours to visit the park after which we continue by car to one of the secondary sites, Alto de los Idolos. After the bumpy drive back over the Central Andean range, we arrive in Popayan at around 8pm.
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This destination is special and there are many secondary attractions to visit in the area and nice hotels to spend the night. We recommend spending at least a couple of days here as the journey is long and somewhat uncomfortable. However we also understand that vacations are never long enough! This day trip is designed for those who are short of time but don't want to miss out on this unforgettable destination. With a next-day return trip to San Agustin, there is also the opportunity to see some of the other sites including 'El Estrecho de la Magdalena, 'Obando' and 'Alto de las Piedras'.
2024 Day Trip
1- 2 people: $250 USD (local driver)
1 - 2 people: $290 USD (bilingual driver)
3 - 4 people: $300 USD (local driver)
3 - 4 people: $360 USD (bilingual driver)
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
2024 Next day Return (not including hotel)
1- 2 people: $310 USD (local driver)
1 - 2 people: $390 USD (bilingual driver)
3 - 4 people: $400 USD (local driver)
3 - 4 people: $460 USD (bilingual driver)
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
Includes
Return Transport, Insurance, entrance fee to archaeological park, typical lunch (day trip only)
Doesn't include
hotel accommodation, snacks or additional drinks, meals (next day return option), local guide (optional)
(please let us know if you would like us to quote for these additional services)
Recommendations
Bring: warm clothes, waterproof jacket, clothes and shoes suitable for walking, sun protection, money
for snacks/drinks
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Would you like to see both the UNESCO world heritage sites in one trip? Consider taking our 'Southern Loop' which combines Tierradentro and San Agustin. Click here for more details
1
day
Tierradentro Day Trip
Underground Burial Chambers
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Tierradentro is one of Colombia's forgotten treasures! Access roads are in famously poor condition and this has preserved this intriguing archaeological site, the traditional farming villages and the spectacular untouched wilderness that surrounds the series of pre-columbian burial tombs that make up Tierradentro.
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With dramatic canyons and spectacular mountain passes, this trip remains something of an adventure and rewards visitors with an intimate experience connecting with nature and history - without the crowds. We leave Popayan at 7am and after crossing the central Andean range; arrive at the Parque Arqueologico at around 11.30am. The museum is quite basic and the sites are spread out meaning that some hiking is involved to get between the tombs and statues. This hike takes you to the village of San Andres where you can enjoy a traditional lunch before continuing to another site and then returning to Popayan in the afternoon, generally around 8pm.
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This destination is unique and there are many secondary attractions to visit in the area and traditional lodgings to spend the night. We recommend spending at least a couple of days here as the journey is long and somewhat uncomfortable. However we also understand that vacations are never long enough! This day trip is designed for those who are short of time but don´t want to miss out on this unforgettable destination.
2024 Day Trip
1- 2 people: $230 USD (local driver)
1 - 2 people: $270 USD (bilingual driver)
3 - 4 people: $290 USD (local driver)
3 - 4 people: $330 USD (bilingual driver)
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
2024 Next day Return (not including hotel)
1- 2 people: $290 USD (local driver)
1 - 2 people: $360 USD (bilingual driver)
3 - 4 people: $360 USD (local driver)
3 - 4 people: $430 USD (bilingual driver)
5+ people: Contact us for a quote!
Includes
Return Transport, Insurance, entrance fee to archaeological park, typical lunch (day trip only)
Doesn't include
hotel accommodation, snacks or additional drinks, meals (next-day return option), local guide (optional)
(please let us know if you would like us to quote for these additional services)
Recommendations
Bring: warm clothes, waterproof jacket, clothes and shoes suitable for walking, sun protection, money
for snacks/drinks
​
Would you like to see both the UNESCO world heritage sites in one trip? Consider taking our 'Southern Loop' which combines Tierradentro and San Agustin. Click here for more details