Beautiful Barichara

Arrival into Bucaramanga airport today from Bogota or elsewhere in Colombia.

On arrival into Bucaramanga airport, your Barichara guide and driver will welcome you outside baggage claim for your private transfer to Barichara (duration 4 hours including optional stop for a snack or lunch en route.)

Barichara is a small colonial village on the edge of the spectacular Chicamocha Canyon, and is among our favorites in Colombia – certainly one the most beautiful and best preserved in all of South America! Accommodations here are charming and comfortable but a bit rustic, and you won’t find high-end restaurants or shopping like in big cities. This is for those seeking something really authentic, adventurous, and off the beaten path for a mix of culture, adventure and a slower pace.

Barichara is a perfect base for exploring not only the town and its strong artisan community, but also countless outdoor options in the nearby mountains and canyon including hiking, rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, and visiting nearby coffee and tobacco farms. From arrival to departure, your guide and our local team will serve as your hosts, ensuring you are able to have an unforgettable stay here.

Your Barichara stay includes private vehicle and guide for your airport transfers and 1 half-day private sightseeing activity per paid night of stay, as well as tuk-tuk dinner transfers in town each evening. Barichara and this region of Colombia is still very young and emerging in the sense of receiving international visitors, so our team is with you there ensure you have the smoothest possible experience and can maximize your enjoyment daily. You’ll also have plenty of snacks and bottled water included daily, too.

Today you have your choice of included activities (1 half-day activity per paid night of stay), but here’s one way to spend your first day here.

Early this morning, head out with your guide along the historic Camino Real, built in the 19th century to connect the entire region and today used mostly by local farmers. Your 2.5-3-hour hike will include great views of the surrounding countryside, and ends in Guane, a sleepy colonial town that feels stuck in time, just in time for a look around and some lunch. This part of Colombia is known for its tradition of stone-carving by hand, passed down strictly through an apprentice-based system, and during your visit we can arrange to meet with one of the town elders to learn a bit about this impressive tradition and skill.

After time for lunch in Guane (included), you’ll return to Barichara for a walking tour around town with your guide. We suggest also a stop into one of the many artisan workshops in town, such as a local women’s collective that produces high-quality paper by hand using local plants. With this, they simultaneously recapture lost traditions and provide a source of income and empowerment to local women.

Dinner somewhere special in Barichara this evening, with tuk-tuk transfers between the restaurant and your villa included.

There are a number of options today both in-town and in the surrounding region, based on your interests. Please note starting pricing includes 1 half-day activity per paid night of stay, so your trip price may vary based on the exact options chosen.

• Spend a half day or full day visiting the workshops of artisans both in town and nearby – stone carving, pottery, ceramics, embroidery and more.
• Full day hike down into the Chicamocha canyon to the town of Jordan, and whitewater rafting (level III or IV) along the Chicamocha river.
• Half-day excursion to hike up to and then rappel down the 590-foot Juan Curi waterfall
• If you’re not visiting the Coffee Triangle elsewhere in your trip, visit a traditional small farm near Barichara to learn about Colombia’s most famous export, from bean to cup
• Get a look at this region’s flavors and ingredients with a cooking class and lunch or dinner
• Enjoy some time wandering around town, snapping pictures and visiting the shops of the many artists