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.

While the Eje Cafetero is known for its quantity production, Santander is known for its high quality especially organic coffees. The tour will take place in one of the coffee haciendas in the area that are nationally and internationally recognized as the crops in some of the haciendas are under shade and highlight the protection of the environment. Once at the hacienda you will have time to enjoy the picturesque scenery of the guest house. The tour begins with a tour through the coffee fields, where the crops and production processes are explained. After this tour you will be able to attend a preparation and tasting of a good cup of coffee, which fascinates most travelers due to the different qualities of coffee.

Zapatoca is a beautiful and calm town not known by a lot of travelers. The town has 5000 inhabitants and people from Bucaramanga go there to enjoy a weekend having relatively mild temperatures (day temperature approx. 21 °C/ 79 °F). In town you can enjoy a beautiful central park and try home-made wine from oranges and blackberries. The road to Zapatoca is one of the highlights of the trip because it goes right through the stunning landscape of the Chicamocha Canyon. There are several viewpoints to stop by during the road trip. One of the viewpoints you will visit at the end of the day is the Mirador Los Guanes which is on top of the mountains from where you can see many parts of Santander such as parts of Bucaramanga´s metropolitan area, Barichara, El Socorro, the Chicamocha Canyon, the Suarez Canyon, the crossing of the two canyons, etc.

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.

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.

The Chicamocha Canyon is the perfect place to do hiking since you will have stunning views onto the landscape during the entire hike. The hike usually starts in a sector of the canyon called “La Mojarra”. At the beginning of the hike you will be at the edge of the canyon at a height of about 1500 meters above sea level and 1000 meters above the canyon river. The hike, which is included in this day trip, ends in Los Santos, a town with a beautiful central park located at the edge of the canyon. Starting a steep hike down the canyon for about 300 meters in altitude you will gradually go up along the canyon in order to arrive at Los Santos. The advantage of this hike is that you will not have to stand the heat at the bottom of the canyon since you won´t go down all the way to the river. The total hike takes you about 2 to 5 hours depending on your speed and on the trail you take.

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.

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.

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.

The Juan Curí waterfalls are with a total height of 250 meters one of the highest waterfalls in Colombia. In order to get to the waterfalls, you have to take a 25-minute hike from the parking lot. As the air gets more humid you will see how the landscape changes into a dense tropical rainforest. Arriving at the waterfall you will have the opportunity to jump into a swimming spot right beneath a 50-meter high part of the waterfall. If you like adventure, you can also climb down the ladders and ropes that are set up at the lower parts of the waterfalls. An optional activity for 70,000 COP (prices can vary) is climbing down the 50-meter part of the waterfall on a secured rope following the instructions of a professional rappelling guide. On the way back to Bucaramanga there are also other optional activities that can be done such as caving (30,000 COP), rafting (45,000 COP), bungee jumping 70 meters (70,000 COP), zip lining (30,000 COP), etc. (prices can change slightly within the year).

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.

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!

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.

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.

Santander is the department with the largest cocoa production in Colombia, producing more than 25% of the country's cocoa. Municipalities such as San Vicente de Chucurí, El Carmen or Rionegro and RUITOQUE are the main producers. When visiting any of the cocoa farms in this region you will pass through majestic natural scenery, cocoa forests. The owners of the farms to visit will welcome you with a traditional cup of chocolate and then explain the process and cultivation of cocoa from the plant to the finished product.

El Socorro is one of the most important historical towns in Colombia. It is the place where the first step towards the independence of this country took place. In 1781, the leader Manuela Beltrán tore the "Edict", which was a document of utmost importance for the Spanish, turning this act into an important protest against the Spanish empire. This event originated the Revolution of the Comuneros, a very important event in the history of Colombia. Once in Socorro, you will learn about this and other important historical influences of the town during the tour and in the historical museum. Because of its historical importance, Socorro was declared a heritage town. Without a doubt it is a beautiful town to visit and observe its different churches, parks and historical and colonial buildings.

The Hacienda La Lajita is a large farm located next to the Topocoro Lake. It has beautiful grassland with an incredible view on the Topocoro Lake that was created due to the dam “Represa Hidrosogamoso”. The farm is the perfect place to do horse-riding (or drive a four-wheeler/ quad-bike). A guide of the farm will lead you to the best viewpoints of the farm.The Hacienda La Lajita is a large farm located next to the Topocoro Lake. It has beautiful grassland with an incredible view on the Topocoro Lake that was created due to the dam “Represa Hidrosogamoso”. The farm is the perfect place to do horse-riding (or drive a four-wheeler/ quad-bike). A guide of the farm will lead you to the best viewpoints of the farm. This beautiful hacienda also has a nice restaurant with a small pool for children. After lunch you can have some drinks or just enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of this place.

10 amazing days on a Private Tour of Colombia! Explore the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara along with magnificent waterfalls, tropical jungles, magical beaches, crystal clear oceans, an ancient city, a mud volcano, a day on the amazing Rosario Islands and of course Cartagena! This 10-day tour combines adventure, history, and more – it’s also simply the best way possible to spend your time in the spectacular country of Colombia!

The natural wells “Las Gachas” in Guadalupe are a unique natural phenomenon. The reddish color of the rocks makes it a beautiful setting and a perfect place to take awesome pictures. The part of the river that passes above and beneath the swimming holes is almost 1 km long and you will get to know all parts of the “red river”. The tour begins with a 20 minute walk through the pastures of Guadalupe. You will arrive at the top of the Gachas, being this a rustic natural site where wells have been formed over time by the erosion of water on the rock. Las Gachas ends with a 15 meters high waterfall hidden in the dense forest. Right next to it there is a small farm where a Colombian couple lives and grows a variety of fruits on their land.

The Cueva de los Aviones is the perfect place to enjoy a day full of adrenaline adventures, where you will find natural slides and crystal clear water pools which provide a perfect environment for taking pictures. The first thing you will feel is to be submerged in a forest crossed by a river and descend through it with ropes in an extreme way, even in some part of the cave you will find a waterfall. The Cueva de los Aviones is not known by many tourists making it look like a magical, natural and virgin place. Once in the place, you will be able to spend several hours and have the opportunity to see all the captivating sites. The guide will show you around and also make sure you have a safe experience. On the way back there is the possibility to stop in San Vicente de Chucurí, a beautiful town with a lot of history and economic importance.