Excursion: San Agustín

San Agustín is a village close to Popayán. There are lots of archeological sights close by San Agustín and Isnos. While it is difficult to find vegan food in Isnos it is pretty easy in San Agustín, for the fact, that it is a village. For the excursion you need at least two days to see most of the sights. If you want to see all of them it is necessary to stay longer, but as there is repetition it is not necessary to see all.

I recommend to do the places in Isnos on one day and the sights in San Agustín on the other. Both can be visited individual or in a tour. Places close at 4pm, except for some few public places like la Chaquira.

San Agustín

In San Agustín it is recomendable to start at the Parque Archeológico. The Entrance is 25’000 Col$ (8.25 Us$) it is valid for two consecutive days and you can also Enter the Alto de los Ídolos and the Alto de la piedra. For the archeological park you need about three hours including museum. The Parque Archeológico is closed on Tuesdays. Alto de Lavapatas has one of the two dobleyo’s. Meseta B has one of the statues that represent a bird with a snake, a symbol that can also be found in the Maya Culture.

In the afternoon you can walk directly from the archeological park to el Purutal or you take it easy and eat lunch in San Agustín before taking a mototaxi to el Purutal and la Pelota (8’000 Col$/2.65 Us$). The entrace is 4’000 Col$ (1.30 Us$). El Purutal is the best conserved tombs, both still have colors. From there you can walk to la Chaquira, which will take you approximately one hour. The people in the village will recommend you taking a horse for this whole activity but it is definitely not necessary and doable in about 5 hours (when you walk all of it). On the way back to the village you can visit el Tablón, which is at the last curve before reaching the main road.

Alto de los Ídolos

This is a small park close to Isnos (5km). The entrance ticket is the same as for the archeological park and can also be bought here. Here the biggest statue is located.

Alto de las Piedras

It is located 5km on the other side of Isnos on the way to the Salto de Bordones (9km). Again the same entrance ticket. This park has the second dobleyo and some statues with colors.

Salto de Bordones

Is claimed to be the second highest waterfall of South America.

El Estrecho

This is a 2m strait of the Rio Magdalena, the most important river of Colombia, which flows into the Caribbean sea.

How to do it

How you do it depends on your budget and if you can form a group or are all alone. There are two tours to the places in Isnos. The first one goes to the Alto de los Idolos, Alto de las Piedras, Salto de Bordones and Salto de Mortino and has a lunch in Isnos. The cost is 35’000 Col$ (11.55 Us$) per Person. The second one is called the circle (circuito), includes additionally the Estrecho and Obando and is 50’000 Col$ (16.50 Us$) per Person. Both of them are with a Jeep. Another option is sharing a taxi which is 90’000 Col$ (30 Us$) for the first tour and 110’000 Col$ (36 Us$) for the circuito. Depending on the group size you are getting it cheaper but will not have a guide.

Continuing to…

From San Agustín you can directly continue to the Tatacoa desert or Tierradentro. For the Tatacoa desert you need to take a bus to Neiva and then to Villavieja. For Tierradentro you first take a bus to Pitalito (every 15mins, duration 45mins, 7’000 Col$/2.30 Us$), then to La Plata (3-4 buses a day, 4.5 hours, 28’000 Col$/9.25 Us$) and from there to Tierradentro (Pisimbala) (2 buses a day (be in La Plata before 6pm), 2 hours, 13’000 Col$/4.30 Us$). There was a “bus” (Colectivo) from La Plata to Tierradentro at 4pm. The whole journey will take you approximately 7 to 8 hours.

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