San Gil is a town in the department of Santander in the northeast of Colombia. This town is famous for its outdoor activities and beautiful nature. In 2004 it was named the tourist capital of the region. The town itself it’s not that special, but it’s the surroundings and activities that makes it worth visiting.
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How to get to San Gil?
First, there are two options to get to San Gil.
- Bus
Your cheapest option is to get a bus. You can get a direct bus from every big city in Colombia. Bogota is the fastest option.
A direct bus from Medellin to San Gil will take you roughly 13 hours and 100.000 COP (€25)
A direct bus from Bogota to San Gil will take you roughly 6 hours and 57.000 COP (€14)
The easiest way to book is through Busbud, Redbus or at the bus station. Most of the time I book my ticket through Busbud to secure my seat on the bus. However, If you don’t want to be tight to a time schedule, book your ticket at the bus station. Buses leave every hour.
- Fly
Your fastest option is to fly to Bucaramanga. The flight is around 100.000 COP (€25), no matter where you are taking your flight from.
You can get a taxi from Bucaramanga airport. This is a 20-minute drive to the bus terminal and is 35.000 COP (€8,50).
When you arrive at the bus terminal in Bucaramanga, just make your way down to terminal 1. Look for the bus company Saravita and book your ticket to San Gil for 23.000 COP (€5,50).
There are also other bus companies who go to San Gil. Not sure if they have the same prices, but when you ask for a bus to San Gil, most of the time they will direct you to Saravita. It’s a 2,5-hour drive from Bucaramanga to San Gil.
1. Visit Barichara
Barichara is a cute little town that is a 30-minute drive from San Gil and ideal as a day trip to unwind from all the activities. It’s considered as one of the most beautiful towns in Colombia and I definitely agree with that. Walking around the town makes you feel you are stuck in time, in a nice way.
What to do?
Barichara is not that big. I recommend just walking around and take everything in. A small walk from the main square gets you to Mirador Salto del Mico where you can enjoy the amazing scenery and views.
If you want to have an active few hours, you should hike the Guane Road. This is old path that goes from Barichara to the town of Gaune.
Where to eat and drink?
We were only there for a few hours, but we managed to find two of the best places in Barichara.
- Café Casa Hercilia
Café Casa Hercilia is beautiful cafe, but also a beautiful place to stay for the night. We took a small peek in the bedrooms when we went to the bathroom, and it was breathtaking and the perfect get away for a couple or someone who wants to enjoy their rest.
- Chevere All-Day Café
This café has a soft spot in my heart. The coffee and food were so fresh and amazing. This might even be one of the best cafes Colombia has.
How to get there?
Vans leave every hour from Terminalito Provincial. A one-way ticket is 6000 COP (€1,50) and will drop you off at the main square in Barichara. Make sure you double check if you go to the right bus station. This is not the regular bus station in San Gil, but a smaller one in town.
2. White Water Rafting
White water rafting is a popular outdoor activity which uses an inflatable raft that carries 4 tot 8 people to navigate a river. This can have different levels of rough water. In San Gil you can find 3 rivers for White Water Rafting in San Gil.
- Rio Fonce (level 2 and 3)
- Rio Chicamocha (level 3 and 4)
- Rio Suarez (level 4 and 5)
Rio Suarez is one of the few rivers in South America to contain level 5 rapids. Level 5 can be very risky and dangerous. Make sure you know the risks and what you sign up for. Recommended is to be a good swimmer. However, I am definitely not a good swimmer, maybe even the worst swimmer ever, but managed to survive level 3 and 4.
The prices vary from river to river.
- Rio Fonce: 60.000 COP (€15)
- Rio Suarez: 200.000 COP (€50)
- Rio Chicamocha: 230.000 COP (€57)
3. Go Bungee Jumping
If you really like extreme sports Bungee Jumping is the perfect thing to do in San Gil. Bungee Jumping is one of the most popular activities to do in Colombia. Thousands of travelers visit San Gil every year just to go Bungee Jumping in the Fonce River.
The activity time will take you about 15 minutes. You can do the jump any time from 8 AM to 5 PM.
For me it is definitely a no. I would never dare to bungee jump. Which is funny because I am open to skydive, but that’s a discussion we can have later.
Price: 80.000 COP (€20) for one person and 130.000 COP (€32) for a couple.
4. Go Paragliding
- Chicamocha Canyon
Chicamocha Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. Its beauty attracts many people from all around the world and made it one of the best visited places in Colombia.
During paragliding you can reach heights more than 2000 meters above sea level. If you have very strong motion sickness like me, make sure you take plenty of pills before you take off. With the right weather conditions, you will enjoy one of the most beautiful landscapes you will ever see and feel at peace.
The flight time will be between 20 and 30 minutes, depending on the weather. Unfortunately, I already got down after 15 minutes because I felt really sick after 10 minutes, even though I took my pills. I don’t regret this, because otherwise I would’ve puked on me and my pilot.
Another thing: I’m also afraid of heights, but I try to do things like this to overcome my fear. Trust me, the moment you sit comfortably in your chair, you will feel so relaxed and at ease. Just don’t try to look down too much. Just look around you and straight forward and you will be fine.
Price: 200.000 COP (€50)
- Curiti
Another option to go Paragliding in San Gil is in Curiti. Curiti is one of the best places to go paragliding in Colombia and will fly you over Santander. While it’s not as impressive as flying over Chicamocha Canyon, it will give you a feeling of freedom and admiration of the landscapes you see.
Price: 100.000 COP (€25)
5. Mountain biking tour
The mountain biking tour will start in the center of San Gil. The tour will take you through a natural setting where you will be surrounded by nature, farms, mountains, and beautiful landscapes.
This tour is 15 kilometers and will take around 5 hours. The difficulty of the bike tour is 3/5, but I always motivate people to do whatever they want to, fit or not. That’s what I always do. We might be a bit slower than the rest, but it’s about the journey and the feeling of proudness afterwards.
Price: 150.000 COP (€37)
- Where to book all the activities?
I recommend staying at the Traveler Hostel. This hostel is located in the historic center of San Gil and offers all the activities I mentioned above. You can book all the activities and tours through the hostel and they will arrange everything for you.
Other great companies to book your activities are Colombiarafting and Exploradores Colombia.
- Sidenote
Every company will make you sign a piece of paper that says that they are not responsible for any injuries, death or dismemberment. However, most of the activities include an accident insurance. Don’t ask me for the details of the insurance, because like every other person, I sign documents without reading them.
Finally, set your alarm, dress comfortable, bring your snack and money and you are good to go! This is one of those trips that you will never forget, I promise!
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