How to travel to Yopal, Casanare, from Bogota? – The ultimate itinerary
Have some time to spare and looking for the ultimate route through Colombia’s diverse sceneries?
Here is your itinerary through Colombia’s diverse climates and landscapes from Andean highlands through lush tropics right into the vast prairies of Los Llanos, from 3000 to 300 meters above sea level, from Bogota to Yopal.Don’t forget to pack your wool poncho, scarf, hat, gloves, rain jacket, shorts, t-shirts and ultimately a fan and cowboy hat. Almost all weather conditions are likely to occur.
About 45 minutes by air from Bogota with several flight connections on seven days a week from sometimes as little as 60,000 Colombian Pesos as opposed to a good 6 hour drive (that is if you only stop for a quick lunch break) through the winding and lofty altitudes of Colombia’s Cordillera Oriental raise the question why one should actually bother to travel terrestrial to Yopal. After all, time is precious, right?
But guess what! Time stands still as soon as you enter the magical foggy highlands of Boyacá, the colonial villages of Villa de Leyva, Monguí and Isa, when hiking the mystic and silent world of the 4000m high Páramo de Oceta and when standing next to Colombia’s thundering and jaw dropping second highest waterfall.
Traveling from Bogota to Yopal it’ll pay off squeezing in an extra day or two (or three or four) for spectacular highland hikes, island hopping on lofty mountain lake Laguna de Tota and visiting Colombia’s second highest waterfall Salto de Candelas…
This itinerary is your ultimate answer to why it is totally worth the drive from Bogota to Yopal – about 360km. Coaches and local buses operate.
Sabanas de Bogotá
Heading up north on Bogota’s Autopista del Norte and fleeing the urban madness into the Sabanas de Bogotá is your first stage to calmness. Green fields, pine trees and cows will make you think you are in rural Europe. Check out Guatavita, the lake where the myth of El Dorado has sprung up.
Then drive on route 55 towards Tunja. Shortly before reaching the student city of Tunja stop at Puente de Boyacá where the independence battle over the Spaniards was decided.
Boyacá’s colonial villages: Villa de Leyva, Ráquira, Tibasosa
If you have a day to spare head over to Villa de Leyva. The little detour is well worth it. The white washed colonial town has been featured in film scenes of Hollywood’s Zorro for a good reason. Its pebble stoned streets and main plaza are picture perfect and there are plenty of restaurants, cafés, bars and cozy hotels.
For more colours, pottery and crafts (and less tourists) Ráquira is a good destination and only about half an hour journey from Villa de Leyva.
From Tunja the next stop is Paipa if you are after baby soft skin. Its thermal baths are famous across Colombia. Paipa’s delicious cheese (queso de Paipa) can be found in various cheese shops along the road. Head on for some home made Feijoa ice cream, liquor or juice in the pretty town of Tibasosa.
Tip: If you are pressed for time but still want to get all the colonial village charm that Boyacá could possibly offer then head to Pueblito Boyacense near Duitama. This village replicates all of Boyacá’s colonial towns!
Páramo de Oceta and Laguna de Tota near Sogamoso
If you have another one or two days to spare, base yourself near Sogamoso. In the beautiful colonial town of Monguí for example. This is your perfect starting point for a day hike into the mystic world of the Páramo de Oceta. An early hike up into 4000 meters will – also literally – take your breath away. Stunning Laguna Negra, various caves, a ‘lost city’ (ciudad perdida) and an army of frailejones make for stunning photographs… Ask your hotelier for a trustworthy local guide – it’s easy to get lost up there!
Only a stone throw from Sogamosa Laguna de Tota, Colombia’s largest lake, is embedded in a peaceful idyll of rolling hills, farms and spring onion fields. Playa Blanca is your top beach of choice and excellent for a swim on a sunny day. Camping is available.
Various cabañas (holiday homes/huts) can be rent in the area. The colonial town of Isa also has an antique guesthouse at its main square. Do no leave Laguna Tota without having tried trout for lunch. Trucha al ajillo is trout in garlic sauce and alone the memory of it will water your mouth still weeks later.
Tip: You may notice from the names Tunja, Duitama, Sogamoso, Monguí and Tota that you are crossing ancient Muisca land! Check out local museums and cathedrals for artefacts and history.
Colombia’s highlands and tropics and second highest waterfall: Salto de Candelas
Towards Casanare, about an hour and a half from Sogamoso on route 62 one should make a stop at Salto de Candelas, Colombia’s second highest waterfall. About an hour walk away from the main road this fall thunders into a lush landscape of awing beauty, a mix of highlands and tropics. The path is marked and makes for a nice walk (medium level), local guides are also available, just ask in the restaurant by the road.
After the hike grab a pack of locally sourced coffee and head on. In the tropical town of Pajaritos you must try chicken from the street vendors – it is heaven!
Tip: If traveling by public transport, ask your bus driver to drop you at the desired points of interest and then in an hour or three hail a different bus to travel on. The route between Sogamoso and Yopal is frequented by plenty of coaches and mini transporters/vans that let you off at Salto de Candelas for example. Store your luggage at the restaurant by the road for a small tip and only hike with a day backpack.
Los Llanos Orientales de Colombia
You will cross the river Cusiana, the border to the department of Casanare, after Pajaritos. Curving down past tropical villages and fincas you will reach the hot plains of Los Llanos about half hour later. Yopal is located at the foot of the Andes, where the mountains meet vast prairies. Store your scarf, jumper and gloves once and for all at the bottom of your backpack – you won’t need them anymore down here on 338 meters.
Just three hours ago you crossed sceneries that resembled the Scottish highlands, the Alps even, then you passed through lush tropics and now you are standing at the foot of the mountains glancing out into the ‘mar verde’, a green ocean of plains and horizon where rope swinging cowboys, cattle and wildlife dominate the picture. Welcome to Yopal!
With so many private farms and tucked-away natural places to explore, your best bet is to book a tour in Yopal that includes transport, horse hire, access to fincas and a guide who knows where to go. Organize yourself a tour prior to your trip to avoid feeling stranded in Yopal, an off-beat kind of place.