Exploring the beautiful colonial towns of Colombia can be fun, but often I find you need a little variety in your day. When I visited Villa de Leyva, that variety came in the form of a hike to Cerro de la Cruz for a view over the city. The hike turned out to be more difficult than I expected, so much so, that I decided I should write an entire blog post about it.
So, if you’re visiting Villa de Leyva, here’s what you should know before hiking Cerro de la Cruz.
About Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva is a colonial town that attracts visitors with its white-washed buildings and picturesque streets. It’s fun to spend a day just wandering around the town. But, for me, I need a little bit more than just wandering and taking photos. Yes, the town is pretty, but strolling the streets and taking photos is only entertaining for so long. So, let’s talk about a hike you can do in Villa de Leyva.
About Cerro de La Cruz
Like so many cities in Colombia, there is a cross perched high on a hill that overlooks the town. You can hike up to this cross on a path known as “Cerro de la Cruz”, or “Hill of the Cross”. While the trail can be difficult, your reward is a view of over the town and in Villa de Leyva’s case, the mountains surrounding the town.
The hike is about two miles round trip, but you’ll gain about 1000 feet of elevation over some incredibly rocky terrain. For me, the terrain was what made the hike difficult. I’ve completed hikes longer than this and hikes that are just as steep as this, but the terrain really made the trail difficult and I found it difficult to get momentum as I hiked. I had read reviews that said the hike wasn’t easy, but it just didn’t really hit me how difficult it would be until I was actually on the trail.
Cerro de la Cruz
Enough about the logistics. Let’s talk about the actual hike.
Getting to the Start of the Hike
To get to the start of Cerro de la Cruz, you’ll want to go to the very end of Calle 12. There’s a sports court with a doorway right at the end of the street. Enter the doorway, cross the field, and start hiking. From the main square, it’s about a half mile walk to the starting point. There’s not really any elevation gain at this point, but watch your step because the cobblestones in Villa de Leyva are not always pleasant to walk on.
Through the Forest
Once you’ve entered the park, you’ll start the first section of the hike. This has you hiking through a forest and it’s the only section of the trail with shade. After you exit the forest, it’s completely exposed, so enjoy the limited shade while you have it.
The trail is pretty easy to follow, but almost immediately you’ll notice that the trail is not an easy trail. Maybe I haven’t hiked enough in South America yet and I’m too used to trails that are smoother, but I found this section harder than I expected.
Immediately upon entering the forest, you’ll start gaining elevation. It’s a steady climb the rest for the rest of the hike. Unfortunately if you find the trail steep, just know that it’s not going to get any easier. It will stay this steep, and even get steeper as you go.
A Rocky Scramble to the Top
As you exit the forest, you’ll hike up an even steeper cliff face. It reminded me of the steep petrified sand dunes at Snow Canyon State Park in Utah, but this was much more difficult and it is the worst part of the hike in my opinion. It’s hot, it’s steep, and if you’re not wearing good shoes, it can be hard to find your footing. You’ll walk on this material for most of the way to the cross.
The good news though is once you exit the forest, you’ll get your first views of the city of Villa de Leyva. You might have to hike up a little bit to get just a tad higher above the trees, but turn around and look back. There’s a view you’ve been hiking for.
If you’ve been having a hard time on the hike, I recommend turning around once you get your view of the city. The trail just gets harder from here. I kept going, which I can admit was a mistake. I do think some people can make it, but with my shoes weren’t great and I was definitely struggling and making it all the way to the top just felt like a bad idea the further up I climbed. Essentially I spent my hike up the sand dunes dreading coming down and it was just not a fun experience.
Should You Hike Cerro de la Cruz?
This is a hard question to answer because for some people, I think the answer is yes. If you have proper shoes (and perhaps even hiking poles) and are a fit hiker, you should be able to make it to the top of Cerro de la Cruz.
For many people, this can be a difficult hike. I like to think that I’m a decent hiker, but this hike was different. This is the first hike I’ve ever turned around early on because I just didn’t feel comfortable.
I don’t think it’s wrong for anyone to attempt it and while the forest section isn’t fun, there’s enough trees that you can grab onto for support. Through that, you can make it up to that first view of Villa de Leyva. Then, evaluate yourself and decide if you think it’s a good idea to continue your hike to the top.
General Tips for Hiking Cerro de la Cruz
Bring plenty of water – This should go without saying but you need to bring enough water with you. There’s nowhere to get water and with half of the trail being completely exposed, you’ll want to make sure you have some.
Wear sunscreen – Again, half of the trail is completely exposed. Make sure you have adequate sun protection.
Don’t be afraid to turn around – If you aren’t feeling comfortable with this hike, it’s ok to skip it. I turned around and am thankful I did. I was not enjoying myself and was already dreading going back down the mountain side.
If it rained the night before, don’t hike the trail – I visited Colombia during rainy season and it had rained the day before my hike. In the morning the trail was still damp and that made for some very slippery rocks through the forest. While I won’t say the forest section will be easy, it will certainly be easier if the trail is dry.
Make sure your shoes have a good grip – This definitely would have helped my hike. My shoes had a terrible grip and I quite honestly should not have been hiking in those shoes. That’s my fault, but what I can say is that you’ll want to make sure you have a good pair of shoes before you attempt this hike. This will help you on both the forest section and in the petrified sand dunes.
More in Villa de Leyva
The main draw to Villa de Leyva is not the hike to Cerro de la Cruz. The draw is the colonial whitewashed buildings. For many, it’s enjoyable to stroll the streets, wander the shops, and enjoy a nice lunch. The city is light on sights, but because it’s so photogenic, travelers are willing to look passed that. Learn more in my guide to one day in Villa de Leyva.
Connections to and From Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva is small and has fewer connections that some other cities in Colombia, but it’s still well connected.
From Bogotá, you can expect to a trip to Villa de Leyva to take about 3 to 4 hours. The distance of course depends on traffic, but also which bus terminal you depart from. Buses depart hourly from both Terminal Salitre and Terminal Norte.
You’ll also find buses to Tunja and Barbosa, where you can transfer to buses to larger and more distant cities like San Gil. From Villa de Leyva to Tunja, expect the journey to take just over an hour. There are numerous buses throughout the day and unlike so many buses in Colombia, the bus station actually had posted schedules.
When to Visit Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva can be visited all year round. While many countries have weather that can change drastically throughout the year, Colombia has just two seasons: dry season and rainy season.
Dry season is more popular because rain is less likely. Dry season typically runs from December through February or March. Then there is another dry season from June through August.
Rainy season comprises of the other months of the year. April and May and September through November. While it is rainy season, it may not rain every day, but you need to be prepared that it could rain at any time.
While dry season, particularly December through February, is the most popular time to travel, I chose to visit in November. It was rainy season and it did rain every day of my visit. However, the rain typically did not occur until the late afternoon or evening, meaning on most days my mornings were dry and I was able to explore in the dry sunshine.
Final Thoughts
The hike to Cerro de la Cruz offers a fantastic view of the city of Villa de Leyva, but it’s a difficult hike and one that shouldn’t be underestimated (particularly in rainy season). It’s the first hike that I turned around before reaching my destination because I just wasn’t comfortable with how the hike was going. I don’t regret my decision (although I do wish I had made it earlier). So learn from my hike and do your research before hiking to Cerro de la Cruz.
Continue Your Adventure
Villa de Leyva: This hike is just one thing to do in Villa de Leyva. Check out my one day Villa de Leyva itinerary for more.
Colombia: Start planning your trip with my Colombia Travel Guide and my nine day itinerary from Bogotá to San Gil. Learn about my top Colombia safety tips. Plus don’t my my realistic Colombia Travel Budget.