Barichara is sometimes referred to as the prettiest town in Colombia. Here is where you’ll find colonial architecture with stunning mountain views. While a lot of the fun is wandering the streets and admiring the beauty, you can also hike to an even smaller town to get a better view of the mountains (and some exercise).
In this guide, I’ll lay out how a perfect day trip to Barichara. Starting from San Gil, catch a bus to Barichara, hike to Guane, and return to Barichara for more exploration before ending your day back in San Gil.
Day Trip to Barichara
This Barichara day trip has you arriving in Barichara and immediately start hiking. While you could reverse this itinerary and do your hike in the afternoon, I recommend hiking earlier in the day. It’s cooler in the day and with the minimal shade on the trail, I think it’s best to start your day by hiking.
Additionally, you might wonder if you could ride the bus all the way to Guane and then hike from Guane to Barichara (effectively saving yourself one bus ride). Yes, you can do this, but the reason so many people go from Barichara to Guane is because this direction is mostly downhill. If you start in Guane, expect to be hiking uphill for most of the hike.
8:00 – Depart San Gil
Your day starts in San Gil, so you’ll need to first travel to Barichara. Luckily, getting here is very easy. Head to Terminalito (the small bus station) in San Gil. Here you’ll find small, regional buses heading to various destinations across the region. You need to look for a bus to Barichara. Either buy a ticket from the driver or purchase one from the counter in the station. Then board the bus and settle in. It’s about 45 minutes to Barichara.
8:45 – Arrive in Barichara
In general, the bus takes about 45 minutes but the exact time will vary depending on how many stops your bus makes. When you arrive in Barichara, hop off the bus (paying the driver if you haven’t already done so) and start walking to the start of the hike. Head through the square, passing the cathedral, and work your way to the intersection of Carrera 10 and Calle 4 (listed as Camino Real – Barichara – Guane on Google Maps). It’s a short walk, but you will be walking uphill and will get your first taste of the hills in Barichara.
9:00 – Start the Hike to Guane
Now it’s time to hike. You should see a sign stating you’ve reached the start of the hike. Walk past the sign and down the steps to officially start your journey to Guane. Don’t worry about losing your way. Just continue walking straight and following the trail. It’s impossible to get lost between Barichara and Guane. Learn more in my guide to the Camino Real.
As you start hiking, the trail is a bit uneven and you might find yourself wondering if this is a good idea to hike for 3.5 miles like this. Honestly, I think this first section was the worst and where I needed to watch my feet the most. Once I crossed the street, it felt so much easier and I felt like I was able to move faster. And according to my tracker, I did hike faster the longer I hiked. To me, that confirms my suspicions that the trail got easier as it went on.
Throughout the hike, enjoy the views of the mountain scenery, but also enjoy the peacefulness. While this trail is an ancient pilgrimage, I hardly saw anyone on the trail. I passed two women right at the start (who were going in the opposite direction and finishing their walk in Barichara), a group of about six tourists that I passed about a third of the way into the hike, and one runner who passed me late on the trail. Otherwise, it was just me and nature and that was great.
In total, I logged 3.5 miles exactly and only 217 feet of elevation gain (but an overall descent of 961 feet). It took me an hour and a half to do this hike which included plenty of time to stop for photos. I didn’t stop for many breaks, but since I was hiking downhill for most of the trek, I never felt like I needed to stop.
As a note, there is little shade on the trail. Make sure you bring and apply sunscreen. Also bring water. While I read other blog posts that said there were places to buy water and drinks on the trail, the only place I passed was closed.
11:00 – Arrive in Guane
The trail takes you into Guane, but you’ll want to turn right on Carrera 6 to reach the main square (which is where the bus leaves from). The town of Guane is very small. Barichara is a small town, but Guane is even smaller. As you enter the town, you’ll understand why this itinerary has you leaving almost immediately.
Snap a few photos, but head to the main square to wait for a bus to go back to Barichara.
11:30 – Bus back to Barichara
I say catch a bus at 11:30 back to Barichara, but honestly, I found the bus schedule unreliable. That said, buses to connect Guane and Barichara throughout the day. When I was in Barichara, I found a sign with a schedule for the route from Barichara to Guane (and the reverse). The schedule said that the bus would leave Guane at 11:30. My bus actually left at about 11:20.
So my advice is to hand around in the main square and be patient. Bring a book or journal in case you need to wait a bit for your bus. Once the bus arrives, hop on and ride back to Barichara.
A more expensive option is to take a taxi or tuktuk back to Barichara. There are drivers waiting by the cathedral, ready to take you to Barichara if you choose to go this route.
Despite the fact it was only 3.5 miles to walk between the two towns, the bus takes 20 to 30 minutes.
12:00 – Viewpoints around Barichara
Now that you’re back in Barichara, it’s time to explore properly. Like so many colonial towns in Colombia, the town itself is light on sights. The best parts of these towns are wandering the streets and taking in the architecture. For Barichara, that also means walking to the edge of town to find great views of the surrounding mountains.
Take your time as you walk through the town. Wander the streets and enjoy how it feels much more calm than San Gil.
As a note, Barichara is hilly. That’s to be expected because of all of the views of the surrounding mountains. But be prepared for hills, and sometimes steep hills at that. It’s possible to walk everywhere you want to get in Barichara, but if you live somewhere flat (like me!), be prepared for a bit of a leg workout.
2:00 – Lunch in Barichara
Before you head back to San Gil, stop and get some lunch. There are plenty of restaurants in Barichara, so you shouldn’t have a tough time finding something that looks good.
As I’ve often mentioned, I’m not a foodie traveler. However, as I checked in at my hostel in San Gil, I was given El Puntal as a recommendation for a good, local food. I went there for lunch and can agree that the food was very good and so I’m happy to pass on that recommendation.
3:00 – Bus to San Gil
After lunch, it’s time to work your way back to San Gil. The bus will pick up near where you were dropped off this morning. It’s along the park right near the Cotrasangil offices. Buses come frequently (much more frequently than the bus between Barichara and Guane), so if a bus isn’t there, you may just need to be patient and wait another 15 or 20 minutes.
Once on the bus, settle in. It’s 45 minutes (possibly longer depending on the number of stops) back to San Gil.
4:00 – Arrive in San Gil
You’re back in San Gil and the rest of the day is yours.
Tips for Local Buses
One of the things that frustrated me the most about traveling in Colombia was the lack of information I found about the buses. You can sometimes find a bus schedule for the larger more popular routes, but not every bus has an online presence. Cotrasangil was no exception. So, here’s the bit of information that I wish I had had during my trip planning.
San Gil to Barichara
Buses from San Gil to Barichara depart frequently (about every 20 to 30 minutes) from Terminalito in San Gil. The bus costs 8000 COP as of November 2024. I bought my ticket from the ticket counter (be prepared to show your passport if you choose this option), but plenty of people just boarded the bus and paid the driver when they got off.
Guane to Barichara
Buses from Guane to Barichara (and vice versa) are less frequent. According to the posted schedule I found in the Cotrasangil office in Barichara, buses leave every 60 to 90 minutes. However, I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in that schedule since the schedule said the bus would leave Guane at 11:30 and we left at 11:20. The best advice I have is to wait in the square and be patient. Eventually a bus will come (and if not, there are taxis available on the square as well).
The bus costs 4000 COP and you can pay the driver when you get off in Barichara.
Barichara to San Gil
Like the buses from San Gil to Barichara, buses depart frequently. There is a Cotrasangil office just off the main square and buses will depart from there. The journey costs 8000 COP and you can pay the driver when you get off the bus in San Gil.
When to Visit Barichara
Barichara can be visited all year round. While many countries have weather that can change drastically throughout the year, Colombia has just two season: 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. Learn more about visiting during rainy season.
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.
More in San Gil
San Gil isn’t my favorite city in Colombia, but that’s ok. Most people don’t visit San Gil to stay in the city. They visit because of all of the activities nearby. San Gil is the adventure capital of Colombia and you’ll find numerous companies offering activities like white water rafting, zip lining, bungee jumping, waterfall repelling, and so much more.
If you want to adventure on your own, Barichara is one option, but you can also easily reach the Juan Curi Waterfalls and Curiti.
Final Thoughts
Barichara makes for an excellent day trip from San Gil. I’m not sure if it’s the prettiest town in Colombia (Villa de Leyva is also quite pretty), but it’s definitely beautiful (and significantly more beautiful than San Gil). Between wandering the streets and hiking from to Guane, you’ll have enough for a full day’s adventure in the small town of Barichara.
Continue Your Adventure
San Gil: Barichara can easily be reached from San Gil and once in Barichara, you can hike the Camino Real from Barichara to Guane. Also near San Gil is the Juan Curi Waterfall which makes another easy day trip.
Colombia: Start your planning with my nine day Colombia itinerary. Start in Bogotá, venture to Villa de Leyva, and finish in San Gil. Plus get my top safety tips and learn how to determine a realistic travel budget in my Colombia Travel Guide.