All about San Gil, Colombia
The 10 best things to do in San Gil
The town of San Gil has 50,000 inhabitants and is located at an altitude of 1,100 meters in the region of Santander. The city of Bucaramanga is 100 km away and the colonial town of Barichara is 20 km away. The surrounding landscape is spectacular, with mountains, fast-flowing rivers, waterfalls and the second largest gorge in the world, the Chicamocha canyon. Not surprisingly, you can do many adventure activities in the area. And that is the biggest attraction of San Gil! Among other things, you can paragliding , whitewater rafting, abseilingualism, bungee jumping, mountain biking and hiking. San Gil has become particularly well known to backpackers in recent years, and there is a wide range of affordable hostels and restaurants. If you want to do different activities and also take a day trip to Barichara, you can easily entertain yourself in San Gil for about 4 days.
How to get to San Gil
From Bogotá: By bus (approx. 8h).
From Bucaramanga (nearest airport: bus ride from approx. 3u.
#Colombia tip
Combine your trip with other highlights north of Bogotá, such as Barichara and Villa de Leyva (185km) and make it a 2-week trip. Check here our itinerary from Bogota to Barichara.
What to do in San Gil
1. Go paragliding over the Chicamocha Gorge
With the half-hour tandem flight, you will fly over the Chicamocha canyon, which is deeper than the Grand Canyon in the USA! The tour operator will pick you up in San Gil for the one-hour drive to the Chicamocha canyon. You can book the flight here booking.
2. Visit the Juan Curí waterfall
At the 180-meter-high waterfall, you can chill in the natural pool. You catch the bus to Charalá (45 min / COP7000) and ask that the driver drop you off at the entrance to the waterfall (cascada). You will find the bus terminal (San Gil Terminalito) at the corner of Calle 17 and Carrera 10. The entrance costs COP9000. From the entrance, it is about a 20-minute walk to the waterfall.
photo: mochilerosdelujo.com
3. Take the cable car in Chicamocha National Park(Panachi).
The way to enjoy the view if you don’t want to paraglide. The half-hour ride takes a 6km cable car to Mesa de los Santos on the other side of the gorge. Panachi is on the road between San Gil and Bucaramanga (50km.) It is not an “ordinary” national park, but an amusement park with various attractions and activities. From the viewing platform you have a fantastic view. Entrance to the park including the cable car costs COP57,000 for adults, COP38,000 for 60+ and kids aged 2-8yrs (2022). You pay extra for the activities and water park. The park is open from wo-so. Come outside weekends and vacation periods if you want to avoid the crowds. Check here for more info.
4. Go whitewater rafting on the Río Suárez
Do you like a challenge? Then this is the activity for you! The Río Suárez is an hour’s drive from San Gil and is one of the best places in Colombia for rafting. After a briefing, the trip can begin. After the exciting trip, you can chat about your whitewater adventure over a cold beer and lunch. You can book the trip here book here.
5. Take the leap of a lifetime and go bungee jumping
If you only do this once in a lifetime, do it in San Gil! Take the challenge and enjoy the thrill during your “free fall” from 70 meters above the Río Fonce. You can also do a duo jump just the two of you. As an additional option, a GoPro video is offered so you can watch your adventure back later. You can make the jump here booking.
6. Hike to Cerro de la Cruz
Cerro de la Cruz is one of the best vantage points in San Gil. The viewpoint is located in Carrera 16, near the río Fonce. To get there, walk through the less touristy parts of the city. Arriving at the top, you will see a cross than was built by the Jesuits in 1888. You can also take a cab to Cerro de la Cruz.
7. Play a game of Tejo with the locals
Tejo is a traditional Colombian game, in which you try to throw the tejo (a disc) into the goal. The target is a box of clay filled with bags of gunpowder. If you hear a bang, you have aimed correctly and your team gets points. The team that gets 27 points first is the winner. This is not so easy because you have to throw the disc over a distance of 20 meters! While playing Tejo, there is usually a fair amount of beer consumed, which doesn’t make aiming any easier! For an evening playing Tejo, you can go to the Comite Municipal de Tejo, or plan an evening through your hostel. It’s more sociable and you’ll have enough teammates for a game. Fun detail: Tejo originated 500 years ago among the Muisca Indians, who used a gold disc in the game.
photo: Sam’s VIP hostel
8. Hike in el Gallineral park
The park is a 10-minute walk from downtown San Gil, on the Río Fonce. After paying the entrance fee (COP6000), you can explore one of the trails in this 4-hectare park. If you also want to use the swimming pool, you pay COP4000 extra. Fun to do if you want to see small wildlife, such as squirrels, birds and butterflies.
9. Do the canyoning tour in Guane
You don’t need any experience for this activity! The instructors will tell you everything you need to know before you can go climbing, abseiling and much more on your own in L as Lajas Canyon. You can take the tour here booking.
10. Take a day trip to Barichara
This beautiful colonial town is easily accessible from San Gil by bus (45 min.) The narrow streets of Barichara take you back in time. Take your time to explore the steep streets and watch the artisans at work in the stores. If you have the time, you can also do the hike from Barichara to Guane, where you will walk along a 5km footpath through nature. Take advantage of your stay in Barichara by stopping at one of the many good restaurants before catching the bus back to San Gil. Read all about the best things to do in Barichara.
Where to stay in San Gil
There is a large selection of hostels in San Gil. Apartments and vacation rentals are also very affordable. We have listed some good options for you, by price range and luxury level.
€ price range up to €25
€€ price range €25 – €50
€€€ price range above €50
Where to eat in San Gil
Our favorite addresses:
#1 Gringo Mike’s
for (large portions of) tex-mex food in a cozy setting
#2 Meson del Arriero
a small restaurant, cooking typical Colombian dishes
#3 Mano Restaurante
for a good burger and tasty salads
#4 Cafe Europa
a cozy little restaurant for a tasty pizza or pasta
Important info A-Z San Gil
Budget
Compared to tourist destinations such as Cartagena and Medellín, San Gil is cheap. It is also cheap compared to Barichara.
Climate and best time to go
- The temperature is constant throughout the year and ranges between 18°C and 24°C.
- The best time to visit San Gil is the dry season from December through February and in July, August and September That is also immediately the high season. Outside of this period, there may be outages, but not to the extent that you cannot plan a trip to San Gil.
Locals & language
In general, little English is spoken. A word of Spanish is certainly helpful and does wonders for getting in touch with the locals.
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required for San Gil.
Bring
- Hiking boots
- Cap or hat
- Sunscreen
- Waterthermos
- Airy clothing for outdoor activities
Safety
San Gil is known to be safe. When in doubt, check with hotel staff or other locals.
Wifi
Most hotels have wifi.
