San Agustin



San Agustín is a small town in the department of Huila in Colombia that is famous for its pre-Columbian statues. The area has many rock carvings depicting animals. In one waterfall a beautifully carved gorilla faces out of the cascading water.

Understand
San Agustín is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Landscape
It's a great place to go with friends and family where you can see beautiful things such as sculpture objects.

By bus

 * from Pitalito: COP$10,000
 * from Bogota: COP$54,000, 10 hours (twice a day with beautiful Tatacoa Desert or the Magdalena River)
 * from Popayan: COP$40,000, 5 hours
 * from Neiva: COP$30,000, 5 hours
 * from Tierradentro: Take the jeep leaving San Andres at 6:30AM or 8AM to La Plata (1½ hr, COP$14,000). From there you can take a minivan to Pitalito at 9AM or noon (3 hr, COP$28,000). From the bus terminal in Pitalito are regularly leaving shared taxis to San Agustin (45 min, COP$8,000).

By motorcycle
It is a rough road from Popayan or Cali to San Agustin. The drive has beautiful views but is not paved at times.

Get around
The different archaeological sites are scattered over a large area. If you have the time walking is the best option, the scenery on the way is amazing and some of the local transportation can help you on your way. It is also possible to rent horses. Several agents run jeep tours to some of the more remote sites.

Archaeological sites


Other

Money
There are ATMs in San Agustín, buy they are not very reliable and are out of cash at the end of long week ends. To get money you may have to go to Pitalito. Bring your passport or you might end up in the DAS office in Pitalito.

The only ATM in town does give cash advance on Visa credit cards.

Drink
This region is rich in coffee, drink very common in the rural community, as well as drinks and chicha guarapo alcoholic beverages that are used by the aboriginals ansestros and even today are consumed by local residents.

Jugo de Caña is also commonly found, it is freshly pressed sugar cane juice with a hint of lemon - a very sweet beverage.

Stay safe
Most guidebooks may tell you this area is guerrilla territory, but this is no longer the case. If you are going to Popayan, Tierradentro or Mocoa, it is still best to avoid travellin by night.

Some of the agents organizing jeep tours are more interested in your personal belongings. Set up tours at your hostel.

Go next

 * Bogotá: Coomotor has three daily buses (12 hr, COP$65,000 to 75000), one in the morning (5:00) and two (18:30, 19:45) in the evening, to the capital of Colombia.
 * Popayán: You can get to Popayán in a small bus for COP$40,000. Several buses a day leave from downtown, or you can flag a bus at the crossroads to San Agustín. If buses are full at the crossroads, you can catch a colectivo to Isnos and buy a bus ticket there. The ride takes about 4.5 hours and is very bumpy (unpaved road through Puracé National Park).