San Agustin Archaeological Park: Visitors Guide
Visit with us San Agustin Archaeological Park in the Huila Department, the top archaeological site in Colombia that is also listed in UNESCO. This travel guide includes tips on visiting the park, and we also share information on how much things cost, opening hours, or where to stay.
San Agustin is a small town in Colombia's Huila Department, often overlooked by travelers as it is not located on the official gringo trail.
In case your trip around Colombia is still in progress, consider including San Agustin in it. Why?
Well, there are plenty of reasons and things to do in San Agustin, but the most important one is the possibility to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Agustin Archaeological Park.
This park is truly remarkable as it contains the largest collection of pre-Columbian sculptures and monuments in Latin America! We absolutely loved looking for these monuments.
The park itself is vast, so basically, we could walk around (on the designated trails, of course) and look for carved statues ourselves.
When the weather plays along, you can spend in the park even the whole day, although we think three to four hours are enough, especially if you want to see more places this area has to offer.
Even though we did not have high expectations, San Agustin Archaeological Park quickly became one of our favorite places in Colombia, and we did not regret this detour for a single moment.
In case you would like to know more, keep on reading. Because San Agustin is worth including in your Colombia itinerary.
This travel guide includes everything you need to know for planning your trip to San Agustin Archaeological Park, such as when to visit, what to pack, how much the ticket is, or how to get there.
SAN AGUSTIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
More than 500 statues are scattered around San Agustin; that's why it is quite unbelievable that we do not know much about this ancient artwork.
Archaeologists discovered that the stones sculptors used come from volcanoes that were in the area, and they guess that carvings have origin between 1st and 4th century AD, but it is overall very little known about people who created these mysterious statues.
We know so little about former inhabitants and their purpose behind carving deities, animals, and human beings in the rock because this Augustinian culture did not use writing, or at least no records have been yet found.
Another reason is that when the site was abandoned, approximately in the 12th century AD, nature, as it is very common, took quickly over, and it took several centuries for the site to be rediscovered.
Unfortunately, before this archaeological park became protected, it became prey to tomb raiders who destroyed many historical evidence pieces.
Although we would certainly prefer to learn more about this archaeological site, we did not consider it a disadvantage.
The whole visit was, thanks to it, very visual, and as we live in an over-informed society, we let our imagination run wild for once.
As we've already mentioned, most tombs and statues can be found in San Agustin Archaeological Park, which is only three kilometers from the town.
But that's not all, and you can visit other sites such as Alto de las Piedras, Alto de los Idolos, El Purutal y la Pelota, El Tablon, or La Chaquira.
These sites are in the countryside, quite close to San Agustin, and are normally visited in two days on a jeep tour and horseback riding tour.
To know more, read our San Agustin travel guide.
HOW TO GET TO SAN AGUSTIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
To get to the park, you need to arrive in San Agustin first. San Agustin is well-connected with Colombia's capital city, Bogota, even though the ride is quite long and tiring.
It is actually the case no matter where you are coming from to San Agustin because roads are very winding.
We traveled to San Agustin from Neiva, a gateway to the Tatacoa Desert (we had to switch a bus in Pitalito).
Then after visiting San Agustin, we continued to Popayan, Colombia's White City. If you tend to be sick in the car, we highly recommend you taking a motion sickness pill before the trip.
Once you are in San Agustin, you have three options for getting to the archaeological park if you want to visit the site individually.
Walk | San Agustin Archaeological Park is about three kilometers from the town, so it is certainly doable to get there on foot.
On the other hand, you can expect a lot of walking within the park, plus we do not think it is somehow nice to follow the road.
But if you are an ultimate budget traveler trying to save money on the road, it is good to know this alternative exists.
Public Bus | This is the alternative we opted for. The bus ticket costs 1 200 COP one way, and the bus runs frequently.
We found the bus stop in front of El Fogon restaurant, but in case you are staying elsewhere, ask a front desk staff where is the best place to wait for the bus.
The ride took about 10 minutes, and the bus stops right in front of the park's gate. To get back, follow this guideline, only in reverse order.
Taxi | The most convenient way how to reach the park is by hiring a cab.
The taxi should not cost more than 10 000 COP, so if you are in a hurry or travel with a group of friends, this might be the best option for you both time and money-wise.
TICKETS
To enter the site, you need to buy a ticket. The ticket costs 50 000 COP for foreigners and is valid for two consecutive days.
The ticket for San Agustin Archaeological Park is called a passport because it allows you to visit not only the park itself but a few other archaeological sites in the area - Alto de las Piedras, Alto de los Idolos, and El Tablon.
If you prefer a guided tour, you can sign up for one by the entrance.
There are usually several guides hanging around who speak Spanish or English, but we found their services quite costly for our needs (expect to pay 60 - 70 000 COP).
OPENING HOURS
San Agustin Archaeological Park is open every day from 8 AM till 4 PM, except for Tuesday. Tuesday is the maintenance day.
In case you arrive on that very day, do not despair.
Take a one-day San Agustin tour or horseback riding tour, and keep the park's visit for the next day.
VISITING SAN AGUSTIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
We decided to visit the park independently, so first, we headed to a very informative Luis Duque Gomez Museum just behind the counter
The musuem was great, we could read about the history of the area, about the culture, indigenous inhabitants, and overall, it was a great introduction for exploring the site.
Then, we were finally ready for this UNESCO site.
There are a few trails within the park, and you can easily follow them all - just read the map that is available on a few spots throughout the park.
First, we headed to the Forest of Statues, an approximately 700 meters long loop lined with statues found in different parts of today's park.
Then we returned to the trailhead and joined Mesita (Table) A. As you can see, the park is divided into sections.
First, we walked the Table A section and Mecita C, which brought us to Fuente Ceremonial de Lavapatas.
This ceremonial site is extraordinary as it is actually a large hydraulic and drainage system.
Then, we decided to climb uphill to Alto de Lavapatas, which is not only a wonderful viewpoint but also a historically significant place.
It is a place where the remains of a house were found that dates back to 3300 BC!
After visiting this site, we returned to the ticket office via Mesita B. These sections, A, B, and C, are really incredible.
All of them hold many statues and tombs that show indigenous people's artistic talent and prove their education in astrology, mathematic, or architecture.
Simply put, this archaeological site was one of our favorites we visited in Latin America.
It was not crowded, we could walk around freely (unlike Machu Picchu for example), and overall, we spent in the park a delightful afternoon.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY IN SAN AGUSTIN
San Agustin can easily become your base for visiting the area, and you might spend here two to three nights (or seven! like us), according to your itinerary.
The good news is that the selection is quite large, and you can choose to stay in the very center, but many lodges are on edge, and thanks to it offer perfect views of the surrounding hills.
We've handpicked the best three hotels in San Agustin for every type of traveler; feel free to get inspired.
Budget | Hotel La Gaitana - We traveled around Colombia for two months, but this hostel was undeniably the best one. An amiable family runs this hotel, rooms are basic but clean, breakfast is tasty, and the first floor's patio is perfect for rest after all the sightseeing.
Mid-range | Masaya San Agustin - Wonderful views, same as rooms, and the location a bit out of the town's center guarantees peaceful atmosphere and quiet nights. This accommodation also offers cheaper dormitories for travelers on a budget.
Luxury | Akawanka Lodge - Spacious rooms, excellent and helpful staff, beautiful surroundings. The location is quiet, although a bit further from the town center. On the other hand, tours can pick you up here. This is one of the best hotels in San Agustin.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK
This site is possible to visit all year round. The weather in San Agustin is quite changeable because of the hills nearby.
In general, the best time to visit is between December to February, which is the dry season, followed by July and August.
We remember it rained quite hard on the day of our visit, but as the showers are usually short, we set off anyway, and it stopped raining when we were buying tickets.
Temperatures in San Agustin are quite pleasant, but pack a jacket, or rain jacket, just in case.
We also wore leggings and light hiking trousers.
Make sure to pack a rain poncho or travel umbrella (if you don't have a proper rain jacket), comfortable daypack, and water bottle as you might wander around for several hours.
Even though it is often overcast in the region, the sun is always strong, bring a sunscreen.
When it comes to the time of the day, try to get to the park early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds; although the park is so large, we had most of the trails only to ourselves.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
