San Gil Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
Our personal and practical San Gil travel guide covers everything you need to plan an unforgettable trip to Colombia’s adventure capital – rafting, hiking, colonial towns, and all the insider tips to make it easy.
Looking for a place in Colombia that combines heart-pumping adventure with charming colonial vibes? Welcome to San Gil, the country’s adventure capital – and honestly, one of our favourite stops in all of Colombia. Whether you’re into rafting, paragliding, hiking, or simply soaking in the beauty of peaceful mountain towns, San Gil has something for everyone.
We know that planning travel in Colombia can be a bit overwhelming – figuring out transportation, finding the right base, or deciding how long to stay. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive San Gil travel guide, based on our personal experience. From how to get there and where to stay, to the best things to do and eat, we’ve got you covered.
Whether you're a backpacker chasing thrills, a slow traveller looking to unwind, or someone who wants to explore beyond the tourist hotspots, this guide will help you make the most of your time in San Gil. Let’s dive in – you might just fall in love with it like we did.
San Gil Travel Guide
San Gil Colombia Map
Is San Gil Worth Visiting?
Honestly, San Gil might have been our favourite destination in Colombia. There’s something for everybody, whether you’re into extreme adventures, quaint colonial villages, stunning hikes, or refreshing waterfalls – you name it.
San Gil is an amazing base. We loved our accommodation, and we found a lot of delicious food in town. Plus, public transport is well organised and affordable. Just go there and check it out yourself!
Where We Stayed in San Gil
We stayed at Trip Monkey Origen and loved everything about it. We loved the location because it is super central and close to delicious restaurants as well as supermarkets, the staff was extremely helpful and kind, the pool was refreshing, the breakfast was yummy, …
You can also use the public areas of their other hostels, like Trip Monkey del Río, whose pool is arguably nicer.
How to Get to San Gil
San Gil is conveniently located between the capital, Bogota and Bucaramanga. A direct bus from Bogota to San Gil takes around 9 hours, from Bucaramanga around 3 hours.
How to Get Around San Gil
The centre of San Gil is walkable.
Public transport in San Gil is amazing. Depending on your destination, local buses run at least once per hour from the Terminalito. Their destinations are clearly signposted, and you can just hop on the bus and buy a ticket.
Things to Do in San Gil
There is so much to do in San Gil that it’s almost impossible to do it all. Here are our favourite things we did do and some amazing suggestions we did not have the time for.
1. Day Trip to Barichara
A day trip to Barichara is like stepping into a postcard of Colombia’s colonial past. Buses leave very regularly from the Terminalito in San Gil.
This peaceful town – often dubbed the prettiest in the country – offers cobblestone streets, whitewashed houses, and stunning views over the Río Suárez Canyon. Spend your day wandering the streets, visiting local chapels and artisan shops, and don’t miss the breathtaking Salto del Mico viewpoint.
We have written a full Barichara travel guide:
2. Guane and the Camino Real
Guane feels like an absolutely hidden gem. If you think the cobblestone streets of Barichara are cute, you might find the streets of Guane even cuter.
Don’t miss the main square with the Parroquia San Isidro de Guane, the Museo Arquelógico y Paleontológico de Guane, as well as the omnipresent “Yo ❤️ Guane” sign.
You can either go here by bus (via Barichara) or hike along the Camino Real, one of the most popular hikes in all of Colombia.
3. Curiti and Pescaderito
Curiti is a colonial town which is famous for two things: being the “Village of Weavers” and the Pescaderito pools.
Buses from San Gil to Curiti leave about every half an hour. The bus will drop you off in the centre of town, and from there it’s about a 45-minute walk to the Pescaderito. Here, you can find different pools to swim in in a super scenic setting.
Another great place to explore in Curiti is the Cueva de la Vaca, or Cow Cave.
4. Juan Curi Waterfall
Juan Curi Waterfall, one of Colombia’s tallest at 250 meters (820 feet), is just a 30-minute drive from San Gil. Surrounded by lush greenery, it’s perfect for a refreshing swim. Another popular activity here is rappelling down the falls (called Torrentismo here).
While guided tours are available, visiting independently is easy. Catch a bus from San Gil’s Terminalito towards Charalá and exit at the falls!
5. Walk around San Gil
While San Gil is not as stunning as Barichara, you should set aside a bit of time to walk around and explore. Highlights are
- The main square with the Catedral de la Santa Cruz.
- Casa de Mercado.
- El Gallineral Park.
- Cerro de La Cruz for views across San Gil.
6. San Gil Paragliding
San Gil is only a short drive from the Chicamocha Canyon, the second-largest canyon worldwide. Arguably, the best way to see it is by going paragliding, so of course we jumped at the opportunity (literally). It was our first time ever, and we were stunned by the epic views. If you can handle a bit (or a bit more) of action, we absolutely recommend a paragliding excursion!
7. Chicamocha Canyon
In case you want to see the Chicamocha Canyon but you don’t dare to float mid-air, there are other, less adventurous ways to visit the second deepest canyon in the world:
- Parque Nacional del Chicamocha & Cable Car (which is more like a theme park)
- Chicamocha Water Park
- Trekking - parts of the Camino Real lead through the Chicamocha Canyon – you can go on a guided tour or hike on your own
8. San Gil Rafting
San Gil is a rafting paradise. You have three different rivers to choose from:
- Río Fonce: Best for beginners, 11 km (7 mi) on class 1-3 rapids.
- Río Suarez: Best for adventurous or confident rafters, 20 km (12 mi) on class 4-5 rapids.
- Río Chicamocha: Best in terms of scenery, class 1-4 rapids.
As complete beginners, we chose rafting on the Fonce River and had an amazing time!
9. Other Adventure Activities
There are so many adventure activities around San Gil that it’s almost impossible to try them all. Here are some more ideas for activities which we haven’t tried ourselves:
- Bungee Jumping
- Adventure Parks like Peñon Guane Park or Xplorer Ropes Park (the largest rope park in Colombia)
- Canyoning
- ATV tours
Where to Eat in San Gil
We were blown away by the affordable deliciousness of the food in San Gil. These are our favourites:
- Restaurante El Maná – They don’t just have a menu del dia but a menu ejecutivo including a small appetiser, dessert, coffee, and drink.
- Chivo Loco for local dishes
- Mizuki for Asian cuisine
- Maxi Brasas for amazing rotisserie chicken
How Many Days in San Gil Do You Need
As we mentioned earlier, San Gil is a great base and there’s something to do for most kinds of travellers. It’s hard to give a concrete itinerary recommendation in a place that is great for everything from extreme adventures to quaint colonial villages.
We strongly recommend planning at least two days in San Gil and being prepared to want to stay longer.
San Gil Tips
ATMs in San Gil
There are loads of ATMs from different banks in San Gil.
Supermarkets in San Gil
You can find big supermarkets like an ARA in the centre of town. If you’re looking for a truly huge supermarket, there’s a Metro on the other side of the river at Centro Comercial el Puente.
Internet in San Gil
We had no problems with the WiFi in our accommodation and our local SIM. Our data ran out while we were in San Gil, and we could recharge it at the local Claro store.
Is San Gil Safe
San Gil is a touristy town and mostly pretty safe.
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