“Hey, do you speak English?” she asked in English. Sure, I said. Talk to him in English, she said, referring to her little brother, standing next to her. Ok, let me hear you say something in English, I said. The boy, too shy to say anything, just laughed and stared at his sister. Ok, ok, wait, I’ll video call my friend and you can speak to him in English, she said, already making the call before I could say anything. “Where are you from? How old are you?” I was now talking to a kid on a video call. Not sure what the point of that was, but after two or three phrases, the girl hung up.

That’s a nice camera, take a picture of us, she said. Sure. They started posing, squatting, doing peace signs and thumbs ups. Took 3 or 4 photos. “Let me see them”, she said. Nice, ok, you can delete them. “Can I keep this one?" I asked. Sure, that’s a nice one. Bye-bye now. They started walking back home on this recently renovated stone path to Las Gachas.

Dirt path with views of the countryside in Guadalupe, going downhill to Las Gachas river stream, during the afternoon.
Renovated stone path going through hills, from Las Gachas to Guadalupe. A small dog, maybe a chihuahua, facing the camera on the side of the path

Las Gachas, a shallow stream where water runs through a red stone riverbed, creating natural pools, caves, and in some cases, what looks like abstract art by Mother Nature.

These formations, 1 hour away on foot from the tiny town of Guadalupe, have put the town on the map for both local and international travelers.

The town itself, 2 hours away by car from San Gil, remains a tranquil place, mostly filled with hat-wearing campesinos and corner stores with simple products, old weigths, fruit and produce.

One of the stone roads surrounding the main park of Guadalupe Santander. On the street to the left, an older lady sweeps the street. On the right, an old yellow SUV, possibly a Toyota.
Small grocery store in Guadalupe, Santander. An old weight, a couple of plastic trays and bags with produce lay in the front of the store.

The main park is calm, with tall palm trees and a fountain in the center. Around town, you can see the normal makings of a rural Colombian town. There are corner stores, not D1, Ara, or any other supermarket chain. There are some restaurants, mostly selling local and fast food.

However, tourism is developing in Guadalupe. A couple of hostels are starting to pop up. You can now find a modern café selling more than your basic tinto or café con leche. Local authorities are now beautifying the town, most likely in an effort to continue attracting tourists.

Town workers laying what looks like sandstone on the street between the church and the main park of Guadalupe, Santander
Two townspeople sitting in a corner store, one of them below the branch of a tree

⭐️ Quebrada las Gachas / Free / Google Maps

The stream, running through redstone riverbed, creates smooth surfaces on the rock and dozens of big and small natural pools where you can relax. If you keep going up the stream, you’ll get to see carved caves inside the rock, created by the same stream of water. Some of these holes are deep, so be careful when exploring, not to fall into one of them. Walking up the stream takes you through pleasant views of the countryside, natural pools, caves and what looks like abstract art carved in the rock.

One of the natural pools of Las Gachas in Guadalupe Santander

To safely walk on the riverbed without slipping, use an extra pair of socks. You’ll see this tip in every guide for a good reason: it works. The path from town to Las Gachas has recently been renovated with a modern stone path. There are benches, garbage cans, and resting points along the way. To get there, it’s a 45-minute walk south from the main park. At the gas station on the road heading to Oiba, the walking path starts here. After 15 minutes, the path turns to the new stone path. While it’s possible to get to a certain point by moto-taxi or car, the only way to get to the river is by walking. You’ll know you’ve reached Las Gachas when you see a metal sign welcoming you. Walk upstream to find the natural pools. To continue exploring upstream, you’ll have to take some paths parallel to the river.

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Natural pools and holes formed by the flow of water in Las Gachas
Natural pools and holes formed by the flow of water in Las Gachas

Other places and things to do:

  • Donde Jose Hostel: Recently opened hostel in the main plaza, run by Jose Navarro, an expert guide of all plans and activities in Guadalupe.
  • Pachamama Cafe: Run by Donde Jose Hostel, this little café one block away from the main park offers modern café options, such as lattes and cappuccinos.
  • Alfa y Omega fruits and ice cream: Fruit juices and salpicones (fruit salads). Try the traditional Masato here, a drink made of fermented rice, panela (sugar cane), and cinnamon. It’s a refreshing drink after a walk to Las Gachas.
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