The 10 Best Tours in Bucaramanga, Santander Department

Discover with Fabio, a gastronomist, the variety of fruit and vegetables harvested in Santander at Bucaramanga’s central market. Fabio will take you to one of the oldest cafes in the city for a typical coffee and pandebono, a sweet and savory cheese bread. Return to his apartment to prepare regional cuisine such as empanadas and arepas or a fish stew with Fabio and his mother Carmen. You will learn to make the dough and prepare a variety of fillings such as beef and rice, chicken and mushroom or santandereanas (carne oreada with hogao) accompanied by sauces like a Colombian pepper sauce, herb mayonnaise or caramel pineapple. Enjoy your home-cooked meal with fun locals that will start with a taste of fresh fruit. Soups are a staple of the Colombian diet so your meal will continue with a typical soup or stew filled with seasonal vegetables and meat followed by empanadas or fish in criolla sauce. End your meal with dessert and limonada made from panela, sour fruit juice spices and ice.

Inclusions: Private market tour and cooking class with your host Fabio, Alcoholic Beverages

Exclusions:

The Chicamocha Canyon is over 125 miles long (200 km) and from the river to its tallest peak approximately 1.25 miles (2000 m) high. This makes it a greater depth than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The piece de resistance is the cable car which travels 0.75 miles (1200m) down into the canyon and also up on the opposite side, with a total travel time of ½ hour giving you plenty of time to take the perfect photo. The actual theme park is a combination of historical and cultural events as well as supplying more adventurous activities such as climbing an artificial waterfall, zip lining, an extreme swing, virtual reality, a waterpark, trampolines and more.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, Bilingual Guide for entire tour time, Entrance fees, 2x Cable Car rides, Stop at Café Mesa de los Santos: Opportunity to buy some of the most exclusive coffee in Colombia

Exclusions: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the plan, Experiences and transportation not mentioned in the plan, Personal expenses and tips

San Gil is the adventure capital of Santander. You can do river rafting, paragliding, zip lining, bungee jumping, canyoneering, caving, mountain-biking, etc. in San Gil or near the town. In one day it is possible to do up to 2 or 3 different activities. River rafting can be done on 3 different rivers: the Fonce River (45,000 COP) which is up to class III rafting (medium), the Chicamocha River (180,000 COP/ full day) which is class IV (advanced) and the Suarez River (130,000 COP) which is up to class V rafting (advanced/ extreme). The paragliding sites are Curití (80,000 COP) and the Chicamocha Canyon (180,000 COP). The zip lines (30,000 COP) and the bungee-jumping platform (70,000 COP) are located in San Gil. Canyoning is climbing down of the Juan Curí Waterfalls (70,000 COP) on a secured rope and for the caving activity you have a professional guide and hike through the Indian Cave or the Cow Cave (30,000 COP) for approx. 2 hours. Prices listed in parenthesis might change slightly.

Inclusions: Private transport to San Gil, Transport to all the sites of the extreme sports that you wish to do, Lunch in a typical Colombian town market in San Gil, English-, Spanish- and/ or German-speaking accompaniment, Guarantee of fair prices for any additional activity (as listed above in parenthesis), Travel insurance and additional insurances for extreme sports

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Caminaremos a través de una ciudad llena de historia a pesar de sus edificios contemporáneos y podremos entender el porqué de la reputación de la gente santandereana.

Inclusions: Recorrido guiado , Coffee and/or Tea, Entrada al museo

Exclusions: Private transportation

As soon as you arrive you’ll be able to see the top waterfall and it won’t disappoint. With a combined height of 820 ft (250 m) these waterfalls are both impressive and peaceful at the same time. You’ll enjoy the 25-minute trek via the tropical rainforest to get to the lower waterfalls and a swimming spot where you can simply relax and enjoy this idyllic scene. Once you’ve soaked up this amazing landscape and committed every part of this tremendous morning to memory you will head off to the wonderful town of Barichara. After spending only a few moments in Barichara you’ll completely understand why it is called the most beautiful town in Colombia and quite possibly the world. You will fall in love with the colonial architecture, cobbled roads and artisan workshops. You’ll cherish the spectacular views of the Suarez Canyon and relish the experience of making by hand your very own paper. You’ll savor your lunch and also have an opportunity to take a 2-hour hike to Guane.

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, Bilingual Guide for entire tour time, Entrance fees, Lunch, Walking tour of Barichara, Making Paper by Hand experience, Hiking “Camino Real” to Guane (2 hrs) – optional, no extra cost., Juan Curí Tour

Exclusions: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the plan, Experiences and transportation not mentioned in the plan, Personal expenses and tips

Book a private transfer from your hotel or destination to Airport, service guaranteed once you make the booking. We will provide all information necessary to meet your driver at hotel or destination. • Meet and greet • Private transfer • 24 hours service (all day) • All costs included (taxes, fees, tolls, tips, etc…)

Inclusions: All taxes, fees and handling charges, Hotel pickup, One-way private transfer, Transport by private vehicle

Exclusions: Food and drinks

Meet your hosts Edna and Juan Pablo at their apartment before heading out to visit one of the local markets. Edna will select the market you will visit based on the ingredients needed for the day’s menu. As you shop together, Edna will introduce you to the local fruits and vegetables on sale, as well as some of the traditional ingredients sold at the market.  After the market tour, you will join Edna in her kitchen for a cooking lesson where you will learn to make 2-3 classic Colombian plates. Edna might teach you to prepare Colombia's national dish called bandeja paisa, which is a platter filled with foods that represent Colombia’s diverse regions including sausages, beef, eggs, beans and rice, an arepa, fried plantains and chicharrón (fried pork) or ajiaco, the ubiquitous Colombian chicken soup filled with corn and three varieties of Andean potatoes. She will also teach you to make a typical Colombian drink and brew Colombian style coffee with you!

Inclusions: Private market tour and cooking class with your host Edna, Private cooking class + meal, Beverages, All taxes, fees and handling charges, Gratuities, Lunch, Alcoholic Beverages

Exclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off

10 amazing days on a Private Tour of Colombia! Explore the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara along with magnificent waterfalls, tropical jungles, magical beaches, crystal clear oceans, an ancient city, a mud volcano, a day on the amazing Rosario Islands and of course Cartagena! This 10-day tour combines adventure, history, and more – it’s also simply the best way possible to spend your time in the spectacular country of Colombia!

Inclusions: Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Breakfast, Airport Pickup and drop-off, Pickup and Drop-off from your accommodation, Transport in private air conditioned vehicle, 9x nights accommodation in double rooms in your choice of 3, 4, or 5-star hotels

Exclusions: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the plan, Experiences and transportation not mentioned in the plan, Personal expenses and tips

More than just a transfer to Barichara from Bucaramanga. This tour includes a 30-minute cable car ride through the Chicamocha Canyon, a tour of PANACHI with its magical views, and a tour of the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara!

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, Bilingual Guide, Entrance Fees

Exclusions: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the plan, Experiences and Transportation not mentioned in the plan, Personal expenses and tips

Hiking from Barichara to Guane is one of the must-do hikes during your stay in Santander, Colombia. And the only way to make this an even more fantastic experience is to finish up with a wonderful 3-hour gastronomical tour through Barichara!

Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation, Bilingual Guide for entire tour time, Entrance fees, Lunch, Walking tour of Barichara

Exclusions: Meals and drinks not mentioned in the plan, Experiences and transportation not mentioned in the plan, Personal expenses and tips