Colombia
Huila
Region
The Huila Department is located in the upper valley of the Magdalena River in southern Colombia.
by Felix Gillen
The Huila Department is located in the upper valley of the Magdalena River in southern Colombia. You travel here for two destinations: the stone figures of San Agustín, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, and the dry landscape of Tatacoa near Neiva.
In the south of the Departamento, near the source of the Magdalena, lies the Archaeological Park of San Agustín. It is connected to the parks Alto de los Ídolos and Alto de las Piedras via a joint ticket.To the north, a good hour's drive from the capital Neiva, stretches the Tatacoa. Technically a tropical dry forest, with approximately 330 km² it is the country's second-largest dry zone after La Guajira. At night, its clear skies make it a destination for stargazing.Check the current UK FCDO travel advice before your trip.
Eating & Drinking in Huila
Huila's cuisine is down-to-earth and revolves around pork, corn, and achira starch. Then there's coffee: The department is Colombia's largest producer of specialty coffee.
Huilense Asado
Pork, marinated for at least 24 hours in a marinade of thyme, bitter orange, onions, garlic, and beer, then cooked in a clay oven. A traditional dish for mid-year San Pedro celebrations.
Insipid
Wrapped cornmeal side dish, served together with Arepa, cooked Yuca and Envuelto de maduro for the Asado.
Achira Sponge Cake
Crispy, gluten-free pastry made from achira plant starch, with cheese or quark and butter. Since 2012, it has held a protected origin status for Huila.
Special coffee
Huila is the largest producer of specialty coffee in Colombia. Around San Agustín, Pitalito, and Garzón, fincas welcome visitors for tours and tastings.
Best Time to Visit
When is the best time for your trip?
28–29°C·20–61 mm(little rain)
In Neiva, June to September are the driest months, with only about 20 mm of rain in August. Then it's also the hottest, with monthly averages up to 29°C. October and November are the wettest months.
The values are from Neiva Airport. Higher areas in Huila are much cooler: Palacio-Vegalarga station records monthly averages around 22 degrees.
Seasons
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Dry season
Übergangszeit
Wet season
Best Time to Visit
▶Show detailed monthly data
| Month | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Sun (h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27.9 | 100 | 6.6 |
| February | 28.1 | 124 | 5.7 |
| March | 27.7 | 163 | 4.9 |
| April | 27.3 | 150 | 5.0 |
| May | 27.5 | 95 | 5.3 |
| June | 27.8 | 35 | 5.5 |
| July | 28.1 | 31 | 5.5 |
| August | 28.9 | 20 | 5.6 |
| September | 29.1 | 61 | 5.4 |
| October | 27.8 | 204 | 5.5 |
| November | 26.9 | 232 | 5.5 |
| December | 27.1 | 166 | 6.0 |
Videos & Travel Reports
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Stone Figures and Fossils
The culture of San Agustín left burial mounds, sarcophagi, and hundreds of stone statues. Its heyday, the Regional Classic, is dated by archaeologists to approximately 300 to 800 AD.Numerous fossils from the middle Miocene originate from the Tatacoa.
Getting There and Exploring
Flight to Neiva: From Bogotá approx. 1 hour (Avianca, Clic, Satena).Flight to Pitalito: From Bogotá approx. 1 hour 20 minutes, from Cali approx. 1 hour (Satena); from Pitalito, the bus takes around 40 minutes to San Agustín.Bus Bogotá to San Agustín: around 10 hours (Coomotor, Taxis Verdes, Cootranshuila).Neiva to San Agustín: Direct bus around 4 hours from Neiva bus terminal.Neiva to Villavieja: Shared jeep or bus in about an hour.
