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    San Agustín
    Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Colombia

    San Agustín

    City

    San Agustín is a small town in the south of the Huila Department, near the source of the Río Magdalena.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Colombia
    7. Huila
    9. San Agustín
    San Agustín is a small town in the south of the Huila Department, near the source of the Río Magdalena. You travel here for the Archaeological Park with its stone statues, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, and for the Estrecho del Magdalena canyon. The park lies approximately 2 km from the town at an elevation of about 1,730 m. Check the current UK FCDO travel advice before your trip.

    Sights in San Agustín

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Fuente De Lavapatas
    Museum

    1Fuente De Lavapatas

    A system of water channels and basins carved into the rock. It is located within the Archaeological Park.
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    Alto de las Piedras
    Attraction

    2Alto de las Piedras

    Smaller archaeological park about 5 km from the center of Isnos. It is also included in the combined ticket.
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    Alto de los Ídolos
    Park

    3Alto de los Ídolos

    Independent Archaeological Park in the municipality of Isnos, about 30 km from San Agustín. Admission is included in the main park ticket.
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    San Agustín Archaeological Park
    Museum

    4San Agustín Archaeological Park

    The park protects burial mounds and statues of the San Agustín culture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. It is open from 8 AM to 3 PM, usually closed on Tuesdays; admission costs 75,000 COP for non-resident foreign visitors and is also valid for Alto de los Ídolos and Alto de las Piedras. Plan 3 to 4 hours for the tour.
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    Magdalena River's Narrows
    Attraction

    5Magdalena River's Narrows

    A few kilometers from the town, Río Magdalena squeezes through a rock channel some 2.20 meters wide.
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    Restaurants in San Agustín

    1

    Altos de YerbaBuena (Experiences).

    Restaurant on the road to the Archaeological Park, about two kilometers outside, with limited seating. It is known for Lomo al trapo, beef marinated in red wine and cooked in cloth, alongside trout and vegetarian dishes.
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    2

    Restaurante Italiano il Pastaio di Ugo

    Italian Restaurant in San Agustín with Pizza and Pasta.
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    3

    La Gata Steakhouse San Agustín

    Terraced grill restaurant on the road to the Archaeological Park. Besides Sobrebarriga, skewers, trout, and burgers, grilled vegetables.
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    Food & Drink in San Agustín

    San Agustín is located in the coffee-growing region of southern Huila; thus, coffee and local pastries define daily life. Huila's cuisine is served.
    Special coffee

    Special coffee

    In the south of Huila, specialty coffee grows, and in San Agustín, fincas open their doors to visitors who want to see the bean processing. Tasting routes connect San Agustín with Pitalito and Garzón.
    Bizcocho of achira

    Bizcocho of achira

    Crispy pastry made from Achira starch, traditionally eaten in southern Huila with a cup of coffee. The Achiras from Huila boast a Protected Designation of Origin.

    Asado huilense

    Marinated pork from the clay oven, served with Arepa, Insulso, and Yuca. Traditionally, it is prepared for the mid-year San Pedro festivities.

    The Culture of San Agustín

    The pre-Hispanic culture of San Agustín created burial mounds, sarcophagi, and stone statues. Most figures still stand at their original location and face east.The park was officially established in 1935. Early researchers like Konrad Theodor Preuss photographed approximately 120 statues in 1913 and 1914.

    Arrival and Onward Travel

    Flight: Satena flies from Bogotá (approx. 1 hour 20 minutes) and Cali (approx. 1 hour) to Pitalito, from there a bus takes about 40 minutes to San Agustín.Bus from Bogotá: approx. 10 hours.Bus from Neiva: direct approx. 4 hours, departure from Neiva bus terminal.Bus from Cali: direct approx. 8 hours, with infrequent departures.Parks near Isnos: Alto de los Ídolos is approx. 30 km from San Agustín, Alto de las Piedras is about 5 km from the center of Isnos.Check the current UK FCDO travel advice before your trip.

    Accommodations in San Agustín

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    Nearby

    Popayán is the capital of Departamento Cauca and is called Ciudad Blanca due to its whitewashed colonial buildings. You travel here for the old town, which is among Latin America's best-preserved, for the Holy Week processions, and for Cauca's cuisine. The city is located approximately 140 road kilometers south of Cali. Check the current UK FCDO travel advice before your trip. Before traveling, check the current travel and security advisories.
    Huila

    Huila

    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.
    Cali & Popayán

    Cali & Popayán

    Colombia's southwest connects two very different cities: Cali in Valle del Cauca is considered the capital of Salsa, Popayán in Departamento Cauca the country's white colonial city. You travel here for dance nights in Salsotecas, for whitewashed old town alleys and for the cuisine of Cauca. Both cities are located approximately 140 road kilometers apart.
    Cali

    Cali

    Cali, with around 2.3 million inhabitants, is the largest city in southwestern Colombia and is known as the capital of Salsa. You come here for dancing, for the Valle del Cauca cuisine, and for the view from Cristo Rey. Worth seeing are the colonial quarter San Antonio, the Granada restaurant district, and the Bulevar del Río in the center.
    Desierto de la Tatacoa

    Desierto de la Tatacoa

    The Tatacoa Desert is a dry landscape in the north of the Departamento Huila near Villavieja, about 38 km from the capital Neiva. You come here for red and gray erosion labyrinths, for fossils, and for the starry sky that observatories explain at night. Technically, it is a tropical dry forest spanning about 330 km², making it Colombia's second-largest dry zone after La Guajira. Check the current UK FCDO travel advice before your trip. Before traveling, check the current travel and security advisories.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
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