Cali & Southwest Colombia
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© Lonely Planet Publications 238 Cali & Southwest COLOMBIA COLOMBIA Colombia CALI & SOUTHWEST CALI & SOUTHWEST The southwestern corner of Colombia is a diverse region. Sweaty Cali, famous for its salsa nightclubs, is a bustling metropolis, and well worth a visit. Colonial Popayán boasts some of the finest architecture in the country. Eastward lie the archaeological ruins of Tierradentro and San Agustín, set amid jaw-dropping scenery, and the anomalous Desierto de la Tatacoa. Southward there’s Pasto, a surprisingly hip town a few hours from the border, and Santuario de Las Lajas, a cathedral built across a breathtaking gorge just a short taxi ride from Ecuador. Cali is the biggest city here. While it’s nearly the same size as Medellín, it is often overlooked by travelers. It’s a city eager to make friends – in addition to its many nightclubs, it also has funky cafes in the old colonial neighborhood of San Antonio, and the dining district of Granada is not to be missed. Cali is also a great base for hikes into the surrounding area. Archaeological buffs should be sure to check out San Agustín and Tierradentro, Colom- bia’s two most important archaeological sites. While the ruins themselves may not be King Tut’s tomb, they are set amid stunning panoramas of Andean beauty. Halfway between San Agustín and Bogotá, outside the sleepy river port of Neiva, you’ll find the Desierto de la Tatacoa, a small cactus-clad region with an observatory – come for the stargazing and sleep in the desert. On the march to Ecuador you’ll come to frequently ignored Pasto, the source of many Colombian jokes. While it does have a noticeable Ecuadorean influence, there are still good restaurants and bars, and every January the town goes crazy with its Festival de Blanco y Negro – a must if you’re passing through. Finally, don’t miss the Santuario de Las Lajas when you cross the border – it really is as spectacular as the photos look. HIGHLIGHTS Lago Calima Learn to swivel your hips and boogie in the Desierto de la Tatacoa sweaty salsa joints of Cali ( p246 ) Cali Soar above the waves amid green moun- tain scenery while kitesurfing Lago Calima Tierradentro ( p248 ) Spend the night stargazing in Colombia’s tiniest desert, the Desierto de la Tatacoa ( p267 ) Take a boat ride on Laguna de la Cocha ( p264 ) and visit cloud-forest-clad Isla Carota in the middle Laguna de la Cocha Hike the hills of Tierradentro ( p258 ) to visit ancient tombs and gawk at the stunning scenery lonelyplanet.com CALI 239 CALI & SOUTHWEST CALI & SOUTHWEST COLOMBIA COLOMBIA 0 60 km CALI & SOUTHWEST COLOMBIA 0 40 miles 79ºW 78ºW 77ºW 76ºW Río San Palestina Río Munguidó Trujillo To Medellín (335km); Juan Bogotá (390km) Bajo 4ºN El Choncho San Calima Tuluá 4ºN Juanchaco Isidro Lago Darién Calima Buga Bahía de Málaga Buenaventura Tolima Bahía de LoboguerreroὈὈParque ὄὄ San Cipriano Buenaventura El Cerrito Nacional Chaparral Yumbo Natural las Hermosas Valle del Cauca Palmira P A C I F I C Parque CALI Pradera Nacional Natural Pance Florida O C E A N Villavieja Farallones Parque Nacional Aipe de Cali ) Natural y Desierto de Nevado del Huila w la Tatacoa 3ºN H Nevado 3ºN n a Ὀ ὈὈὈa ὄὄ c del Huila Parque Nacional TAL ic u r NEIVA e Natural a Palermo m Parque C Isla Gorgona A a Nacional - n o n Huila e í l Natural DEN a a R P Munchique ( Belalcázar d Silvia g Campoalegre Piendamó (Páez) a Guapi M Tierradentro o í Cauca CC I POPAYÁN Parque Coconuco La Plata R Nacional P at í a Puracé Natural í o ὈSanquianga ὈὈὈR ὈὈVolcán ὄὄ AO El Paletará Puracé Volcán Garzón Bordo Pan de Azúcar Volcán Parque Altamira 2ºN Nariño Nacional Natural 2ºN LER a de Sotará n Patía a Puracé Isnos Río ic Puerto Rico er San Tumaco m Agustín San a Pitalito n Agustín DILa Mi P ío ra Barbacoas R FLORENCIA Parque TRAL COR ὈὈὈNacional Natural Cueva de los La Montañita Guácharos Río G Samaniego Volcán ui CEN za Galeras Caquetá Laguna PASTO Sibundoy Verde Ricaurte Túquerres El Encano MOCOA Volcán Getucha 1ºN Nevado del Laguna Curillo 1ºN Cumbal (4762m) Azufral R í o ERA Chical Guachucal de la Cocha Puerto Caq Maldonado Cumbal Ipiales ue Guzmán t á Las Lajas TULCÁN Solano Orito Putumayo E C U A D O R a R a n í ric o RD I LL e C a m Puerto Asís Pan h i n g CO u a San Miguel To Quito l 79ºW (80km) 78ºW 77ºW 76ºW Climate Getting There & Away The climate varies dramatically by region and Cali’s airport receives flights from North and altitude. Cali is hot and humid, the border South America and Europe. Efficient buses reaches with Ecuador are cooler and drier. connect the area to the rest of the country. See In the Desierto de la Tatacoa the mercury p310 for more on travel to/from Colombia. sometimes hits 50°C. Getting Around National, State & Regional Parks Buses can take you everywhere you want to The archaeological sites of San Agustín go in Southwest Colombia. See p314 for more ( p255 ) and Tierradentro ( p258 ) are both details on domestic travel. protected areas, whose topography is even more stunning than the archaeological stuff. Laguna de la Cocha ( p264 ) and Laguna Verde ( p264 ) outside Pasto are worth a visit, and CALI the Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de %2 / pop 3.5 million / elev 969m Cali ( p247 ), outside of Cali, offers numerous Cali is not an immediately likable city. hiking opportunities. For one thing, it is muggy and hot. For .