Santander's Cloud Forest: Bears, Condors & Orchids
The Andean cloud forests above Bucaramanga are among Colombia's most biodiverse ecosystems — the spectacled bear, the Andean condor, and hundreds of endemic plants inhabit the fog-shrouded forests that rise above the city
Bucaramanga Outdoors: Paragliding, Climbing & Canyon Adventures
Bucaramanga's dramatic Andean setting makes it one of Colombia's best adventure sports cities — paragliding over the Chicamocha, rock climbing on the canyon walls, and white-water rafting on the Suárez River are all accessible from the city
Santander Cuisine: Ants, Dried Beef & Andean Stews
Santander has Colombia's most distinctive regional cuisine — from the pre-Columbian roasted ants to the sun-dried beef and the enormous mute stew; Bucaramanga's food culture is proud, idiosyncratic, and deeply tied to the land
Bucaramanga: The City of Parks and Hormiga Culona
Bucaramanga — the capital of Santander — is known for its dozens of parks, its roasted ants (hormigas culonas), and its bumangués pride; the most prosperous city of the Colombian interior after Bogotá and Medellín
Bucaramanga Nightlife: Salsa, Vallenato & Bumangués Energy
Bucaramanga has a vibrant nightlife driven by its large student population and bumangués energy — the Cabecera del Llano district's restaurants, bars, and live music venues make evenings in the City of Parks excellent
Girón: Colombia's Perfectly Preserved Colonial Town
Girón — 10 km from Bucaramanga — is Colombia's best-preserved 17th-century colonial town; declared a National Monument, the white tapia pisada architecture, the cobblestone streets, and the Río de Oro waterfront are extraordinary
Mesa de los Santos: Paragliding Capital Over the Chicamocha Canyon
The Mesa de los Santos — a flat plateau above the dramatic Chicamocha River canyon near Bucaramanga — is Colombia's paragliding capital; the thermal currents, the canyon views, and the coffee and cacao farms of the mesa create an extraordinary highland destination
Chicamocha Canyon: Colombia's Grand Canyon Adventure Park
The Parque Nacional del Chicamocha (Panachi) — spanning the vast Chicamocha River canyon — has a cable car crossing the 2,000-metre-deep canyon, adventure activities, and the most dramatic canyon landscape in Colombia