Last updated on December 18, 2023.

Tierradentro is an archaeological park in Colombia with a fascinating collection of underground tombs, the largest in the Americas. The tombs are at least 1,000 years old. Many contain painted geometric designs or rock carvings. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site but is endangered due to landslides and human interference.

Tierradentro, which is the second most important archaeological site in Colombia after San Agustín, appealed to me for one simple reason. It combined my love of archaeology and history with the enjoyment of hiking through a beautiful mountainous area.

 

Visiting Tierradentro

The entrance to the park is about a 20 minute walk downhill from the tiny town of San Andrés de Pisimbalá. Admission is COP$45,000 for Colombians and COP$65,000 for foreigners (as of October 2023). Visitors are given a passport book which is stamped at each location they visit. The locations, open from 8am to 4pm, are along a 16km loop trail and each has a spectacular view. At each location in Tierradentro (except for one), there’s a set of tombs which can be visited by climbing down into them.

Entrance to Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Entrance to Tierradentro

The loop can be done in a full day if starting early, but I highly recommend splitting it into two days. First of all, it’s good to spend some time at each location to visit some of the tombs. Secondly, the hiking can be strenuous at times (see below). Bring as much water as you can carry because there’s nowhere along the trail to buy any. Also wear good hiking boots. There were some German tourists in flip-flops and I had no idea how they were able to manage.

If you do split up the hiking, it’s best to start at La Portada Hotel each time. On one day, go clockwise. On another, go counterclockwise. This helps avoid the difficult uphill hiking.

The tombs at most sites are marked with a photo of what’s inside and a description in Spanish and English. This can help save time by allowing you to decide which tombs you want to climb into.

Description of one of the tombs at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Description of one of the tombs

 

Museums

Before doing any hiking at all, it’s worth visiting the two museums near the park entrance. One is an archaeological museum and the other is an ethnographic museum. They’ll help give a better understanding of what you’re seeing while on the hike and about the indigenous culture that dominates the area.

The archaeological museum contains pottery, stone and replica tombs that can be seen along the trail.

Archaeological Museum at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Archaeological Museum

The ethnographic museum shows how the indigenous people of the area have lived for centuries and how their culture has shaped the region.

Ethnographic Museum at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Ethnographic Museum
Ethnographic Museum at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Ethnographic Museum

 

El Tablón

On our first day, after buying our passports and visiting the museums, we did the easier part of the trail. Heading back up to San Andrés, we walked to El Tablón. This was the least impressive site to visit. It’s the only site with no tombs, and instead contains large stone statues similar to the ones found at San Agustín.

El Tablón at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
El Tablón
El Tablón at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
El Tablón
The view from El Tablón at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The view from El Tablón

 

El Duende

Next, it was a good hour walk to El Duende. The first part was down a road until we came to a steep downhill path. Then it was along a narrow ridge through thick mud until we reached El Duende.

Steep downhill to El Duende at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Steep downhill to El Duende
The trail to El Duende at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The trail to El Duende

There are only a few tombs at El Duende, and we ended up visiting with two children who live in a small house underneath. We gave them some coins and snacks that we brought with and they were very happy. From El Duende, we were able to see the next stop, Segovia.

El Duende at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
El Duende
Marisol with two local children at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Marisol with two local children
View of Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
View of Segovia

 

Segovia

It was a short 15 minute walk to scenic Segovia, which has the most and best tombs to visit.

Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Segovia
A tomb at Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
A tomb at Segovia
Stairs heading into a tomb at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Stairs heading into a tomb

One of the tombs I entered contained pottery, some had colorful geometric designs, and others were plain or damaged.

Inside a tomb at Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Inside a tomb at Segovia
Pottery inside a tomb at Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Pottery
One of the more decorated tombs at Segovia at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
One of the more decorated tombs at Segovia

When we finished, we walked down to the entrance to complete our first day at the park. It was time to rest up for the second day.

 

Alto de San Andrés

On our second day at Tierradentro, we did the more difficult hike. By difficult, I mean brutal! The first part of the hike was easy and took us to Alto de San Andrés, which has a few interesting tombs to visit.

The trail to Alto de San Andrés at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The trail to Alto de San Andrés
Alto de San Andrés at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Alto de San Andrés
Inside a tomb at Alto de San Andrés at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Inside a tomb at Alto de San Andrés
Inside a tomb at Alto de San Andrés at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Inside a tomb at Alto de San Andrés

 

Hiking to El Aguacate

After that, it was a difficult march uphill for a good half hour, followed by 15 minutes of downhill. The views from the top were breathtaking, and when we reached the bottom we had to cross a small creek.

Alto de San Andrés from the trail at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Alto de San Andrés from the trail
The trail between Alto de San Andrés and El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The trail between Alto de San Andrés and El Aguacate
Our view after the first climb at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Our view after the first climb
The trail between Alto de San Andrés and El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The trail between Alto de San Andrés and El Aguacate
Crossing a creek at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Crossing a creek

Next, it was an agonizing uphill hike that lasted over an hour. The trail was mostly a deep and narrow rut, sometimes with mud in the middle. It seemed like it was never going to end, but we finally reached our destination, El Aguacate.

The view from the trail heading up at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The view from the trail heading up
The view from the trail heading up at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
The view from the trail heading up
Almost there! at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Almost there!
El Aguacate

At El Aguacate, there are several damaged tombs that can’t be entered along with a few that aren’t spectacular. The highlight is a tomb that features a carving of the sun and the moon. Many of the tombs there are entered by the original steps.

El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
El Aguacate
El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
El Aguacate
A tomb at El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
A tomb at El Aguacate
Representation of the sun and moon in a tomb at El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Representation of the sun and moon

The views from El Aguacate are incredible. We were able to see both sides of the ridge clearly, with a good look at the town of Inzá in the distance.

Inzá from El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Inzá from El Aguacate
Inzá from El Aguacate at Tierradentro, Cauca, Colombia
Inzá from El Aguacate

The rest of the hike was about two hours of extremely steep downhill. Some scrambling was involved near the end. I can’t imagine how the people who decided to walk up this way would have felt at the end because going down was bad enough! Our knees definitely needed a break once we reached the bottom.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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