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San Agustín is a small town in the Huila department of Colombia that attracts people from around the world for its archaeological sites and natural beauty.
Introduction to San Agustín
When I arrived in the small town of San Agustín, I was surprised to find such an eclectic mix of people and amazing international cuisine. There were visitors from all over the world, including weekenders from Bogotá, hippies from France, retirees from England, gap year students from the US, a group of friends from Ireland, families on summer break from Argentina, among others. For such a small off-the-beaten-path town with a very specialized attraction it was quite interesting and refreshing to find such diversity. I guess having important UNESCO World Heritage listed archaeological finds nearby helps, but you don’t have to love archaeology and pre-Columbian history to go there!
Getting to San Agustín
You can get to San Agustín on a direct bus from Popayán or Neiva. If coming from Mocoa in the south or from Bogotá via Neiva, stop at the swanky bus terminal in Pitalito (about 2 ½ hours from Mocoa and 3 ½ hours from Neiva). From there, you can take a van or camioneta (truck) to San Agustín. There seem to be a few companies but we used Pony Express because I liked the name. It takes about 45 minutes. Our camioneta driver even dropped us off directly in front of our hotel.
Getting Around San Agustín
To get to the main archaeological site, you can take a local bus or taxi. Tours are available to sites further away. Within town, you can get around on foot.
Where to Stay in San Agustín
The town of San Agustín is full of small hotels, guesthouses, hostels, and cabañas, both within the town limits and in the countryside. There are also luxury options available.
Hostal San Agustín
Hostal San Agustín is located right on Calle 5. It’s a short walk from several restaurants and there’s a convenience store next door. There’s no fancy entrance or front desk, just a phone number above the door. We called upon arrival and had to wait about 10 minutes for the owner to arrive to let us in and give us the key. The owner was an unorganized host who seemed to be new at the hostel business. He had to run out and buy towels and soap for us to use.
We stayed in a small room that opened up right onto the street. It had decent WiFi, a tv, a bathroom, and a shower with hot water. The room itself was ok but the big negative was the fact it was never cleaned and no supplies were replenished. We ran out of toilet paper and soap on day two and had to pop into the store next door to buy our own. It was also inconvenient to have to call the owner to check in after a long four-hour trip to get there. I would feel bad for a traveler without a Colombian phone and no Spanish.
Also, in case of emergency, the owner is not on site to tend to the problem. For a one or even two night stay, it’s a great place. For three nights, it gets quite dirty, especially after being out in nature and on horseback. I wouldn’t stay there again. There are other much better options available.
Where to Eat in San Agustín
One of the best things about San Agustín is the food! It’s like a small culinary oasis in a vast desert of homogeneous traditional Colombian dishes. After our long days touring the archaeological sites and natural wonders, we looked forward to trying one of the great restaurants in town.
I’ll start with the best restaurants and move down the list, but I have to say first place was extremely difficult to choose. There were two restaurants that could’ve easily won but I’m going to call it a tie.
Altos de Yerbabuena
Altos de Yerbabuena sits on the road to the San Agustín Archaeological Park. They specialize in both vegetarian cuisine and succulent steaks, along with a decent collection of good wines. The restaurant is a small place with just a few tables inside making for a romantic setting. If necessary, they can call a taxi to pick you up when your meal is finished.
The specialty of the house, lomo al trapo (a steak that’s been marinated in herbs and spices for several hours), wasn’t available, so Marisol and I both chose different steaks. I ordered the steak with green pepper sauce while Marisol had the steak in fine herbs. We both agreed that the meat was of high quality and cooked to perfection. I ordered my steak rare and it came out exactly the way it should have. In some places in Colombia, even if you order a steak medium it gets overcooked to a rubbery inedible state. At Altos de Yerbabuena, the meat melted in my mouth and was as juicy and flavorful as I dream a steak to be.
Our starter of mushrooms in cheese was incredible as were the accompanying side dishes, a salad and potatoes. The salad was by far the tastiest I’ve had in Colombia, a country that is clearly lacking in the salad department. We washed everything down with freshly prepared juice. Unfortunately there were no desserts, but a cinnamon and mint tea was a nice way to finish our perfect meal.
Restaurante Italiano il Pastaio di Ugo
The other winning restaurant was Restaurante Italiano il Pastaio di Ugo, located just outside town in the small village of El Tablón. We arrived to a packed house but Ugo was able to make room for us. We recommend reservations if you decide to visit and a taxi to get you there.
Ugo was very enthusiastic when explaining the day’s specials and chatted with us before we ordered. We started our meal with an amazing caprese salad and a pasta dish for the main course. I had the fusilli diavola and Marisol had a vegetarian linguine. They were prepared exactly as you would expect an Italian chef to make pasta.
Our desserts were also exceptional. The white chocolate mousse and tiramisu were both wonderful. Overall, you can’t beat the price for the quality of the food.
Pepe Nero
Third place has to go to another Italian restaurant, Pepe Nero. This restaurant on the way to the San Agustín Archaeological Park has a small selection of pasta dishes which are speedily recited by the server upon being seated. I had the spaghetti bolognese and Marisol had the spaghetti frutti di mare. We opted for the panna cotta for dessert. Everything was excellent but lacked that certain something we found at Ugo’s. We still highly recommend visiting Pepe Nero.
Surabhi
In town near our hotel, we had lunch at Surabhi. In addition to their affordable fixed lunch menu, they have a huge menu of Colombian and international cuisine, including burgers, pastas, stir fry dishes, and vegetarian options.
We were craving burgers and I got the Mexican burger. It looked good on paper but was too much to handle in reality. It was also bad. Very bad. The meat was rubbery, the bread was stale, the cheese wasn’t melted, the beans weren’t cooked all the way, the guacamole was weird, and I’m not sure what the deal was with the Doritos. It was a monstrosity. Other than the burger, the service was slow and wasn’t very friendly. Skip Surabhi.
El Mesón Gourmet
For breakfast, we tried the touristy El Mesón Gourmet. We both had fried eggs and hot chocolate but it was overpriced and wasn’t that great.
La Sorpresa
On another morning, we ate breakfast at a small bakery, La Sorpresa. It wins hands down on price and quality. Virtually the same breakfast of fried eggs and hot chocolate cost half the price and tasted better at La Sorpresa.
What to See in the Town of San Agustín
San Agustín was founded on November 20, 1790, and is likely named for the Augustinian missionaries who had a presence in the region since around 1600. The town is nothing to write home about, but it’s not the main attraction. The draw is obviously the quality archaeological sites nearby and the stunning natural beauty surrounding it.
Most of the streets look exactly the same, except for Calle 5 which might as well be named “Tourist Street”. It’s lined with restaurants, hostels, and shops selling crafts and souvenirs.
Parque Principal
The nicest place we found in town is the Parque Principal, which is the main plaza. It’s surrounded by the town hall, shops, and a couple cafés.
The Church of San Agustín (Iglesia de San Agustín) sits on the plaza. The brick church is in the Colonial style with some Republican elements.
San Agustín Archaeological Park
San Agustín Archaeological Park is home to some fascinating sculptures made by pre-Columbian cultures between the 1st and 14th centuries. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the largest collection of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in South America. It’s also considered by many to be the world’s largest necropolis.
Nothing is known about the people who lived there, why the statues were carved, or their true purpose. Depicting gods, animals, and other figures, they were found “guarding” the many tombs and burial mounds. Archaeologists and locals can only speculate what the figures and symbols mean, but everyone living in the area considers the land sacred.
The area was abandoned around 1350 and the sculptures were rediscovered in the 18th century. They were first described by Friar Juan de Santa Gertrudis (1724-1799), who passed through the area in mid-1756.
Over 500 of these stone statues have been unearthed, scattered throughout the landscape in several different locations. Most of them are located within the archaeological park itself. The tallest is 23 feet (7 meters) high.
The archaeological park was founded on November 20, 1935. Excavations took place in 1936 under Gregorio Hernández de Alba (1904-1973); in 1937 under Spanish archaeologist José Pérez de Barradas (1897-1981); and from the 1960s through 1990s by Luis Duque Gómez (1916-2000). The park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.
Visiting San Agustín Archaeological Park
To get to San Agustín Archaeological Park, you can take a local bus or taxi from the town of San Agustín. It’s only about 3 kilometers away, so if you have more time, a slight uphill walk isn’t out of the question.
Admission for foreigners is COP$65,000 for adults and free for kids under 5 (as of July 2025). All visitors get a passport. It’s stamped as you enter the archaeological site and museum. The passport explains the importance of each site, travel time, and has space for writing your own notes. It’s good for two days and provides access to Alto de los Ídolos, which can be seen on the camioneta tour. Visit the official website for more info.
The park is broken down into five sections: Mesita A, B, and C; Fuente de Lavapatas; and Alto de Lavapatas. A well-organized and beautiful path leads you to each section.
San Agustín Archaeological Park gives visitors a great overview of the culture. Allow yourself about three to four hours to have a complete visit and enjoy everything it has to offer. It’s very nicely laid out and organized, with all information presented in both Spanish and English. There’s also food and snacks available at a few points.
Keep in mind there are other archaeological sites spread out over 50 square kilometers. For those short on time and less interested in archaeology, it’s enough to visit the park only. You’ll need a few days or more to see the rest of the area.
Museum
The first place to visit is the museum. It contains many of the statues with explanations on the excavation process and theories about why they were made. Pottery and other items are also on display.
Forest of the Statues
Just outside the museum is the Forest of the Statues (Bosque de las Estatuas). Here, 39 statues found throughout the town of San Agustín have been placed along an 800-meter path. They were moved there for preservation. Some of the statues are in very good condition and others are a bit worn.
A longer road continues to the funerary mounds at the main part of the park. You’ll get your passport stamped at a gate, then you can continue to Mesita A.
Mesita A
Mesita A was first built between 300 BC and 1 AD. It was reused until the end of the 9th century. The mound is roughly 30 meters in diameter and 4 meters high, containing monolithic sarcophagi used for elite burials. Prominent sculptures include a god with a feline face and guardian statues.
Mesita C
Mesita C is next. It consists of a single funerary mound with 49 tombs and 15 statues. It’s dated between the 1st and 9th centuries. Only four of the statues remain in their original positions. The most recognizable is the female figure with a triangular face, first described by Friar Juan de Santa Gertrudis in 1757.
Fuente de Lavapatas
From Mesita C, walk downhill to Fuente de Lavapatas. This is one of the more incredible things to see in the entire area. It’s a natural stream with animal and human figures carved into the rock bed. It was discovered in 1937 by archaeologists José Pérez and Gregorio Hernández
Many of the figures have faded away but some can be spotted easily. A labyrinth of canals were carved into the rock to guide the flow of water. The fountain is covered and visitors can cross a beautiful bamboo bridge to get a closer look.
Restaurante Parador Andino
The uphill trail to Alto de Lavapatas is about 500 meters long. Along the way you’ll find the small Restaurante Parador Andino. They serve guarapo (sugarcane juice), empanadas, and some meat dishes at very fair prices. We had smoked beef, empanadas, and guarapo. It was all very good.
Alto de Lavapatas
Alto de Lavapatas is at the highest point of the park. It was excavated in 1974 by Luis Duque Gómez and Julio César Cubillos, who found evidence of the earliest human activity in the region, with a stone hearth dated to 3300 BC. There’s also burial mound used between the 1st and 9th century. It has 7 statues 10 small graves, possibly for infants or small children. The views are breathtaking. It’s a great place to just sit on the grass and enjoy yourself for a while.
Mesita B
A long walk back down past the fountain and again uphill leads to Mesita B. This is the most interesting site at San Agustín Archaeological Park. It was originally used as a residential site starting around 3000 BC and transformed into a burial site from the 1st through 9th centuries. Mesita B consists of 3 large burial mounds with about 106 tombs and 63 statues.
A few of San Agustín’s most well-known statues can be found there, including the eagle with a snake in its mouth. There’s also the Bishop, which is one of the tallest statues discovered. It’s about 4.2 meters high and features two human figures stacked vertically.
One impressive statue group includes the Maternity Mound, which contains a statue of a woman with a child in her arms flanked by two serpentine guardians. The other is the Northwest Mound, with a figure of a deity or warrior guarded by two warriors stacked atop one another.
Day Trips in San Agustín
As previously mentioned, the main attraction in San Agustín is the Archaeological Park, but there’s much more to see in the area surrounding the town. If you stay for two or three days, you’ll have the opportunity to take day trip to several smaller yet equally important archaeological sites with some natural sites and incredible views mixed in.
There are two popular day trips offered. One is a ride in a camioneta (truck) and another is on horseback. Both can be arranged by a tour company or through your hotel in San Agustín.
At the time of our visit, tour companies and hotels offered group tours for reasonable prices, but the price can increase if you’re looking for a more experienced and thorough guide, a guide who speaks English, or a private tour. We booked both of the tours with Don Gerardo at Hotel Las Moyas and opted for the standard group tours.
Camioneta Trip
Camioneta trips cost about COP$60,000 per person (as of July 2025). Ours was to last all day from 9am to 5pm. We were picked up from our hotel in town at around 9:20am and drove around to pick up the other guests. After some engine trouble, we were on our way at 10am.
El Estrecho del Río Magdalena
On our first stop, we spent 15 minutes at El Estrecho del Río Magdalena. The Río Magdalena is the principal river of Colombia. It’s born in the mountains near San Agustín and flows north until it reaches the Caribbean Sea at Barranquilla. Not too far from the town there’s a section of the river where it flows through a canyon just 2.6 meters wide! We were able to walk down to the river banks to take a few photos.
Obando Park Museum
Next we visited the small village of Obando to see the archaeological park and museum. The park contains original pre-Columbian tombs, one of which you’re able to enter. The museum tells the history of the tombs and why they were built as they are. Very knowledgable school children offer information for tips. Admission is COP$5,000 per person (as of June 2025).
Alto de los Ídolos
We continued the tour at Alto de los Ídolos, which is near the town of Isnos. This section of the San Agustín Archaeological Park sits at the top of a hill and has several more sarcophagi and statues to see. It’s the second most important archaeological site in the area. Admission is covered on a valid passport from the San Agustín Archaeological Park.
Alto de los Ídolos is spread out over a large area and hosts the tallest statue found, measuring over 7 meters. Another statue of a female guardian stands 5.3 meters tall.
There are 12 funerary mounds dating between the 1st century BC and the 6th century AD as well as 23 statues. The statues have anthropomorphic and zoomorphic forms. Personally, I felt Alto de los Ídolos is the most picturesque of the archaeological sites.
Lunch at El Doble Yo (Permanently Closed)
Before visiting Alto de los Ídolos, we put in a lunch order with one of the small restaurants across the street from the entrance, El Doble Yo. After 45 minutes wandering around the site, we made our way back down the hill to the restaurant and understandably had to wait another 15 minutes for our meals. The staff was swamped and doing their best to accommodate a very full restaurant. In the end it worked out and the food was very good.
Alto de las Piedras
We continued to Alto de las Piedras, another section of the San Agustín Archaeological Park. It’s much smaller than Alto de los Ídolos but equally as important.
The site is situated on a small horseshoe-shaped hill. It was inhabited between from around 1000 BC to the end of the 1st century BC. It was then transformed into a funerary site used from the 1st through 9th century. There were originally 4 burial mounds with 11 statues. Some of the tomb slabs retain faint traces of red, black, and yellow paint.
The one statue that sets it apart is El Doble Yo, which is a human figure with a smaller head at the top. It exhibits both anthropomorphic and zoomorphic elements. In addition to the statues and tombs, the views are spectacular.
Salto de Bordones
After a long and bumpy ride to the small village of Bordones, we stopped to see Salto de Bordones. At roughly 400 meters high, this waterfall is the tallest in Colombia and second tallest in South America. Local children offer a short speech about the waterfall for tips, and they do a wonderful job with the information they give. There’s a small hotel at the edge of the cliff with a viewing platform of the waterfall. The whole area is stunning.
Salto del Mortiño
After passing through Isnos, the final stop of the day was at another waterfall, Salto del Mortiño. This one sits on private property and charges COP$10,000 per person to enter and an additional COP$10,000 to access the glass platform (as of July 2025). It’s a beautiful waterfall about 200 meters high and the viewing platform gets you much closer than at Salto de Bordones.
Our Thoughts on the Camioneta Tour
Overall, it was a very long and exhausting day on bumpy roads. Our guide wasn’t a guide, he was just a driver, and offered zero information. However, we were satisfied with the sites we saw and felt we could figure things out well enough for ourselves. It’s a good mix of archaeology and nature and a nice tour to take.
Map of the Camioneta Tour
Tour on Horseback
Horseback tours cost about COP$50,000 per person or COP$120,000 with a guide (as of July 2025). We were picked up shortly after 8am and taken to Las Moyas to meet our horses and guide for the day. The plan was to visit four sites: La Pelota, El Purutal, La Chaquira, and El Tablón. The tour was scheduled to run about 4 hours but ended up taking over 6 hours.
El Purutal and La Pelota
After nearly two hours riding through stunning scenery, past small fincas and homes, we finally arrived at our first stop, El Purutal and La Pelota. Since it’s a privately owned site, it isn’t covered in the passport obtained at the Archaeological Park. Admission is COP$10,000 (as of July 2024).
After paying the fee, we walked up to La Pelota, a small hill where we viewed a few statues. One is an eagle with a snake in its beak and the other has feline features.
From there, we walked to El Purutal where we were shown two of the most incredible finds in the entire area. In 1984, excavations at these funerary mounds yielded colorful figures that still had the original paint used to decorate them. The guide explained the significance of the find and theories about the statues. He also pointed out more mounds which the Colombian government forbid archaeologists to unearth.
Break Time
It was back on the horses for another long ride of about an hour. We broke it up by stopping at a small restaurant that seemed to pop up in the middle of nowhere. The owner served us delicious fresh fruit juice. We rested for a good half hour before jumping back on the horses.
La Chaquira
Next, we stopped at one of the more spectacular sites in the area, La Chaquira. We arrived and walked down a long staircase to what seemed to be a collection of fallen rocks. After a bit more inspection, we got a glimpse of one of the most sacred sites discovered.
The most famous is a 2-meter-tall carving of a goddess with her arms raised. She faces east, likely towards the sunrise. Other petroglyphs depict zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures. Each one is in its original location. The site is believed to have been used for solar observations and agricultural planning.
Even more spectacular than the rocks is the breathtaking scenery. The view peers down the center of the canyon as it zigzags into the distance. We also spotted several waterfalls emptying into the canyon.
El Tablón
Our final stop before heading back into town was El Tablón. This site is only about 15 minutes from La Chaquira. It was the least exciting site we visited, with a small collection of five well-preserved statues. They were relocated to El Tablón from nearby tombs. The tallest is about 2 meters high. A small ethnographic museum was located there but we didn’t visit.
Our Thoughts on the Horseback Tour
The trip overall was interesting and our guide, a local archaeologist, was excellent. He gave us a very detailed explanation at each site along with his own personal theories. Riding the horse was, well, exactly what it’s like to ride a horse. It was great until I realized I wouldn’t be able to walk straight for a couple days. The sites are great to visit, but unless you’re an archaeology buff, they probably wouldn’t be meaningful. Each site has a small selection food and drinks available as well as souvenirs and handicrafts for sale.
