San Gil travel guide

About 21 km northeast of Socorro, is San Gil, a colonial town with a good climate in the deep valley of the Río Fonce. San Gil is an important centre for adventure sports. The river systems of the Ríos Fonce and Chicamocha run through deep valleys and gorges in this part of Santander, providing the best rafting and canoeing in Colombia . With a broad range of hotels, San Gil is an excellent base from which to explore Santander’s string of stunning colonial villages. There is a tourist office here: Instituto Municipal de Turismo y Cultura (C 15, No 14-66, T7273529) .

Near the centre of the town by the river is the enchanting Parque El Gallineral (daily, US$2.25, T7240821, there are excellent guides, some English-speaking, be sure to tip generously as they are not paid by the park) . The park, created in 1919, covers 4 ha where the Quebrada Curití runs through a delta to the Río Fonce. It is named after the chiminango trees, which make up 80% of the trees in the park. These trees have a natural tendency to lean over and are therefore popular with roosting chickens. There are streams everywhere to create a delightful botanical garden full of butterflies and birds. Notable are the heliconias and the huge ceiba near the playa where the canoes end their trip down the Río Fonce. Outstanding are the many fine trees covered with moss-like tillandsia. There is a restaurant and a superb public natural swimming pool which uses water siphoned off from the Quebrada Curití.

In the centre, the Parque Principal has a fountain surrounded by huge ceiba and heliconia trees, very attractive when illuminated in the evening. Overlooking it is the church, which has interesting octagonal towers. There is a good view of the town from La Gruta, the shrine overlooking the town from the north (look for the cross).