Huila Route
Huila is so diverse that within its landscapes, you can witness everything from a highland to a desert as wide and rambling as the Tatacoa desert. The same holds true for its artisanal expertise and traditional cuisines, which can’t be counted on just one hand. Among weavers, carvers, and potters, you’ll come to understand that traditions are what bind the department together. Its people, known as opitas, are dedicated to keeping these traditions alive, passing them down, and celebrating them. That’s why it’s a joy to savor their history through a Huila-style barbecue, cooked in the traditional ovens found in every countryside home, or to experience it by watching a couple dance the “sanjuanero” during the San Juan and San Pedro festivals at the end of June. Beyond tradition, the Magdalena River connects the department. Rising in its southern reaches, despite not being the longest or most voluminous, it’s the country’s main river artery. The river traverses Huila and ties together its diverse artisanal practices. It’s from the riverbed that carvers gather the finest stones, and from its waters that nourish plants such as pindo, fique and iraca, that will later be used by the weavers for their craft. We invite you to embark on a journey from north to south, tracing the Magdalena River back to its source. This route is brimming with contrasts: it takes you from the heat of Neiva to the temperate climate of San Agustín, and from bizcocho de achira to stone-cooked arepas. Along the way, you’ll encounter dedicated artisans and have the opportunity to taste traditional foods such as quesillo, pork preparations like lechona huilense, the thin arepas known as oreja de perro, the sweet treat dulce de nochebuena, and mistela for the thirst.
Embark on a journey full of history
Artisans along the way
Artisans along the way
We recommended this tour
Recommendations
Schedule the visit in advance with the artisans.
Carry cash.
Length
5 days
Physical Complexity
Transportation
Car or Bus
Neiva — Palermo — La Jagua
Our journey begins in Neiva, the first capital city that the Magdalena River flows through in the country. This warm city allows you to immerse yourself in history before moving on to more artisanal municipalities. Visit the José Eustasio Rivera Convention Center, where you’ll find the Museum of Sanjuanero Huilense, the regional archaeological museum, and the Jorge Villamil Cordobes Museum. Take a walk through the city, exploring the Music Park, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Santander Park, and the monument to Cacica la Gaitana. Afterward, head to the riverside to enjoy lunch at the restaurant Gran Vinos.
Just 24 kilometers from Neiva is Palermo, our first artisanal stop. Here, you’ll meet Ernesto Gutiérrez and the community of pindo hat weavers, used for dancing the sanjuanero. Visit the Santa Rosalía Sanctuary and take a stroll through the central park while enjoying the local drink, a sevillana, before returning to Neiva for the night.
Located 120 kilometers away from Neiva is La Jagua. This former indigenous worship site has transformed into a picturesque town with cobblestone streets and colonial houses. It hosts the Festival of Witches at the end of October. In La Jagua, you’ll meet the fique weavers, who will introduce you to the magical process at their association’s headquarters, Artefique. Visit the church and savor a delicious rice plate called arroz tapado. Before resting for the night, have dinner at El embrujo de Aldaban restaurant and satisfy your sweet tooth at Postres Santacruz.
La Jagua — Suaza — Pitalito
Just 32.8 kilometers from La Jagua is Suaza, home to the traditional iraca hat, a heritage upheld by artisans like Gerardo Hurtado. Explore the Casa del Sombrero Suaza Museum, the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Aransazu, and if you’re into ecotourism and adventure, don’t miss the Cueva de los Guácharos National Park in Acevedo, a half-hour drive from Suaza. On your way to Pitalito, which is 58 kilometers away and where you’ll spend the night, indulge in Altamira’s achiras accompanied by a refreshing aguapanela.
Pitalito — San Agustín
In addition to being the country’s top coffee producer, Pitalito is renowned for its customary ceramics, which you can learn about from Rubiela León and Ruth Polo, who manufacture intricate chivas (artisanal buses), and nativity scenes. If you’re traveling in November, you’ll enjoy the National Crafts Fair of Pitalito. Throughout the year, you can visit the Museum of Archaeology and Art and the Costumbrist Museum Huellas del Pasado. Just a half-hour from the city is the Guaitipan lagoon, an enchanted place full of stories about goblins and mermaids. We recommend trying the trout or fiambre and spending the night here before heading to our final destination, San Agustín, which is 32 kilometers away.
San Agustín
San Agustín is the realm of carvers and a proof of it are the anthropozoomorphic statues of the Archaeological Park, a must-see. You can learn more about carving at Jaime Ledesma’s workshop, and then, visit Litsbina Becerra to marvel at the technique her mother invented, the plantain fiber weaving, and savor her delicious stone-cooked arepas. This municipality also boasts valuable natural destinations like the Tres Chorros waterfall, the trails of Puerto Quinchana, and the Magdalena river’s narrowest point and its petroglyphs. After exploring San Agustín and savoring a roasted cuy or guinea pig, you can decide whether to extend your journey and head to the Magdalena lagoon, situated at an altitude of 3,327 meters above sea level, where the river that accompanied you throughout this trip originates.
Route acknowledgement
Denominación de Origen
Chiva de Pitalito, Sombrero de Suaza, Café de Huila, Cholupa de Huila, Bizcocho de Achira del Huila
Recommended sites
Important information for your trip
Pueblo Patrimonio
La Red Turística de Pueblos Patrimonio de Colombia es un programa especial del Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, ejecutado por FONTUR, que trabaja con 17 municipios de Colombia que poseen declaratoria de Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) a nivel nacional para su valoración y proyección mediante el turismo, generando así más oportunidades de desarrollo y sostenibilidad en las comunidades.
La Medalla a la Maestría Artesanal es un galardón que Artesanías de Colombia entrega anualmente, con el cual se hace un reconocimiento a aquellos artesanos, empresas y comunidades artesanales que, contando con una trayectoria destacada, sobresalen a nivel nacional por su excelencia en el oficio así como por preservar el quehacer artesanal.
Denominación de Origen
Es un signo distintivo que identifica productos reconocidos o famosos por tener una calidad o características específicas derivadas esencialmente del lugar de origen y la forma tradicional de extracción, elaboración y producción por parte de sus habitantes. La protección conferida sobre una Denominación de Origen implica que ninguna persona puede identificar con la denominación protegida productos iguales o similares a los amparados, cuando no provengan del verdadero lugar y no cumplan con las características o calidades que le han dado la reputación al producto reconocido. Las Denominaciones de Origen para productos artesanales colombianos que han sido protegidas por la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio en nuestro país son actualmente 12.
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