Chicamocha Canyon

One Of The World'S Largest Canyons By Length, About 227 Km, And The Parque Nacional Del Chicamocha (Panachi, 2006) With A 6.3 Km Cable Car Across The Canyon, Paragliding And Adventure Sports. · Aratoca, Santander

The Chicamocha Canyon is a huge gash in the Andes of Santander, cut by the Chicamocha river over roughly 227 kilometres and plunging about 2,000 metres from rim to river, among the deepest canyons in the Americas. The usual way to see it is the Parque Nacional del Chicamocha, called Panachi, near Aratoca, about 55 kilometres from Bucaramanga, where a cable car of about 6 kilometres crosses the canyon in some 15 minutes each way, with viewpoints, a big monument to the Santander people, restaurants, a waterpark and a zip line. It is honestly a theme-park style site, commercial and ticketed, but the scale of the view is real and worth it. Outside the park the canyon is quieter: paragliding from Los Santos, rafting, horse riding, small wine farms on the Mesa de los Santos, and the village of Zapatoca. The canyon floor is hot and dry while the plateau is cool, so dress in layers. Go early, expect crowds at weekends, and give it a full day with a night in Bucaramanga or San Gil.

Deep Andean canyon cut by the Chicamocha river, with the Panachi national park, cable car and viewpoint near Aratoca, about 55 km from Bucaramanga, Aratoca, Santander, Colombia

Panachi is generally open most days from morning to late afternoon, with the cable car running in that window and its last departure well before closing, and it often shuts one weekday for maintenance. The cable car can stop in strong wind, storms or for servicing. Rim viewpoints outside the park are open at all hours and free. Rafting, paragliding and tours run daily in good weather and need a morning start, so confirm times locally.

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