Major city · Colombia
San Gil
Base in San Gil 3 nights for rafting and caving, then move to Barichara for the colonial town; skip it if you only want cities.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- COP
- Best months
- Dec–Mar, Jul–Aug (drier; better river levels)
- avoid Apr–May, Oct–Nov (wettest; some activities cancelled)
- Airport
- BGA
- Nights
- 3
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Colombia ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Migración Colombia or a Colombian consulate; some travellers must complete an online migration form before arrival.
- Colombia ↗Security advice lists specific departments and border areas: check your own government's advice for every place on your route, including coastal roads.
- Colombia ↗Never accept drinks, food or cigarettes from strangers, and be careful with people met on dating apps: drugging (including with scopolamine) followed by robbery is a known risk.
- Colombia ↗Fill in Check-MIG only on the official Migración Colombia site; it is free, and lookalike sites charge a fee.
San Gil is Colombia's adventure-sport hub, a small Santander city on the Fonce river where rafting, caving, bungee and paragliding operators cluster around Parque El Gallineral. It is a base, not a sightseeing city: give it three nights, use the mornings for activities and the afternoons for the plaza, and pair it with Barichara. Buses from Bogotá take 6–7 hours; Bucaramanga is 2.5 hours away.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about San Gil, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Colombian peso (COP, $).Colombia-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckClaro (best coverage), Movistar and Tigo SIMs in malls and at airports; passport required and IMEI registration may apply for longer stays — check.Colombia-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe in Bogotá and Medellín; drink bottled on the coast and in rural areas.Colombia-wide
- TippingRestaurants: 10% propina voluntaria offered on the bill.Colombia-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Colombia-wide
- SafetySan Gil is a small, busy traveller town and generally calm; the real risks are river and road.
- RestroomsPut paper in the bin in most places; bring tissues for bus stations.Colombia-wide
- Emergency numbers123 police, ambulance and fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany museums close Mondays; Monday holidays (puentes) move almost half of public holidays.Colombia-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBGA Palonegro, Bucaramanga (About 2.5 h by bus from San Gil; the usual arrival airport.
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealArepa santandereana or chorizo snackCOP 5,000–12,000
- BeerBeer at a shop near the plazaCOP 3,000–6,000
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miTaxi in townCOP 5,000–10,000
- Metro or bus rideLocal bus to BaricharaCOP 6,500
- Museum or sight ticketParque El Gallineral entryCOP 7,000
- Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personCOP 30,000
- Mid-range bedPrivate double room, a night, per roomCOP 130,000
- High-end bedPrivate double room, a night, per roomCOP 260,000
A day, not counting the bed: Budget COP 90,000 · Mid COP 160,000 · High COP 300,000
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- BGA Palonegro, Bucaramanga (About 2.5 h by bus from San Gil; the usual arrival airport. Check onward connections.)
Weather and climate
San Gil: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
28°C82°F
18°C64°F
8 rd
Feb
28°C82°F
18°C64°F
10 rd
Mar
28°C82°F
18°C64°F
13 rd
Apr
27°C81°F
18°C64°F
18 rd
May
27°C81°F
18°C64°F
19 rd
Jun
27°C81°F
18°C64°F
16 rd
Jul
27°C81°F
17°C63°F
14 rd
Aug
28°C82°F
17°C63°F
15 rd
Sep
28°C82°F
17°C63°F
17 rd
Oct
27°C81°F
18°C64°F
20 rd
Nov
27°C81°F
18°C64°F
17 rd
Dec
28°C82°F
18°C64°F
10 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable. Taxis cover short hops for a few thousand pesos; local buses leave from the Terminalito at Carrera 10 and Calle 17 for Barichara, Curití and Charalá. The main bus terminal is 2 km west of the centre. For activities, operators usually include transport.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Barichara
goDoor to door: About 1 h
Local bus from the Terminalito, every 20–30 min, about 45 min
Colonial streets and the Camino Real walk to Guane; go early, return before dark.
Cascadas de Juan Curí
goDoor to door: About 1.5 h
Bus towards Charalá, ask for Las Cascadas, about 40 min, then a 20-min walk
180 m waterfall; two entrances, the second has the better river walk. Shoes get wet.
Chicamocha canyon and the cable car
cautionDoor to door: About 1.5–2 h
Bus towards Bucaramanga, get off at the park
The cable car has been closed on Mondays and Tuesdays — check before you go.
Bucaramanga and Girón
overnightDoor to door: About 3 h
Bus from the main terminal, about 2.5 h
Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep one night.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Centro / Parque Principal
Walk to operators, restaurants and the plaza; best for a short stay without a car.
Around Parque El Gallineral
Quieter, near the river and the rafting outfitters' offices.
Barichara (18 km)
Colonial alternative base if you want the town more than the rapids; buses run every 20–30 min.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- COP 90,000–150,000 excl. bed
- Mid
- COP 150,000–280,000 excl. bed
- High
- COP 280,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Private double room1 × 3 nights × COP 130,000 | COP 390,000 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × COP 160,000 | COP 960,000 |
| Rafting, Fonce river (class 2–3)2 × COP 60,000 | COP 120,000 |
| Rafting, Suárez river (class 4–5, experience required)2 × COP 200,000 | COP 400,000 |
| Cueva de Vaca tour2 × COP 60,000 | COP 120,000 |
| Bungee jump2 × COP 60,000 | COP 120,000 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × COP 40,000 | COP 80,000 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | COP 219,000 |
| Trip total≈ COP 401,500 per person per day, bed included | COP 2,409,000 |
2026 estimate in pesos; long-distance buses and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Menu del día (soup, meat, rice, juice) | COP 12,000–20,000 |
| Arepa santandereana or chorizo snack | COP 5,000–12,000 |
| Beer at a shop near the plaza | COP 3,000–6,000 |
| Local bus to Barichara | COP 6,500 |
| Taxi in town | COP 5,000–10,000 |
| Parque El Gallineral entry | COP 7,000 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Long weekends, Easter and Christmas: hotel prices roughly double and beds sell out — book ahead.
- Rafting class 3 and above: confirm the guide is certified by the International Rafting Federation (IRF).
- Rainy-season flash floods can close the Juan Curí trails and change river levels; ask the operator the same morning.
- Mountain roads to Bogotá and Bucaramanga are slow and can be blocked by landslides.
Emergency numbers
- Police, ambulance and fire
- 123
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
San GilSan Gil
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, ambulance and fire123
Embassy
No embassies in San Gil; most are in Bogotá. The US, UK and Canada have embassies in Bogotá — check addresses and hours before you travel.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus San Gil → Bogotá: about COP 40,000–60,000, 6–7 h
- Bus San Gil → Bucaramanga: about COP 23,000, 2.5 h
- Local bus San Gil → Barichara: about COP 6,500, 45 min
Say or show
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-to KWES-ta)
- Quiero hacer rafting — I would like to go rafting (KYEH-ro a-SER RAF-ting)
- ¿Es seguro hoy? — Is it safe today? (es se-GU-ro oy)
- La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (la KWEN-ta por fa-VOR)
- ¿Dónde está el terminal de buses? — Where is the bus terminal? (DON-de es-TA el ter-mi-NAL de BU-ses)
- Ayuda — Help (a-YU-da)
Carry small notes: many operators and local buses take cash only.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for San Gil. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Dec–Mar, Jul–Aug (drier; better river levels) · avoid Apr–May, Oct–Nov (wettest; some activities cancelled) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for BGA: last bus and taxi fallback from Bucaramanga, overnight rung.
- Operator pages with verified IRF certification, river levels and rainy-season cancellation rules.
- Walking clusters: Parque Principal, El Gallineral and the rafting offices, Terminalito, Barichara road.
- Hostile-weather fixtures so rafting, caving and canyon days can go green or red.