This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Sáchica.
Sachica is a town in the Boyaca department of Colombia; it is 157 kilometres from Bogota and 33 kilometres from Tunja. The easiest way to get here is by bus from Tunja, which you can get to from Medellin or Bogota. If you want to explore the region around Sachica, you can hire a jeep and driver.
Sachica is known for two things: onions and petroglyphs. It is the national capital of onions. The petroglyphs, or rock art, were found in the 1960s by a Colombian archaeologist. They are in a rock shelter in the mountains of town and depict suns, mountains, humans, and maize, among other things. They have been the subject of much study, and its suspected that they date to the Muisca inhabitation of Colombia. This area is the centre of the Muisca territory; they lived here until the Spanish arrival in the 1500s.
There are only a couple of hostels in Sachica; they aren’t your typical backpacker hostel however. Expect these hostels to be more like lodges with private rooms and shared facilities.
One of the biggest attractions in Sachica is the Lake Gondava dinosaur theme park. While its definitely directed at kids, its a great way to learn about the prehistoric era here in Colombia. You can visit the lake, which has life-size models of prehistoric marine life, and various dinosaur eras. All the models are to scale, so expect to see a T.Rex looming over you at some point. If you want, you can play miniature golf, take a boat out on the lake, or try your hand at an excavation. Nearby is the Parque de Iguaque, birthplace of the Muisca culture and home of the rock art.
If you hire a car and driver for the day, don’t miss out on the nearby town of Villa de Leyva. It’s a mere 7km away and the town is a classical Spanish missionary town with a beautiful main square.
Written by local enthusiast for Sáchica hostels
Jakob Lombardi
