Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 505

Zona de Camping C 11, at Cra 10 T 311 530 7687.
No-frills camping, with a wall set up around a large patch
of grass and a ba sic toilet/show er block. Great mountain
views. Per person COP$11,000

would have been better suited to scuba
diving. The ocean waters have since
retreated, leaving the country's largest
repository of fossils . Five kilometres out
of town along the road to Santa Sofía,
the star of the El Fósil museum (daily
9am-5pm; COP$6000; W museoelfosil
.com) is the most complete fossil of
a 120-million-year-old baby kronosaurus,
a prehistoric marine lizard found by a
campesino here in 1977. The 12.8m-long
lizard is one of only two in the world
excavated in its entirety, but on display
you'll find it without the 5m tail,
which was lost.

5

EATING AND DRINKING
If you can spare the pesos, you will eat very well here,
as the food scene is very diverse; the best gourmet food
courts are Casona La Guaca (Cra 9 between C 13 & C 14)
and Casa Quintero (Cra 9 at C 12). The nightlife is centred
on Plaza Mayor.
Ì La Bonita Casa Quintero, Cra 9 at C12. If you're craving
some spice, then get your fix at this colourful, genuine
Mexican restaurant. There is some real heat to the salsas,
and while the mains are not cheap (around COP$25,000),
you can't go wrong with the sublime cochinita pibil (slow-
roasted pork), and the soups and tacos are very affordable
(from COP$15,000). Daily noon-5pm.
Carnes y Olivas Cra 10 No. 11-55 T 8 732 1368. Offers
a fantastic value, three-course menu del día (COP$8000),
including traditional dishes such as tender braised
sobrebarriga (flank steak), cooked with considerable skill
and flair. Also international dishes such as pizza and
hamburgers. Daily 9am-9pm.
Dortkneipe Cra 9, Plaza Mayor. The nicest bar on the
main square draws beer connoisseurs with its selection of
unusual beers on tap, as well as the ubiquitous Aguila.
Daily from 6pm.
Restaurante Savia Casa Quintero, Cra 9 at C 12. The
organic dishes at this fantastic little spot will delight vege-
tarians and vegans alike. Huge mains (big enough for two)
include the likes of vegetable and lentil quinoa and mega
salads. Mains from COP$13,000. Thurs-Sun noon-10pm.
La Wa eria La Casona de Arroyo, Cra 9 No. 14-14. Cute
little café dishing up all the crêpes and wa es your heart
may desire. Choose sweet, savoury or both. Wa es from
COP$7000. Daily 11.30am-6pm.

Estación Astronómica Muisca
Also known as El Infernito, this Muisca
observatory (Tues-Sun 9am-noon &
2-5pm; COP$5000), dating back to
early centuries AD and located around
2km on from El Fósil, is Colombia's
answer to Stonehenge. Pathways run
between the 115-odd stone monoliths,
the larger ones strongly resembling
enormous stone phalluses. The Muisca
used to decide when to start planting
crops by measuring the length of the
shadows between the stones.

El Santuario de Iguaque
Around 15km north of town, the large
nature reserve of El Santuario de Iguaque
has excellent hiking. It's named after the
park's most sacred lake, Laguna de
Iguaque - believed by the native Muiscas
to be the birthplace of humanity - which
can be visited as a day-trip; there are eight
lakes altogether in the park at an altitude
between 3550m and 3700m, and it can
be cold and wet (the best time to come
is Jan, Feb, July & Aug), so come
equipped accordingly.
A visitor centre , 12km northeast out
of Villa de Leyva, offers basic shared
accommodation (COP$35,000 per
person), a camping area (COP$8000 per
person) and food. The entrance fee for
the reserve is COP$35,000 for foreigners.
Take one of the buses that leave for
Arcabuco (up to 7 daily) and ask to be
dropped off at Casa de Piedra (aka Los
Naranjos) at Km12; from here it's a 3km
walk to the visitor centre.

AROUND VILLA DE LEYVA
Attractions surrounding Villa de Leyva
include giant fossils, archeological sites,
nature reserves and a town specializing
in local crafts. They can be reached on
horseback, by bicycle, bus or taxi or via
a tour. If making an arrangement with
a taxi, make sure the driver knows exactly
which sites you want to see, and agree on
the price beforehand.

El Fósil
The arid desert highlands surrounding
Villa de Leyva attract trekkers, but 120
million years ago the huge flood plain