Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 550

5

Silvia
Well worth a detour is the rural village of
SILVIA , 60km northeast of Popayán, which
fills up with Guambiano Indians, with the
men in blue skirts with fuchsia trim and
bowler hats (don't take photos as they can
become aggressive), every Tuesday morning
for market day. The market itself focuses
on fruit, veg and basic household goods
rather than tourist-friendly handicrafts, but
the presence of the Guambiano, who arrive
from their homes in the mountain villages
above Silvia, makes it a great opportunity
for people-watching. Buses (every 30min;
1hr 15min) leave for Silvia from Popayán's
bus terminal. If coming from Cali, take
a Popayán-bound bus to Piendamó (2hr),
then grab a bus to Silvia (30min).
Once here, it's possible to hire horses
(COP$6000/hr) by the small lake and ride
up to the village of Guambia (1hr) where
the Guambiano cook up fried trout,
plucked fresh from nearby trout farms.

For a more relaxed ascent of the volcano,
it's best to overnight in the park in basic
cabañas ( T 2 823 1212; COP$33,000 per
person; order meals in advance), some
with fireplaces, or camp (COP$8000),
which includes use of a bathroom with
cold showers.

Thermal springs at Coconuco
The village of Coconuco , 26km from
Popayán, is a short hop to two
rudimentary outdoor thermal baths. The
better maintained and more pleasant of
the two is Termales Agua Tibia (daily
8am-6pm; COP$10,000; T 315 578
6111, W termalesaguatibia.com), 5km
southwest of Coconuco on the road to San
Agustín. Set at the base of a steep-sided
valley with great views, the complex has
five lukewarm pools, a bottom-jarring
concrete waterslide and a mud spring rich
in rejuvenating minerals. There is no place
to lock up valuables.
The indigenous-run Agua Hirviendo
(Tues-Sun 24hr; COP$8000), 3km east
of Coconuco, is less picturesque than
Agua Tibia but it's open around the
clock, its sulphur-reeking pools are
far toastier, and the on-site waterfall
is a refreshing shock to the system.
Basic cabins are available for rent and
a restaurant serves meals until late.
To get to either baths , take the bus
from Popayán to Coconuco (hourly,
more frequently on weekends; 45min;
COP$3000), from where it's a short walk
to Agua Hirviendo and about thirty
minutes to the Termales Agua Tibia;
a mototaxi will take you for COP$2000,
or hire a jeep for COP$7000. The owners
of Hostel Trail in Popayán organize
cycling trips that involve driving you and
a rented bicycle to the thermal baths for
COP$40,000. Having enjoyed the
waters, you can then pedal your way back
to town, mostly downhill.

Parque Nacional Natural Puracé
The high-altitude Parque Nacional Natural
Puracé (daily 8am-6pm; COP$19,000),
58km east of Popayán, encompasses 860
square kilometres of volcanoes,
snowcapped mountains, sulphurous
springs, waterfalls, canyons, trout-stuffed
lagoons and grasslands. The park's literal
high point is Volcán Puracé (4700m),
which last blew its top in 1956. It's a
lung-straining four-hour climb to the
steaming crater where, on a clear day,
there are sensational views of Cadena
Volcánica de Los Coconucos - a chain of
forty volcanoes. There are also less
strenuous trails, including an orchid walk,
and thermal baths. Enquire at the visitor
centre near the park entrance if you want
to hire a guide. The weather is best for
climbing the volcano in December to
January; it is worst in June to August.
Four buses daily leave Popayán for the
park entrance at El Cruce de San Juan
(2hr), though if you're planning a day-trip
you should catch the bus at 4.30am or
6.30am; double-check timetables before
departure. Sometimes one of the early
buses is cancelled at the last minute, which
makes a day-trip challenging. The last bus
back to Popayán passes El Cruce at 5pm.

SAN AGUSTÍN AND PARQUE
ARQUEOLÓGICO
The thoroughly laidback little town of SAN
AGUSTÍN , 140km southeast of Popayán, has
everything a budget traveller could want:
awesome landscape, cryptic remains of a