Your field guide to the region

At La Chaquira, sculpture is part of the landscape: figures were carved into rocks overlooking the Magdalena. The ICANH guide describes this group as having no known funerary function.

Take time to identify the faces and figures with outstretched arms, then look out across the canyon. A descending path and a series of steps lead to the carved rocks, with the landscape gradually opening up along the walk.

Planning your visitThe final stretch is on foot. Save some energy for the climb back up the steps.

On the way towards Obando, the Magdalena passes through a rocky channel roughly 2.20 metres wide. The narrowing concentrates the current: water rushes between the rocks before spreading out again downstream.

This stop is as much about the shapes of the rocks as the movement of the water. Notice the contrast between the tight channel and the wider stretches of river, with the rural landscape behind them.

Planning your visitThere are steps on the approach. Watch from the bank: do not swim or attempt to jump across the channel.

Around Isnos, the waters of La Chorrera leave the plateau and fall into a deep gorge. From the viewpoints, the waterfall looks like a long pale ribbon against dark rock and vegetation.

It is a place to take in the landscapes of southern Huila. The site also offers leisure activities around the viewpoints; you can plan a visit for the scenery or ask about the other experiences on offer.

Planning your visitCheck viewpoint access and the activities available on your chosen day directly with the site.

Between Isnos and Saladoblanco, Salto de Bordones appears among densely green mountains. Its long drop, usually estimated at around 400 metres, gives a sense of the scale of the surrounding landscape.

Several viewpoints offer views of the falls, while trails provide a closer experience of the terrain. Some excursions combine Bordones with Alto de las Piedras, bringing a waterfall and an archaeological site together in one day.

Planning your visitChoose a viewpoint or walk with a guide, taking your preferences and current trail conditions into account.

El Tablón brings together five statues found in this area north of San Agustín. Their carved headdresses, necklaces and clothing invite a closer look at each figure rather than a quick walk past.

The neighbouring ethnographic museum offers another view of the region. Agricultural tools, looms, musical instruments and everyday objects introduce the skills and traditions of southern Huila. The visit connects ancient sculpture with the memory of rural life.

Planning your visitAllow time for both the statues and the museum, and check the museum’s opening arrangements before setting out.

This visit brings together two neighbouring groups. La Pelota has three statues, including a bird figure. At El Purutal, sculptures associated with funerary structures retain traces of paint: colour is part of the discovery here.

Look for touches of red and yellow on the faces and bodies. They suggest a more colourful sculptural tradition than grey stone alone might imply. Then compare the human and animal forms in the two groups.

Planning your visitAllow time for both groups and examine the surviving pigments without touching the sculptures.

In Isnos, Alto de los Ídolos occupies a hill reshaped into terraces. Seven funerary mounds bring together stone statues and carved sarcophagi. The terrain itself helps reveal the scale of the work needed to create this place.

The route connects the areas known as Meseta A and Meseta B. Notice the size of the sarcophagi, the slabs forming the tombs and the carved figures. Together they reveal an architecture organised around burials, extending beyond the statues alone.

Planning your visitExplore both areas; ICANH provides practical information to help you plan your visit.

In the rural area of Las Delicias, a terraced hill holds this ceremonial centre and its funerary monuments. Some stone slabs retain traces of paint, while the tombs show the care devoted to structures below ground.

Its best-known sculpture is the “Doble Yo”, shown in the photograph: a character combining human and animal features carries a second figure above its head. Look at the layered forms and facial details; close observation brings out the richness of this site.

Planning your visitYou can combine the visit with Bordones. Agree the order of stops and transport with your guide.