Las Gachas is a series of natural swimming pools carved into sandstone riverbed near Guadalupe, Santander. It’s often nicknamed as Colombia’s Natural Jacuzzis or Santander’s version of Cano Cristales.

You might’ve come across photos of these natural rock pools in Colombia and wonder if it’s real…well, that’s Las Gachas in Santander. It opened up to tourism about 9 years ago and its gone from being a relatively unknown local swimming spot to a hotspot in Santander. Despite that, there’s still surprisingly little useful information online, especially in English!

After visiting Las Gachas myself, I can safely say it’s a unique place I’ve been to in Colombia. If you’re expecting a beautiful and unusual place to cool off while exploring a lesser-known part of Santander, you’ll likely love it. Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Las Gachas.

Disclaimer: Some links earn me a small commission – same price for you, slightly less tragic bank balance for me.x

Las Gachas Quick Facts

Location: Guadalupe, Santander
Time Needed: 2+ hours
Swimming: Yes
Guide Required: Depends
Best Time: Dry season
Distance from San Gil: Approx. 2 hours

What is Las Gachas?

Las Gachas is located just outside the town of Guadalupe in Santander. Over hundreds of years, flowing water had carved dozens of circular holes into the sandstone riverbed, creating a series of natural pools. These pools vary in size and depth. Some as shallow as 20 cm, barely covering your ankles and others are as deep as 4m! The nickname “natural jacuzzis” comes from the way water continuously flows between the pools, creating small currents and bubbles.

According to our guide, the name “Las Gachas” comes from the indigenous language of the region meaning refugio/refuge.

Is Las Gachas worth visiting?

For me, it was a nice day out exploring where not too many tourists visit. However, there’s one important caveat, I wouldn’t travel across Colombia solely to see Las Gachas. That might sound strange coming from a guide dedicated entirely to the place, but I think there are a lot of other beautiful places worth visiting in Colombia that are easier to get to.

I’ve visited natural swimming holes in dozens of countries and these are quite an interesting place to visit. If you’re already travelling through the region, then I’d absolutely recommend making the detour.

Planning your visit to Las Gachas

There are a couple of ways of visiting Las Gachas – independently or with a tour. It is worth noting that we visited with a tour as it was a lot more straightforward, however I’ll lightly touch on how you can visit independently. Seems relatively straightforward, just need to figure out transportation and entrances!

Visiting Las Gachas Independently

Independent travel seems relatively straightforward from Guadalupe. Once you get to Guadalupe, accommodation providers can help arrange transport and provide current information on opening hours and entrance fees. You will be passing through private properties to get to the river. Each time, you’ll have to pay each property owner separately.

Getting from San Gil

San Gil is the most common base for travellers exploring Santander. It’s possible to visit Las Gachas as a day trip from San Gil, although you’ll need to allow a couple of hours each way for transport. If you’re coming from San Gil, you’re probably better off going with a tour. Otherwise, if your itinerary allows it, I’d recommend spending at least one night in Guadalupe. It makes for a far more relaxed visit and allows you to explore some of the area’s other attractions as well.

Getting from Guadalupe

We visited Las Gachas as part of a day tour, so transport was organised for us. If you’re travelling independently, most visitors base themselves in Guadalupe and either take a moto-taxi or tuk-tuk to the entrance before walking to the pools.

Visiting Las Gachas with a tour

For most people, you would be visiting Las Gachas from San Gil, the adventure capital of Colombia. Here, there are a few agencies that will take you there. However, it is worth noting that most scheduled departures are over the weekend. You can book during the week, however there is a minimum number of participants of 3 required. We did manage to find two companies that were willing to take us for a bit extra if it was just the two of us.

Tour Agencies going to Las Gachas

Note: I had reached out to these agencies but as we only went with San Gil Tours, I cannot speak to the other agencies’ quality. It’s a bit tricky finding the agencies going to Las Gachas so I’ve compiled them here to make it easier for your planning.

San Gil Tours: 160 000 COP per person (min 3). +57 310 3289077
San Gil Adventures: 160 000 COP per person (min 3). +57 314 4406372
Viajes y Turismo: only scheduled tours on the weekends. +57 300 2191644

What is included with a tour?

The main one is the transportation to Las Gachas. It’s located in Guadalupe, about 2 hours from San Gil. Our mode of transport was a minivan as there were only 4 of us. The guide is your driver as well, which really was a non-issue for us. In the price, it included the entrances, guiding, exploring the area and some lesser-known parts of Las Gachas that you would miss otherwise! We also had a short stop in the town of Guadalupe to have a wander as well as a traditional Colombian lunch! Honestly, it was all really good value, I thought!

Schedule with a tour

You will be picked up from your accommodation between 0830 – 0900hrs, depending on the agency and day. It will take 2 hours to get to the starting point of Las Gaches, where you will have to walk 30mins through private farmland to the river bed. We had two hours to explore the Las Gachas area, exploring a small cave, taking drone photos/videos, walking upstream and having a nice time. We got back to the parking lot just before 3 pm and had lunch. The town center of Guadalupe is located less than 20 mins from Las Gachas and we had 45 mins here to explore the square, local museum and have a coffee before heading back to San Gil.

What it’s actually like visiting Las Gachas

From seeing some photos online, I had imagined it was quite a large area. In actuality, it’s much smaller and quite intimate. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s hard to show scale in some photos. Our guide did have a drone so he took some photos of us. I think that it’s difficult to see the overall landscape of the natural jacuzzis at eye level.

There are different coloured rocks because of the algae and minerals of the rocks, which on a bright sunny day, it’s easy to see, so we were quite lucky with the weather! The water is pretty clear running but mind, it is quite cold as it is runoff from the mountains nearby. However, if you had a hot day like we did, you want to be in the water!

Personally, one of the reasons I enjoyed Las Gachas was because it felt like a local swimming spot than a major tourist attraction. When we visited, most (if not all) were Colombian families and groups of friends. There was only one other small organised tour that was there. The atmosphere felt relaxed. It’s the sort of place locals know about for years before tourism eventually finds them.

Best time to visit

The dry season generally provides the best conditions. After rains, the water can become murkier and the colours don’t stand out as dramatically. Aim for a sunny day if possible for the best conditions overall and warmer weather to go for a dip! Try to avoid visiting immediately after prolonged rainfall. Early mornings tend to be quieter, particularly on weekends and public holidays.

Swimming in Las Gachas

Visiting the Las Gachas is actually a really fun day out. Swimming here is the best thing to do, especially to cool down from the heat of Santander! However, there are a couple of things worth knowing before jumping straight in!

How deep are they?

Well, first things first – don’t jump straight in! Depth varies considerably. Some pools are only 20cm – ankle deep. Others are deep enough for adults to sit comfortably or swim. Some of the deepest ones are 4 m deep! One mistake that is easy to make is assuming that the depths are easy to judge. In reality, some pools appear shallower than they actually are or if there are formations that you can’t see… Take your time before entering.

Which pools are safe?

Not every pool is suitable for swimming. Pay attention to any signs, barriers or advice from your guide regarding which sections are safe to enter. If in doubt, watch what local visitors are doing.

How do you walk on the rocks?

The rocks are super slippery! You’re strongly advised against wearing shoes or sandals whilst walking on the river bed. Water shoes are not mandatory, however they can be useful. Although, you can save a lot of money by simply wearing socks! You read that right – socks are actually what is advised for walking on the slippery river rock.

What should you bring?

Bring a change of clothes, a towel and socks! However, you could probably leave these in the car instead of carrying it down with you to the river. The sun is hot enough that you’ll probably dry off whilst walking back. It is recommended to wear closed toe shoes.

If you’re taking a bag with you, there are dry places along the riverbanks where you can leave your stuff. Because of the strong UV rays, it’s worth bringing a long sleeve UV shirt or sarong to protect yourself. You should also pack – sunglasses, a hat, swimmers, sunscreen. We also brought an action camera with us, as they are waterproof and very useful to have.

Questions answered about Las Gachas

Can you visit Las Gachas without a guide?

Yes but most visitors will visit with a guide. As of now, there aren’t any trail signage showing you where to go.

Is Las Gachas suitable for children?

I don’t have kids so it’s hard to say. You’ll probably be okay with older kids, although supervision is essential due to slippery surfaces and varying water depths.

Can you swim at Las Gachas?

Yes, absolutely! Swimming is one of the main reasons people visit.

Is Las Gachas free?

No. You will be passing through private properties so you’ll need to pay an entrance fee for each property you cross. However, all that is included with a guided tour!

How long should I spend at Las Gachas?

With a tour, you’ll only spend 2 hours there. If you’re visiting independently, you could easily spend all day there, exploring the different pools and relaxing.

Is Las Gachas worth visiting?

If you’re travelling through Santander then absolutely, yes.

Can you visit Las Gachas as a day trip from San Gil?

Yes, although staying overnight in Guadalupe creates a much more relaxed experience. However, if you’re coming with a tour, you will be visiting as a day trip.

Let’s wrap it up

Las Gachas is a series of natural pools carved into a red sandstone riverbed near Guadalupe, Santander. While I wouldn’t travel across Colombia solely to visit it, it’s a worthwhile detour if you’re already exploring the region. With unique rock formations and a relaxed local atmosphere, Las Gachas remains one of Santander’s most unusual and enjoyable places to cool off and spend a few hours in nature.