With more than a hundred townships Boyacá is one of the most diverse departments of Colombia, seeming like a wide open couple of arms in the Colombian map, it is close to different regions. Belonging to the Andes region, when less suspected there is a little town of Boyacá.
It is a meeting of greens in the valleys and mountains, a wide source of fertile lands, costumes and weathers placed together as our Colombia. It evocates landscapes, independence, fertile fields and human novelty along with a wet field scent, beautiful town, the freedom route, the bi-centennial.
Inside that pictures and qualities assembling, two opposite destination because of their geographical position display some of the multiple possibilities in tourism for Boyacá. Sutamarchán and Chinavíta, with some similarities specially when talking about their natural composition are perfect examples of the treasures and values of Boyacá.
In both of the townships the colombian tourism inns were built to ease the travelers presence in a rural region where it is easy to find those natural and historical moments that will please and interest a constant research. Especially when there are so many different alternatives to explore in these fields.
CLIMATE
The weather in Boyacá is mostly cold with an average temperature of 15 C. But taking into account its large extension, there are several towns with a warmer weather.
In Sutamarchán located at a 2095 meters altitude the temperature reaches a maximum of 20 Celsius degrees and in Chinavíta temperatures from 18 to 23 C. are reached due to its 1763 meters of altitude.
LOCATION
The department of Boyacá belongs to the Andes region of the country, with a 23102 square kilometers extension as part of the Eastern mountain range. It borders in the north with the department of Santander, on the north-eastern portion with the departments of Norte de Santander, Arauca and the republic of Venezuela, in the east with Casanare and in the south with the department of Antioquia.
The township of Sutamarchán belongs to the province of Ricaurte located on the west of Tunja, which is the capital of the department. Chinavíta is found in the south-eastern portion of the department in the province of Neira and integrating the Tenza Valley as well. 67 km away from Tunja.
CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
This territory was formerly inhabited by the Muisca or Chibcha people, which legacy still remains in the daily life of the country men from Boyacá. This influence is showed in agriculture, crafts, the towns names and many different legends telling fantastic facts many of which are known when visiting the touristic destinations or by simply talking with the locals.
When the Spaniards arrived, the Chibchas where organized by social classes and round the family, having the Cacique as their highest authority and priests and chiefs as well as warriors among the other community members. Family was the center of the society and it was formed by clans making then tribes.
Muisca people achieved great advances in goldsmith, agriculture and pottery, even their tax system was trough food, gold, salt and other handmade products such as blankets. They programmed their crops following their own calendar and observing the weather conditions. They developed mineral exploration skills like salt and emeralds as well as beans, corn, potato and tomato crops.
A good number of their ancestors are shown in the daily life of the present farmers, because the agriculture and crafts are basic lines of the regional economy. The Spanish conquest left behind an inevitable miscegenation, colonial towns and a strong religious tradition where the main church is the edge of the architecture.
In addition to the Catholicism several dances and music where imposed, Guabina, Torbellino and Pasillo are some of the examples of that influence where the melody is accompanied by verses to make pleasant dances like Seis, Trenza, Crizneja and el Tres de los Escríbanos with special popularity in the Tenza valley.
Several variations of the torbellino have lead into new music creation like the Carranguera, with spicy verses drawing the popular wisdom. This expression represents a satiric, storytelling and anecdotic manifestation accompanied by a guitars, trebles and guacharaca.
EVENTS AND FESTIVITIES
Generally during the second week in October in the township of Sutamarchán the Fairs and parties are celebration including among other events: livestock fair, popular dances, bull fights, music performances, horse parades and sport competitions.
In addition to those celebrations and the devotion to the virgin of health, the Tomatina of Sutamarchán is a particular event around one of the main agricultural products of the region and which is nothing more than a tomato war with the good humor as a special ingredient. The event takes place in June and should follow a series of rules.
In Chinavíta the most important celebration takes place on the last days of December and the first days of January when the entire town celebrates the Virgin of Amparo as the patron of the town and also the inspiration for a series of events of religious devotion and popular culture.
During the festivities, there is a livestock fair, porcine show, music performances, horse parades, allegoric cars parades and sport tournaments in the most important days of the celebration which are December the 31st and January the 1st the town sets around the virgin with flowers, masses and parades. The sacred image is also celebrated during September.
CRAFTS
The heritage of the ancient indigenous populations is visible for the great variety of raw materials turned into clothing, trimming and accessories as well as tools. The wool wavers are settled in Sutamarchán making gloves, scarves and hats to sell in the township or in the pedregal village. Located 4 km away from the urban area. For further information. Punto de Lana Campesina Cel. 311 2619561 / 310 2880448 / 310 2960448 turismocampesino@hotmail.com
It is also possible to find crafts as vases, cup holders and table cloths designed by the locals, people in town is also being trained to design craft paper and create different elements. For further information. María Florinda Coy Cel. 310 4857818 floris3110@gmail.com
At Villa Lorena Inn in the township of Chinavíta, the innkeepers work with Wood and plantain stocking to design pictures, clocks, vases and furniture. For further information. Pastor Cendales - Adriana María Pabón Cel. 310 2544367 / 314 3898453.
The township of Ráquira is internationally recognized by the pottery made in there making the town a real commercial place for all the crafts made in the rural areas of the department. The main streets of this town are full of colorful crafts from hammocks and huge vases to small glasses with original qualities.
There are many different workshops located in the surroundings showing the travelers part of their work as a portion of the tour around the region. For further information. Juan Daniel Rodríguez (vereda La Candelaria) Cel. 311 5391498 / Uvaldina Casas (desierto de la Candelaria) Cel. 311 5654434 / 314 4006806.
The township of Tenza is known as the national basket making capital because this is a traditional work among its inhabitants taking all sorts of products as raw materials to make their crafts that are sold mainly on Saturdays at the market or during week days in the local stores. For further information. Cooperativa Artesanal. Calle 5 No. 6-15 Tel. (8) 7527338 / Cel. 314 3071540 Tenza (Boyacá)
GASTRONOMY
The typical dish of Sutamarchán is a pork meat sausage called Longaniza which is measured by meter, it is served along with potatoes, arepas, plantain and rellena that is known as a Picada or Fritanga. Several longaniza factories are open for business in the town serving it to fit the costumer appetite.
Thanks to the fertility of the land one of the typical dishes in Chinavíta is the Hen´s soup with potatoes, yucca, and plantain as well as white rice.
Additionally in Sutamrchán and Chinavíta a swell it is possible to taste the typical meals of the whole department like the mazamorra, cuchuco with pork spine, sancocho boyacense made of a pork, beef and potato mixture with different tubercles cropped in the zone.
GETTING THERE
There are several routes to arrive to the department of Boyacá and the different attractions because of its closeness to Bogotá and the bordering with many different departments of the country but the access is only possible by land.
From Bogota to Sutamarchán there is an estimated distance of 167 Km by a well kept highway. It starts in the north highway in Bogota and crosses different towns in Cundinamarca like Chía, Zipaquirá, Sutatausa, Ubaté and Fúquene. Before arriving to Sutamarchán the boyacense towns of Chiquinquirá and Tinjacá show up. There are 44 Km from Tunja to Sutamarchán.
To get to Chinavíta from Bogotá the north highway should be taken to the Sisga dam and from there take the deviation to Machetá (Cundinamarca) going along the towns of Guateque y Garagoa, also part of the Tenza valley there is a total distance of 150 Km and from Tunja to Chinavíta there is a 67 Km distance.
There is a 111 km between the Sutamarchán and Chinavíta inns taking the road that crosses Villa de Leyva, Sáchica, Cucaita, Tunja, Soracá, Boyacá, Jenesano y Tibaná. from Jenesano to Chinavíta the highway remains in regular conditions.
It is a beautiful landscapes region crossed by mountains, rivers and creeks and blessed with fertile lands. Every corner of it is sorounded by hills and towns of interest and beauty. But this time we will also talk about the touristic inns area. That said the traveler should be motivated enough not only for reservation making at the inns but also to visit some of the charms of the department. In Sutamarchán and Chinavíta.
Known as the golden gate of the Tenza Valley in this township the Fique and fruit crops are abundant as well as the natural landscapes for the ecotourism activities. Chinavíta is formed by 14 villages and in some of them the Touristic inns where set to host the travelers not only with the novelty of the people from Boyacá but also with the harmony of the natural scenarios like Pincacho peak and the fourteen lakes of Nuevo mundo.
The town´s name is a combination of the original name of the indigenous village os Suta and the last name of the regent during the XVIII century Pedro Marchán, who when died left all his properties to the indians. And them as a proof of gratitude named the place as it is known today. The first village was inhabited by a chibcha tribe ruled by a Cacique depending from the Zaque of Tunja.
Despite the fact of the growth through the development of the actual times, Sutamarchán preserves many antique houses of clay covers and the Nuestra Señora de la salud church. The town has a nice weather of about 18 C. and the restaurants and Longaniza factories are reference points for the tourist arrivals especially on weekends.
The Inns of this township are located in rural areas, some of them closer to the town than others but all of them with a beautiful country landscape and the production of the traditional products of the region like three tomatos, passion fruit onion and potato. Some places like the Pedregal bajo, Ermitaño and Pedregal alto villages have a different perspective of the zone and the surroundings because of its natural scenarios like Juraco del Diablo, La Chorrera and Peña de las Aguilas.
CONVENT OF THE SANTO ECCEHOMO
Eight kilometers away from Sutamarchán by the way to Santa Sofia this convent founded on March 15 1620 and declared a national interest building in 1998. This convent is also called the universal monument to silence.
Inside it there are gardens and arches supported by thirty three pillars meaning the years of Jesus Christ´s life. Inside its rooms altars, paintings, grails and books are displayed as well as wood carvings just as the tradition states.
The convent is the most important attraction in Sutamarchán and it opens from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day. For further information. Miguel Tolosa Cel. 310 8849666 en Bogotá Tel. (1) 2886373 / 2886376 www.conventosantoeccehomo.com
OLIVO NATIONAL PARK
At la capellanía farm, property of the township of Sutamarchán with an extension of 166 acres, this theme park is being built it will have camping areas, agro industrial zone, recreation zones and some other attractions. In the way to the park the ruins of an aborigine church are located over the yucca peak.
RÁQUIRA
The central plaza and the houses on the main streets are the evidence of the creativity of the craftsmen displaying the best pieces of their work in this town in order to sell them. It also displays multicolor house fronts and different products merchandise along with the workshops were all the creativity appears; from there it is easy to understand why the whole town seems to be made out of clay by the well known potters of the region.
To get to Raquira it is necessary to drive for 14km from Sutamarchán crossing trough Tinjáca wich is also known for its crafts made of Tágua also known as the vegetal Ivory.
LA CANDELARIA MONASTERY
In the middle of La Candelaria dessert, 7 km away from Ráquira, the monastery of la Candelaria was built by the Agustinos Monks as their first monastery in America during the XVII century.
The place is dedicated to silence for spiritual retirements and religious practices where a colonial art collection is kept. It also includes a temple, inner gardens and arches supported by pillars made of stone. There are six paintings of Gregorio Vasquéz de Arce y Ceballos on display at the church as well as an antiques show.
LA PERIQUERA WATERFALL
By the road that connects to the towns of Villa de Leyva and Gachantivá two kilometers away from the main road this paradise where several waterfalls flow with magnificence is located. There are camping zones and walking paths available at the place. During summer the level goes down allowing in that way to see the rocks where the water runs.
Even if it seems to be easy to go from one side the other, this should not be attempted because it is possible to fall down. For further information. Cel. 311 2190335 / 313 2977457
VILLA DE LEYVA
Considered as one of the preferred destinations in Colombia because of its architecture, it is part of the zone influenced by the touristic inns of Sutamarchán from where it takes about half an hour to arrive. The huge stone made central plaza is well recognized as well as the main streets whit many different coffee shops, restaurants and crafts stores. The city is surrounded by mountains to go walking and find temples and historical places such as the Carmelitas Desclazas museum or the ones for Antonio Nariño and Jose Maria Vargas Vila.
FOSIL AND INFIERNITO
In the Moniquirá Village of Villa de Leyva a farmer found in June 1977 the remains of a huge creature that lived more than 120 million years ago. Most of it was recovered and restored at the site where it was found where today sets a museum that preserves an important fossils collection and some other geological evidences. It is located on the road from Villa de Leyva to Santa Sofia and it is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for further information. Javier González Cel. 310 5700243.
Two and a half kilometers away the Infiernito museum is located, over an Antique astronomy observatory for the Muisca people showing male figures emerging from the landscape. For further information. Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (Uptc). Tel. (8) 7703122 museo_suamox_uptc@yahoo.com.co
TENZA VALLEY
It is a wide and beautiful depression over which several towns are located being Guateque the first town to be found when coming from Bogota and then Sutatenza and Tenza it is recognized for its wide panoramic there are several weather stages but it is mostly smooth and warm.
