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Camino Real from Barichara to Guane: distance, time and tips

A cobbled path, walled for most of its length with dry stone, that zigzags down from the plateau edge and then runs flat to Guane. The Guane people used it before the Spanish arrived.

Cobbled stretch of the Camino Real from Barichara to Guane between stone walls
A stretch of the Camino Real. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

How long it is, depending on who you ask

Ministry of Culture Resolution 790 of 1998 gives seven kilometers and an average width of six meters. Caracol Radio and Destino Chicamocha give 5.5 km; the Heritage Towns network says about six. The gap comes from where you start measuring. For time, sources range from an hour and a half to three hours.

A bit of history

The resolution explains that the road was laid in stone over the old Guane indigenous trail, that it was part of the colonial road network of central eastern Colombia, and that quinine, tobacco and cotton traveled along it. The German Geo von Lengerke repaired it between 1860 and 1870, which is why it is also called the Lengerke road.

The Camino Real to Guane crossing the dry canyon landscape
Dry landscape along the trail. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

How to do it

  1. Leave early. Wikipedia places the start at the Piedra de Bolívar roundabout.
  2. Carry water, a hat and sunscreen: the landscape is dry, with cactus and little shade.
  3. Once in Guane, visit the museum and have lunch on the square.
  4. To return, Cotrasangil lists Guane to Barichara departures at 6:30, 9:00, 11:00, 13:30, 15:30 and 17:40, at COP 3,000 (2025 timetable).
A smooth-billed ani perched on a branch along the Camino Real
Smooth-billed ani on the trail. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The heat builds from mid morning; check the monthly weather. A hotel with a pool for the return, such as Terrazul, is welcome. More walks in things to do in Barichara.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Camino Real hard?
The first descent has uneven stone; the rest is nearly flat. Going from Barichara to Guane is easier than the reverse.
Do you need a guide?
There is a single path bordered by walls, so many people walk it on their own.

Sources

Checked on October 20, 2026. Prices and opening hours change: always confirm with the official source before you travel.

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