Güicán: Sierra Nevada, Legends and Local Culture

Güicán brings together religious traditions and cultural motifs in town with landscapes and places to visit in the municipality and nearby area. The church houses the image of the Morenita de Güicán, and the main park features a colossal statue and depictions related to the Sierra Nevada de Güicán. Other highlights include the high-altitude areas of the Sierra, thermal springs, and an interpretive trail about customs and how they have changed. This gives you the chance to weigh up a trip focused on local culture, landscapes, or a longer themed trail.

Sierra Nevada and Landscapes in the Municipality

The Sierra Nevada El Cocuy, or Güicán, covers part of the municipality of Güicán de la Sierra and is shared with the municipality of Tame in Arauca. It includes the high-altitude areas of Ritacuba, El Castillo, El Pan de Azúcar, and El Cóncavo. The Sierra Nevada de Güicán is considered a worthwhile destination, with peaks and snowfields. These names give the landscape specific points of reference for anyone who wants to plan their trip around the high-altitude areas and mountain scenery.

The El Chorrerón area is located on the Corralitos property within the municipality. Other places worth visiting in the municipality include the thermal springs in Vereda San Luis. In addition to the mountain landscapes described, visitors can choose to explore this specific area and the springs as distinct landscape attractions. If you are looking for a vacation rental, you can first consider whether your trip will focus mainly on these landscapes or more on the cultural experiences in Güicán.

Church, Main Park, and Traditions

The church in Güicán houses the image of the Morenita de Güicán, which is associated with a legend about miracles and healings. The Monumento a la Dignidad U´wa, a colossal statue, stands in the main park. Other distinctive depictions show a spectacled bear with a frailejón, a species of collared lizard, a bearded man, and a tigrillo. The motifs refer to species and traditional history of the Sierra Nevada de Güicán.

The Peñón de la Gloria, also known as the Peñón de Los Muertos, is another place worth visiting in the municipality of Güicán. It is associated with local stories about collective suicides among the U´wa. Another religious tradition is linked to the Gruta de Cuchumba: according to the story, the Tunebos found the Virgen Morena there. These stories offer a different way to experience the region from the motifs in the main park.

The patron saint festivities of the Morenita de Güicán de la Sierra include religious celebrations, a pilgrimage to the parish church, a cattle market and livestock exhibition, public dances, fireworks, bullfights, and a solemn procession with the Virgin. If you want to plan your trip around a festival, check the specific event dates before making your plans.

A Four-Hour Trail About Customs and Agriculture

Near the destination, the Camino de Mal Paso has a five-kilometer interpretive trail with six stops. The tourism association Convite operates it, and the route takes four hours. The trail focuses on traditional customs and how they have changed over time and through the influence of other cultures. Its main attraction is the agricultural calendar. The trail therefore has a clear focus on agriculture and culture, while the depictions in the main park highlight species and traditional history of the Sierra Nevada de Güicán.

When choosing a vacation rental in Güicán, the kind of trip you want is a useful starting point: the church, main park, and traditions offer a focus on local culture, while the Sierra Nevada, thermal springs, and Camino add landscapes and attractions around the municipality. The trail’s four-hour duration gives you a specific reference for planning your day and deciding how much time to set aside for an interpretive outing.

Discover more destinations: Belen, Iza, La Suiza, Papayal, Ráquira, Chiquinquirá, Guateque, Pauna.

For the broader travel overview: Boyacá.