Getting Here and Around

The blue buses of Los Libertadores run from Bogotá's Terminal de Transporte direct to Villa de Leyva, leaving twice daily at 5 am and 2:30 pm; call to confirm departure times. If you miss those, a bus departs for Tunja every 30 minutes; you can get a bus or taxi to Villa de Layva or Paipa. Total travel time is approximately three hours.

There are regular buses to Zipaquirá, but by far the most entertaining route is via train (www.turistren.com.co), which leaves daily at 8:15 am from the city center, or 9:05 am from Usaquen, and arrives at Zipaquirá just after 11 am. Note that you'll have to catch the same train 1½ hours later for the return if you aren't heading on to Villa de Leyva.

Car travel in this region is common and safe, but still not for the fainthearted because of the aggressive drivers on the well-traveled route to Tunja. If you do choose to drive, leave predawn to avoid the morning traffic in Bogotá and take the route through Tunja for both Villa de Leyva and Paipa.

You can easily hire guides in Villa de Leyva to explore the surrounding area, including the Santuario de Fauna y Flora Laguna de Iguaque. Guías y Travesías and Mónica Luis both have offices near the main plaza in Villa de Leyva.