Girón to Jordán across the Chicamocha Canyon, in three riding days.
Hilo de Plata connects towns, rural communities, mountain trails and some of the most extraordinary landscapes of the Chicamocha Canyon. The bicycle is the thread: we ride, we stop, we taste, we listen, and we see a place that is hard to reach any other way.
We offer a free route guide for bikepackers with their own equipment. We also offer supported trips for groups, along the whole route and in shorter segments.
Ride it yourself
The route is free to ride at your own pace. Download the GPX for the whole track.
Traveler services
Airport transferVan with roof rack for bikes; price depends on route and group size
On request
Support vanper day, with a driver
On request
Rafting: add-on for bikepacking tripsper rider; about 2 hours and 7 km on the Chicamocha at Jordán, at the end of a multi-day ride
60 km (37 mi) · +1,900 m (6,230 ft) · 6 h riding · See it on the map
We roll out of Girón toward Zapatoca, shadowed for most of the day by the canyon itself: arid, sheer, imposing. A day to find a rhythm and stop wherever you want. Zapatoca rewards you with good coffee and Santander-style cooking.
It is the longest day and the biggest climbing day. Girón sits at about 740 m and Zapatoca at 1,720 m, and with the dips along the way the day adds up to 1,900 m of climbing. Start early, ride it steadily, and let the canyon do the entertaining.
Day 2
Zapatoca to Barichara
Medium
From the canyon into the Yariguíes
59 km (37 mi) · +1,290 m (4,230 ft) · 6 h, ~9 h door to door riding · See it on the map
The dry canyon gives way to the green mountains of the Serranía de los Yariguíes, through small towns like La Fuente and Galán, where a bike gets you close to the people and the food. Arriving in Barichara is the day's prize.
This is the day with the most in it. There are several places to stop, including one worth swimming at, and a natural picnic stop at about km 45.
Day 3
Barichara to Jordán
Medium
Guane, Villanueva and the drop to the river
approx. 36 km (approx. 22 mi) · approx. +1,230 m (4,040 ft) · 4–5 h riding · See it on the map
From Barichara we drop to Guane, a tiny colonial village at the end of the old camino real, then climb back onto the plateau to Villanueva. The day finishes with the longest descent of the trip, down the canyon wall to Jordán, an old village on the Chicamocha.
About 36 km and 1,200 m of climbing, with roughly 2,000 m of descent. Most of the climbing comes between Guane and Villanueva; after that, the drop to the river is long, and rough in places near the bottom. These numbers are approximate: the day's ridden track will replace them.
Optional: rafting on the Chicamocha at Jordán, as an add-on to either the guided trip or a self-guided ride: roughly 2 hours and 7 km on the river.
Is this route for you?
Who is it for?
The full route is for intermediate riders who are comfortable with long days on dirt, sustained climbing and loose descents. Three days of real climbing in a row asks a lot, especially the first. If you're newer to riding, the two days from Barichara show you the canyon at a gentler pace.
What is the terrain like?
Paved back roads, rural gravel and stone-paved colonial streets. Day 3 ends with a long descent to Jordán that gets rough in places near the river. None of it is technical singletrack, but the descents reward control over speed.
What bike works?
A hardtail mountain bike. Wide tires and low gearing are what matter. A bike you already know is worth a great deal on this terrain.
What is the weather like?
Hot and dry at the bottom, cooler on the rim, and you feel the difference every day. It rides all year: December to March is the dry season, while April–May and September–November bring more rain, greener hills and softer roads.
How hard is it overall?
Challenging. Three riding days of 36–60 km and about 4,400 m of climbing in total.
