# Valledupar

Valledupar is the capital of the department of Cesar in Eastern Andino and the birthplace of Vallenato music.

## Understand

Known as the “forest city”, Valledupar is considered the greenest city in Colombia. As the birthplace of Vallenato music, the city is representative of a unique part of the Colombian culture.
The city has around 350,000 inhabitants and enjoys year-round sunshine. The average temperature is 30 °C and the driest months are from December to February.

## Get in
### By bus

* From the north (Cuatro Vias), a collectivo to Valledupar costs COP$20,000 and will drop you at the location of your choice in town.
* From Bogota, 16-hr bus ride with costs ranging from COP$90,000 to COP$115,000 depending on the season.

#### From the bus terminal

Valledupar has different land entrances, and it's crossed by national highway route from south to north.
The easiest way is to take a taxi which will cost around COP$4500. Ask the taxi driver to let you of in the “Centro”, one block away from the "Plaza Alfonso Lopez".

### By plane

It is possible to get to Valledupar by plane to the airport Alfonso López. Only two airlines cover this route: Avianca and LATAM. You are advised to book and reconfirm in high season.
A taxi ride from the airport to the Centro will cost around COP$7000.

## Get around

In the urban area transportation services are provided by taxis and by private bus companies covering the entire city by shared routes. Lately, a new form of transportation has been developing: the informal auto (mototaxi). Local buses depart from the square around the market.

## See

* Plaza Alfonso Lopez.
* Indian village of Nabucimake (get a shared taxi to Pueblo Bello (COP$10,000) and then another one to Nabusimake (COP$15,000)).
* Museo del Acordeón, Cra. 17 #9A-18, ☏ +57 300 8368877. 2 tours: 10am and 3pm. Learn all about Valledupar's acclaimed vallenato music. COP$35000. (updated Sep 2023)
* Casa De La Mama De Diomedez Diaz, Carrera 17 (adjacent to Museo del Acordeón). Former home of a vallenato musician (Diomedez Diaz). (updated Oct 2020)
* Callejón De La Purrututú, between Carreras 6 and 7 near Calle 13c (not far from the plaza), ☏ +57 300 5906243. Valledupar historical museum. (updated Oct 2020)
* El Cuartico, Cra. 14a #9C - 05. This is like someone's amateur living history museum with a one-room cottage containing old relics. It might be of interest if you are really looking for something to do. COP$5000. (updated Oct 2020)

## Do

* Go for a swim in the river, though be aware that it gets packed on weekends and holidays.
* Festival de la leyenda Vallenata. Competition of vallenato band taking place in the last week of April. Expect a big crowd.
* Witness interesting traditions and culture of the Arhuaca people here or in their secluded town of Nabusimake.
* Enjoy traditional and Spanish colonial architecture. The square, “Alfonso López Pumarejo,” and the traditional and colonial part of Downtown Valledupar still preserve Spanish colonial architecture.
* Swim and dive in the cool, clean Guatapurí and Badillo rivers
* Los Besotes ecopark : bird watch and hike in the verdant park.
* For indigenous crafts, visit the nearby historic village of La Mina.
* The square, “Alfonso López Pumarejo”.
* The traditional and colonial part of the centre.
* Swimming facilities “Hurtado” at the river Guatapurí.
* The park “Lineal” and the “Village Vallenato”.
* Natural swimming facilities “La Mina”.
* The “Badillo” river.
* The eco park “Los Besotes” and the reserve “Vida Silvestre”.
* The eco park “Paraver”, known for its protections of the flora and fauna.
* Visits to all the monuments and parks as: “Los Poporos”, “María Mulata”, ”Los Gallos”, “El Folclor Vallenato”, ”Mi Pedazo de Acordeón”, and “Revolución en Marcha”.
* The “stage” Compai Chipuco.
* The Vallenato music groups and the Vallenato parties.
* Fruit trees you´ll find in the city; mango, cañahuate, ceibas, robles, totumos, acacias, mamones, cotoprix, uvitos, cardamomos e innumerables cauchos.
* The important indigenous population in the area such as Nabusimake.
* Villages like La Paz, Patillal, Manaure Cesar, Pueblo Bello, Nabusimake
* The savannah area of the Cesar department and visits to the mountain area of the “Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta”.
* The “Coliseo Gallístico”.

## Buy

Supermarkets
* Exito supermarket, two blocks away from the hostel, is a huge superstore offering everything from clothes to electrical articles to fresh fruit and veg.
* Carrefour supermarket, in C.C. Guatapuri Plaza, is another huge superstore offering everything from clothes to electrical articles to fresh fruit and veg.
* Olympica supermarket (calle 14 con Carrera 9.)
* Mi Futuro supermarket: four blocks away from the hostel, is a local supermarket, good prices.
* Market - There's a local market selling fresh produce, Plaza de Mercado ¨La Galeria¨
Shopping centers
* Guatapurí Plaza (Av. Hurtado Diagonal 10 No. 6N-15)
* Orbe Plaza (Carrera 9 con calle 12, esquina)

## Drink

Discothèques
* La Licorera: Carrera 9 # 9 - 36
* Plaza Mayor: Carrera 6 #15-70, Plaza Alfonso López
* La iguana: Carrera 9 #10-44
* Kankurua: Calle 16a # 7 - 61
Coffee shops
* Café Plaza Mayor: Good location and nice bar. Three music ambiances. (Carrera 6 #15-70, Plaza Alfonso López)
* Juan Valdez: Guatapurí Plaza (Av. Hurtado Diag. 10 No. 6N-15)
Restaurants
* Compae chipuco: Carrera 6ta con calle 16. Ask for "el almuerzo" at lunch and "menu del dia" it´s the cheap option.
* Antore Pizza: Calle 12 Nro 17-46 Tel: (5) 573-3030
* La Razón: Typical food. Carrera 6 Nro 11-03 Tel: (5) 584-6051
* Jerusalem: Carrera 9 Nro 7c-29

## Sleep

* Hotel Casablanca, Carrera 8 No. 17-61, ☏ +570 7242 - 570 9296. Clean but tiny and windowless rooms. Shower, TV and fan. Located in the center and close to the plaza Alfonso Lopez.

## Go next

Private rooms and hostels are available in:
Manaure - 35km away. The temperatures are more pleasant as it's in the mountains 700m above sea level
Riohacha
Camarones
Tayrona National Park
Santa Marta