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Eastern Colombia
History
There was a lot of activity seen around these parts during Gran Granada’s struggle for independence from Spain. Some of the sparks from the independence movement ignited in villages around San Gil. In 1819 Simón Bolívar and Francisco de Paula Santander led a decisive, winning battle for independence at Puente de Boyacá near Tunja. When Gran Colombia (Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador) was formed in 1821, the Villa del Rosario was the seat for the constitutional congress and the first Gran Colombia convention was held in Villa de Leyva.
Eastern Colombia
The 1,000 Day War took place at the end of the 19th Century in Colombia. One of the main foci of fighting was the department of Santander, in Eastern Colombia. Then, the last—and bloodiest—battle of this war was fought at Palonegro, near Bucaramanga. In the 1980s, both the FARC and ELN guerilla groups began occupying a good part of Eastern Colombia, especially between the principal north-south highway and the Río Magdalena, the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy (including the national park) and the lesspopulated areas along the Venezuelan border, particularly in the Norte de Santander Department. The mid-1990s brought paramilitary forces into the region and some villages, like Málaga and Capitanejo, had many killed during what the locals call “a reign of terror.” Many fled. Populations of principal towns, above all Bucaramanga and Cúcuta, swelled with these desplazados (displaced). During the third millennium and with a new president power, military forces commenced driving the guerrillas out of populated areas. Soldiers continue to occupy villages to this day. Remote zones still see armed confrontations between the government, guerrilla and paramilitary armies. Updated: May 13, 2008.
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Photo by Blandine Mingret
Long before humans left their footprints in Eastern Colombia, marks were made in the form of fossils deposited by a vast inland sea that covered the region. Eons after the prehistoric sea, great indigenous nations flourished. The most important were the Muisca and the Guane. The gold mines and ports of trade flourished for a while near Bucaramanga during the Spanish reign.
When to Go In general, Eastern Colombia experiences two rainy seasons per year, typically from March to May and September to November. The drier months are June, July, December, January and February. Although, due to the region's diverse topography, some areas, like San Gil and Barichara, receive very little rain year round. Other areas of the region, like Cúcuta and Capitanejo, get downright scorching during the dry months, with temperatures reaching into the upper 30s °C (upper 90s ºF). The best time to visit Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy and the neighboring villages is during the dry season from December to February. However, be aware that this is also when temperatures get the coldest—it can get below freezing in the park. Malagá and Pamplona are both college towns. When the universities are in session (January to June and August to the beginning of December), the towns have a energetic and youthful atmosphere. Once the students leave on break, these cities become quiet villages. Among vacationing Colombians, Villa de Leyva, Barichara, San Gil and Pamplona are extremely popular during major holidays and three-day weekends (puentes). Hotel prices rise substantially at these times and reservations are necessary. Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy is becoming a trendy spot to visit for the extended December into January vacation. Updated: May 13, 2008.
Safety in Eastern Colombia
Eastern Colombia is much safer than it was before 2003. Since President Uribe’s program to demobilize paramilitary forces and neutralize the guerrilla armies, roads are now