51 Metropolitan Touring Every country has its ‘adventure capital, where the topography and local peoples enterprise combine to create a spot where all those seeking thrills and adrenaline gravitate. Santander is such a place. Here, rafters and kayakers rave about the rapids of the Chicamocha river and canyon, horseback riders and trekkers blaze trails across the extraordinary landscapes, and lovers of the great outdoors head for the Parque El Gallineral. The base for all this fun is Barichara, a charming village replete with ? ne dining and excellent small hotels. This region occupies a strategic point where the three mountain ranges of the Colombian Andes branch off in different directions, and where the River Magdalena – Colombias greatest river that ? ows to the Caribbean – is born. The civilisation that carved the enigmatic statues and built the funerary mounds of San Agustín controlled a wide territory, bene? tting from the countrys amazingly mountainous geography and stunning biodiversity. As one winds up to the small town at 1,700 metres (5,200 feet), one passes through a fertile land of tobacco, grapevines, rice and cacao plantations, crossing rivers and valleys and canyons. San Agustín is not just about its archaeology, its about the journey itself. Santander San Agustín Rafting at Fonce River and Barichara San Agustín Archaeological Park