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

Nabusimake, capital of the Arhuaco Indians

• 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