The Paleontologist’s Perfect Fossil Trip in Villa de Leyva, Colombia

Villa de Leyva, Colombia, is located in the Colombian Eastern Cordillera, in the department of Boyacá and, according to the Muisca denomination, in the Alto Valle de Saquencipá.

This town has an incredible historical, cultural and natural heritage, and it is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Colombia.

Villa de Leyva, Colombia

Villa de Leyva was declared a national monument in 1954 because of its architecture, its museums, the traditions of its inhabitants and its history. Since the beginning of the XXI century, it became part of the Network of heritage towns of Colombia.

Environmental features of Villa de Leyva

The town of Villa de Leyva is about 3 hours by car from Bogotá. The nearest capital city is Tunja, which is a two-hour drive away.

It is between 2,000 and 3,200 meters above sea level. In terms of climate, it has three climatic zones: Dry, Sub-Humid,and Humid. October is the rainiest month and the first months of the year are the driest. Villa de Leyva’s average temperature is between 17°C and 18°C.

The “Dinosaurs” of Villa de Leyva

Villa de Leyva did not always have the current climatic and geographic conditions, and its fauna and flora have also changed.

Many people believe that in Villa de Leyva there were dinosaurs. The truth is that there were marine reptiles, which are different from dinosaurs.

We all sin of calling “dinosaur” to any big, rare and extinct creature of which only a few skeletons are preserved. But, in reality, many of those fossilized remains have nothing to do with dinosaurs. This will be a story of another post…

Half of the Colombian territory was covered by the Sea

During the Cretaceous, about 145 to 65 million years ago, the sea covered a large part of the Colombian territory, including the area of Villa de Leyva.

Late Cretacic Sea

This sea was inhabited by many organisms that are now extinct, but that dominated the oceans at that time. With the uplift of the Andean Mountain Range, this internal sea withdrew, exposing the rocks that were formed from sediments deposited during the Cretaceous.

Today we can find in these rocks a fossil record of great paleontological value.

The Fossils of Villa de Leyva

Some examples of these fossils are the famous ammonites, which are the most common in stores and facades of the town. There are also the marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, which are exhibited in museums and some private collections.

Illustrated Kronosaurus boyacensis, Villa de Leyva (Colombia) CC BY 3.0 Dmitry Bogdanov

Among the marine reptiles found in Villa de Leyva are: plesiosaurs, pliosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, and the famous Kronosaurus boyacensis. The specimen is exhibited in the Fossil Museum (El Fósil, a private collection).

Kronosaurus boyacensis, Villa de Leyva (Colombia) CC BY-SA 2.5

This individual is the designated specimen (i.e., holotype) whose characteristics define this species of kronosaur endemic to Colombia.

These, and many more fossils found in Villa de Leyva and its surroundings (such as turtles, mollusks, crustaceans, and other marine organisms), allow us to reconstruct the geological and paleontological history of Colombia and the planet.

Researchers from El Fósil Museum explain that the marine environment is very suitable for fossils to be preserved.

This is because dead animals that fall to the bottom of the sea are covered by sticky sediments that quickly cover them, thus preserving them.

The importance of Fossil Records

Fossils are of great importance to understand the climatic and geographic changes that occurred in our country and our planet throughout its history. This will allow us to have clues about how future changes may occur.

For this reason, fossil material should only be collected for scientific purposes. This material has no legal economic value.

So, please, DO NOT BUY FOSSILS. Do not contribute to the growth of fossil trafficking in Colombia.

With the looting of fossils destined for sale, not only is humanity’s heritage being trafficked, but a great deal of useful information for science and understanding of the environment is being stolen.

Paleontology and Archeology Attractions Of Villa de Leyva

Prehistoric Museum

The Museum has been functioning for more than 30 years as a space to investigate and deepen in prehistory and anthropology, projecting it to the pedagogical, artistic and cultural field.

Brontosaurus sculpture at Prehistoric Museum – Situr Boyacá

There are about 25 sculptures in ferroconcrete, made by the master Luis Alberto Acuña. These sculptures are of prehistoric animals and samples of fossils found in the natural context of Villa de Leyva.

Paleontological Museum

This museum is attached to the Faculty of Sciences of the National University of Colombia. It houses a great paleontological and cultural heritage, highlighting the fossil pieces dating from the Cretaceous period (130 million years ago approx.). It has 2425 pieces in its collection and 441 pieces in the exhibition.

 

The museum’s house is a colonial architectural jewel built in 1570 by the Spaniards, where the Molino de la Osada or “de Losada” used to work.

Besides paleontology, there is the Arboretum project called “Padre Gustavo Huertas”. The project has a collection of about 130 species of the typical ecosystems of the country. This living collection of native species is used for research and conservation purposes.

The Fossil Museum

El Fósil Museum was founded in 1977 by the initiative of the farmers of the region after their discovery of a specimen of pliosaur when they were working in the field.

It was named by science as Kronosaurus boyacensis Hampe. This pliosaur fossil specimen is the most complete found to date in the world.

El Fósil Museum, Villa de Leyva, Colombia

The Museum currently exhibits more than 500 pieces of Colombian paleontological heritage.

A special feature of this museum is that it is still run by farmers who are members of the community action board of the Monquirá neighborhood.

The Archaeological Park: Muisca Astronomical Observatory

Near the town of Monquirá there is a group of lithic monuments, of phallic, funerary and astronomical character, catalogued as “Muisca Solar Observatoryin situ.

This ancient observatory was discovered by Dr. Eliécer Silva Celis around 1960. It is composed by stone columns of medium height arranged in a series of rows.

The stone columns are carved in cylindrical forms, and the rows delimit the sacred field to the north and south.

Phallic sculpture at the Muisca Solar Observatory in Moniquirá, Villa de Leyva, Colombia

In addition, there are forty monoliths of phallic character. Those monoliths where a symbol of male fertility for the indigenous people that live there in the past. The purpose of those constructions was to propitiate the action and fecundity of the earth.

 A few meters from the Solar Observatory, in the northeastern sector, there is a “Dolmen Tomb”, also built in lithic material.

Dolmen Tomb

I hope you liked this brief summary of the paleontological attractions of Villa de Leyva. If you want to know more do not hesitate to contact us.

References
About the author

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

Why should you Visit Guaviare in Colombia? Remnants of a Remote Past

Guaviare is one of the least populated departments of Colombia, and one of the most pristine nature destinations in the country.  

Additionally, this department is located in the Colombian Amazon region, although part of its territory is also in the Orinoquia. Its capital is San José del Guaviare. 

Brief history of Guaviare

In the past, the colonization of Guaviare was mainly due to the enormous natural riches of its soil and the exploitation derived from these.

People came there to cultivate balata and rubber. Moreover, trade of wild animal skins, native plants and ornamental fish was also common.

Finally, the illicit cultivation of coca attracted many people, bringing also war and chaos to the region.

Today, tourism is opening as a new possibility for the economic development of the region, and it works as a good strategy for the protection and conservation of natural and archaeological areas.

Weather and Landscape

The dry season happens from December to February, and the rainy season during the rest of the year (especially April-July and October-November). Annual rainfall ranges from 2,000 to 3,500 mm. The temperature during the day reaches 25° to 30 °C, dropping at night to 12 °C between July and August.

Its soils are bathed by numerous rivers and a network of streams, divided mainly into two basins: Orinoco River Basin and Amazon River Basin.

Tourism in Guaviare 

Tourism is making its way in this destination dedicated to adventure and sustainability. It is an opportunity for sustainable development in he region. The natural environments for swimming, the sunsets, and its ecosystems make it a unique destination.

Archaeological places, and the fauna and flora that make up an abundant biodiversity, are the greatest attraction of Guaviare.

The Most Featured Destinations in Guaviare 

Serrania de La Lindosa and Cerro Azul

Serranía de la Lindosa @Parques Naturales

This place is one of the eight archaeological zones declared as a protected area by the Ministry of Culture of Colombia.

Here you will find the famous cave paintings, among others those of the Guayabero River and the Caño Dorado, with vivid colors. In the Cerro Azul in the Serranía La Lindosa, you can observe paintings that are twelve thousand years old.

The summit of Cerro Azul can be reached by a medium level hike of approximately 40 minutes. In Cerro Azul, there are a series of cave paintings painted with reddish pigment by indigenous people who inhabited the La Lindosa mountain range 7,250 years ago.

It is a two-hundred-meter-high peak to explore and walk. During the walk you can find giant trees and native species of flora and fauna. From the top you can see numerous streams of crystalline water and the jungle.

Raudal of the Guayabero

Raudal del Guayabero @ Juan Pablo Rozo – Wikiloc

This spectacular spot is one hour by river, and one hour and thirty minutes by land, from San José del Guaviare.

The Guayabero River, before its encounter with the Ariari, is framed in a canyon formed by walls of rocks of Pre-Cambrian origin.

From there, a current is unleashed that reaches half a kilometer in length. Although it is navigable throughout the year, the summer season is the best time to cross it.

Throughout the tour you can see the gray freshwater dolphin or Tonina (Sotalia fluviatilis), as it is called by the inhabitants of the region.

Natural Bridges

Rocky Bridges Pic. by Parques Nacionales

These natural bridges are high and have been shaped and polished by water over time. They stand on a ravine to which it is possible to descend with certified guides.

The City of Stone

Serranía de la Lindosa ©Parques Naturales

The Stone City of San Jose, is an enigmatic place that consists of ancestral rocks distributed with an impressive and mysterious symmetry.

In the company of guides, you can tour this site that has labyrinths, caves, and monoliths with very old petroglyphs. A special place for hiking and caving.

Natural Baths of Agua Bonita, Villa Luz and Tranquilandia.

Tranquilandia Bath

They are located only five miles from the city, in Caño Sabana. The ancient rock formations form pools of crystalline waters of different colors. The rich plant and mineral environment is the one that colors these waters, so it is very similar to the rainbow river in La Macarena. You can go there and enjoy a good swim and landscape.

Puerta de Orión

Puerta de Orión Pic. by Parques Nacionales

Orion’s Gate is a rock formation emblematic of the city, found 9 kilometers from San José del Guaviare. It is twelve meters high and 20 meters wide. It has two natural holes, one on top of the other.

To get to Puerta de Orión you must pass through cavities and cornices that make it an enigmatic scenery.

The particularity of this natural wonder is that in the summer solstice you can observe Orion’s Belt through the upper window, creating a unique spectacle.

Sport fishing and Kayaking at Laguna Negra 

Sunsent at Laguna Negra ©El Tiempo

Laguna Negra is located 11 kilometers from San José del Guaviare. The black color that the water projects is because at the bottom there are decomposed leaves from the surrounding forests.

Its name is due to the dark tone of its waters seen from the air. Once on land, you can see a scenario of crystalline water, according to experts, because of the thick vegetation that surrounds it.

This natural reserve, 11 km from San José del Guaviare, constitutes the ideal scenario for the practice of artisan fishing and snorkel. You can find “cachazas” and “payaras”.

Kayaking and sailing, among other practices, are part of the new offer.

Chiribiquete National Park

Jaguar Petroglyph Chirbiquete ©Parques Nacionales Naturales

Because it is a complete planetary treasure, in 2018 it has been declared a mixed heritage of humanity.

It is located in the departments of Caquetá and Guaviare, and preserves the largest sample of rock art in the world.

In Chiribiquete there are approximately 70,000 paintings and 50 panels of an average height of 7 meters.

These have served to distinguish a cultural tradition of roots, apparently very old, of the Paleo-Indian. Therefore, they have been associated with groups of hunter-gatherers of the Tropical Rainforest and semi-dry enclaves of the Guianas and the Amazon.

Other Attractions

Guayabero Pic. by Juan Pablo Rozo – Wikiloc
  • Rural and community tourism: Finca Chontaduro, Finca Diamante, replacement of coca for fruit.
  • The “Flor del Guaviare” (Paepalanthus formosus Moldenke) is one of the emblems of the department.
Guaviare Flower, ©Gabriel Arroyo – iNaturalist
  • Thermal waters, unique in the Orinoco and Amazon;
  • The Inírida River;
  • The natural National Parks of Chiribiquete and Nukak; and
  • An endless number of lakes and lagoons where pink dolphins and fishing abound.
Nukak ©Nathaly Londoño – Parques Nacionales

How to get to Guaviare

The trip Bogotá – Guaviare by plane takes about 1.20 hour. The tourist sites are easily accessible by 4X4 vehicles. The capital, San José del Guaviare, has become a center of operation with a wide range of lodging facilities: three stars hotels, hostels, and camping.

Where to stay in San José del Guaviare

We recomend you the following hotels in San José del Guaviare:

  • Hotel Quinto Nivel
  • Hotel Aeropuerto

If you want to know more about the most incredible natural destinations in Colombia, plan your trip with us!


References

About the author

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.