Cerro Azul

The Serrania de la Lindosa carries panels of rock painting in red ochre running along cliff faces for considerable distances - handprints, geometric patterns, hunting scenes, and animals including deer, tapir, and figures that researchers have argued may represent ice age megafauna, though that identification is debated. Dating is uncertain and estimates range widely; the earliest occupation of the region goes back over twelve thousand years. The site sits at the transition between the Amazon, the Orinoco plains and the Andes. Visits go with community guides and the local associations manage it. Chiribiquete, the far larger and stricter site, is closed to visitors entirely.

What to look for

• Thousands of ochre paintings - along cliff faces in the Lindosa.
• Handprints, patterns and animals - with some identifications debated.
• Twelve thousand years of occupation - the region's earliest traces.
• Community-managed access - with local guides required.

When to go

December to March, the drier months. A full day.

Practical notes

Access requires a guide and community fee - independent visits are not permitted. Tracks are rough and impassable in heavy rain. Heat and insects are heavy.

Nearby

San Jose del Guaviare is the base; Chiribiquete is far south and closed.