Juan Curi Waterfall

Juan Curi falls out of the forest above the Charala road in a long series of drops and lands in a pool clear enough to swim in, with rock slabs to sit on at the edge. The walk in from the road takes twenty to thirty minutes, uphill, on a path of roots and wet stone that is slippery whenever it has rained, which in Santander is often. Two neighbouring landowners each run an entrance and each charges separately, which confuses most arrivals. Guides at the top offer abseiling down the face of the fall itself, which is the main reason many people come.

What you actually see

• The main drop - a long fall down a forested rock face.
• The bathing pool - clear water at the base with rock ledges.
• The abseil - guided rope descent down the waterfall itself.
• The forest path - a steep walk in through dense trees and roots.

When to go

Drier months, December to March and July to August, make the path safer and the water clearer; after heavy rain the fall is more powerful but the pool turns muddy and the rocks become dangerous. Come in the morning, both for the light on the water and to be ahead of the San Gil day trippers, who tend to arrive around midday.

Honest expectations

The two entrances charge separately for what is essentially the same waterfall, and neither is well signposted. The climb up is steep and unrelentingly slippery, and people fall on it regularly, so sandals are a bad idea. The pool is cold and the spray keeps the whole area damp. On weekends the base of the fall is crowded and littered.

Nearby

San Gil, Barichara and the Chicamocha canyon are all within an hour or so.