By road, Cúcuta and Zipaquirá are about 328 miles (528 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 35 min of driving.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Norte de Santander.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Within 10 km (6 miles) of the Colombia-Venezuela border.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Colombia: “The Colombia-Venezuela border is not clearly marked.”
| Total distance | 328 mi (528 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 35 min |
| Departments on the route | Norte de Santander, Santander, Boyacá, Cundinamarca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Cúcuta–Zipaquirá drive in a few lines
It runs through 4 departments: Norte de Santander, Santander, Boyacá, Cundinamarca. Of the 8 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Cúcuta to Zipaquirá: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–115 | 115 | Norte de Santander, Santander |
| connecting roads | 115–116 | 1 | Santander |
| local roads | 116–328 | 212 | Santander, Boyacá, Cundinamarca |
- Mile 80 of this route: Norte de Santander → Santander (department line)
- Mile 218 of this route: Santander → Boyacá (department line)
- Mile 230 of this route: Boyacá → Santander (department line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Santander → Boyacá (department line)
- Mile 275 of this route: Boyacá → Cundinamarca (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cúcuta and Zipaquirá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Santa Clara (mile 50), Pamplona Colonial House Museum (mile 50), Chicamocha Canyon (mile 135), Chicamocha National Park (mile 142), Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (mile 269), Basílica del Santo Cristo de Ubaté (mile 302)
- Nature and outdoors: Saturban Canyon (mile 78), Chicamocha Canyon (mile 135), Chicamocha National Park (mile 142)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santa Clara (mile 50), Pamplona Colonial House Museum (mile 50), Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá (mile 269), Basílica del Santo Cristo de Ubaté (mile 302), Checua (mile 318)
Catedral de Santa Clara
Also known as Pamplona Cathedral (Catedral de Pamplona), Catedral de Santa Clara is a Catholic church in the municipality of Pamplona and the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona.
Pamplona Colonial House Museum
In northeastern Colombia, the Pamplona Colonial House Museum ranks among the oldest museums in the department of Norte de Santander.
Saturban Canyon
Running 2.28 km and reaching 320 m deep, Saturban Canyon (Cañón de Saturbán) marks the boundary between Santander and Norte de Santander in Colombia.
Chicamocha Canyon
Carved by the Chicamocha River, Colombia's Chicamocha Canyon has steep walls reaching depths of up to 2,000 meters and runs for about 227 kilometers.
Chicamocha National Park
About 50 km from Bucaramanga, Chicamocha National Park (Panachi) sits along the Chicamocha Canyon, with paragliding, caving, hiking, camping, kayaking, rafting and climbing on offer.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá
In Chiquinquirá, Boyacá, this minor basilica houses the venerated image of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, also a national shrine.
Basílica del Santo Cristo de Ubaté
Ubaté's Basílica del Santo Cristo, a minor basilica dedicated to the Divine Savior, stands in the municipality of Villa de San Diego de Ubaté, Cundinamarca.
Checua
About 7 km north of the Nemocón town center in Cundinamarca, Checua is an open-air preceramic archaeological site.
When you get to Zipaquirá
El Abra
El Abra is an extensive archaeological site in the valley of the same name, stretching from eastern Zipaquirá into the western edge of Tocancipá, Cundinamarca.
Zipaquirá Cathedral
Zipaquirá Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral dedicated jointly to the Holy Trinity, St. Anthony of Padua, and Our Lady of the Assumption in the Colombian town of Zipaquirá.
Tibitó
Tibitó is a dated archaeological rock shelter in Tocancipá, on the northern Bogotá savanna, part of Colombia's Altiplano Cundiboyacense.
More drives to Zipaquirá
- Bogotá to Zipaquirá
- Ibagué to Zipaquirá
- Armenia to Zipaquirá
- Manizales to Zipaquirá
- Pereira to Zipaquirá
- Cartago, Colombia to Zipaquirá
From Cúcuta to other places in Colombia
- Cúcuta to Bucaramanga
- Cúcuta to Barrancabermeja
- Cúcuta to Sogamoso
- Cúcuta to Tunja
- Cúcuta to Yopal
- Cúcuta to Villavicencio
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cúcuta to Zipaquirá?
About 7 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 328 miles.
How far is Zipaquirá from Cúcuta by car?
About 328 miles (528 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cúcuta to Zipaquirá drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Colombia: Norte de Santander; Colombia: Within 10 km (6 miles) of the Colombia-Venezuela border). Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Cúcuta and Zipaquirá?
Closest to the road: Chicamocha Canyon (canyon, mile 135, 0.2 mi from the route); Chicamocha National Park (national park, mile 142, 0.2 mi from the route); Basílica del Santo Cristo de Ubaté (basilica, mile 302, 0.5 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.