Plan on about 11 h 46 min of driving for the 443-mile (713 km) trip from Popayán to Tunja, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Cauca (excluding Popayán).
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: “Mountain roads may lack safety features such as crash barriers or guard rails.”
| Distance | 443 mi (713 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 46 min |
| Departments on the route | Cauca, Huila, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Boyacá |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Popayán–Tunja drive in a few lines
It runs through 6 departments: Cauca, Huila, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Boyacá. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Popayán to Tunja: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Cauca |
| connecting roads | 6–7 | 1 | Cauca |
| local roads | 7–89 | 82 | Cauca, Huila |
| connecting roads | 89–90 | 1 | Huila |
| local roads | 90–443 | 353 | Huila, Cauca, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Boyacá |
- Mile 85 of this route: Cauca → Huila (department line)
- Mile 93 of this route: Huila → Cauca (department line)
- Mile 100 of this route: Cauca → Huila (department line)
- Mile 203 of this route: Huila → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 277 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 283 of this route: Cundinamarca → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 297 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 344 of this route: Cundinamarca → Bogota (department line)
- Mile 366 of this route: Bogota → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 416 of this route: Cundinamarca → Boyacá (department line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Popayán and Tunja
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Jesucristo Nuestra Paz (mile 344), St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Engativá (mile 354), Jaime Duque Park (mile 377), Colombian Aerospace Museum (mile 377)
- Nature and outdoors: Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve (mile 362), Jaime Duque Park (mile 377)
- Museums and history: Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Neiva (mile 167), Neiva Regional Archaeological Museum (mile 167), Catedral de Jesucristo Nuestra Paz (mile 344), National Geological Museum José Royo Gómez (mile 352), St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Engativá (mile 354), Colombian Aerospace Museum (mile 377)
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Neiva
Neiva Cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral in the Huila department of southwestern Colombia.
Neiva Regional Archaeological Museum
The Neiva Regional Archaeological Museum in Neiva, Colombia, is dedicated to conserving the cultural heritage of the Huila Department.
Catedral de Jesucristo Nuestra Paz
Commonly called Soacha Cathedral, the Catedral de Jesucristo Nuestra Paz stands in the León XIII neighborhood of Soacha and is the seat of the bishop of the Diocese of Soacha.
Meandro del Say
Meandro del Say is a wetland in the Fontibón area of Bogotá that extends into the eastern part of Mosquera, Cundinamarca.
National Geological Museum José Royo Gómez
Run by the Colombian Geological Survey, the National Geological Museum José Royo y Gómez is devoted to geology and paleontology.
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Engativá
Also called Engativá Cathedral, the St. John the Baptist Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the Engativá locality of Bogotá.
Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve
Declared a protected area in 2000 by the Ministry of Environment, the Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve preserves part of the Bogotá savanna.
Jaime Duque Park
Jaime Duque Park is a family amusement park in Tocancipá, in the Bogotá metro area, with the Jaime Duque Zoo, the Museum of Mankind, and replicas of well-known buildings from around the world.
Colombian Aerospace Museum
The Colombian Aerospace Museum is an aerospace museum located near Tocancipá, in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia.
When you get to Tunja
Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle, Tunja
Tunja Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Basilica of St. James the Apostle, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the Colombian city of Tunja, and the oldest Catholic cathedral in Colombia.
Goranchacha Temple
Named for the mythological figure Goranchacha, this Muisca archaeological site lies in Tunja, Boyacá, known as Hunza in the time of the Muisca Confederation.
More drives to Tunja
- Bogotá to Tunja
- Villavicencio to Tunja
- Ibagué to Tunja
- Armenia to Tunja
- Medellín to Tunja
- Manizales to Tunja
From Popayán to other places in Colombia
- Popayán to Tuluá
- Popayán to San Cipriano
- Popayán to Zipaquirá
- Popayán to Guatapé
- Popayán to Sogamoso
- Popayán to Pitalito
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Popayán to Tunja?
About 11 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 443 miles.
How far is Tunja from Popayán by car?
About 443 miles (713 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.
Is it safe to drive from Popayán to Tunja?
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: Cauca (excluding Popayán)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Popayán to Tunja?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Jesucristo Nuestra Paz (cathedral, mile 344, 0.2 mi from the route); St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Engativá (cathedral, mile 354, 0.5 mi from the route); Jaime Duque Park (park, mile 377, 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.