The Wayro route from Santa Marta to Tunja is 505 miles (812 km), about 10 h 31 min of driving without stops.
Read the full advisory before you go: 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 by road | 505 mi (812 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 31 min |
| Departments on the route | Magdalena, Cesar, Santander, Boyacá |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 2 |
On the road from Santa Marta to Tunja
It runs through 4 departments: Magdalena, Cesar, Santander, Boyacá. None of the 2 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Which roads connect Santa Marta and Tunja
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–18 | 18 | Magdalena |
| connecting roads | 18–19 | 1 | Magdalena |
| local roads | 19–84 | 65 | Magdalena, Cesar |
| connecting roads | 84–85 | 1 | Cesar |
| local roads | 85–505 | 420 | Cesar, Santander, Boyacá |
- Mile 80 of this route: Magdalena → Cesar (department line)
- Mile 287 of this route: Cesar → Santander (department line)
- Mile 463 of this route: Santander → Boyacá (department line)
Places worth a stop between Santa Marta and Tunja
Casa del Telegrafista
Casa del Telegrafista is a museum in Aracataca, the town where author Gabriel García Márquez and photographer Leo Matiz were born.
Casa Cultural Gustavo Rojas Pinilla
Set in the Tunja house where Colombian president Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was born, this museum and cultural center hosts art, academic and science events and is a national monument.
Arriving in 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 Santa Marta to other places in Colombia
- Santa Marta to Sabanalarga
- Santa Marta to Rincón del Mar
- Santa Marta to Sincelejo
- Santa Marta to Montería
- Santa Marta to Maicao
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santa Marta to Tunja?
About 10 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 505 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Marta to Tunja?
About 505 miles (812 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 Santa Marta to Tunja?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Marta to Tunja?
Closest to the road: Casa del Telegrafista (museum, mile 52, 2 mi from the route); Casa Cultural Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (museum, mile 466, 1 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.