Plan on about 11 h 19 min of driving for the 531-mile (855 km) trip from Tunja to Guachaca, before any 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 | 531 mi (855 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 19 min |
| Departments on the route | Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
Driving Tunja to Guachaca: the shape of the trip
It runs through 4 departments: Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tunja and Guachaca
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–531 | 531 | Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena |
- Mile 42 of this route: Boyacá → Santander (department line)
- Mile 222 of this route: Santander → Cesar (department line)
- Mile 426 of this route: Cesar → Magdalena (department line)
Places worth a stop between Tunja and Guachaca
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (mile 504)
- Nature and outdoors: Tayrona National Natural Park (mile 518)
- Museums and history: Casa Museo Juan de Castellanos (mile 39), Casa del Telegrafista (mile 454), Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum (mile 500), Casa de la Aduana (mile 503), Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (mile 504)
- With kids: Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum (mile 500)
Casa Museo Juan de Castellanos
In the center of Tunja, the Casa Museo Juan de Castellanos is a house museum where the poet lived and died, although the house belonged to Domingo de Aguirre.
Casa del Telegrafista
Casa del Telegrafista is a museum in Aracataca, the town where author Gabriel García Márquez and photographer Leo Matiz were born.
Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum
Opened in 1965 by Captain Francisco Ospina Navia, the Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum is a public aquarium and maritime museum in Inca Inca Cove off Rodadero beach in Santa Marta.
Casa de la Aduana
On Plaza de Bolívar in Santa Marta, the colonial Casa de la Aduana houses the regional Gold Museum of Colombia's Banco de la República.
Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
Built in 1608, the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in Mamatoco, Santa Marta, is the hacienda where Simón Bolívar died on December 17, 1830.
Piedra de Donama
Piedra de Donama is a rock about 4 meters across and 3 meters high in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, carved with zoomorphic and abstract petroglyphs.
Tayrona National Natural Park
About 34 km from central Santa Marta, Tayrona National Natural Park protects Caribbean coast and Sierra Nevada terrain rising from sea level to 900 meters.
More drives to Guachaca
- Sabanalarga to Guachaca
- Cartagena to Guachaca
- Magangué to Guachaca
- Rincón del Mar to Guachaca
- Sincelejo to Guachaca
- Montería to Guachaca
From Tunja to other places in Colombia
- Tunja to Girardot City
- Tunja to Cartago, Colombia
- Tunja to San Cipriano
- Tunja to Quibdó
- Tunja to Yopal
- Tunja to Pitalito
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tunja to Guachaca?
About 11 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 531 miles.
How far is Guachaca from Tunja by car?
About 531 miles (855 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 Tunja to Guachaca drive?
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 Tunja to Guachaca?
Closest to the road: Casa Museo Juan de Castellanos (museum, mile 39, 1 mi from the route); Casa del Telegrafista (museum, mile 454, 2 mi from the route); Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (museum, mile 504, 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.