Things To Do:
The tombs are what Tierradentro is famous for, the park is a World Heritage Archeological Site and the reason most people visit. Very little is known about the culture that created the tombs but they are estimated to be between 600 and 1000 years old. There are four official sites with tombs, all within easy walking distance of San Andrés de Pisimbalá. There are two looping routes which together cover all of the sites. There is a caretaker at every site except El Aguacate to unlock the tombs and let you know which the best are to enter. A few of the tombs are lit, but most are not, so take a flashlight.
Route I: Starting from the village follow the road to the below mentioned site of El Tablón where statues are found, continue on to the sites of El Duende and Segovia to see the tombs and then onto the museums. From the museums it is a 20 minute uphill walk back to the village and hotel. This loop can be done in as little as 2 ½ hours, but to give you time to explore some of the tombs and see the museums it is better to allow 5 hours in total. Most people do this walk in reverse starting at the museums but it's a bit steep from that direction, following the route suggested here is defiantly less strenuous. <Map>
Route II: This route is moderately strenuous, make sure you allow at least 4 ½ hours of daylight and are carrying sufficient water. Starting behind the Restaurant of La Portada follow the trail about 30 minutes to El Alto de San Andrés. After visiting the first site, continue up the mountain and over the ridge. You will follow the trail down into the next valley and then up to another ridge top. Time from El Alto is about 2 hours. On top of this ridge you will find the site El Aguacate, but it's the view you will notice first. At this point you are higher than most of the surrounding countryside and the views are breathtaking. There are a couple of tombs that can be entered, some with paintings. You can return the way you came or continue following the trail until it comes out at the museums. Watch closely on this part of the trail and you will see many tombs overgrown with vegetation. Then follow the road 20 minutes uphill to the village and hotel. <Map>
Statues:
The area's archeological sites are mostly from the tomb builders, but there is one site, El Tablón, that has stone statues of the same culture as San Augustín. There is not much known about this culture but the statues are estimated to be 800 or 1000 years old. This site is an easy 15 minute walk from the village.
Museums:
The museums are where you pay once for the entire park, cost is about $3US per person. They are located about a 20 minute downhill walk from San Andrés de Pisimbalá. One is Museo Arqueológico which has information and displays about the cultures who created the tombs and statues. The other, Museo Etnográfico is directly across the street and mostly covers the local Páez Indians.
Village Church:
The village church is well worth a visit. It's a 400 year old stone and adobe structure with a thatched roof. It is the best preserved of a dozen or so churches of this style in the area.
La Pirámide:
This is a pyramid shaped mountain which is an easy ½ day trip from San Andrés de Pisimbalá. Near the peak of the mountain are some large tunnels said to be made by the conquistadors, but no one knows why. The tunnels are lighted and easily visited for the cost of about $1US per person. One can rent horses with or with out guide from the village to visit the site or get a bus to drop you off nearby. It's a ½ hour uphill walk to the peak and the views once you arrive are spectacular.
Horseback Riding:
There are several locals who rent out horses and can act as guides to explore the surrounding area.
Inza Market:
The larger village of Inza is ½ hour away by bus; most travelers will pass though it on the way to San Andrés de Pisimbalá. The market is held on Saturday mornings and it can be an interesting visit if you are there on that day.
Other Things To Do:
The opportunities for walks and hikes in the area are endless. Given the lay of the land it would be next to impossible to get lost to the point you could not find your way back to the village. You can walk to one of the nearby villages or up the mountains and along the ridge tops. There are also several waterfalls which could be visited.
