Las Lajas Sanctuary Colombia – The Ultimate Travel Guide
Intro – Why Should You Visit Las Lajas Sanctuary?
Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia (in Spanish: el Santuario de Las Lajas Colombia or la Iglesia de Las Lajas)—more properly known as the Shrine of Our Lady of Las Lajas, also known as Las Lajas Shrine and (inaccurately) the Cathedral of Las Lajas—might be the most famous church in Colombia.
This Catholic neo-Gothic minor basilica is possibly among the most famous churches in South America, and it’s certainly unique in all of the world.
It’s famous for being among the most beautiful churches in the world, as well as the site of alleged 18th-century miracles and apparitions of the Virgin Mary. It’s unique for its architectural style and its topography, having been built into the steep walls of the canyon of the Guáitara River.
It resembles a real-life Rivendell from Lord of the Rings connected to an impressive tall bridge that calls to mind the Bridge of Hylia from the Legend of Zelda games.
So whether you’re a Tolkien or Zelda geek, a devoted Catholic, or a sucker for architectural marvels, you’ll definitely want to add Las Lajas Sanctuary Colombia to your bucket list of must-see sites.
And that’s why we’ve created the ULTIMATE travel guide to one of the most beautiful and unique places you’ll ever see!
In this article, we’ll discuss its history and location, how to make the most of your visit, what else you can do in the area, where to stay, and whether the area is safe. (Spoiler: it is.)
Even better, we’ll let you take a 360-degree virtual tour!
Table of Contents
✧Las Lajas Sanctuary History – The Origin Story
✧Where is Las Lajas Sanctuary Located?
✦VIRTUAL 360-DEGREE TOUR OF LAS LAJAS SANCTUARY COLOMBIA✦
✧Making the Most of Your Visit to Las Lajas Sanctuary
✧What’s the Best Time to Visit Las Lajas Sanctuary?
✧How to Get to Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
✧Other Things to Do Near Las Lajas Sanctuary
✧Where to Stay in Ipiales
✧Is It Necessary to Stay Overnight in Ipiales?
✧Is Ipiales Safe?
✧Conclusion – Visiting Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
Las Lajas Sanctuary History – The Origin Story
According to popular belief, in the mid-1700s, local indigenous woman MarĂa Mueses de Quiñones was passing through the river canyon with her deaf-mute daughter Rosa.
While resting by a cave near the Guaitara river, Rosa spoke for the first time, telling her to “look at that mestiza.” Rosa was shocked, but saw nothing. Later, passing by the same cave, Rosa spoke again: “Mommy, the mestiza is calling me!”
On another occasion, when Rosa had gone missing, MarĂa found her at the same cave. She was on her knees, playing with the child Christ at the Virgin Mary’s feet.
At first, nobody believed MarĂa’s tales of these encounters. But then one day, tragedy struck. Her daughter Rosa suddenly died.
MarĂa carried the body to the cave where she again found Mary. Laying Rosa’s body down at her feet, MarĂa prayed for her to revive her daughter. Because MarĂa’s faith was so strong, Mary answered her prayers.
In the wake of such a miracle, the townspeople finally believed MarĂa. They made a pilgrimage to the cave, where they were surprised to see upon the rock wall an image of the Virgin Mary holding the child Christ, with Saint Dominic and Saint Francis beside her.
The first shrine, a wood and straw hut, was soon built around the image. Over the years, larger temples have been built over the same spot, until the current church and bridge were built during the first half of the 1900s.
Ever since the first viewing of the image on the rocks, some people have claimed that the water at the site has healing properties. Catholic pilgrims from many countries visit this place to catch a glimpse of the image and to pray.
For a more detailed history, as well as a discussion of the building architecture, check out our article of Las Lajas Sanctuary facts.
Sources (in Spanish):
laslajas.org
santuariolavirgendelaslajas.com
Where is Las Lajas Sanctuary Located?
Las Lajas Sanctuary Colombia is located within the municipality of Ipiales, in the department of Nariño. It’s roughly 7 kilometers (4 miles) southeast of the Ipiales city center (20 de Julio Park), and 11 kilometers (7 miles) east of the Rumichaca International Bridge at the Colombia-Ecuador border.
The small city of Ipiales sits right next to the border of Colombia. It’s extremely far from the places most tourists in Colombia tend to go, so it’s more common for travelers in Ecuador to hop across the border and visit Las Lajas Sanctuary than it is for tourists in Colombia.
However, even for travelers in Colombia, it can be easy and uncomplicated to plan a trip there. We’ll discuss getting there from both countries later on.
Virtual 360-Degree Tour of Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
If you want to get a taste of this majestic site, there are two virtual tours you can take. Here is the first one, which allows you to explore the bridge and the Las Lajas Sanctuary interior:
The other tour is perhaps a little less user friendly, and doesn’t include the interior of the temple, but it does let you explore more of the grounds around the sanctuary.
For best results, be sure to check out both. Neither one can replace the experience of actually visiting Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia, though. So let’s talk about visiting the real thing!
Making the Most of Your Visit to Las Lajas Sanctuary
The Drive Down
As we will discuss later, you’ll most likely be taking a taxi or colectivo (a shared vehicle) from the center of Ipiales to Las Lajas.
On the way there, there is a mirador (scenic overlook) from which you can get a breathtaking first view of the sanctuary nestled in the canyon. Most taxi drivers know to stop there (not sure about the colectivos), but you can ask them to stop just in case.
Afterwards, you have two options. You can have your driver drop you off at the teleférico (aerial cable car) or at the entrance to the footpath down to the church.
👍🏻 Pro Tip! Get Your Driver’s Phone Number
If you take a taxi, I recommend getting your taxi driver’s phone number. You can contact them when you’re ready to leave and have them pick you up wherever they dropped you off.
If you don’t get their digits, or if you’re traveling by colectivo, just don’t stay too late. It can be hard to find transportation back to town after about 6 or 7pm. But it’s worth staying after dark, for reasons I’ll explain later.
đźš• If you want a recommendation for a reliable taxi driver in Ipiales, email me.
Option 1. Taking the Teleférico
2015 marked the beginning of a new, relaxing and scenic method of transportation to the sanctuary. This cable car gives passengers an impressive aerial view of the river canyon, which it crosses twice during the 1400-meter, 18-minute journey.
Normally, the teleférico is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and costs $12,000 COP for adults or $8,000 COP for children and senior citizens. Children under 5 ride for free.
During peak seasons (December, January, and Easter Week), the hours are from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and a ticket costs $15,000 for adults, $10,000 for children and seniors. For more information, check out the Teleférico Las Lajas official site (in Spanish).
If you choose this method of transport, you’ll end up behind the sanctuary building. You can skip the next section and continue with the tour.
Option 2. Walking to Las Lajas Sanctuary
If you choose to make the journey on foot, your driver will continue past the telefĂ©rico. After a couple of minutes, they’ll let you off at the entrance to the footpath that leads to the church. You’ll see a number of small shops and hotels.
Here you’ll begin a 10- or 15-minute trek downhill towards the church. Note that there are also numerous stairs involved. It’s not wheelchair-friendly.
Along the way, you’ll see many stores selling souvenirs and religious items. You’ll also see walls covered in plaques with words of gratitude and devotion to the Virgin Mary.
As you get nearer to the Las Lajas Sanctuary, you’ll eventually come to a statue dedicated to Manuel “El Ciego” Rivera. He was an old blind man who walked around Colombia and Ecuador raising funds for the construction of the second phase of the sanctuary.
A little farther down the path, you’ll find an overlook with a view of the canyon and the artificial waterfall. After that, you’ll come to a statue of MarĂa Mueses de Quiñónes and her daughter Rosa, the protagonists of the Las Lajas legend.
Just beyond here, you’ll come up behind the church. You’ll see the top of the building with its impressive towers and spires. To the right, you’ll see the other entrance of the telefĂ©rico. This is also where you’ll be let off if you chose to ride the cable car down instead of walking.
Arriving at the Church
On the side of the sanctuary opposite the telefĂ©rico station, you’ll head down two flights of stairs to get to the church-floor level. Again, it’s not wheelchair-friendly!
At the bottom of the stairs, you’ll see on your left the entrance to another stairway that will take you down to the crypt and the museum. We’ll come back to these in a minute.
Continuing past the museum entrance, you’ll come to the corner of the church. Here your path will open onto the stone bridge. You might want to walk to the far end of it, where you can take a great photo of the front of the church.
You can also get some great shots of the angel statues that line the bridge, the surrounding canyon, and the waterfall. You might want to experiment with some panoramic shots of the area.
Entering the Sanctuary
Probably the next thing you’ll want to do is visit the Las Lajas Sanctuary interior. When you walk in, you’ll notice the beautiful natural lighting coming in from the stained-glass windows that span the length of the church.
Be sure to get a photo of the exquisite gold-trimmed vaulted ceilings before making your way to the back of the church. There, you can get a photo of the famed image of Our Lady of Las Lajas, painted on the canyon rock which forms the rear wall of the building.
The image is encased in glass, and you can’t get very close to it. There’s a barrier between you and the altar. Still, you can get a nice photo of the wall with the image on it.
The Basement
Exiting the sanctuary, you might now want to explore the basement. Go back around the corner to your left and head down the stairs. Right away, you’ll start appreciating the arches and the barrel-vaulted ceilings.
At the foot of the stairs, to your left is the crypt, built by Antonio Pueyo de Vall. It’s called the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and its pillars and vaulted ceilings are illuminated with lighting that changes colors frequently.
To the right of the foot of the stairs is the museum. It costs $3,000 COP to enter. (They’ll accept $1 USD, but at the time of writing this article, that’s more expensive than if you pay in pesos.)
The museum is worth the entry fee. There’s a 15-minute documentary about the history of the site. There are photos of the old temple buildings and relics from the church’s past.
There’s even a wing dedicated to the art and lifestyles of the pre-Columbian societies of the surrounding area of Nariño, Colombia. You’ll definitely want to take your time learning about the history of this beautiful place!
Exploring the Grounds
Back on the ground floor, if you return to the far side of the bridge, you’ll see a path on the lefthand side. This path will take you to an area with some restrooms, gift shops, and a restaurant.
I don’t recommend eating there.
In our experience, the food was served cold. That was probably just because it was late when we ate there. But even aside from that, it was bland. I suggest you eat elsewhere before or after your visit.
But more importantly, from the restaurant area, there are numerous paths that branch upwards, downwards, and on both sides of the church. You should take your time exploring these different avenues.
You’ll find many different angles to photograph the church from. There are even professional photographers all over the place who know the best spots to snap your picture with the church behind you.
Roaming around, you’ll also find your way up to the waterfall. It may be artificial, but it’s positively breathtaking.
Las Lajas Sanctuary Colombia – After Dark
I strongly recommend you take your time exploring the church and the grounds. That way, you can stick around till nightfall, when the church is completely transformed.
Around 6 or 6:30 p.m., the entire sanctuary is lit up with a multicolor light show. Vivid reds, greens, blues, purples, and yellows bathe the church in their glow.
The lights twinkle and dance, sometimes slowly changing colors, and other times quickly jumping from one to the next, as if in sync with the beat of unheard music.
It’s a spectacle so worth viewing that I would actually suggest you plan your visit for the late afternoon. That way, by the time you’ve explored the church grounds, it’ll be nearly nightfall.
Leaving Las Lajas
Once you’ve had your fill of the natural and architectural beauty, it’s time to exit.
If you’ve stayed past sundown, you should call your taxi driver before you begin the hike out of the canyon and tell them to meet you where they dropped you off. The walk back is still safe after dark, don’t worry.
If you’re leaving earlier in the day, you can either walk the path back to the entrance, or take the telefĂ©rico out of the canyon.
From the footpath entrance or the cable-car station to the main road, you should be able to find taxis and colectivos back to the Ipiales bus station or to your hotel. Ask somebody if you’re not sure where to go to catch your transport.
What’s the Best Time to Visit Las Lajas Sanctuary?
To answer this question, it’s easier to tell you when not to visit. The busiest times of the year are on January 15th and 16th, when there are anniversary celebrations, as well as Holy Week (Easter week).
During those times, huge crowds descend on the site, and it becomes next to impossible to enjoy yourself. It’s best to visit outside of those holidays, especially on a weekday, if you can.
Also keep in mind that Colombia’s rainiest months are April to May, and again from October to November. If you visit during those months, bring your rain gear with you, just in case.
Now that you know when to visit, let’s talk about how to get there.
How to Get to Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
From Ecuador
The cities in Ecuador you’re most likely to make the visit from are Quito or Otavalo. From either city, you’ll be catching a bus to the border town of Tulcán.
Getting to Tulcán.
From Quito’s Quitumbe bus terminal in the south, it’s about a 6-hour trip and costs $8 USD. From the CarcelĂ©n terminal in the north, it takes about 5 hours and costs $7. (Prices quoted are for the bus company Expreso Tulcán.)
If for whatever reason you can’t find a direct bus to Tulcán, you can take a bus to Otavalo (~2.5 hours) and then transfer to Tulcán. From Otavalo’s only bus terminal, the trip to Tulcán takes about 3 hours and costs $5.
From Tulcán to the Border
After you arrive in Tulcán, you need to get to Rumichaca Bridge at the border. For that, you can either take a taxi (that’s probably best if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage) or a colectivo. Neither option will cost more than a few dollars.
Your transport will let you out at the Ecuadorian customs office, where you’ll need to get your exit stamp.
Afterwards, you’ll cross the border via the Rumichaca Bridge (a modern add-on to a natural stone bridge that’s been traversed by humans since long before the Incan Empire reached it) and enter the Colombia Immigration office to get your entry stamp.
Be sure to stop at the currency exchange office after you pass through Immigration (on the right side of the road). You’ll need to exchange some of your USD for COP (Colombian pesos).
From the Border to Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
Next, you can either take a taxi directly to Las Lajas Sanctuary ($22,000 COP) or to the Ipiales bus station ($10,000 COP).
The second option is really only necessary if you’re staying overnight and/or have luggage with you. You can either check into your hotel or pay for the bag check service at the Ipiales bus station.
From the bus station, you can get to Las Lajas Sanctuary by taxi ($12,000 COP) or colectivo ($3,500 COP). The Sanctuary itself has no entry fee.
From Within Colombia
Getting to Ipiales
If you’re already in Colombia, then make your way to the border city of Ipiales. You can get there by air or by land.
🛩 By Air
Ipiales has a small airport on the outskirts of the city, the San Luis Airport in the town of Aldana. You can fly there and then take a 25-minute taxi ride to the Ipiales bus station for around $20,000 COP.
However, as the airport is so small, it only receives a limited number of flights from Bogotá and Cali. If you’re coming from a different city, you’ll have better luck flying into Pasto. From there you can take a bus to Ipiales (about 2 hours).
In my opinion, air travel is the way to go. I’ve said it before, but Ipiales is insanely far from the usual tourist destinations in Colombia. A bus trip from Bogotá or MedellĂn to Ipiales can easily take more than 20 hours (!!!).
Sure, air travel costs more (round-trip flights from Bogotá to Ipiales range between $100 and $200 USD per person). But saving yourself 19 hours or more of your time is well worth it.
Honestly, unless you’re making a leisurely backpacking trip towards Ecuador, stopping in Popayán and Pasto along the way, I don’t recommend taking a bus. But if you’ve already made up your mind…
🚌 By Land
You can find buses to Ipiales from many cities. Pasto, Popayán, Cali, Armenia, Bogotá, and MedellĂn are just some of them. If you can’t find a bus to Ipiales from wherever you are, then try for Pasto or, failing that, Popayán.
You can then catch a bus that will take you to Ipiales. The trip takes 2 hours from Pasto or 8 hours from Popayán.
From Ipiales to Las Lajas Sanctuary
Once at the Ipiales bus station, your next step is probably to figure out what to do with your luggage.
If you’re itching to see the gorgeous Las Lajas Sanctuary right away, there is a bag check service at the bus station. After checking your bags, you can take a taxi ($12,000 COP) or colectivo ($3,500 COP) directly to Las Lajas Sanctuary, which costs nothing to enter.
Your other option is to take a taxi to your hotel. You can ask the driver to wait for you while you check in and drop off your luggage. That way you can continue on to Las Lajas.
Otherwise, head back to the bus station whenever you’re ready, and take a taxi or colectivo to the Sanctuary.
Other Things to Do Near Las Lajas Sanctuary
Apart from the sanctuary itself, which draws thousands of tourists from many different countries each year, Ipiales isn’t a touristic city. Even some locals say there’s nothing to do there apart from visiting the church.
Nevertheless, there are some activities you can enjoy in the area.
Shopping
Ipiales is a popular shopping destination for Ecuadorians. They cross the border on weekends to save money on groceries, clothes, and electronics, among other items.
Around the 20 de Julio park and San Felipe park, there are numerous stores and wandering vendors selling all kinds of wares. For a calmer experience, there’s also the Gran Plaza, a modern indoor shopping mall.
Visit the El Charco District for Traditional Food
About halfway between downtown Ipiales and Las Lajas, you’ll find the El Charco district. The buildings are all painted with traditional indigenous symbols and motifs. It’s quite charming.
This is also the best place to try the most traditional dish of Ipiales: cuy asado (roasted guinea pig). If you’re an adventurous eater, be sure to stop into one of the many restaurants in El Charco that are famous for serving cuy.
I recommend stopping here on your way to Las Lajas and filling your belly. That way you won’t have to eat at the restaurant on the sanctuary grounds.
See the Exquisite Topiaries of the Tulcán Cemetery (Ecuador)
About as close to the border as Ipiales is, but on the Ecuadorian side, is the city of Tulcán. While there’s not much to do there, there is one place that’s worth a visit: the JosĂ© Maria Azael Franco Cemetery.
This unique cemetery is known for its abundance of topiary art. In 1936, cemetery caretaker José Maria Azael Franco decided to begin shaping the tall cypress trees into various figures.
Today, these figures are of Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Incan, Arabic, and Ecuadorian styles, as well as animal forms. Azael Franco passed away and was buried among his works in 1985, but his tradition lives on. The topiaries are pruned and maintained every three months.
It’s kind of hard to be in a somber mood walking among these often joyful figures. As some of the visitors said when I was there, it almost makes it worth dying to be buried in a place like that.
Given how close to the border the cemetery is, and that you can see all of it in 30 or 45 minutes, it’s an easy trip to make from Ipiales that’s worth the minimal effort it requires.
To get there, cross the border at the Rumichaca Bridge, then take a taxi from the Ecuadorian immigration office to the cemetery. It’ll cost you just a few dollars each way.
Where to Stay in Ipiales
There are numerous hotels of different levels of quality and price in the area.
👉 For a more budget option, book your stay at Hotel Avanty.
👉 If you want a more upscale accommodation, book your stay at the Loft Hotel.
Both hotels include breakfast and are located near to both the Ipiales city center and Las Lajas Sanctuary.
Is It Necessary to Stay Overnight in Ipiales?
Not necessarily. It depends on what your plans are and what method of transport you’re using.
You can feasibly visit both the Las Lajas Sanctuary Colombia and the Tulcán Cemetery in Ecuador in the same day. Afterwards, you can travel to your next destination, whether it be Otavalo (Ecuador) or Pasto (Colombia).
However, there are some things to keep in mind.
If you’re going to Ecuador, you can find buses to Quito or Otavalo from the Tulcán bus terminal until probably around 10 p.m.
Plan accordingly. You’ll want to give yourself enough time to pass through immigration and then take a 15-minute taxi ride to the Tulcán bus terminal.
If you’re going to continue on to another Colombian city, be aware of what time you’re leaving. A two-hour night bus to Pasto is probably fine. However, you might want to avoid longer trips, say to Popayán or Cali, overnight. Those routes can be more dangerous at night.
If you’re visiting the sanctuary in the morning and then heading to another Colombian city, you should be okay. But if you want to spend the better part of your day exploring Ipiales and Las Lajas at an easy pace, you’re better off spending the night there.
Especially if you want to see the church at night, which I highly recommend you do.
Is Ipiales Safe?
Short answer: yes. Ipiales is a very safe city. You can walk around the city center without a care in the world, by day. By night, on the other hand, I wouldn’t recommend it.
The only exception is Las Lajas. As I mentioned before, you can stay at the sanctuary till nightfall and walk back to catch your transport. It’s totally safe.
No matter where you are, though, there are always tips you can follow to stay safe in Colombia.
Conclusion – Visiting Las Lajas Sanctuary, Colombia
So, is the Sanctuary of Las Lajas worth the visit? Hopefully after reading this article, your answer is a resounding YES!
With a rich history, gorgeous natural surroundings, and beautiful Gothic revival style architecture, it’s plain to see why this church is a must-see site for both religious and non-religious visitors.
As far as I’m concerned, this real-life Rivendell in Southwest Colombia needs to be on your bucket list. So what are you waiting for?
📸 For more photos from our visit to Las Lajas and other sites in Colombia (and beyond), follow us on Instagram.