This route is a great way to cross the Central Cordillera. It rises up from Popayan on a picturesque paved road to the village of Gabriel Lopez at almost 3,400m, where a long gravel descent begins. The vistas all the way up and down are absolutely magnificent. The climb is an impressive 50km long, but thankfully never gets too steep and the average gradient is only about 4%. The 45km gravel descent can be quite challenging, though, especially if it’s been raining. There are lots of places to stop for refreshments on the climb, but almost none on the descent until you reach the small market town of Inza. From there it’s just a short ride down to Tierradentro, where you’ll find shops (higher prices than in Inza), restaurants and places to stay. It’s worth spending a few days here exploring the fascinating ancient hypogeums in the surrounding hills and riding or hiking some of the local trails.

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