Villavieja

The local findings are divided in 3 rooms: reptiles, mammals and environment. It houses remains of a megaterio, a giant sloth that reached 5 meters. Check out the real sized model in the middle of the plaza.

Tatacoa, Spanish name for rattlesnakes, is given to this region that is second only to the Guajira Peninsula in Colombia in terms of aridity. It is rich in fossils and contains various species of flora and wildlife, tall spiny cactus and wildcats just to name two, but most come to admire the beautiful fluted or etched landforms secondary to erosion that tend to be ocher in the El Cuzco area of the park and more gray in the Los Hoyos section.
While the labyrinth of the red El Cuzco is free to visit, the pathways of the grey desert require an entrance fee of COP$3.000.
The grey desert also has a public swimming pool (COP$5.000)
One significant point of interest in particular is the Mirador de Miguelito, on the way to the desert, which provides a great vantage point of the surrounding terrain. It's advisable to bring water and sunblock, and please refrain from climbing on the formations.

Passionate and knowledgeable astronomer Javier Fernando Rua Restrepo operates the desert observatory. Sessions start as soon as the sun sets and include observation with a modern telescope. You're almost guaranteed to find him there on week ends but give him a call if you plan to visit during the week.