1. TOLIMA AND HUILA TOURISTIC
NAMES: PATRICIA CÉSPEDES GARCÍA, YEIDI ACENETH OSPINA GIRALDO,
JOSE ANTONIO SORIANO ROJAS AND LUISA FERNANDA GONZÁLEZ
ACUÑA.
PROFESSOR: ULISES
UNIVERSITY OF THE AMAZONIA
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
ENGLISH PROGRAM
SEMINARY
INTRODUCTION
When you listen to somebody talking about God creations it is inevitable to forget
the Tolima and Huila States. They are located in the middle and the south part of
the country.Tolima State, is well known for its variety in weather, its amazing
culture and music which are the main characteristics taken into account for foreign
people when traveling. On the other hand, Huila is a small State where it is
possible to find every kind of weather, species of animals and plants. Also, all its
municipalities have an amount of history and diversity of activities not only for its
inhabitants but also for visitors.
OBJECTIVES
 To have a general knowledge about the States.
 To promote the tourism in both Tolima and Huila States.
 To improve the economy in both States across the tourist.
 To give to know a good view about these States.

2. TOLIMA STATE
Tolima State, is well known for its variety in weather, its amazing culture and music
which are the main characteristics taken into account for foreign people when
traveling. Further Tolima State offers many tourist attractions from the standpoint of
natural, cultural and scientific. Among the main tourist sites include.
GEOGRAPHY
Capital: Ibague
Altitude: 1.286 meters over the sea level (Ibague)
The district of Tolima is located in the Andean region, in the center-west of the
country. It is bordered on the north and the west by the department of Caldas; on
the east by the department of Cundinamarca; on the south by the department of
Huila, and on the west by the departments of Cauca, Valle del Cauca, Quindío and
Risaralda.
HISTORY
The state of Tolima was founded in the year 1908. The territory was inhabited
before the arrival of the conquerors by indigenous groups like the “Panches”, and
“Pijaos”, “Natagaimas”, who were extraordinary warriors who became extinct.
ECONOMY
The economy of Tolima is based on farming, agricultural and livestock as is the
coffee, rice, corn, sesame, sorghum, sugarcane, cotton, tobacco, variety of fruits.
At present, the mining and cement products for construction, textile and take more
of an advantage.
CULTURE
Music and the Arts
Music is the distinguishing cultural expression of Tolima State. Its capital, Ibagué,
is well known as "the musical city of Colombia", and is home to one of the nation's
classic conservatoriums. The State also is famous for the Fiestas de San Pedro in
Espinal, San Juan in Natagaima and in Ibagué, the Colombian Folkloric Festival
and the "Concurso de DuetosGarzón y Collazos."

3. GASTRONOMY
The State is also widely recognized for its distinctive cuisine. Famous regional
dishes include the TamalTolimense, a corn-and-yellow pea-based paste with pork,
egg, chicken and vegetable filling, wrapped inside a plantain leaf; the Lechona, a
yellow pea-and-meat-stuffed pork; Empanadas, small potato, rice and meat stuffed
pastries, made with corn dough; Achiras and Bizcochocalentano, smaller flour
pastries; and Quesillo, a type of cheese wrapped in a plantain leaf.
Drinksincludethe Avena, a coldoatmeal-baseddrink.
TOURISM
 El mirador verde de Martinica – Ibagué (Parque Museo)
o It is present thematic trails, waterfalls, spas, camping area, restaurants and
activities like waterfall rappelling and viewpoints.
 Reserva Santa fe de los Guaduales – Ibagué
 JardinBotanico San Jorge – Ibagué
 Fundacion las Orquideas – Ibagué
 Parque de las Hermosas – Chaparral, Planadas and Rio Blanco
 Macizo Colombiano – Chaparral Planadas, Rio Blanco, Roncesvalles,
Rovisa and San Antonio
 Reservas el Palmar – Juntas and Ibagué
 VolcanMachin – Ibagué
 Valle del Extasis – Rovira
 Cuevas del Eden – Cunday
 Real de Minas del Cerro del Sapo – Valle de San Juan
 Piedra del letras – Valle de San Juan
 Petroglifos de Cerro Perico – Honda
 Cuidad Perdida – Falan
 Cuevas Indígenas de Piedra Grande – Fresno
 Cuevas de Tuluni – chaparral
 Termales del Rancho – Ibagué
 Termales la Yuca – Santa Isabel
 Aguas Azufradas – Coello
 Casa Cultural Alfonso López – Honda
 Museo Paleontológico – Mariquita
 Museo Antropológico del Tolima – Ibagué
 Museo del arte Moderno – Ibagué
 Nevado del Tolima – Parque natural de los Nevados
 Cañon del Combeima – Cerca al Parque natural de los Nevados
 Cerro Pan de Azucar – Ibague (Barrio 20 de Julio)
 Casa de Jorge Isaac – Vía Armenia
 Jardin Bonico Alejandro Von Humboldt – Universidad del Tolima (Ibague)
 Piscilago – Melgar (Colsudsidios)

4. HUILA DEPARTMENT
The tourist attractions of Huila are spread in parallel to its geography. Located in
the lowest part of Colombia’s central area, this department is characterized by
varied agricultural production and amazingly different landscapes that capture the
attention of travelers.
GEOGRAPHY
Capital: Neiva
Area: 20000 km2
Huila Department is located in the southern part of the Andean region. It was
bordered on the north by the departments of Tolima and Cundinamarca, on the
east by Meta and Caquetá, on the south by Caquetá and Cauca and on the west
by the Cauca and Tolima.
HISTORY
The Spanish found a territory in which the culture that prevailed then called St.
Augustine, other groups that inhabited the region were the Panches, Pijao, Andaki
and yalcones. The first conquerors arrived in 1530, ahead of Sebastian de
Belalcazar, who arrived from the south and Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada who
came from the north. The settlement was subject to fierce clashes with indigenous
groups that were eventually exterminated by Spanish troops. During the colonial
towns were founded by Indians and mestizos and large cattle ranches were
established which became one of the most important of New Granada. The
exploitation of rubber led to new roads and towns. The territory became part of the
province of Popayan until 1610, when it created the province of Neiva. After
independence became part of the Cundinamarca department until 1861, when he
and Tolima formed the "big Tolima. In 1905 he established a provisional
departmental division in 1910 and ratified definitively.
ECONOMY
The most important activity is agriculture, mechanized rice crops also produce
sorghum, banana, coffee, cassava, sugar cane, corn and fruit. Livestock is the
second source of income and dual-purpose milk and meat. Some are exploited
coal deposits, gold, silver and copper. The industry is concentrated in rice
threshing. In some municipalities logging is performed as well as oil fields in
different localities, which have registered a significant amount of revenue for the

5. country and the department, being an important source of employment and
development through oil royalties.
CULTURE
The city is known as the Bambuco capital. Neiva city is known for Folk Festival and
National Reign ofBambuco festivities held between the last two weeks of June and
early July. During this time, there are daily parades through the downtown area
and showings of the Sanjuanero, a folk dance, where the participants dress in a
typical costumes and compete for being the best performers of the choreography
of Sanjuanero.
TOURISM
For various reasons, Huila is excellent for tourism. It is the only State thatall its
municipalities have an amount of history and diversity of activities not only for its
inhabitants but also for visitors.
SAN AGUSTIN
It was declared cultural patrimony on December 1995. It is an amazing historical
and mysterious place. It reflects culture, miths and beliefs through sculpture. It
contains enormous statues, plenty of symbolism and abstraction.
Sculptures are very original and posses big dimentions. There are 400 stone
statues with the shape of animals like felines, monkeys, serpents, frogs, eagles
and eagle-owls.
TATACOADESERT
The desert is located in Villavieja, 40 Km. to the north zone of Neiva. It is a
beautiful tourist landscape composed by rare geological structures. The weather is
hot, there are lots of fossils and a great variety of animals like black snakes called
tatacoas.
It is 330 Km. long. It comprehends two different types of landscapes: the first one,
a flat with erosive structures; the second one, dunes with gray sand.
NATIONAL CAVE PARK THE GUACHAROS
A block of labyrinths covered by stalactites and stalagmites. This cave is enclosed
by forests and a virgin jungle where many animal species live. The famous caves
of the guacharos are the principal attraction. Geological structures can be
observed there too.

6. NATIONAL NATURAL PARK NEVADO DEL HUILA
Its area comprehends various natural structures: Andean forests, moors, frog and
snow-covered mountains.
It presents huge areas of flora and fauna (condor, bambi, spectacled bear, tapir
and hummingbird).
EMBALSE DE BETANIA
HUILAFRICA SALVAJE
MALECON
TERMALES DE RIVERA
CONCLUSION
Tolima and Huila states are the main exponent of traditional Culture for the
Festivals of San Juan and San Pedro in the country, and there are several events
all around the year that attracts a large number of visitors to these regions.