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The Tatacoa Desert is the second largest arid zone in Colombia after the Guajira
Peninsula. It occupies 330 square kilometers of land. This semiarid region is located
north of Huila Department, 38 km from the city of Neiva in Colombia and 15 km from
Natagaima in Tolima. It is a rich deposit of fossils and is a great tourist destination.
The Tatacoa Desert has two distinctive colors: ocher in the cuzco area and gray in
the Los Hoyos area.
The Tatacoa, or the Valley of Sorrows, as it was called in 1538 by the conquistador
Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, is not just a desert, and also is a tropical dry forest.
The name "Tatacoa" also given by the Spanish, refers to rattlesnakes. During the
Tertiary Period, it was wetter, with thousands of flowers and trees, but has been
gradually drying up to become a desert.
GEOGRAPHY
The Tatacoa covers 330 square kilometers around the town of Villavieja. These
shapes are created on clay surfaces, creating labyrinthine gullies in the landscape
that can reach 20 meters deep.
FAUNA AND FLORA
There is relatively little runoff, and animal and plant life is adapted to the conditions
of low humidity and high temperatures. The plants in this area are adapted to climatic
conditions through the development of horizontal roots of up to 30 meters and
vertical roots up to 15 meters deep that facilitate access to water. Wildlife includes
turtles, rodents, snakes, spiders, scorpions, eagles, alligators and wildcats, and cacti
reaching between four and five meters high.
TOURISM
In addition to its geography, its atmospheric conditions are good for astronomy.
Tatacoa has little pollution or noise, attracting tourists who stay there to enjoy the
silence, scenery and tranquility.
PLACES OF INTEREST
The desert Tatacoa presents several tourist options, the best known are:
• The astronomical observatory
•The slabs
• Cuzco
• The Cardón
• The Doche
• St Nicolas
• The Hoyos
•The sale
There are different lodgings in the houses of the locals where you can enjoy the
customs and typical dishes of the region at affordable prices.
ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATION
The Tatacoa desert is a geographically privileged place due to its location close to
the terrestrial Ecuador. From there, you can:
In addition to the geographic and atmospheric conditions perfect for observing the
celestial bodies, the Tatacoa does not have light or auditory pollution. This attraction
draws much attention from tourists who spend the night there, to enjoy the silence,
the landscape and the tranquility of the place. These activities can be done at the
Municipal Observatory, or at the Astrosur Astronomical Observatory, located at La
Posada el Tigre de Marte.
TRADUCIDO
DESIERTO DE LA TATACOA
El desierto de Tatacoa es la segunda zona árida más grande de Colombia después
de la península de Guajira. Ocupa 330 kilómetros cuadrados de terreno. Esta región
semiárida se encuentra al norte del departamento de Huila, a 38 km de la ciudad de
Neiva en Colombia ya 15 km de Natagaima en Tolima. Es un rico depósito de fósiles
y es un gran destino turístico. El desierto de Tatacoa tiene dos colores distintivos:
ocre en el área de Cuzco y gris en el área de Los Hoyos.
Hay diferentes alojamientos en las casas de los lugareños donde se puede disfrutar
de las costumbres y platos típicos de la región a precios asequibles.
OBSERVACION ASTRONOMICA