Guasca, Municipality in Cundinamarca Department, Colombia
Guasca is a municipality in Cundinamarca positioned at 2,710 meters elevation across Guavio Province. Mountains and valleys form its natural landscape boundaries.
Luis Enríquez founded Guasca on June 21, 1600, establishing a settlement under direct Spanish Crown administration. This was uncommon because usually an encomendero would manage the area.
The name comes from Muisca language words where 'gua' means mountain range and 'shuca' means skirt, reflecting how indigenous people described the landscape. This naming tradition shows the connection between the land's shape and the words that people used to speak about it.
The town sits roughly 55 kilometers from Bogotá when reached via La Calera, or about 65 kilometers via Sopó route. Regular transportation links connect the area to the capital.
The place shares its name with Galinsoga parviflora, an herb traditionally used in preparing Colombian ajiaco soup. This link between the town's name and a common dish shows how local cooking traditions connect to the area's identity.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
