Carnival of Blacks and Whites, Pasto
Six Days in Colombia’s Most Original Festival
Every January, the southern city of Pasto turns into an open-air workshop. UNESCO lists the Carnival of Blacks and Whites as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It began in colonial times, when enslaved people asked for a single day of freedom and the whole town celebrated together. Today, it’s one of Colombia’s most original festivals. Local artisans build giant floats, Andean music fills the streets, and everyone plays together for two days. We built this six-day program around the festival calendar. It includes a reserved box for the parades and trips to Lake La Cocha, Las Lajas Sanctuary, Sandoná and Tulcán, across the border in Ecuador.
Day by Day
Day 1 · 2 JanWelcome to Nariño and the Children’s Carnival at La Cocha
Our team meets you at Antonio Nariño Airport in Chachagüí. From there, drive east to El Encano and Lake Guamuéz, also called La Cocha. It’s the largest lake in Colombia, and more than fifty private nature reserves surround it. After lunch by the water, stroll through El Puerto, a lakeside hamlet of Swiss-style wooden houses. Then return to Pasto and check in at your hotel. In the evening, the children’s Carnavalito opens the festival. Young people parade floats, costumes and murgas, so you see the craft passed to the next generation.
Day 2 · 3 JanPasto’s Artisans and the Choreographic Groups
After breakfast, tour Pasto’s main churches, museums, plazas and craft centers. Pasto is home to barniz de Pasto and enchape en tamo, two decorative crafts found nowhere else in the world. Both come from the region’s Indigenous heritage. After lunch, watch the day’s parade. The best Andean dance groups move through the main streets to the Carnival Plaza, where judges choose who joins the Grand Parade.
Day 3 · 4 JanLas Lajas Sanctuary and Tulcán, Ecuador
After breakfast, take a scenic drive south through the Andes of Nariño to Ipiales. Then cross into Tulcán, the northern gateway to Ecuador. Its famous cemetery garden, with figures clipped from cypress trees, is a National Heritage site of Ecuador. After lunch, visit Las Lajas Sanctuary, 7 km from Ipiales at 2,612 meters. This neo-Gothic church is built right across a river canyon. Finally, return to Pasto. Today is also the Day of the Castañeda Family, the festival’s welcome to every visitor.
Day 4 · 5 JanSandoná and the Day of the Blacks
After breakfast, drive to Sandoná, the sweet side of Nariño. Its stone Gothic-style church holds one of the largest hand-carved wooden Christs in the world, a National Heritage piece. The town is also known for toquilla straw hats and for panela, cane sugar still made the traditional way. After lunch, take a scenic route through small Andean villages back to Pasto. Today is the Day of the Blacks, which recalls the carnival’s origin. People gather in the squares and paint their faces black, whatever their background.
Day 5 · 6 JanThe Day of the Whites and the Grand Parade
After breakfast, watch the Magno Parade, the high point of the carnival. It’s the best showcase of the artisans’ work, with floats, murgas, costumes, dance groups and comparsas. You’ll watch from a reserved box, or palco. After lunch comes the Juego de Blancos, when the whole city joins the final celebration. Then enjoy the carnival nights.
Day 6 · 7 JanFree Time and Departure
Breakfast at the hotel, time to rest and shop for local crafts, then a transfer to the airport at the agreed time.
What’s Included
Included
- 5 nights’ accommodation at the hotel of your choice
- Daily breakfast at the hotel; lunches on the days with excursions
- Airport–hotel–airport transfers
- Private ground transportation for all scheduled days
- Participation in the carnival activities listed in the program
- Reserved box (palco) for the scheduled parades
- Excursion to Sandoná
- Excursion to La Cocha, with lunch
- Excursion to Las Lajas, with lunch
- Excursion to Tulcán, Ecuador
- Permanent guide-coordinator
- Hotel taxes and travel medical assistance card
Not Included
- Domestic or international flights
- Services not listed in the program
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips and personal expenses
- Visa or documentation costs, if required
Good to Know
The carnival runs on fixed dates, so this journey runs from 2 to 7 January 2027 only. Hotels in Pasto fill early, so the sooner you ask, the more choice you’ll have. You can choose from several hotel categories, and you can also add other stops in Colombia. Before the day trip to Ecuador, check your passport and visa requirements. As with every ColombiaSky itinerary, there’s no fixed price here. Request a quote, and we’ll price it around your hotel, rooms and group size.
