History, geography and practical advice on Colombia's two emerald belts, written by the team that runs the tours in Chivor, with sources shown.
How to visit a real emerald mine in Colombia: the emerald regions, getting to Chivor from Bogotá, what happens inside the mine, safety and what to bring.
Read the guide: Emerald mine tours in Colombia: a practical 2026 guideWhat official travel advice says about Boyacá, why Colombia's eastern emerald belt has a different history, plus roads, money, photos and emergencies in Chivor.
Read the guide: Is Chivor safe to visit? What to know before you travelFrom Somondoco to Peter Rainier and Green Fire: the history of the Chivor emerald mines, their rediscovery in 1896 and the El Púlpito viewpoint.
Read the guide: History of the Chivor emerald mine: from Somondoco to Green FireThe story of the 858-carat Gachalá emerald, now at the Smithsonian, and of the Guavio valley that links Gachalá with Chivor and Hacienda El Recuerdo.
Read the guide: The Gachalá emerald and the Guavio valleyThe Fura and Tena legend, the Muzo people who held off the Spanish for twenty years, trapiche emeralds and the road to the 1990 peace in western Boyacá.
Read the guide: Western Boyacá: Fura and Tena, Muzo and trapiche emeralds
