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Colombia🇨🇴 | festivalsFestival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”Bambuco, tiple strings, Ginebra plaza, unreleased works | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”
👌 Worth visitingfestival ranked #15
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 19, 2026

Entry to most concerts in the Coliseo Gerardo Arellano is cheap, and the free street stages cost nothing, so a full week of music runs on a small budget. Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” takes place in Ginebra, in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia, in the hills north of Cali. It centers on bambuco, pasillo and guabina played on tiple, bandola and guitar. My mistake was skipping a ticket for the coliseum's main night, assuming the plaza would be enough. It wasn't. Best for folk music lovers, worst for anyone wanting DJs or nightlife.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #15 festival in ColombiaWhat makes this festival worth celebrating

Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” is where Colombian instrumental music gets taken seriously, and that is the reason to build a route around it. The town of Ginebra is small, so musicians, students and families end up sharing the same plazas, cafes and fonda tables. You will meet people quickly, mostly because everyone is waiting for the same next concert. It also works as a lesson in culture: groups compete in the instrumental and vocal competitions, so you hear how the style is evolving, not a museum version. Costs stay low next to bigger festivals, and the setting suits a Cali stopover or a slow trip through the Valle del Cauca highlands.

💡 HighlightsPlaces and moments you shouldn't skip

  1. Coliseo Gerardo Arellano: the main venue and heart of the festival, where the formal concerts and competitions happen. Buy tickets early for evening galas.
  2. Competition of unreleased works: composers and ensembles perform new pieces, which tells you where Andean music is heading. It is the festival's reason for existing.
  3. Plaza and street stages: free performances spill across Ginebra’s main square, with tiple players, duos and student groups drawing small crowds.
  4. Sancocho de gallina and local fonda food: long lunches over the regional chicken stew, often with a guitar playing at the next table.
  5. Workshops and informal jam sessions: musicians gather in courtyards and bars after concerts, and visitors with an instrument are often invited to listen in or join.
The daytime workshops at the Casa de la … read more 👉
  1. Coliseo Gerardo Arellano: the main venue and heart of the festival, where the formal concerts and competitions happen. Buy tickets early for evening galas.
  2. Competition of unreleased works: composers and ensembles perform new pieces, which tells you where Andean music is heading. It is the festival's reason for existing.
  3. Plaza and street stages: free performances spill across Ginebra’s main square, with tiple players, duos and student groups drawing small crowds.
  4. Sancocho de gallina and local fonda food: long lunches over the regional chicken stew, often with a guitar playing at the next table.
  5. Workshops and informal jam sessions: musicians gather in courtyards and bars after concerts, and visitors with an instrument are often invited to listen in or join.
The daytime workshops at the Casa de la Cultura give the closest look at how the instruments are played and taught.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”?

The Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” runs for four days in late May or June (29 May to 1 June in 2025, 25 to 28 June in 2026) in Ginebra, Valle del Cauca, with main concerts at the Coliseo Gerardo Arellano and free events in the Plaza Principal.
  • Best days: Friday to Sunday carry the headline concerts and the busiest plaza atmosphere; weekdays are calmer and easier for finding a bed.
  • Weather: Expect 18 to 28°C (64 to 82°F) with afternoon showers, so bring a light rain jacket and a sweater for evenings.
  • Booking: Reserve beds 4 to 6 weeks ahead; prices often rise 30 to 60 percent.
  • Crowds: Reach Ginebra before midday on Friday and leave Sunday early, since the road from Buga and Guacarí clogs in the evening.
Buy concert seats the week tickets open.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: not recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: not recommended for travelingNOVNovember: not recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?Choosing the right base

Buga is the best base, with Guacarí and Tuluá as backups, because Ginebra itself has very few beds and they fill early. Buga sits about 20 to 30 minutes from Ginebra by bus or shared taxi, has a walkable center around its famous basilica, and offers a handful of budget guesthouses where solo travelers swap plans easily. It feels safe in the evening around the main plaza, though you should take a taxi back late rather than walk the outskirts. Tuluá is larger, with more nightlife and more choice, roughly 40 minutes away. If you want to be in the festival crowd, look for rooms in Ginebra’s homes … read more 👉
Buga is the best base, with Guacarí and Tuluá as backups, because Ginebra itself has very few beds and they fill early. Buga sits about 20 to 30 minutes from Ginebra by bus or shared taxi, has a walkable center around its famous basilica, and offers a handful of budget guesthouses where solo travelers swap plans easily. It feels safe in the evening around the main plaza, though you should take a taxi back late rather than walk the outskirts. Tuluá is larger, with more nightlife and more choice, roughly 40 minutes away. If you want to be in the festival crowd, look for rooms in Ginebra’s homes and fincas near the town; locals rent spare rooms during the event, and booking early is the only way to secure one. Cali is an option if you do not mind about an hour and a half each way.
Best hostels in Colombia


Best quality hotels in Colombia

👛 Costs (as of 19 October 2026)Typical daily expenses

Budget about US$57 to 71 per day for Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”, using the high-season accommodation figure of US$30 and the totals below.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$0 to 15Plaza events are free; concerts in the coliseum cost roughly US$8 to 15 per night.
AccommodationUS$15 to 30Dorms or simple rooms in Buga cost less; rooms in Ginebra spike during festival days.
Local transportUS$2 to 6Buses and shared taxis between Buga and Ginebra are cheap; late taxis cost more.
Food & drinksUS$8 to 15Stall snacks, tamales and set lunches are inexpensive; beer and aguardiente add up.
MiscellaneousUS$2 to 5Rain poncho, small souvenirs and ATM fees.
Total Daily BudgetUS$57 to 71Based on a high-season day with one concert ticket and US$30 for the bed.


source: colombia.travel
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodLocal Flavors for Backpackers

Expect the plaza of Ginebra to smell of woodsmoke and frying oil, with stalls selling the Valle del Cauca classics. The star is sancocho de gallina, but Ginebra is especially known for tamales vallecaucanos and empanadas, and I would put them on your list first. Try arepas de choclo with cheese, chorizo and chicharrón for a cheap standing snack. For drinks, look for lulada (lulo, lime and ice), champús, fresh sugarcane juice, aguardiente and cold local beer. Many stalls take cash only, so carry small pesos bills and avoid asking for change on large notes. Lines move slowly at midday, and portions are generous, which makes sharing a tamal with a new friend perfectly normal. Locals often eat late after concerts, so the best stalls are busiest around dusk.

FAQFrequently asked questions about de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”

Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” takes place in late May or June over four days, such as 25 to 28 June in 2026, so the exact dates change each year. It is held in Ginebra, in the Valle del Cauca department, roughly 1.5 hours by road from Cali. Main concerts happen at the Coliseo Gerardo Arellano, with free events in the Plaza Principal.
Attending Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” can cost as little as US$0 for plaza events, while concerts in the coliseum typically run about US$8 to 15 per night. A realistic daily budget for an independent traveler is roughly US$55 to 80, including a bed in Buga at US$15 to 30 and food at US$8 to 15. Prices for rooms in Ginebra rise sharply during the festival.
For Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”, you need tickets in advance only for the concerts in the coliseum, which sell out on Friday to Sunday nights. Buy them as soon as sales open, usually a few weeks before the festival, through the organizers. The plaza stages and street performances are free, so you can still join the atmosphere without a ticket. Arrive early, as rooms in Buga and Ginebra also fill up.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Colombian festivals near de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez”

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Festival de Música Andina Colombiana “Mono Núñez” fits neatly into a Cali-based loop, since Ginebra is close enough to reach without dropping the rest of your plans. I would pair it with a few days in Cali for salsa, so you get both sides of Valle del Cauca’s music.

✈️ When did I visit Colombia?
Did a good 3-week trip around Colombia in August 2014.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Colombia, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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