Between sheep parades, wool workshops and mountain paths, Marulanda, in Caldas, offers visitors an authentic rural experience where sheep tradition, peasant life and calm are lived without effort.
News Colombia.
This municipality of Caldas surprises travelers with its Wool Festival, tours of sheep farms, artisanal processes and a quiet way of life that turns sheep into a symbol of identity and tourist attraction.
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Marulandain the north of the department of Caldasis one of those destinations that are not visited just for tourism, but to experience them.
How to get to Marulanda, Caldas
From Manizalesthe journey to Marulanda is approximately 100 kilometerswith an estimated time of 4 hours in a private car. The route passes through Neira, Salamina and San Félix.
Although the last section is uncovered roadis in good condition and is passable by vehicles other than 4×4, always with patience and caution.
Marulanda, to live without worry
Marulanda has the recognition of Cittaslow or Slow Cityan international movement born in Italy that promotes a calm, sustainable life connected to local identity.
The colorful houses, built with bareque, wall and woodare a living heritage of the Antioquia colonization. As night falls, the lanterns in the main park transform the town into a postcard frozen in time.
Wool Festival: identity, history and sheep pride
He Marulanda Wool Festival It is not just a tourist event. It is a tribute to the sheep as a symbol of identity, economy and tradition.
During the party:
- More than 2,000 sheep They parade through the streets of the town
- Muleteer parades are held with mules and horses
- Artisans, weavers and farmers celebrate their heritage
- Music, troupes and concerts fill the nights
This festival, one of the few sheep parades in the world, turns Marulanda into a unique cultural reference in Colombia.
The wool route: from the sheep to the loom
One of the great treasures of the municipality is the Marulanda Industrial Cooperativefounded in 1937 by 29 farmers who contributed one sheep and five cents each. Today, after more than 88 years, it is the heart of the wool tradition.
There is an artisanal process of 14 steps To create a ruana, these are some:
- Washing and natural drying
- traditional yarn
- Weaving on historic machines
- Sustainable and waste-free production
Peasant experiences: milking, horseback riding and rural life
- traditional milking on dairy farms
- Transporting milk by mule on steep roads
- Animal feeding and field work
- horseback riding through endless mountains
