PANELA MAKING
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Visit a “trapiche” - a traditional panela making workshop - and learn about the steps to transform sugar cane into a panela brick
Taste the sugar at different stages of the processing together with fresh cheese and other local delicacies.
Have a fresh and locally sourced lunch in a farm just out of Palestina whose focus is agroforestry and conservation.
Panela is unrefined sugar, often presented in the form of a solid, dark brown brick. It is an ubiquitous product in Colombia, found in every kitchen and used in many food recipes starting with the famous “aguapanela” - panela dissolved in hot water, in which you dip fresh cheese. In Huila you can visit traditional workshops where sugar cane is transformed into panela.
Practical info:
Half day experience.
Pick up at your accomodation in Pitalito, San Agustin, or else within 30 km of those towns.
The experience is in Palestina, about 30 minutes out of Pitalito.
Spanish, translated to English if needed.
Panela Farm Experience: Discover Traditional Sugarcane Processing in Huila, Colombia
Immerse yourself in the vibrant agricultural traditions of Huila, Colombia, with our Panela Farm Experience. This unique tour takes you deep into the Colombian countryside, where you’ll witness firsthand the time-honored process of transforming sugarcane into panela, an unrefined whole cane sugar widely used in Colombian cuisine.
At the farm, local farmers will guide you through every step of the panela production process, from cutting the sugarcane stalks in the lush fields to boiling the extracted juice in rustic, open-air furnaces. You’ll have the chance to taste freshly made panela, known for its rich, sweet flavor, and learn about its cultural significance in Colombian cooking.
This experience not only showcases the region’s agricultural heritage but also highlights the importance of sustainable, small-scale farming in rural Colombia. Visitors will gain insight into the lives of local farmers, their hard work, and the traditional methods passed down through generations.
Set in the picturesque landscapes of Huila’s green valleys, this tour offers much more than a lesson in panela-making. You’ll enjoy stunning views, fresh air, and a deep connection to the land and its people. Ideal for food lovers, eco-tourists, and travelers interested in local Colombian traditions, the Panela Farm Experience is a must-do on your journey through Huila, Colombia.
Book your tour today and savor the flavors and stories of Colombia’s rural heartland.