Night Walks in Cali: The Lantern Route and the Silence of the Hillside

Origins

To understand the tradition of night walks on the western hillside of Cali, one must go back to the late 1970s and early 1980s. At that time, while the city was growing southward and northward in a frenzy of urbanization, a small group of residents from the San Antonio and San Cayetano neighborhoods, and the foothills of the Cerro de las Tres Cruces, began organizing informal outings on weekends. They were not trained mountaineers or tour guides; they were people who walked up to escape the heat of the valley and the noise of the city, which by that decade was already becoming unbearable.

They were called 'the moon walkers'. The name was no coincidence: they only went out on full moon nights, when natural light was sufficient to see the trail without needing powerful flashlights. The tradition became a community ritual: families packed coffee in thermoses, some brought saltine crackers, and others a ruana for the early morning chill. They climbed in silence, speaking in hushed tones, and upon reaching the highest point, they sat on the rocks to gaze at the sea of city lights. There were no social networks or phone cameras; only the view and the silence.

The western hillside of Cali, where the lantern route now lies, was a different territory back then. The upper neighborhoods were not as established as they are now. There were sugarcane farms, pastures, and some precarious settlements. Access to the hill was more difficult: the concrete stairways and handrails seen today did not exist. The path was dirt, loose stones, and thick vegetation. The 'moon walkers' opened trails that later, over time, became the formal paths we know today.

What began as a pastime for a handful of neighbors became, throughout the 1990s, a practice known across the city. Students from the Universidad del Valle and the Liceo de Santa Librada joined the walks. Local photographers, those who developed their rolls in the labs of downtown, began climbing with tripods and analog cameras to capture the illuminated city. The tradition grew organically, without institutions or formal organizations. It was simply people who wanted to see the city from above, in silence, under the moon.

Timeline or historical milestones

The history of this route has key moments that defined its current form:

• 1982-1985: The first informal groups of neighbors begin climbing the hill on full moon nights. There is no infrastructure; walkers bring their own gasoline lanterns or candles in jars. The custom of being silent when passing through dense vegetation areas is established.
• 1991: The Mayor's Office of Cali, in an effort to reclaim the public space of the hillside, builds the first concrete stairways on the stretch from the San Antonio neighborhood to the first chapel. This marks the beginning of the current infrastructure.
• 1996: A group of community leaders from San Antonio, along with the Community Action Board, organizes the first "Official Full Moon Walk". About 200 people attend. The news appears in local newspapers, and the tradition becomes known throughout the city.
• 2003: The first gas lanterns are installed on the main stretch. They were not electric; they were kerosene lamps that residents lit and extinguished manually. The image of the row of lanterns illuminating the hillside becomes a symbol of the neighborhood.
• 2010: The Mirador de las Estrellas, a natural observation point on the Cerro de las Tres Cruces, receives its official name during a walk organized by the Association of Amateur Astronomers of Cali. Stone benches carved by local artisans are installed.
• 2015: The route is formalized with signage: wooden posts with hand-painted arrows and informational panels about local flora and fauna. The code of conduct that is still followed today is established.
• 2019: The Mayor's Office connects the lanterns to solar energy, eliminating manual maintenance. The route remains permanently lit, although with a dim light that does not affect astronomical observation.
• August 2026: Today, the lantern route is one of the most popular night tours in Cali. Full moon walks bring together between 50 and 150 people each month, and have become a meeting point for urban walkers, photographers, and couples seeking a different experience.

Key figures or events

The history of the night walks cannot be understood without the figures who brought it to life. One of the most remembered is Don Heriberto Cárdenas, a shoemaker from the San Antonio neighborhood who, for 20 years, from 1985 to 2005, was the unofficial person in charge of lighting the kerosene lanterns. Don Heriberto climbed every Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m., before dark, with a can of fuel and a long lighter. Neighbors would wait for him at the church corner to accompany him on the initial stretch. When he passed away in 2006, the community installed a commemorative plaque at the third chapel along the route. The plaque simply reads: "To Don Heriberto, who taught us to climb in silence".

Another fundamental figure was Professor Rosa Elena Quiñones, a biology teacher at the Santa Librada school. In the mid-1990s, she began leading the walks with an educational focus. She carried field notebooks and noted the species of nocturnal birds found on the hill. It was she who documented the presence of pygmy owls and fruit bats in the area, data that later served to justify the environmental protection of the zone. Her students nicknamed her "the moon professor". Today, one of the benches at the Mirador de las Estrellas has a plaque in her honor.

Also worth mentioning is Jorge Eliécer "El Caminante" Rodríguez, a former security guard who, in 2008, decided to live semi-permanently in the upper part of the hill. He was not homeless; he was a voluntary hermit who settled in a small adobe structure he built himself. For years, he was the "guardian of the route": he knew every stone, every tree, and every sound of the hill. The full moon walks had him as a reference; people brought him food, and in return, he offered stories and herbal tea. Rodríguez left in 2018, but his legend lives on among the old-timers.

A key event that marked the history of the route occurred in 2012. A group of walkers found, in a remote area of the trail, the remains of an ancient colonial aqueduct dating back to the 18th century. They were fired clay pipes that had been used to carry water from the hill to the haciendas of the time. The discovery sparked the interest of local historians. Today, that section of the aqueduct is marked and is one of the points of interest on the route. An exposed section of approximately 15 meters in length can be seen, protected by a wooden structure.

Current status

In August 2026, the lantern route is a consolidated reality. The main route begins at the Plazoleta de San Antonio, right next to the church that gives the neighborhood its name. From there, you ascend along Calle 2A Oeste, which becomes a cobblestone pedestrian path. The journey to the Mirador de las Estrellas is approximately 3 kilometers, with an elevation gain of 320 meters. It is walked at a moderate pace in about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the rhythm and stops.

The route is marked by 14 solar lanterns that turn on automatically at dusk. They are not powerful lights; they emit a warm, dim glow that barely illuminates the path, enough not to trip but not enough to ruin night vision. Between lanterns, there are stone and wooden benches, built by artisans from the commune, inviting you to sit and rest or simply contemplate the city.

Along the way, you will find three hidden chapels. They are not formal churches; they are small altars built by residents at different times. The first, dedicated to the Virgen del Carmen, dates from 1993. The second, in honor of San Isidro Labrador, was erected in 2004. The third, the most recent, is a small ecumenical oratory from 2019. Each has a bench in front of it and a space for candles. Walkers often leave floral offerings or simply pause for a moment of silence.

The murals with local stories are another attraction of the route. Along the way, there are 8 murals created by artists from the "Ladera Viva" collective. Each mural tells a fragment of the neighborhood's history: the era of the haciendas, the arrival of the first settlers, the tradition of the moon walkers, and the hill's fauna. The largest mural, located halfway along the route, measures 12 meters long and depicts a night scene with the city's silhouette and constellations. It was painted in 2021 and has become the favorite spot for photos.

The ancient aqueduct remains one of the most visited points. The exposed section is protected with a wooden structure and an informational panel explaining its colonial origin. Local guides recommend stopping there at sunset, when the golden light illuminates the clay pipes and the contrast with the green of the hill is spectacular.

Regarding safety and etiquette, the rules are clear and respected. It is recommended to bring a flashlight (although the lanterns help, in the more remote sections the darkness is total), not to use headphones, and to speak in a low voice so as not to disturb the fauna. The route is home to opossums, owls, bats, and a variety of nocturnal insects that are part of the ecosystem. Regular walkers have developed a code of silence: when someone speaks loudly, others gently tap their flashlights as a reminder. There are no guards or private security; safety is guaranteed by the community of walkers themselves, who know each other and care for the territory.

For photographers, the best angle to see the illuminated city is at the Mirador de las Estrellas, specifically at bench # 3, which faces southwest. From there, you can appreciate the city's silhouette stretching to the horizon, with the Cauca River as a dark line in the background. On clear nights, especially between December and February, constellations such as Orion, Scorpius, and the Southern Cross can be observed. Amateur astronomers recommend bringing binoculars and a blanket to lie on the stone benches, which are designed with a 15-degree incline for comfortable viewing.

A curious fact few know: the Mirador de las Estrellas is not named so by chance. In 2010, during a Perseid meteor shower, a group of walkers counted more than 40 shooting stars in one hour. The experience was so impactful that the name became popular and was made official. Since then, every August, a special walk is organized to observe the Perseids, and attendance is so high that arriving early is recommended.

To reach the starting point, you can take a MIO bus to the San Antonio station or simply walk from the historic center. The Plazoleta de San Antonio has cafés and bakeries that open from 6 a.m., ideal for buying something before heading up. There are no food vendors in the upper part of the route, so it is recommended to bring water and something light to eat. Reference prices as of August 2026: a coffee in the square costs around $4,000 COP, an empanada $3,500 COP. Entry to the route is free.

The best time to do the walk is during the dry season, between December and March, when the nights are clear and the sky is good for observation. However, the route is open all year round. During the rainy season, the trail becomes slippery and caution is needed. It is recommended to check the weather before going; Cali's weather forecast is reliable and updated several times a day.

The night walk along the lantern route is not a simple tourist activity; it is a ritual that connects the people of Cali with their history, their territory, and their sky. Each lantern, each stone bench, and each mural tells a part of that story. And although the route is now signposted and safe, it still retains that spirit of the 1980s: climbing in silence, gazing at the illuminated city, and feeling that for a moment, time stands still.

Dare to walk under the full moon and discover a different Cali. The route awaits you, with its lanterns lit and its silence intact.