There are several places named La Paz in Colombia, and this one is a small settlement in the department of Nariño, near the town of Contadero, in the high country close to the Ecuadorian border. Nariño is the land of the Pastos, the indigenous people who farmed these cold uplands before the Inca arrived, and it lies on the Qhapaq Ñan, the Inca road system that UNESCO listed in 2014. The road here follows the route that ran north from Quito toward Pasto, crossing deep canyons and high plateaus, and the old Inca line is part of the story of a landscape where cultures have met and mixed for centuries.
This is an agricultural highland, green and chilly, with potato fields, pastures, dairy cattle and small farms in a patchwork on steep slopes, and the volcano Cumbal visible to the west on a clear day. The Guáitara river has cut a spectacular canyon through the area, and the sanctuary of Las Lajas, a neo-Gothic basilica built across the gorge on a bridge, lies near Ipiales, a short drive away. It was built in the twentieth century on the site of a shrine associated with a miracle, and it appears to rise from the rock itself.
The riding is excellent and a little demanding. The Panamericana, here Route 25, runs through the highlands in long climbs and drops, with a decent surface in places and patches of damage in others, and heavy trucks on their way to the Ecuador border. Fog, rain and cold are frequent, and the altitude, about 2,800 to 3,000 metres, makes the air thin. Security conditions in border regions can vary, so check the latest advice and travel in daylight. The drier months, from December to February and from July to August, are better.
Contadero, one kilometre away, is a small town of about sixteen hundred people, and Pupiales, eleven kilometres off, has fuel, a market and restaurants, while the larger city of Ipiales is a short ride on and is the base for visiting Las Lajas. Try a plate of cuy, a typical Nariño dish, or empanadas and hot chocolate with cheese. Carry your vehicle papers and passport, and be sure to check the rules for crossing into Ecuador before heading to the border.