The Original

TejoTuesday

Colombia's national sport. Small explosions. Big friendships.

Macondo's weekly night out is the hostel's signature: a group heads to a local tejo club, plays a mini tournament, cheers every bang — and some Tuesdays somebody carries a trophy home. Macondo says it started the first backpacker tejo night in the country.

Ask about this Tuesday What the heck is tejo?

Eleven Macondo guests and friends grinning under a corrugated roof at a tejo club at night; one crouches at the front holding a tejo disc. — The Original Tejo Tuesday

This week's night

No tickets

When: Typically Tuesday evenings — Macondo's current event listing has transport leaving the hostel around 8 pm.
Where: A local tejo club in San Gil. You go together from the hostel; the team tells you where.
Who: Macondo guests and their new friends. Not staying at Macondo? Ask first.
Admission: Confirmed by the team each week on WhatsApp — no tickets, no online payment.

Ask about this Tuesday Stay at Macondo

Subject to the current schedule — always confirm on WhatsApp.

Newcomers welcome

What the heck is tejo?

Tejo is Colombia's national sport — Congress gave it that title in 2000 — and its roots go back to turmequé, a game played by the Muisca people long before the Spanish arrived.

You throw a heavy metal disc, the tejo, underarm at a sloped board packed with wet clay. In the middle sits a metal ring called the bocín, and on its edge little paper triangles called mechas. Each mecha holds a pinch of gunpowder. Hit one and it goes off with a flash and a bang that makes the whole club turn around.

tap or hover to throw ↑

Throw → hit → cheer

1ThrowStand behind the line and lob the tejo underarm towards the clay board. Nobody's good at first.
2HitLand it in the clay, as close to the metal ring as you can. Clip a mecha and — BANG.
3CheerCelebrate loudly, high-five strangers, swap throwing theories. Repeat.

Common scoring (house rules vary)

1Mano: Closest tejo to the ring in a round
3Mecha: You make a mecha explode
6Embocinada: Your tejo lands inside the ring
9Moñona: Inside the ring and a mecha explodes

Play it safe

Stay behind the throwing line and never walk into a lane while others are throwing.
Leave the mechas to the venue staff — they set them, you don't touch them.
The bang is loud: if that's not your thing, watch from further back.
Follow the venue's instructions. Beer is optional; pacing yourself isn't.

Why Macondo's night?

It's where the friendships start

Plenty of guests arrive in San Gil alone. By Wednesday they have a rafting crew. Tejo Tuesday is the reason: you play in a group, cheer for people you met an hour ago, and walk back already planning tomorrow. It's social, it's very Colombian, and it isn't a club night.

A big group of travellers at a tejo club, one in the middle holding up a tall trophy. — Some Tuesdays end with a trophy.

A few Tuesday crews, as posted by Macondo.

Questions

Do I need to be good at it?

Not at all. Most people have never thrown a tejo before their first Tuesday.

Is it dangerous?

The mechas pop loudly and flash. Follow the venue's rules, keep behind the line and leave the mechas alone — that's what keeps it fun.

Do I have to drink?

No. Plenty of people play with a soda.

Is it free? Can friends come?

Admission and meet-up details are confirmed by the team each week — message them on WhatsApp, and ask if you want to bring friends who aren't staying at Macondo.

What should I bring?

Closed shoes are smart around flying metal, plus some cash for drinks or snacks at the club.

Is there a prize every week?

No promises. Some Tuesdays end with a trophy and a group photo; every Tuesday ends with a story.

Other nights at Macondo

Group dinners, board games and the occasional football night (locals vs travellers) also show up on Macondo's event listings — ask what's on this week.

The Garden

See you Tuesday?

Ask about this Tuesday Stay