This town and larger municipal area are located in the Valle de Tenza.

The Valle de Tenza is the ancient route connecting the Altiplano Cundiboyacense and the Llanos.

Somondoco borders Almeida in the east, Guayatá in the west, Guateque and Sutatenza in the north and in the south the Cundinamarca municipality of Ubalá.

When the Spanish conquistadores led by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada arrived, Somondoco was ruled by a cacique named Sumindoco.

[3] Main economical activities of Somondoco are emerald mining and agriculture; maize, tomatoes, sugar cane, beans, bananas and coffee.