Trekking in the Colombian Andes

Bienvenidos a Colombia - Welcome to Colombia! 

A transfer is included from El Dorado International Airport, your English-speaking guide will greet you before accompanying you to your first hotel.

Overnight: Bogotá
Accommodation: Hotel La Opera (private room with bathroom)

Experience first-hand how the community in Bogotá's Egipto neighborhood set an end to violence and opened the doors to a prosperous future.

The leaders of the Breaking Borders project wanted to change the neighborhood's narrative of violence and give a positive example to the youth in the area by creating an urban tourism project. 

Guided by former gang members, you can explore Bogotá's second oldest neighborhood that was once off-limits due to its dangerous reputation. As you wander the cobblestoned Calle Real (Royal Street) lined with colorful colonial homes, you will experience first-hand how tourism transforms neighborhoods and generates new economic opportunities. 

After the visit to the neighborhood, you will go for a steep hike to Guadalupe where you will find a 49 ft high statue of the Virgen. Please be aware that the path is not marked and the terrain is quite difficult to walk, but at the top you will be greeted with a spectacular view of Bogotá. Here, you will also be accompanied by the locals of the community to enjoy this breathtaking view of the capital city.

Once you arrive to Guadalupe, a vehicle awaits you to bring you back to your hotel. The tour takes about 6 hours (not available on Sundays).

Overnight: Bogotá
Accommodation: Hotel La Opera (private room with bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast

Today you will be personally introduced to the largest Páramo in the world: Sumapaz.

What exactly is a Páramo? People often describe it as a moorland, wetland, or high plateau; it is all of these things in addition to being an incredibly unique kind of ecosystem only found in Colombia, Perú, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. Sumapaz is one of the most important water sources in all of Colombia, as well as being an essential habitat for species such as spectacled bears, deer, eagles, condors, and more! You will hike through 6 kilometers of endemic vegetation and learn all about this special environment, as well as the historical importance it has played in the creation of the oldest guerilla movement in the country: The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The FARC has long since left this area, making it a safe haven for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Bogotá. You can also rest assured that your visit here supports local farming families who have protected this fragile ecosystem for decades. 

Today you will also enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner with a local family to learn about their history, share stories, and discover the traditions and culture of Colombia. This unique cultural experience is not only an opportunity to taste the local cuisine, but it will give you an insight into the day-to-day life of a typical family and you will see how mealtime becomes a special social event.

Overnight: Bogotá
Accommodation: Hotel La Opera (private room with bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast and lunch or dinner
Hike: 6 km

You will be transported to the airport for an early flight to Pereira (flight time approx. 1 hour). Your local guide will greet you before taking you to Santa Rosa de Cabal. The breathtaking mountainous green landscapes will surround you, lush with coffee plants, banana and citrus plantations, and bamboo forests. 

You are now in the heart of the famous Coffee Triangle of Colombia, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011. You will have your fill of delicious coffee which is harvested, roasted, and brewed within miles of your hotel. Of course, you cannot be in the coffee capital without a tour of a traditional finca (farm). On a guided tour, an expert will explain the entire process from picking the right coffee bean to the different methods of preparing an exquisite high-quality Colombian coffee. Through a hands-on experience, you will understand the daily tasks of a coffee farmer, allowing you to discover the traditions of generations past. The tour will not be complete without tasting the best coffee in the world.

Overnight: Santa Rosa de Cabal
Accommodation: Santa Clara Boutique (private room with bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast 

Located in the heart of the picturesque coffee region, the Los Nevados National Park is a volcanic area enclosed by 3 majestic snow-capped summits: The Ruiz (5,321m), Santa Isabel (4,965m), and Tolima (5,220m) mountains. In addition, the park is home to the rare Andean ecosystems, Paramillos, of El Cisne (4,636m), Santa Rosa (4,600m), and Quindío (4,750m). Without a shadow of a doubt, the main draw of this stunning location is the sheer variety of environments - you will find wetlands, upper Andean forest, cloud forest, páramos, and tropical glaciers. The multiple rivers that flow down the mountains make the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, and Tolima strongholds of agricultural life and provide a permanent water supply for the towns and cities of the area.

The guided hiking tour today starts at 6 am with a pick-up from your hotel. The transfer of 2.5 hours will take you through Andean canyons and stunning valleys. You will enjoy a delicious mountain breakfast at a traditional farm, before making your way to the park entrance, where you'll register in the park book and received a welcome meeting from the park rangers. 

You'll have one last 30-minute car ride to the starting point of the trek, at an altitude of 4,100m. From here, you will walk 3.7km to the beautiful Conejeras Glacier (4,700m). You will have time to rest, enjoy the surrounding, and take pictures before beginning the descent to where the vehicle will be waiting to take you back to the farm where you will have lunch. The rest of the day can be spent chatting with the local farmers and resting up for tomorrow. 

Overnight: Los Nevados Park
Accommodation: Traditional finca (farm), bunk beds, shared bathrooms
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hike: 3.7 km
Elevation: start 4,100 m / max 4,700 m / end 4,100 m
Car Transfer: 3 hours

Starting at 7 am, you will hike from the farm towards Otún Laguna, considered the biggest and most beautiful lake in the national park. You will enjoy first-hand the stark beauty of the upper reaches of the Andes. In the páramo, frailejones dominate the landscape, and a range of mosses, lichens can be observed. The black and white Andean condor, with its wingspan of up to 10 feet, can sometimes be spotted gliding along the cliffs here. Other fauna include the spectacled bear (oso de anteojos), tapirs, weasels, squirrels, bats, and many species of birds.

Overnight: Los Nevados Park
Accommodation: Traditional finca (farm), bunk beds, shared bathrooms
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hike: 18.6 km
Elevation: start 3,950 m / max 4,150 m / end 3,850 m

After an energizing breakfast, you'll prepare your pack for the next adventure to the Paramillo of Quindío, the highest peak in the entire park. This awe-inspiring mountain is rife with sandy, earthy tones, complemented by magical wetlands which dot the terrain with bright colors. En route, you will have lunch and then visit the source of the Cardenas river, with a little bit of luck you will be able to catch a glimpse of the Tolima volcano in the distance. 

The hike will take you to another traditional farm where you will spend the night. This accommodation offers magnificent views of the whole Cocora Valley. "Cocora" comes from the name of an indigenous Quimbayan princess and means, "Star of Water." The mysterious and beautiful cloud forest in the valley makes that name especially appropriate.

Overnight: Los Nevados Park
Accommodation: Traditional finca (farm), bunk beds, shared bathrooms
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hike: 9.6 km
Elevation: start 3,850 m / max 4,250 m / end 3,450 m

You'll hit the trail once again and make your way into the cloud forest. This forest is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna; a number of tree-dwelling sloths call this area home as do various species of hummingbird. You will eventually enter the Cocora Valley, with its stunning views of Colombia's national tree the Wax Palm. This endangered tree, once close to extinction but now protected, was frequently harvested for its wax and wood, and the palm fronds were popularly used as part of religious celebrations. Reaching an average height of 45 m (148 ft), and some reaching as much as 60 m (200 ft), these slender giants dot the valley and make for a perfect photo opportunity. 

After a short break in the valley, you will continue on to Salento, the oldest and most traditional town in the department of Quindío.

Overnight: Salento
Accommodation: Hotel Salento Real (private room with bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hike: 10 km
Elevation: start 3,450 m / max 3,450 m / end 2,400 m

We meet in the morning at 7.30 a.m. in Salento to drive with the typical Jeep Willys along the old road that connects Salento with Ibagué and Bogotá to the wax palm forest La Carbonera - still a very well kept secret. This is a gravel road used by mountain bikers and farmers in the area. The route offers one of the most beautiful views of Cordillera Central and the Nevados National Park. 

The highest point of today's tour is at 3,340m and of course, we will make several stops along the way to enjoy the beautiful views.  After about 2 hours we reach the breathtaking wax palm forests of La Carbonera and take a short hike. In a typical Finca we enjoy a local snack and a small picnic in the middle of these beautiful landscapes. 

We will then hike the whole way back to Salento through these breathtaking landscapes and listen to the myths & stories of your guide.

Overnight: Salento
Accommodation: Hotel Salento Real (private room with bathroom)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hike: 18 km
Elevation: start 1,950 m / max 3,350 m / end 1,950 m

It is time to say goodbye!

You will be transported to the airport in Pereira for your onward travels. Transfer time is approx. 1 hour.