photo by Martin Roca (via Creative Commons)
El Cocuy National Park is one of Colombia's best hiking trip destinations, housing some of the world’s most stunning mountains and glaciers. And although these natural ice sculptures and the mountaineering are blocked off at the moment, there are three trails that are open for visitors. If you’re a nature enthusiast, it would be crazy to miss them. The park was closed to visitors last year but parts of the park were recently re-opened so make sure to book your El Cocuy trek with Uncharted Colombia before it closes again.
New Conditions of Travel
Many ask why the park was closed down in the first place and the answer is for many good reasons. The pristine landscape could not hold all of the tourism that was flooding in and with very few resources like camping areas, a mass influx of travel horses and a lack of security have started to deteriorate the natural land. And since the area is also sacred to the indigenous U’wa people, conservation has become the forefront of what will be available for tourists now as well as in the future. Both the tourism industry and the U’wa people are working to find solutions to conserve the park as well as have places open for world travellers.
New conditions of travel include:
1. Entrance will only be permitted from 5am-9am.
2. All travelers must depart from 1p.m.-6p.m.
3. No overnight stays permitted inside the park.
4. Only local certified ecotourism guides will be permitted to tour the area.
So if you’re ready to dive in, these are the three trails currently on-offer at this magnificent park.
photo by Martin Roca (via Creative Commons)
Ritacuba Trail
This trail that’s roughly 5,000 meters long and starts at an altitude of 4,000 meters ends at the base of the Ritacuba Blanco peak. But the trek is definitely worth it and the photo opportunities are unparalleled. Visitors will enjoy the Frailejones landscape and encounter lots of beautifully sculpted rippling wave-like rock formations that were left behind as the glacier receded over time. Please note that only 49 visitors per day will be permitted on this trail so make sure to book your adventure soon.
photo by Leo Cuesta
Laguna Grande de la Sierra Trail
This trek starts at the La Cuchumba site and will take visitors down a 9,400 meter trail towards the edge of the glacier of the Concavo peak. So what makes this lake so special? Well, the lake is fed by the surrounding melted snow and glacier and is the purest you can find. In fact, it’s so pure that many locals believe if you drink the water for an extended period of time, you will actually grow weaker because there aren’t any minerals in the water. But taking a quick sip won’t harm you; it’s definitely an experience not to miss. This path is a bit more forgiving with the allotment of 175 visitors per day.
photo by Djlego123 (via Creative Common)
Lagunillas Pulpito Trail
And lastly, this trail starts at an altitude of 4,000 meters above the Sisuma Hut and will take travellers 4,500 meters inside the park until they reach the edge of the glacier of the Pulpito del Diablo peak. So what’s special about this hike? Well, the Pulpito del Diablo is awe-inspiring on its own. Many travellers also feel that it is a sacred place so that energy washing over you is priceless. Please also note that this trail will only accommodate 82 adventurers per day.
Uncharted Colombia’s Trekking the El Cocuy Mountain Range tour takes you through all three of these trails so if you’re game, be ready for a combined 25km hiking adventure. And for updates on this ever-changing topic, reach out to Uncharted Colombia for the inside scoop.