Live a mountain experience in this beautiful National Park. Visit the Siecha and the Buitrago lakes and the Suasie trail; also sleep in the park refuge surrounded by animals such as deer and spectacled bears.
CHINGAZA NATIONAL PARK
The Chingaza National Park is located in the oriental mountain range in the Andean region in Colombia. The Park surface belongs to Cundinamarca and Meta departments, close to the Colombian capital of Bogota. The Park has an extension of 76.600ha and highs that go from 800 to 4.050 meters. Although the surface belonging to the Park has different thermal floors such as forest ecosystem in the Andean foothills, its largest surface that is located in the high mountains, above 3.000 meters, is classified as paramo.
In this journey the travelers will be going in two beautiful hikes to different lakes and paths through the very important paramo ecosystems. Also, we will have the opportunity to sleep in high mountain refuge and watch different species of fauna and flora such as deer, spectacled bears and frailejones.
Early in the morning and after breakfast we will start our journey from the city of Bogotá. In a privet vehicle our guide and our driver will pick the travelers up in an agreed place. We will take the road to La Calera to deviate to the National Park and reach the Piedra Gorda entrance, where we will receive an induction from the park officials. There, after the talk and check in the Park, we will go on a beautiful circuit by foot that lead us to an amazing viewpoint from where we will be able to see the three Siecha lakes. During our walk, we will, also, watch the important paramo ecosystem, present in only five countries in the world and the fundamental importance in the water production. On our way we will see frailejones, typical vegetation of this ecosystem, as well as different species of flora and fauna. Also, it is very likely to find protected species that live in these mountains such as spectacled bears or white tailed deer. We will continue our walk until we reach the Buitrago lakes where we will make a stop to enjoy the lunch we brought to then, go back to Piedra Gorda where we will take the privet vehicle and carry on for approximately 5 hours until we reach the refuge Monterredondo. Once there, we will check in, have dinner and rest.
We will spend the night in shared rooms.
Distance: 9 Km
Duration: 4 – 5 hours
Maximum Altitude: 3.750 meters
Altitude gain: 400 meters
Altitud loss: 400 meters
Our second and last day will start with a delicious breakfast that we will have at the restaurant in the refuge. After enjoying and sharing this space, we will go on a walk along the path of Suasie, a beautiful circuit in which we will transit through Andean forest ecosystem as well as páramo and super-páramo ecosystem. If we are lucky we will be able to watch animals such as deer, spectacled bears and condors. Once we are back to the refuge, we will have lunch, pick up our luggage and take the vehicle that will take us back to the city of Bogotá, place where our journey ends.
Distance: 4 Km
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Maximum Altitude: 3.160 meters
Altitude gain: 200 meters
Altitud loss: 200 meters
- + A small backpack for hiking (20 – 30 Lts)
- + Sunglasses with UV protection
- + A raincoat poncho like (not necessary if your jacket is waterproof)
- + Cloths suitable for cold weather: jacket, sweater, confortable hiking pants, thick socks, gloves and hat that cover your ears
- + Hiking boots and light shoes
- + Re usable water bottle (thermo) at least 1 Lt
- + Sunglasses
- + Lip balm
This is an ideal trip for any weekend, departing from Bogotá. The paramo is very beautiful and the deer that are all the time close to the cabin are very charming. Ramón, our guide was very educated and kind.
Very recommended.
Maria Teresa
I didn’t know that so close to Bogotá we have such a beautiful place. To see the animals free in the paramo was a real gift. We weren’t lucky to see the spectacles bear, but I hope to see them next time I come.
Hernando
A very beautiful tour, the walks to the lakes surrounded by frailejones and to see so many deer was very nice, also amazed me to find this great mountains so closet o Bogotá.
I advice very much this trip because of its beauty and its proximity to the capital.
Carlos Arturo Posada