Cross the Los Nevados National Park on a spectacular seven-day journey, where you’ll ascend two snow-capped peaks, enjoy hot springs, and explore forests, páramos, and wetlands.
The Los Nevados National Natural Park is located in the Central Andes of Colombia, covering an area of 61,200 hectares. Its highest point reaches 5,321 meters above sea level at the summit of Nevado del Ruiz, and the lowest elevation is 2,600 meters in the Andean forests. The park spans across the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, and Tolima. The landscape is dominated by three stunning snow-capped volcanoes (Ruiz, Santa Isabel, and Tolima), with vast areas of páramos, forests, lakes, and rivers. These ecosystems are home to many animal and plant species, some of which are endangered.
The journey we detail below is the most complete 7-day trek we offer in Los Nevados National Park. In this adventure, we cross the Central Andes of Colombia, climbing to the summits of the Santa Isabel and Tolima snow-capped peaks. Along the way, we’ll relax in the soothing Cañón hot springs, wander through beautiful lakes, páramos, and forests, and finish in the city of Ibagué.
🔴 Limited spots available.
The journey begins in the city of Manizales or Pereira, depending on the travelers’ location. At 6:00 am, we will pick you up from your hotel and start the ascent in a 4X4 vehicle towards the mountains of Los Nevados National Park via the route that leads to Refugio El Cisne. This road offers beautiful views, adorned by numerous farming plots nestled within the high Andean forests. During the ascent, we’ll stop for breakfast and then continue until we reach the refuge, where park staff will welcome us with an informative talk. Afterward, we’ll complete the necessary registration for entry into the park. We’ll then embark on an acclimatization hike to the Laguna Verde Encantada, where we’ll have a close-up view of the Santa Isabel Glacier and the stunning flora of the páramo ecosystem. Once back at the refuge, we’ll enjoy a traditional farm-style lunch and settle into our rooms for the night. In the afternoon, we’ll receive the necessary mountaineering gear, and the guides will explain how to use it properly.
In the evening, we’ll have a delicious regional dinner and rest up for the ascent to the summit the following day.
Distance: 4 km
Duration: 2 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 200 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 200 m
Starting Altitude: 4,000 m
Max Altitude: 4,100 m
Final Altitude: 4,000 m
Very early in the morning, we’ll begin our journey in a 4X4 vehicle to a place called Conejeras. From here, our adventure towards the summit of Santa Isabel Glacier begins. We’ll enjoy the ascent under the light of the stars, and after several hours, we’ll witness the breathtaking sunrise from the heights of the Colombian Andes—a great motivation to continue our hike to the summit. Once we reach the glacier, we’ll equip ourselves with the necessary gear to ascend through the snow. If luck and the weather are on our side, we’ll be rewarded with a spectacular panoramic view from the summit of Santa Isabel Glacier, approximately 5,000 meters above sea level. For the return, we’ll retrace our steps back to Conejeras, where a vehicle will be waiting to take us to Potosí, where we’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch and spend a relaxing afternoon resting. In Potosí, we’ll either camp or sleep in available rooms, depending on availability.
Dinner and rest.
Distancia: 14 km
Duración: 6 – 8 horas
Desnivel positivo: 800 metros
Desnivel negativo: 800 metros
Altitud en Potosí (donde se duerme) 3.900 msnm
Altitud inicial de la caminata: 4.200 msnm
Altitud máxima: 4.950 msnm
Altitud final: 3.900 msnm
In the morning, we’ll take some time to share our experience from the previous day and enjoy a peaceful breakfast. Once we’re ready, we’ll leave our luggage to be carried by mules to our next destination. The hike will take about 4-5 hours through rolling terrain until we reach the beautiful Laguna del Otún. From there, we’ll continue through the páramo, a special ecosystem found only in five countries around the world, known for its beauty, biodiversity, and its critical role in water production. By midday, we’ll reach Finca Berlín, a humble and welcoming farm where we’ll rest. Here, we’ll enjoy a traditional farm-style lunch, and then settle into our rooms for the night. In the afternoon, we’ll have time to relax, enjoy the peaceful surroundings, and learn a little about the lives of the local farmers.
Dinner and rest.
Distance: 19 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 600 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 700 m
Starting Altitude: 3,900 m
Max Altitude: 4,150 m
Final Altitude: 3,800 m
After breakfast, we’ll begin our hike with our final destination being the Arenales camp. Along the way, we’ll cross vast expanses of páramo and have the chance to pass by the base of the imposing Paramillo del Quindío, an extinct volcano adorned with colorful sands and stunning rocky peaks that sometimes are covered in snow. It stands at an elevation of about 4,750 meters. At this spot, we’ll enjoy a packed lunch we’ve brought along. Afterward, we’ll continue our trek, passing through Finca La Playa before beginning the ascent to the Arenales camp, located at an altitude of 4,500 meters. Here, we’ll set up our tents and spend the night.
Dinner and rest.
Distance: 18 km
Duration: 8-9 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 900 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 400 m
Starting Altitude: 3,800 m
Max Altitude: 4,500 m
Final Altitude: 4,500 m
Very early in the morning, before dawn, we’ll begin our ascent to Nevado del Tolima, navigating through sandy and rocky terrain, typical of a volcanic mountain, with the goal of reaching the summit. Once we reach the glacier, we’ll equip ourselves with the necessary gear (helmets, crampons, ice axes, ropes, harnesses, etc.) to begin the ascent on the snow, which will lead us to the summit. This journey takes about 1.5 hours, and the summit stands at an elevation of 5,240 meters above sea level. At this point, we’ll feel the grandeur of the mountain and be rewarded for our efforts with a stunning view of the National Park, where we can see lagoons, Andean forests, páramos, and other snow-capped volcanoes in the area. After soaking in the breathtaking scenery, we’ll begin our descent back to Los Arenales, where we’ll enjoy breakfast, pack up the camp, and continue our hike for another two hours until we reach the soothing hot waters of the Cañón Hot Springs, where we’ll set up our next camp.
Here, we’ll relax in the hot springs, enjoy a well-deserved lunch, and spend a peaceful afternoon surrounded by the mountains in total silence. As night falls, we’ll have dinner and settle in for a well-needed rest in our tents.
Distance: 13 km
Duration: 10-12 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 800 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 1,300 m
Starting Altitude: 4,500 m
Max Altitude: 5,240 m
Final Altitude: 3,950 m
On this day, we’ll embark on a fascinating hike for contemplation and exploration, as the trail takes us along ancient paths adorned with beautiful frailejones, leading us into the forest ecosystem. The route will bring us to a school called El Salto (3,200 m), nestled in the mountains with a stunning view of Nevado del Tolima. This magical place welcomes us, allowing us to connect with the family that lives there and the students, who are locals of the area. We’ll enjoy a delicious farm-style lunch and have time to relax, take in the scenery, and learn about the life and customs of the people who call this place home.
Dinner and rest in shared rooms.
Distance: 11 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 90 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 800 m
Starting Altitude: 3,950 m
Max Altitude: 4,030 m
Final Altitude: 3,200 m
After a pleasant night at the school and a hearty farm-style breakfast, we’ll start our final day on the trail. We’ll begin with an ascent of approximately one hour, followed by a descent through deep gullies surrounded by lush high Andean cloud forests, also known as “Cloud Forests”. This beautiful and lengthy descent will take us to the town of Juntas, on the other side of the mountain range. There, we’ll catch a bus that will take us to the city of Ibagué (approximately 40 minutes of travel). In Ibagué, our journey will come to an end, and each person will have the option to return by plane or bus to their city of origin.
Distance: 13 km
Duration: 6-7 hours
Positive Elevation Gain: 400 m
Negative Elevation Gain: 1,500 m
Starting Altitude: 3,200 m
Max Altitude: 3,600 m
Final Altitude: 1,900 m
Large backpack for the luggage carried by mules.
Small backpack (20-30 L) for daily hikes.
Sunglasses with UV protection.
Poncho-style waterproof jacket (not necessary if your jacket is waterproof).
Headlamp with extra batteries.
Hat or cap for sun protection.
Cold weather clothes: suitable jacket, jacket or sleeping bag, comfortable pants for hiking and another for sleeping (preferably thermal), thick socks (at least three pairs), gloves, ear-protecting hat.
Hiking boots, lightweight shoes.
Towel.
Water bottle (thermo).
Sunscreen.
Lip balm.
Personal medication.
Small hygiene kit: toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush.
Large bags for packing clothes and trash.
This is a physically demanding expedition. It’s ideal for mountaineers with previous experience in ascents over 4,000 or 5,000 meters. If you’ve done multi-day expeditions in cold and high-altitude conditions, you’ll be better prepared for this challenge.
We recommend a training program of 3 to 6 months, focused on cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, and altitude acclimatization. Activities like mountain hiking, trail running, and cycling are perfect.
Our team is equipped with satellite communication devices, first aid kits, and medical oxygen supplies at high-altitude camps. We also constantly monitor the physical condition of the participants.
You can reserve your spot with a 30% deposit, and the remaining balance should be paid before the expedition starts. Contact us for more details about payment methods.
If you can’t continue due to health or weather reasons, our team will prioritize your safety. We’ll help you descend and make sure you get the necessary medical attention.
Remember, by the time of the expedition, you should have an active medical insurance that covers these types of activities.
Yes! If you can’t make it on the dates for our next expedition, get in touch and we’ll design a personalized adventure for you or even open a new expedition.
