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Overview

 

Ubication

Dates

CLOSED days of the Los Nevados National Natural Park 2024-2025:

During these days, entry is NOT permitted:

  • November 25 to 29, 2024
  • April 21 to 25, 2025
  • May 19 to 23, 2025
  • September 22 to 26, 2025
  • November 24 to 28, 2025

 

Price

How to book

For booking please email us at info@ecoglobalexpeditions.com

What’s included

It includes:

  • Full lunch from lunch from day 1 to lunch on day 3 (peasant meal)
  • Accommodation 2 nights in mountain refuge (peasant farm)
  • Private transport from Salento to Cocora and from Cocora to Salento
  • One (1) mountain guide for every three (3) people
  • Logistics of the whole trip
  • Loading mules for backpacks and equipment during the entire expedition
  • Health insurance

What’s not included

  • Does Not Include:Transport from your city of origin to Salento and return
  • If you travel by plane you must buy the return flight the next day, we are not responsible in the event of unforeseen events and you cannot arrive on time at the airport.
  • Hydration.
  • Tips.
  • Expenses not stipulated.

Itinerary

3 days classical itinerary:

Day 1

Cocora Valley and climb to the Páramo

5 am. After breakfast we head to the imposing Cocora Valley, a sacred place that houses the largest Cera palms on the planet, and we can also observe the natural wonders of the cloud forest. Here we can pass through 6 bridges that cross a beautiful river that descends from the mountains and delivers its waters to the department of Quindío. We will border the Acaime reserve and continue to Estrella de Agua (3100m) where we will have a delicious lunch. Estimated time 3.5 hours. 9km.

IMPORTANT: For this tour there are no pack mules included so you do not require much luggage, please keep in mind that in addition to your luggage we will provide you with hiking lunches for days 1 and 2 (every day we will deliver lunch), snack, helmet, harness and a very light linner. Keep this in mind to carry a comfortable trekking backpack with enough space, one of at least 50 liters is recommended.

Departure from the Estrella de Agua farm towards the spring farm where we will spend the night (3750m). We crossed the paramo ecosystem, considered the essential ecosystem for life and only found in 4 countries on the planet. With a little luck we will be able to see the imposing Nevado del Tolima and the beautiful Paramillo del Quindío. Estimated time 3 hours. 9km

Walking time: 8 hours
Distance: 17.5 km
Initial Height: 2400m
Maximum Height: 3900m
Final Height: 3750m
Accumulated Ascent: 1800m
Accumulated Descent: 450m
Accommodation Type: Mountain Peasant Farm
Terrain: 50% dirt trail/50% wet trail

Day 2

Nevado Tolima Glacier Edge and Laguna del Encanto

We will leave early from the Primavera farm to the border of the Shimmer glacier located at 5000m high.

EL Nevado del Tolima will always watch over us until we reach its foothills. With luck we will be able to see the snow-capped Santa Isabel and Nevado del Ruiz. We will descend at the beginning of the afternoon passing through the Enchanting Lagoon before returning to the Primavera farm.

Walking time: 8 hours
Distance: 18 km
Initial Height: 3750m
Maximum Height: 5000m
Final Height: 3750m
Accumulated Ascent: 1400m
Accumulated Descent: 1400m
Accommodation Type: Mountain Peasant Farm

Day 3

Return to Salento different route

7 am. We have breakfast and begin the descent towards the cloud forests. We will take a different descent route that allows us to appreciate the Quindío paramillo.

In the lower part, the forests are home to a great variety of flora and fauna and are of great importance for water in Colombia. Then we will arrive at the imposing Cocora Valley and we will be able to appreciate the tallest Cera palms on the planet. We will take some photos and we will be ready to continue to Salento, the oldest and most typical town in Quindío.

Hiking time: 7 hours
Distance: 17.5 km
Initial Height: 3750m
Maximum Height: 3900m
Final Height: 2400m
Accumulated Ascent: 450m
Accumulated Descent: 1800m
Accommodation Type: Free

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Travel tips

Recommendations:

Most people traveling with Ecoglobal Expeditions are fervent lovers of nature, they are uncomplicated and “off-road” travelers, patients, tolerants, collaborators and enthusiasts. They like to travel in groups because they find in this experience an opportunity to learn from others, make friends and share experiences during the trip. Thinking about it, we wanted to propose a list of “Good Group Travel Practices” to help travelers to have a richer and more pleasant experience during the excursions. You can find the list by clicking here: Good Group Travel Practices

Because we will remain throughout the expedition at altitudes above 3,000 meters above sea level and in remote areas, this exit is not suitable for people with lung or heart conditions or for people under medical treatment for diseases such as diabetes , Asthma, etc.

Staying at high altitudes may be contraindicated if you are under medical prescription. If you have questions please consult your doctor before enrolling.

  • As far as possible take the least amount of wrappers, cans or glasses and please, let’s return home all the inorganic waste that we carry in our backpack «if you carry it in your backpack, you can return in your backpack»
  • Please do not leave trash in the mountain
  • Do not carry or consume liquor (no brandy, wine, whiskey, beer, etc.), or toxic substances, psychoactive or hallucinogenic in the mountains (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, fungi, etc., that combination is worse than The “gasoline with the liquor” !!).
  • Bring warm clothes, the place we go is very cold.
  • Consume a lot of liquid during your stay in the mountains, this practice helps improve the body’s ability to adjust to height.
  • Pack your clothes in plastic bags inside the backpack, carry extra plastic bags for various uses.
  • Protect your camera from moisture.
  • Carry spare batteries.
  • Bring snacks, chocolates, peanuts, panela, etc. Packed in resealable plastic bags (“Ziploc”), remove the air when packing them to occupy as little space as possible inside your backpack.
  • If you are vegetarian, we recommend you bring your own food, Packed in resealable plastic bags.
  • Light luggage travel, it is not necessary to bring a bag for each day.
  • Do not bring jewelry or valuables (the Rolex and the Cartier earrings please leave them at home).
  • During the walks do not leave the group, do not go ahead, do not be left alone.
  • The weather conditions in the mountains can change in minutes, always carry a raincoat.
  • Keep in mind that we will be staying in a very remote place, run by a peasant organization. Our hosts will do everything in their power to serve us as best as possible, within the conditions of the place and its culture.
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What to bring:

  • Backpack: One of between 40 to 50 liters is enough
    Canteen, Thermos or Camelback, let’s avoid plastic or PET bottles. Necessary capacity between 1 to 2 liters.
    Two (2) changes of clothes (the one you are wearing and an additional one) made of quick-drying synthetic material (lycra, polar fiber, etc.) Please do not wear drill pants or jeans or in general cotton, they do not protect against the cold and if They get wet and do not dry out during the entire expedition.
    Also avoid cotton t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets.
    One (1) set of thermal underwear or sweatshirt made of fleece or thick fabric for staying in the cabin and sleeping
    Leggings. (Very useful for protection from mud) if you don’t have them we can rent them to you
    Two (2) or maximum three (3) pairs of thick socks, preferably wool
    One (1) wool or polar fiber hat that covers the ears (can be a balaclava)
    One (1) pair of gloves, hopefully waterproof
    One (1) cap or hat
    One (1) pair of hiking boots that cover the ankles and ideally are waterproof
    Keep in mind that the trails in the park are very wet and very muddy most of the year, so sometimes it is better to do the treks with rubber swamp boots, or with other footwear, but keeping in mind that you are going to get very muddy. If you don’t have them, we can rent them to you.
    One (1) pair of light sandals or tennis shoes for use in the cabin
    One (1) jacket and one (1) waterproof pants
    One (1) jacket or sweatshirt made of polar fiber or synthetic material to protect from the cold
    One (1) small quick-drying towel.
    Small personal first aid kit. (The guides will carry a complete specialized first aid kit for remote areas)
    Aluminized emergency thermal blanket
    Small front flashlight (for use on the head) and spare batteries for three (3) days. If you have the option, prefer to use flashlights with rechargeable batteries so we reduce the purchase of single-use batteries, and bring enough spares)
    Sunglasses (400 UV filter) (This is an essential item, not using them can cause mountain blindness, due to exposure to radiation reflected by the snow)
    Walking sticks (optional) If you don’t have them, we can lend them, they help a lot for balance, overcoming difficult stretches of mud and easing the burden of walking on the sword.
    Personal hygiene items in small quantities and with biodegradable characteristics.
    Sunscreen with a protection factor greater than or equal to 60SPF
    Dry bags (If we have the option to avoid plastic, bring multi-use dry bags)
    Toilet paper
    Lip balm (Lipstick), cocoa butter or Vaseline
    Sweets / chocolates / peanuts / snacks / energy (only very special items that you really like and in very small quantities, since we will give you enough snacks for each day)

If you are vegetarian, we recommend that you bring your own food to supplement the meals on the farms and camp. We will adapt the menu according to your needs, but it is better to bring items to which you are more accustomed.
Photographic camera. (On the farms, access to energy is extremely limited, especially in seasons of high cloud cover, since the farms are powered by solar energy. It is better to carry enough backup battery)
It’s probably going to rain, we must prepare for it, pack everything in dry bags or, failing that, plastic bags!