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Overview

Highlights:

  • Explore one of the most beautiful snow caped ranges in Colombia
  • Stunning panoramic views of the Lagunillas Valley, Pulpito del Diablo, Sugar Loaf Peak, Black and White Bells Peaks, Laguna Grande de la Sierra, Cóncavo Peak, Ritacuba Blanco and Negro Peaks

Trip details:

  • Duration of the trip: 5 days and 4 nights (We depart from Bogotá on the first day at 8:00pm)
  • Trekking time: 2 to 10 hours daily.
  • Distance: 2-23 kms each day.
  • Ecosystem: rain forest, paramount and glaciar.
  • Climate: cold.
  • Elevation: 2.750 – 4.900 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l).

For decades the Sierra Nevada of Cocuy, Guican y Chita has been visited by mountaineers and climbers, both foreign and national.  For those who enjoy climbing rocks, ice, and snow, or those who enjoy hiking or camping, the Sierra Nevada of Cocuy is a true paradise.  Its majestic mountains, highlands, and forests represent different altitudes which offer the delights of the most daring adventures.

This mountain ridge is made up of a series of snow-capped peaks that are unique in the eastern mountain chain. The group represents the largest snow mass which still exists in Colombia. In the zone of perpetual snows in the park, elevations are from 4,700 to 5,330 m.a.s.l.

The Sierra Nevada is ordinarily reached from Guican and El Cocuy. These are connected by a navigable road, 43 kilometers in length, which passes through Alto de la Cuva, from which three main access roads are available:  Valle de Lagunillas (to the south), Hacienda La Esperanza and Cabañas Kanwara (to the north).

Ubication

Dates

You can also book this trip year around. Please contact us to send you a quotation.

Price

Prices for the Complete expedition to the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy:

The complete expedition to the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, includes 5 days and 4 nights snow edge (we reached the snow edge in the area of Laguna Grande de la Sierra, El Púlpito del Diablo and Ritacubas)

This works like this: since it is an expedition open to the public, you sign up and other people also sign up separately, the total number of people registered is added and the price is determined. To know who we are counting on, you must make a payment of COP500,000.oo.

We accompany the group from Bogotá if the number of participants is 6 or greater, otherwise we organize everything so that our guide is waiting for the participants in the municipality of Güicán and everything works like a clock!

The price depends on the number of people who sign up

Prices valid until January 2025:

6 participants – $2,700,000 per person
7 to 8 participants – $2,500,000 per person
9 participants – $2,400,000 per person
10 participants – $2,300,000 per person
11 or more participants – $2,200,000 per person

Note:

  • Foreigners not resident in Colombia have an additional charge of $50,000 per person

How to book

For bookings please email us to info@ecoglobalexpeditions.com or call us to Mobile: (+57) 310 823 3974 – (+57) 321 721 5554

You can also book this trip year around. Please contact us to send you a quotation.

What’s included

  • Transport Bogotá – Güicán – Bogotá in private service
  • Transfer to the mountain in 4X4 vehicles (maximum 4 people per vehicle)
  • 1 Hotel nights at Cocuy
  • Full meals from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks)
  • 3 Lodging nights in mountain cabins
  • Entrance fee to El Cocuy National Natural Park for nationals (foreigners have an additional charge of COP40,000)
  • Local guide and logistics
  • Medical insurance

What’s not included

  • Last day meals
  • National Park Permit
  • Personal equipment
  • Tips
  • Additional drinks
  • Local, national or international calls
  • Activities not included in the itinerary

Itinerary

Itinerary expeditions 5 days and 4 nights edge of glacier:

Note: the following itinerary is of an informative nature and may vary without prior notice in accordance with weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances.

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Day 1

5:00 am Departure by private transport to the town of Güicán in the north of the department of Boyacá.

This tour lasts 11 hours leaving Bogotá through the North Highway.

Along the way we will make some stops for breakfast, lunch and rest.

We will be arriving in the afternoon and we will go directly to the cabins where we will stay in the mountains.

From Güicán to the cabins, the journey takes approximately an hour and a half through the rural area of ​​the municipality and we will have the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful landscape in which the small plots of peasants with their crops and cattle grazing areas stand out. and each time we will go deeper into a remote territory of imposing landscapes and great mountains. Little by little we will discover the snowy peaks of this area of ​​the park.

In the cabin they wait for us with dinner.

Accommodation in the best cabins in Cocuy.

Day 2

After breakfast we will take a 4×4 vehicle that will take us to Hacienda la Esperanza where we will begin a long walk of about 10 hours round trip to the Laguna Grande de la Sierra, passing through the Cuchumba cave, the Valley of the Frailejones and the cave of men.

The lagoon is located in an amazing setting, with more than 5 peaks over 5,000 meters forming a circus (Concavito, Cóncavo, Portones, Toti, Pan de Azúcar).

In the afternoon, after our return to the Hacienda, we will again take the 4×4 vehicles that will take us to the Cabins in the northern sector of the Sierra.

Dinner and accommodation.

Day 3

Very early, after breakfast, we begin our ascent towards the snow edge of Ritacuba Blanco with its 5,330 m.a.s.l. The highest peak of the Sierra. The walk will take us about four hours to 4,900 m.a.s.l. We will stay there as long as the weather allows us to enjoy the landscape of the highest peak of the Sierra. At this site we will have time for lunch.

Then we will descend to the cabins to have dinner and rest.

Day 4

After breakfast, the vehicles will take us with all our luggage to the Valle de Lagunillas sector, from where we will depart for the Pulpito del Diablo and the Sugar Loaf.

The landscape is overwhelming, the Lagunillas River Valley extends to the northwest in all its immensity and to the east a spectacular canyon indicates the path that goes into the jungles of Arauca.

Our objective for this day is to reach the edge of the snow at 4,900 meters of altitude at the foot of the imposing and mysterious Púlpito del Diablo, a gigantic perfect cube of rock that stands out in the landscape of the Sierra.

This walk to the edge of the snow takes about 4 hours, always going up. To our right we are accompanied by the Picos Campanillas Negro and Blanco. The trail ascends to the Rabbit Pass at 4,500 meters of altitude, from where we will have the first view of the majestic Púlpito del Diablo and the summit of Pico Pan de Azúcar.

From there, the slope of the path becomes less steep and we begin to walk on the moraine, extensive rock slabs where there was ice and snow before. Finally we reach the edge of the snow at 4,900 meters of altitude. There we will be enjoying the landscape for as long as the weather allows us and then we will begin our return to the vehicles that await us to take us to the town of Cocuy.

Already in the town, we will check into the hotel, we will take a tour of its streets and we will be able to take a hot water bath and have dinner.

Day 5

In the morning after breakfast, we will be heading back to Bogotá. On the way we will stop for lunch and other short stops to rest.

At approximately 5:00 in the afternoon we will be arriving in the city of Bogotá.

Travel tips

Personal equipment list:

  • Day pack – 20 / 35 lt.
  • Back packing / Trekking leather boots
  • Synthetic / wool socks (2 pair)
  • Sun glasses (UV400)
  • Rain pants and jacket / technical shell – gore-tex
  • Thermal underwear
  • Synthetic / polar fleece pants and jacket
  • Gloves
  • Gaiters (optional)
  • Head lamp and extra batteries
  • 2 lt Water containers (Nalgene type)
  • Trekking poles
  • Personal toiletries
  • Small towel
  • Sun block # 60/100
  • Beanie
  • Hat/Cap
  • Camera and / or binoculars
  • Identity documents (passport)
  • Personal medicine
  • Keep all your clothing and equipment in plastic bags
  • Do not wear military camouflage clothes