The highlight of Samuel’s first trip to Colombia was a trek to Los Nevados Natural Park in the Colombian Andes. For him, it was the hardest but surely one of the most beautiful treks of his life.
Here’s the story of a 4-day trek he organized on the spot during his stay in Salento. At the end of the post, you’ll find all the practical information you need to make this trek to Los Nevados National Park.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
Contents
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General information Los Nevados National Park
- Protected area: Los Nevados National Park
- Ecosystem: Cloud forest, Paramos, Glaciers and Volcanoes
- When to go: Year-round
- Surface area: 583 km2
- Temperatures: between 3°C and 14°C
- Climate: Cold and humid
- Minimum altitude : 2600 m
- Maximum altitude : 5300 m
- Region: Andes
- Departments: Quindio, Tolima, Risaralda, Caldas
- Access: Pereira, Salento, Manizales, Ibague, Murillo
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Cocora Valley > Finca Primavera
DAY 1 / TREKking in LOS NEVADOS National PARK
We rise in the middle of the night in Yambolombia to prepare for our departure for the magnificent Cocora Valley (which we’ll talk about in greater detail in this post), one of the entry points to Los Nevados National Natural Park. Our trek lasts 4 days and starts at an altitude of around 2.400 m. The first day promises to be a tough one: almost 20 km of walking, 1500 m of positive ascent, leading us to the Primavera refuge at 3800 m altitude.
We’re organizing this trek with Gabriel, the manager of hostal Yambolombia. A keen mountain sportsman, he knows the region like the back of his hand, and will be our “unofficial” guide for the occasion.
With him, we prepared all the equipment we would need for our 4-day trek. The day before departure, we went shopping for meals, and in case we had to eat on the run, the rest of the meals would be taken at the Primavera refuge and at Termales de cañon. All our luggage will be carried on the back of a mule, putting us a few hours ahead of schedule.
It’s not yet daylight when we board a Willis Jeep for the park entrance. The hike begins with the sublime landscapes of the Cocora Valley: verdant meadows from which emerge the famous wax palms, the national symbol here in Colombia, rising into the sky to infinity (60 m high!).
But the Cocora valley deserves its own post!
We then plunge into a magnificent “Cloud Forest” with terribly difficult slopes: the gradient is violent, the path is muddy, and when the weather turns to rain, the path becomes almost impassable! Nevertheless, we make good progress, perhaps too good..
Mountain sickness
At an altitude of 3500 m, we emerge from the forest and discover the landscape of the high plateaus, the páramo and its strange Frailejones, endemic and ancestral plants that can be several hundred years old and are the symbol of the Colombian mountains.
Perhaps too good a look? Once I’ve passed the famous 3500 m altitude, it’s directly down to altitude sickness for me. J
I’ve never climbed to this altitude, so I don’t have a clue why I’m feeling so sick: am I prone to altitude sickness? Or have I simply climbed too fast?
As we’ll learn on the way back, the climb can be done over 2 days to acclimatize, with a stopover at Finca Estrella del Agua.
Despite the majesty of the landscapes surrounding us, the rest of the day is a real ordeal: headache, nausea, disorientation… Gabriel gives me some Frailejones to put in my ears, a shamanic remedy that should help me..
We arrive at dusk at the Primavera refuge at 3800 m altitude. I’m in survival mode. Impossible to eat.
The night at the refuge is torture, with altitude sickness compounded by the bitter cold in the dormitory. It’s a sleepless night. The Agua de coca, an infusion of coca leaves, kindly offered to me by the rude hostess, who is supposed to be helping me here again, won’t change a thing. I’m going to die!
Finca primavera > Termales de cañon
DAY 2 / TREKking in LOS NEVADOS National PARK
Waking up to the same battle. The warrior’s breakfast (egg, rice, red beans) is impossible to swallow. I’m on the verge of giving up..
But Gabriel urges me on, and after another Agua de Coca to give me strength, we set off on another 10 km hike at an altitude of 4.000 m to the long-awaited hot springs of Los Termales de cañon.
The torture continues for me throughout the early part of the day, with my head down on my shoes, simply concentrating on the next step to take. There’s a sort of trance that sets in, it’s strange, it almost feels good..
The first piece of good news is that I’m not getting any worse. I know thatyou have to be very careful about the signs of altitude sickness, and not take it lightly: loss of balance, vomiting >>> go back down immediately. When suffering from altitude sickness, you should normally respect a maximum of 400 m of positive vertical drop per day.
In the end, my persistence and above all the topography of the day (we’re still around 4000 m altitude) will help me feel better.
As the day went by, I felt an improvement, my body seemed to be getting used to the altitude, the altitude sickness gradually dissipated and, oh joy! in the evening, I was finally able to take full advantage of an indescribable and magical place at this altitude and after so much effort!
Los Termales del Cañon
Hot springs at an altitude of 4.000 m, at the foot of the El Nevado del Tolima volcano which rises to over 5.200 m above our heads, covered by an ice cap, in the middle of nowhere, a basin dug there in the open air, a hot spring running like a stream through the meadow, simply diverted by plastic pipes to this basin, and then it’s paradise: all naked!
Honestly, after the two days I’ve just spent here, the benefits of hot water are just a total kick, the feeling of being privileged is exacerbated, my happiness is immense.
In the evening, we gather in the owner’s makeshift hut, where we are served a well-deserved meal. A fire is stoked in one corner of the room, and we meet some Colombian hikers preparing arepas by the fire.
Arepa is a simple pancake made from cornflour and water, which accompanies virtually all traditional Colombian meals. It is also the main ingredient of breakfast.
Our friends explain to us how to shape the dough into small round cakes, so we help them to make them. They then cook them in a frying pan filled with animal fat, and I’m finally reconciled with arepas. After some mixed experiences in Venezuela, I’m really enjoying myself. Super moment of sharing.
Termales de cañon > Finca Primavera
DAY 3 / TREKking in LOS NEVADOS National PARK
Over the next two days, with my physical condition back in shape, I’ll be able to fully savour the incredible landscapes of these Colombian mountains, so far from the kind of mountains I know: here, at an altitude of 4.000 m, vegetation still grows, meadows where cows and horses graze, birds flutter about and frailejones of all sizes bloom in their millions as far as the eye can see.
Colombia’s location, with its tropical equatorial climate, forces us to rethink the high-mountain environment. It’s all very beautiful. The day’s return to the Primavera is beautiful and sunny, although the altitude really plays its part and the cold can be rigorous.
In fact, we spent the day putting on and taking off layers ranging from down jackets/caps/gloves to T-shirts. On the plain of the lago del encanto, for example, the wind is extremely violent and icy, so much so that we had to take shelter behind a rock to take a break, so difficult was our progress.
It’s important to understand that, despite its easy access, the mountains in Colombia are dangerous. Just recently, a Colombian tourist died in Los Nevados Park after suffering a cerebral oedema while attempting to climb Nevado del Tolima, even though he was accompanied by a guide.
In Colombia, you quickly reach very high altitudes (5.000 m), and if altitude sickness is something to be taken seriously, so are the climatic conditions.
The weather can quickly turn into a nightmare, with fog settling in very quickly, making orientation particularly difficult as paths are poorly marked and maps non-existent. I swear, you don’t want to spend a night bivouacking without any equipment.
Good to know
Safety
Just one piece of advice: don’t go off on your own, and take a local, professional guide who knows the mountains you’re going to particularly well. If you do decide to go off without a guide, plan ahead, let someone know when you’re leaving, what you’re going to do and when you’ll be back. Take the signs seriously: bad weather, acute mountain sickness >>> give up without a second thought.
Finca la Primavera
The following night, back at La Primavera, I could still enjoy the rusticity of the refuge and the cuisine of the hostess: an incredible woman living alone with her children all year round, heated only by the wood fire on the cast-iron stove.
It’s here, at the thermal baths and at La Primavera, that we’ll surely taste the best arepas of the trip.
Good to know
Another reality
This is another reality. The Finca’s children live with their mother, helping her run the refuge on a daily basis.
The 16-year-old son earns money carrying backpackers’ gear from the Cocora valley to the Finca.
He, his boots and his donkey make the journey we did in less time than it takes to pronounce Frailejones.
On arrival at the refuge, he picks up his axe and splits wood at lightning speed. I mean, I’ve lived in the country a long time, I’ve split wood… but this is pretty impressive to see.
As for his 7-year-old brother, he’s regularly sent by his mother to run errands in Salento, alone, on foot.
Anyway, I’m not going to go into all that, but encounters like that put our little lives in their place.
Finca primavera > Cocora Valley
DAY 4 / TREKking in LOS NEVADOS National PARK
On our last day, we head down from the Primavera to the Cocora Valley. Gabriel gives us a choice: we can either take the same route down as on the outward journey, or the mule track (which is where our bags went).
He explains that the mule track is faster, but that it’s totally muddy and broken up (by the mules)… Unanimous response: “We’ll go back the same way we came!” Oo
The way back is longer. We spend the whole day wondering how we managed to eat all that elevation gain on day 1… the descent is endless, really endless.
Then there’s the rainy weather, and the path becomes totally muddy, especially when we reach the forest. You need to be in good spirits.
Back in the Cocora valley, the end is in sight, and we conclude for form’s sake, but above all to enjoy the landscape even more, with a final 300 m climb leading us to a different return route from the one we took on the outward journey, in a totally magical landscape: majestic wax palms stretch as far as the eye can see in a mist conducive to daydreaming, a supernatural, fantastical landscape.
The final reward is the Bosque de las Palmas!
In the evening, a great moment of fraternity over dinner back at the Yambolombia hostal, and a fond farewell the next day. Adventures on this scale bring souls closer together. Los Nevados, forever in my heart.
Which agency to choose for a trek
TREKking in LOS NEVADOS National PARK
To trek in Los Nevados National Park, it’s essential to be accompanied by a guide who knows these mountains well, and can provide logistical support and security. What’s more, a guide is a great travelling companion who can share his knowledge with you.
That’s why we advise you to contact our local partner, the best mountain guide agency in Salento. Created by a group of Colombian mountain enthusiasts and connoisseurs, this agency has become THE reference for trekking in the Salento region.
You can trek from 1 to several days in the different destinations of the Los Nevados Park, but also expeditions to the summit of Nevado del Tolima and Nevado Santa Isabel and many other superb hikes.
Bonus: they have english-speaking guide, subject to availability.
Responsible tourism
Our partner is the first trekking operator in Colombia to have received TOURCERT certification, and is working to develop a responsible tourism policy:
- Guides certified in high mountain first aid
- Employment of local people with fair wages
- Contribution to the local economy with the aim of improving working conditions
- Commitment to local communities (school tool collection programs)
- Application of“Leave no trace ” principles
- Joint work with National Park authorities to develop responsible tourism
Contact a local guide
The best local agency in Salento
Responsible tourism
Our partner is the first trekking operator in Colombia to have been awarded the Tourcert certificate and is working to develop a responsible tourism policy:
- Joint work with National Park authorities
- Guides certified in high mountain first aid
- Employment of local people with fair wages
- Contributing to the local economy with the aim of improving working conditions
- Commitment to local communities (school tool collection programs)
- Application of “Leave no trace” principles
Where to stay in Salento
Salento
Hotel
Salento Plaza Hotel
A superb hotel in Salento, in a beautiful colonial house very close to the main plaza.We would have loved to have stayed there, to tell you the truth! The decor is superb, and there’s a small interior garden that invites you to relax. The rooms are spacious and the bedding looks comfortable.Highly rated
Salento
Hotel
Hotel Vista hermosa
A nice hotel, and above all, very attractively priced for a city like Salento! This is where we stayed on our last trip in February 2022Basic but comfortable rooms, perfect cleanliness, good service.
Salento
Hostal
El Viajero Hostel Salento
A chain of hostals found in Cartagena, Cali and San Andres. Newly installed in Salento, El viajero offers a wide variety of rooms to suit all budgets, and can accommodate up to 90 people. Having said that, we have to admit that the location they have chosen has everything to seduce!
Salento
Hostal
Segrobe City Hostel
Somewhere between a hotel and a hostal, here’s a place where the decor is particularly meticulous! We love the ambiance of this superb colonial house. The location is central, just a few steps from Salento’s main square. But beware: almost all rooms face the street.
Salento
Finca
La Cabaña Eco Hotel
A hotel in a sublime traditional Colombian finca. A real value for money, located just outside the village, in the countryside. They offer a wide range of activities, including horseback riding and birdwatching.
Salento
Hostal
Yambolombia Hostal
This is the hostal where we stayed on our first visit to Salento. It’s a house on the outskirts of the village, about 20mn from the village on foot, 5mn by Jeep. Gabriel is an endearing character and the atmosphere is cool. Everything is meticulously maintained.
Topo and equipment needed
- 4-day trek: Cocora/Primavera/Los Termales.
- Difficulty : Difficult, especially on day 1, and beware of altitude sickness.
- Minimum altitude : 2300 m / Maximum altitude: 4000m
- Total distance: 70km
- Cumulative elevation gain: 2700m
- Day 1 – Distance: 20 km / Difference in altitude: 1500m and -100m
- Day 2 – Distance: 15 km / Difference in altitude: 500m and – 300m
- Day 3 – Distance: 15 km / Difference in altitude: 300m and – 500m
- Day 4 – Distance: 20 km / Difference in altitude: 400m and – 1500m
- Porter: Equipment for 4 days can be transported by porter (donkey).
Equipment required
- Good waterproof hiking boots
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
- High-mountain clothing (fleece, thermal underwear, etc.)
- Large comforter for cold nights, hat
- A change of clothes (especially for wet socks).
You know what they say: “Cotton kills!” Cotton doesn’t dry well, so wet clothing (rain or perspiration) combined with wind or freezing temperatures means trouble. Choose fast-drying, breathable materials! Long-sleeved Merino wool T-shirts are perfect for this type of hiking.
Do I need a guide?
We’re talking to as many of you as possible – people like us, who love the mountains, but who are not mountain professionals and are not used to trekking at very high altitudes in unfamiliar mountains.
We don’t recommend trekking to Los Nevados Parkwithout a guide, either alone or in a group, and advise you to use the services of our local partner. Here are the main reasons why:
- These treks take place at very high altitude (over 4.000 m and up to 5.000 m).
- The risk of altitude sickness is high.
- Although there are landmarks, the trails are not as well marked as in Europe.
- The weather can change quickly, with rain, fog and low temperatures commonplace.
- Hikers are regularly found dead in the park as a result of carelessness.
So between the risks of getting lost, altitude sickness and hypothermia, the dangers are too great from our point of view to take these mountains lightly. The mountains are not a game, so take a serious guide who knows these mountains well.
Of course, if you’re used to trekking for several days in the high mountains, if you’re used to following GPS tracks – in other words, if you’re an expert in the field – this advice may seem useless or alarmist, but we’re talking to the general public, people like us, who aren’t specialists.
How to get to Los Nevados Park
This section deals with the entrance to Los Nevados Park via the Cocora valley in the department of Quindio. Other access routes are possible, notably via Mazinales. First of all, you’ll need to travel to the Pereira and Armenia region and stay in a Quindio village. The nearest is of course Salento, but other options such as Filandia are just as interesting.
From Salento
The famous Willis Jeeps will take you to the entrance of Los Nevados National Park and the Cocora Valley. Make your way to the village’s central square, where you’ll see the colorful machines waiting to take off. Ask a driver, and he’ll tell you when the next departure is.
- Fare Salento – Cocora: between $3.000 COP and $5.000 COP / pers. depending on mood
- Journey time: approx. 30 minutes.
- Distance from Salento: 12 km
From Cocora to Salento
The last Jeep Willis leaves at 5 p.m.! Take precautions. If you miss the last Jeep, private car services can bring you back.
