Bogotá is surrounded by mountains. And at the edge of Chingaza Natural Park, there’s a special place: the Pantano de Martus, which has quickly built a reputation as one of the best spots to observe the spectacled bear, the totem animal of the Colombian Andes.
The spectacled bear is one of those animals we dream of seeing at least once in our lives. So, early one morning in January, we set out full of hope for a hike to the Pantano de Martus, to see if the bear was there!
Not everything went as planned, but we discovered a new hiking spot near Bogotá, inside the Vista Hermosa – Monquentiva Regional Natural Park.
An easy walk to do if you’re with a guide, and a great chance to get out into nature in search of the spectacled bear.
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.
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Hike to the Pantano de Martus
Vista Hermosa de Monquentiva Regional Natural Park
It’s still dark when we leave by car from Chía (near Bogotá), where we’re staying with family.
The idea is to arrive at the Pantano de Martus at first light to have the best chance of spotting the spectacled bear.
The weather over the past few days was sunny. But we’re told it’s better if the sky is gray to have a better chance of seeing the bear.
This morning, the sky is gray. We’re excited — we’re dreaming of seeing this iconic bear of the Colombian mountains.
We’re well equipped: warm clothes, waterproof shoes and jackets, and of course binoculars and a camera.
After a stop at a bakery in the village of Guasca for a quick breakfast, we finally reach the area around the Pantano de Martus.
Unpredictable weather
The sky isn’t just gray — it’s low, it’s misty, it’s foggy, it’s Colombian mountains… we can’t see a thing.
We’re a bit disappointed, of course, because in these conditions it’ll be hard to spot our favorite animal…
But we’re not discouraged, and we know we’ll enjoy a deep breath of nature, a break that, in any case, will do us a lot of good!
We’re going to discover surprising landscapes and learn more about the habits of the spectacled bear.
This flat landscape right in the middle of the mountains is surprising.
Our guide explains that it used to be a mountain lake, artificially drained to cultivate the land.
Today turned into a nature reserve, a large part of the Pantano de Martus is in the process of regeneration, but there’s still a beautiful little Andean forest that’s going to hold some nice surprises.
A forest and bears
After walking quietly through the heath, trying not to lose sight of our guide in the thick fog, we arrive at the edge of the forest, where signs of the spectacled bear’s presence are waiting for us.
We enter this beautiful forest that feels like it came straight out of a fairy tale.
Even though it’s not raining, drops of water fall from everywhere and show us the essential role of the forest, moss, and lichens in producing fresh water in Colombia.
Right at the entrance, a tree trunk is covered with marks left by the claws of the Andean bear!
Even if we don’t have the luck to see it in action, witnessing its presence is, of course, a moving experience.
Our guide also explains how the spectacled bear climbs trees and helps regenerate the forest by breaking weak branches and trunks.
This creates light gaps that allow new trees to grow, and the decomposition of branches brings nutrients to the soil and food to many species.
We come out amazed from this enchanted forest and begin the walk back to the car.
On the way, we notice piles of “Puyas” leaves (Puya goudotiana), spiny-leaved plants from the bromeliad family that spectacled bears just love!
Another sign of the Andean bear’s presence, who, let’s be honest, spends most of its time eating!
The sky stays closed, the fog doesn’t lift, we won’t see the spectacled bear, but for sure, we felt its presence — and who knows, maybe it was right there, watching our strange little journey to find it.
Disappearance of the Laguna de Guambita
Hike to the Pantano de Martus
If you take an interest in the upper valley of Guasca, it’s hard to imagine that just a few decades ago, the Laguna de Guambita used to stretch out here.
Until the mid-20th century, this vast body of water dominated the landscape, forming a key ecosystem for the páramos and for local life.
Yet, over the years, the lagoon gradually disappeared, turned into a marsh and then into farmland, before becoming a nature reserve.
Guambita : une lagune sacrée, au cœur des traditions Muiscas
Beyond a landscape that is now almost gone, the Laguna de Guambita holds a memory much older than the time of pastures or potato fields.
Here, in the heights of the Sabana de Bogotá, the Muiscas saw much more than a simple mirror of the sky in these bodies of water: Guambita was part of a network of sacred lagoons, places for rituals and offerings where people came to honor water, life, and fertility.
Together with Guatavita and Siecha, Guambita belonged to a circuit of pilgrimages that shaped Muisca spirituality.
These lagoons were the stage for ceremonies and tributes to the earth and water, essential elements for the Andean peoples.
Around their shores, one can still imagine silent processions, offerings floating on the water, and ancient songs carried by the páramo winds.
The disappearance of Guambita, absorbed by agriculture over the course of the 20th century, goes far beyond the transformation of a landscape: it is a piece of cultural and spiritual heritage that has been lost.
A gradual drying, shaped by local pressure
The disappearance of the lagoon was not caused by a single violent event or the decision of one person, but by a series of human interventions driven by the need to expand pastures and gain more farmland.
Between the 1950s and 1980s, the methodical draining of wet soils and the expansion of fields gradually reduced the lagoon to a memory.
It was a collective process, shaped by agricultural pressure and the gradual adaptation of rural communities.
Good to know
The legend of “Linus Martus” and the Laguna de Guasca
Stories circulate about a character named “Gonzalo Linnus Martos” or “Martus,” who is said to have been responsible for the draining of the Laguna de Guasca (or Guambita).
Some say he was a Dutchman from colonial times who dried the lake in search of Muisca gold, as happened with the Laguna de Guatavita.
Others say he was a farmer from the 1960s…
In reality, no academic or institutional source confirms the existence of a “Gonzalo Linnus Martos” or a Dutchman involved in the draining of the Laguna de Guasca.
This legend should be considered oral tradition or popular lore, with no verified historical basis.
A turning point: protected area and the rebirth of the marsh
Faced with the degradation of wetland areas and growing awareness of their ecological role, regional authorities eventually protected the zone.
Since 2016, the area covering the former lagoon has been part of the Vista Hermosa – Monquentiva Regional Natural Park.
Farming is now strictly regulated there, and even banned in certain sensitive zones, and efforts are being made to restore what remains of the marsh and nearby páramos.
On the ground, the remnants of the lagoon remain in small water pockets and peat bogs, hidden between pastures.
The story of Guambita is a reminder that Andean landscapes — even those that seem unchanging — can shift quickly when human activity increases, but also that collective choices can slowly lead to recovery.
The spectacled bear, king of the Andes
Observation at the Pantano de Martus
The spectacled bear, also known as the Andean bear, is the only bear species native to South America and an emblematic species of the Andes.
The Pantano de Martus is part of a strategic ecological corridor for the spectacled bear.
This area of páramo and high Andean forests offers abundant food resources (fruits, bromeliads, roots) and relative quiet.
Confirmed sightings and camera trap recordings prove its presence in this region.
This type of habitat is vital for the species, especially due to increasing land pressure in other Andean zones.
The Pantano de Martus therefore serves as a natural reserve essential to the survival of bears in the Eastern Cordillera.
The spectacled bear in detail
- Common name: Spectacled bear or Andean bear (Oso de anteojos in Spanish)
- Scientific name: Tremarctos ornatus
- Family: Ursidae (it is the only surviving representative of the genus Tremarctos)
- Size: Males measure between 1.30 and 1.90 m in length, while females are slightly smaller
- Weight: Males weigh between 100 and 175 kg, and females between 60 and 80 kg
- Lifespan: About 20 years in the wild, reaching 25 to 35 years in captivity
- Coat: Black or dark brown, with light markings around the eyes, muzzle, and sometimes the neck and chest, forming unique patterns for each individual
- Tree behavior: The spectacled bear is one of the few bears that builds platforms in trees to rest and store food. (Nature et Zoo)
- Activity: Mainly diurnal, but can also be active at night. (Nature et Zoo)
- Reproduction: The female gives birth to one or two cubs after a gestation of 5.5 to 8.5 months
Habitat and diet
The spectacled bear is mostly herbivorous, feeding on fruits, leaves, bulbs, and various plants.
It may also eat insects, small mammals, and occasionally carrion.
It lives in humid tropical forests, dry forests, shrublands, and grasslands, usually between 800 and 3,800 meters of altitude.
It is one of the few bears able to live at such high elevations and can even be observed up to 4,750 meters.
Good to know
Why it’s called spectacled bear?
The spectacled bear gets its name (and Spanish “oso de anteojos”) from the light markings shaped like glasses that usually surround its eyes and sometimes its muzzle.
These whitish or yellowish markings contrast with the dark coat and vary between individuals, sometimes giving the illusion of “glasses” worn around the eyes.
Essential ecological role
The spectacled bear is an umbrella species: protecting its habitat also protects dozens of other species of plants, birds, and mammals.
It is also a major seed disperser, helping regenerate Andean forests.
By digging, scratching, or breaking branches, it alters its environment and supports habitat renewal.
Threats and conservation
Classified as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, the spectacled bear is threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and poaching.
Conservation initiatives, such as the creation of ecological corridors and awareness-raising among local communities, are essential to protect this species.
A unique ecosystem
Vista Hermosa de Monquentiva Regional Natural Park
The Pantano de Martus is a somewhat unique ecosystem, hidden not far from Bogotá, between Guatavita and Guasca, at around 3,000 meters of altitude.
It’s an almost flat area that covers about 2,000 hectares, mixing marshland, páramo (peat bog), and high Andean forests.
Good to know
What is a “Pantano”
The word pantano in Spanish means marsh. But the Pantano de Martus is more than that. It was originally a lagoon. A real mountain lake. It was emptied — or rather, drained — to farm the land. The traces are still there. Stones, ditches, a few old isolated trees… Since then, the site has become a nature reserve. But not everything has disappeared. You still walk on land that was once cultivated. And that’s also what makes this place so interesting.
The Pantano de Martus is part of the Páramo de Monquentiva.
The páramo, for those who don’t know, is an ecosystem found between the Andean forests and the snow line (or what’s left of it).
A sort of suspended world, between 3,000 and 4,500 meters, that plays a key role in the production of fresh water in Colombia.
Fauna
As mentioned earlier, the Pantano de Martus is known for hosting a population of spectacled bears.
It’s obviously not a wildlife park.
You can hike for hours without seeing anything — as happened to us — that’s part of wildlife observation.
But the Pantano de Martus remains one of the best places to possibly catch sight of the spectacled bear.
You can also see the Apolinar’s wren (Cistothorus apolinari). It’s an endemic bird species from the Eastern Cordillera (found only in this region of the world). It’s a bird very attached to the wetlands of the high mountains. A threatened species, it is considered an indicator of the health of high-altitude wetland ecosystems.
And if you’re lucky, you might spot the famous Páramo hummingbird (Oreotrochilus leucopleurus).
This hummingbird is adapted to the extreme conditions of páramo ecosystems. It mainly feeds on the nectar of frailejones and plays a key role in their pollination.
Good to know
Paddington Bear
The spectacled bear is said to have inspired the famous cartoon character Paddington Bear.
Paddington is a fictional bear who first appeared in 1958 in the book A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond.
He quickly became one of the most beloved characters in the United Kingdom.
According to the story, Paddington comes from “deepest Peru,” where he lived with his Aunt Lucy before traveling alone to London, fleeing an earthquake.
Without meaning to, Paddington has become the global ambassador of the spectacled bear.
Many children discover its existence through this fiction, and some adults learn from it that this species is real — and now threatened with extinction.
Flora
In Colombia, the climatic conditions shape the landscapes of the high mountains.
And it’s a whole plant biodiversity, perfectly adapted to its environment, that reveals itself to visitors.
When you take the time to look closely, the number of plant species per square meter is always surprising.
Of course, the frailejones are the kings of the area.
At the Pantano de Martus, you can find Espeletia grandiflora with its particularly hairy leaves.
It’s the most well-known frailejón, a national symbol that appears on the 100 peso coin.
We also observed Espeletia corymbosa with its stiffer leaves, a species found especially in the mountains east of Bogotá.
And finally, Espeletia argentea, with its silvery-colored leaves — the frailejón that grows at the lowest altitude (starting at 3,000 m), and so it’s the first one you can see when entering the páramo ecosystems.
The “Puyas” also catch the eye — and the appetite of spectacled bears, who have made them one of their favorite foods.
The vegetation is generally low, with many shrubs and grasses, but you can also walk into a beautiful enchanted forest where you may feel the presence of the bear!
