Parque Nacional El Cocuy | Ritacuba Trail

There is no better way to start the day of a big elevation hike than by sleeping in…

But first, let’s start with how we got ourselves to this point. It had been 3 days of riding through drastic changes in elevation, and the associated temperature differences. During one of the longest travel days, the temperature ranged from 15 degrees in the morning, to 3 degrees at noon, and then back up to 36 degrees in the late afternoon. Then, to spice it up, there was a few hours of heavy rain and poor road conditions. All in an effort to make our way into the Cordillera Oriental, a branch of the Colombian Andes, to hike to the rare equatorial glaciers in El Cocuy National Park.

The three days it took to reach our destination helped us acclimatize to the high altitude. Each day we were another thousand meters above sea level. Our final stop, before reaching Cabañas Kanwara where we would start the ascent, was the small town of Güicán. We needed to obtain hiking permits and insurance, for both us and our guide. The guide is a mandatory requirement, one which we were not too excited about. However, it was not enough to deter us from the hike. We stocked up on groceries for the next three days, and then drove up the final thousand meters to reach the cabins.

Cabañas Kanwara sits at 3,900 meters above sea level, approximately 12,800 feet. The first couple days we did some small hikes to get our lungs accustom to the thin oxygen, and to take in the incredible mountain scenery. It was good to be back in a cold environment, and our days and evenings leading up to the hike were full of hot drinks and hearty stews. To battle the cold nights, we were given a small ration of wood for our fireplace, not enough to heat the cabin, but just enough to give the illusion of heat.

We had to capitalize on a clear afternoon, and took the bike out to explore some of the backroads. The landscape was picture perfect with multiple glaciers in view, and the mountain peaks bathed in the light of the setting sun.

Back to sleeping in… as we were rushing around getting ourselves ready and fed, our guide Miguel came knocking, he was ready to get going. This put the pressure on, and we were forced to inhale our breakfast, and wash it down with the searing hot tea that had yet to cool. Then, in our haste, the hiking permit and insurance forms were left behind in the cabin. Fortunately, we remembered a short way into the hike, and I (Bren) had to jog back to get them. This was yet another great way to start the hike. With my lungs now thoroughly on fire, and my head pounding, we set off.

We hiked across fields of grazing sheep, crossed over rivers, and climbed up rocky trails surrounded by meadows of Frailejones (a plant in the sunflower family, unique to this high altitude climate). The rain eventually turned to snow, and for a pair of Canucks who hadn’t seen snow in almost a year, it was like Christmas. We made it to the base of the Ritacuba Glacier, snapped some photos, and turned back.

We already knew it was not possible to climb to the top, or even touch the glacier. From February 2016 to April 2017, they had closed the park completely because the U’wa indigenous community believe the mountains are dying, and wanted to protect them. Now, the Ritacuba is one of the three sections of this mountain range that is open to hiking. In the last 150 years these tropical glaciers have shrunk by 90%, and are expected to disappear within a few decades. We weren’t even disappointed, you have to respect their efforts in protecting our Earth, and we were lucky to be up here at all. And, at an elevation of 4,600 meters, just over 15,000 feet, we reached a new personal elevation record.

COST

Park Entrance Fee: $61,000COP/person (about $28CAD)
Insurance: $7,000COP/person (about $3CAD) *you must also pay for the guides insurance
Guide: $120,000COP (about $57CAN) *price for a (spanish-speaking) guide for up to 6 people

**All of this is mandatory and will be checked upon entry to the park.

WHERE TO STAY
Cabañas Kanwara +311 231 6004
$45,000COP/person/night (about $21CAD/person/night)
No kitchen available, but there is a restaurant. We brought all our own food, to save money, and cooked on the front porch of the cabin with our camping gear. Water is potable.

Other options:
Peñas Blancas +311 241 7115
$40,000COP/person/night (about $18CAD/person/night)

The owner is really nice, and normally we would go for the cheaper option, but Kanwara is closer to the base of the hike. As well, in our opinion, staying in the cabins is part of the whole experience. Peñas Blancas is more hotel style.

La Posada +311 237 8619
We didn’t price this one out. It is close to Cabañas Kanwara.

4 comments

  1. This looks AMAZING!!! I’ve never thought about hiking the Andes, but they’re most definitely going on my list. 👍🏼

    • life_of_ki says:

      The Andes run the entire length of South America, so you have many options, in many places, to choose from. 🙂

  2. Esther says:

    This sounds like an exciting new experience! I love following along on your journey!

    • life_of_ki says:

      Thanks Esther! We are so happy to have you along on the journey with us 😊

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