Chingaza National Park
Venture to the stunning Mountain of water (Chingaza National Park), replete with natural spring water, sacred lakes, majestic flora and fauna of the Andes and indigenous sacred places, creating the impression of an unusual and mysterious environment.
Chingaza National Park offers hiking, trekking, camping, birdwatching, wildlife viewing opportunities, breathtaking views of High Andean paramo, wetlands, cloud forest of temperate Andean jungle floor.
Siecha Lakes
Chingaza National Park - One Day Hiking Tour
Highlights
- Hotel pickup and drop-off at the hotel in Bogotá
- Private full day tour with hiking
- Amazing paramo views
- Birdwatching
- Wildlife viewing opportunities
- Sacred lagoons views and history
- Frailejon-valley view, peat moss
- Entry/Admission to Chingaza National Park
- Led by a local guide
- English speaking guide (optional)
- All entance fees includes
- Digital pictures and videos
- One Day Hiking Tour
Chingaza National Park Hiking
Description
Make better use of your time at the Chingaza National Park by embarking on a day hike tour with one of our professional guides! Learn about the stunning paramo and cloud forest and the cultural history of this area. While you’re visiting, sacred places of the Muisca people come to life with unique stories relayed through your guide. This means focus just on hiking and leave the rest to us!
See endanger species, endemic plants, hundreds of birds, the amazing frailejon, sacred lagoons. Experience the assurance that comes with hiking with a guide who knows the area’s terrain, wildlife and weather. Challenge yourself on a significant hike into the paramos of Chingaza Park; stop several amazing viewpoints; and do it all in comfort and in one full, remarkable day.
Chingaza Trekking
The Best Hiking Trails in Chingaza
We offer custom hikes on any of 14 north rim interpretative trails listed below. You can choose the trail according to your preferences. Join us for a day of hiking you’ll never forget!
- Siecha lakes trail
- Buitrago lakes trail
- Dry lake trail
- Cuchilas de Siecha trail
- Suasie largo trail
- Suasie Corto trail
- Monterredondo trail
- Rincón del Oso trail
- Musgos trail
- Siervas trail
- Casa Real trail
- Alto de Cóndores y la
- Arboleda trail
- Las Plantas del Camino trail
- Artificial Reservoir Chuza trail
(Notice: Siecha lakes trail is in the same area as Buitrago lakes trail and if you want you can combine the two)
Give us a message today at +573202063523 (WhatsApp: https://wa.me/573202063523) or send an email to eduardoc@caminatasecologicasbogota.com // y.eduardocampos@gmail.com and learn more about the trip and trail options, Things to do in Bogota
Make a day trip to Chingaza National Park
Packing list
It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes for humid weather, coat, hat and sunscreen. Below is a general list of recommended clothing and gear items.
Clothing
- Sturdy hiking boots, mid weight or waterproof boots (in case of rain and thick mud). Buy your boots ½ size to 1 size larger than your street shoes to allow for feet swelling and thicker socks.
- Hiking socks, plus an extra pair just in case of rain.
- Sunhat or baseball cap and bandana
- Warm hat and gloves, sherpa style hat and light-to-mid weight fleece or wood gloves
T-shirt or nylon travel shirt - Sweater or pullover
- Fleece jacked or insulated coat warm (lightweight and packable) or a warm winter coat and scarf
- Bring also extra clothes in case of need (include shoes and underwear). You won have to lugging around.
- Two big bags of plastic
Gear
- Water bottles
Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm - Insect repellent
Camera, cell phone or tablet (optional). - Notebook or paperback book (optional)
- Prescription medicine, please inform your trip leader of any medications you are taking
- Waterproof travel ponch
- One plastic resealable bag to protect the phone
- One small towel towel
- Don’t forget a photocopy of your passport and your personal health insurance identification.
- Anti-sickness pills or some sweets to suck on the trip, if you’re prone to travel sicknes
(Important: for security please keep your purse, carrion, wallet, keys, camera and other valuables with you at all times. We are not responsible for lost or stolen articles)
Chingaza National Park Colombia
Chingaza Natural National Park is located in the eastern mountain range of the Andes, only an hour’s drive away from Bogota, capital of Colombia. Seen from the sky, the park is shaped as a butterfly. Chingaza Park is made up of 11 towns in the departments of Cundinamarca and Meta: Fómeque, Guasca, La Calera, Choachi, Gachala, Junín, Medina (Cundinamarca), Restrepo, Cumaral, El Calvario y San Juanito (Meta).
The meaning of Chingaza in Muisca language is “Chim-gua-za”: Mountain Range of God Night
Hight Altitude
In 1977, Chingaza was declared protected area as Natural National Park by resolution 154. Chingaza National Park is internationally recognized as a Ramsar site. The park has height ranks between 800 and 4.050 m. Currently, the park has an extension of 76.600 hectares. Chingaza National Park is a great mountain range of High Andean paramo, forest ecosystems and wetlands. But don’t worry about high altitude, we make plenty of short stops along the way to get your breath back.
Paramos
Paramos are the most common ecosystems in the western area of Chingaza Park. However, to the east site, the park runs along the llano foothill, full of breathtaking views and big ravines.
Chingaza Park offers 7,660 hectares of virgin high Andean forest sub-paramo and paramos ecosystems. The paramo is a kind of mountain wetlands endemic to the northern Andes. The paramo is a giant geographical sponge that provides the major sources of drinking water. 49% of the world’s paramos are in Colombia. Sumapaz Paramo, located in Bogotá, is the largest in Colombia and in the world. So, a trip to Chingaza or Sumapaz while you are in Bogotá is a unique occasion to visit an unusual ecosystem and learn about its species.
The Mountain of Water - Chingaza National Park
The Chingaza National Park is a cold and rainy paradise crossed by hundreds of natural spring water. Because of that Chingaza is called the Mountain of water. Actually, the Chingaza National Park is a great mountain range, where you can breathe fresh air. Especially attractive are the stunning lakes of glacier origin: Siecha lakes and Chingaza lake. It also highlights Buitrago Lakes.
Chingaza Lake
Chingaza lake is the main one with the great artificial reservoir Chuza, that supply 80 % of water to Bogotá and its neighboring municipalities. This is 220 million cubic meters of drinking water for a population of 10 million.
Siecha Lakes and "Cuchillas de Siecha"
Siecha lakes are located on the north side of the Chingaza National Park, in the municipality of Guasca, Cundinamarca. Siecha lakes are a series of three lakes of glacier origin and several small lakes. This series of lakes are surrounded by a steep mountain formation, known by the name of Cuchilla de Siecha, which reaches 3750 meters above sea level.
The smallest lake is known as Teusaca lake or South America. It is located at 3350 meters.
The next one is Fausto lake located at 3750 meters. Fausto lake is placed between the two lakes. And the biggest lake of this series: the sacred Siecha lake located at 3800 meters.
The Chingaza Park was part of Muisca or Chibcha territory. The water was in the core and basis of the Muisca cosmogony. Several mountains and lakes were holy places. These places were pilgrimage destination and ceremonial sites. In the Altiplano Cundiboyacense (a Hight plateau located in the eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes) are located between 7 and 13 sacred lakes. The Muisca people performed the pilgrimage to each and every one of these lakes. These people considered privilege to die on the way.
Chingaza National Park Sacred Places of the Muisca People
The Chibcha people considered the lakes scene of fertility rituals. Siecha lagoons are considered one of the major sacred lagoons. This is because, in the sacred Siecha lake was found a gold raft, similar to that raft located in Museum of Gold of Bogotá.
According to the historians, the Usaque, covered in gold dust, soaking on the water of Guatavita’s lake, while the other pilgrims threw holy offerings among which were gold work and relics made of emerald. This ritual gave birth to the famous Golden Legend of El Dorado.
In the colonial period, these lakes posed a threat to the evangelization because the Muisca people continued to perform the pilgrimage to the lakes and to make offerings.
Buitrago Lakes
Buitrago lakes are located in the Chingaza National Park, in the municipality of Guasca. The beautiful Buitrago Lakes are two. These lakes flow into two different rivers. One flows into the Orinoco River and the other one empties into Magdalena River. Buitrago Lakes are surrounding of unique frailejones.
Frailejon Valley
The most representative plant of the paramo is called frailejon or espeletia. Chingaza National Park has four species of frailejon: Espeletia Argentea, E, Killipii Var, Killipii and E. Uribei. One of them is endemic, the Espeletia Uribei. By the way, visitors can enjoy one of the breathtaking views: Frailejons guard the paramo ecosystem like enormous soldiers in the mystic frailejon-valley.
Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
Andean Condor, Spectacled Bear, Whitetail Deer
Chingaza National Park is a wildlife refuge of 290 species of birds and more than 2000 species of plants. This means, it is a perfect place to birdwatching. The sky of Chingaza National Park is watched over by the majestic Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), endanger specie. Besides, Chingaza Park is temporary shelter for migratory birds.
Chingaza National Park is home to more than 16 amphibian species, more than 6 reptilian species, several species of fish, more than 167 species of mammals. So, you could have a chance to see whitetail deer and spectacled bears (Andean bear Tremarctos Ornatus). Chingaza Park is the shelter of more than 50 spectacled bears. This bears are the guardians of the natural spring water, because bears hack it out with its paws and its big body, allowing sunlight from reaching the lower parts of the park. Spectacled bear was declared in danger of extinction.
Other vulnerable species sheltered by Chingaza Park are the tapir of paramo (Tapirus pinchaque), the puma (Felix concolor), the gallito de las rocas (Rupicola peruviana), the jaguar (leon onca), among others.
Chingaza National Park Hiking Tours
Camping in Chingaza National Park
Camping is allowed only on one designated place: Monteredondo. This place is the park headquarters. Monteredondo is strategically located. It allows you to take advantage of all the interpretative trails. In the direct vicinity of Monte Redondo, is the Reservoir Chuza.
Weather at Chingaza National Park
The frosts of short duration are frequent throughout the Chingaza National Park. The average temperature is between 6 and 7 degrees Celsius. In the lower areas of the Chingaza, the temperature maintains a grade point average of 21,4 degrees Celsius, while in the higher areas, the temperature is maintained at 4,5 degrees Celsius. The winds are not strong.
However, weather is unpredictable and can change rapidly. Sometimes weather is hot and sunny, but temperature can drop to 4,5 oC, when there’s thick cloud coverage over the paramo.
