The trip starts with an overnight bus or private transfer from Bogotá — roughly 11 hours northeast, through Tunja, Duitama, and Soatá, into the highlands of northern Boyacá. You arrive in El Cocuy village for breakfast, then transfer by jeep to Hacienda La Esperanza at 3,600 m. The first afternoon is a short acclimatization walk. It isn’t filler: at this altitude, the difference between a good second day and a hard one is usually the acclimatization you did on the first.

Day two is the reason you came. You’ll leave early, cross the Valle de los Frailejones, and climb steadily as the vegetation thins and grey moraine stone takes over. The path leads toward the páramo lakes and the base of Púlpito del Diablo, a squared block of dark rock standing against the white of the Pan de Azúcar ice. Lunch happens on the trail. Park rules set the pace as much as your legs do: entry between 6:00 and 8:00 a.m., descent begins by 1:00 p.m., and everyone is out of the protected area by 5:00 p.m. You’ll be back at the farmhouse for dinner.

On day three you drop down to the thermal springs near Güicán de la Sierra — hot water, cold air, and a slow lunch in the village before the return to Bogotá. Which route you walk depends on trail conditions and park availability on your dates; the Sierra’s three authorized trails open and close with the weather, the rivers, and the state of the access roads. We confirm all of it with the park before you commit to a date, and we’ll tell you plainly if a route isn’t running.

El Cocuy National Park is located in the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, spanning the departments of Boyacá, Arauca, and Casanare. The access towns are El Cocuy and Güicán de la Sierra in Boyacá. They are located about 440 km (273 mi) northeast of Bogotá, or around an 11-hour drive. This journey is usually made overnight.

The park is open, but individual trails close temporarily when weather, river levels, or road conditions make access unsafe. In July 2026, National Parks restricted access to the Laguna Grande de la Sierra and Ritacuba trails after flooding damaged access roads and a bridge in Güicán. We check trail status with the park directly before confirming any departure date.

The trails begin at an elevation of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) inside the park and climb to the glacier’s edge, which is located at an elevation of up to 4,850 meters (15,912 feet). The trails are physically demanding not because of technical difficulty, but because of the sustained walking in thin air over steep, rocky terrain. While no mountaineering experience is required, reasonable fitness and a full day of acclimatization are necessary.

No. Summiting and setting foot on the ice have been prohibited since the park’s reopening, as part of an agreement with the U’wa people and to limit damage to a glacier that’s shrinking fast. Authorized trails take you to the glacier’s edge, which is where the views are anyway.

Yes to both. No one enters without a guide or heritage interpreter certified by the park, at a maximum of five visitors per guide. You also need a paid entry ticket, an accident and rescue insurance policy, prior registration, and attendance at an induction briefing, available in person or online. We arrange all of it as part of the trip.

There are three hikes in the Lagunillas area: Púlpito del Diablo (about 7.8 km each way), Laguna Grande de la Sierra (about 9.8 km each way), and Ritacuba (about 7 km each way), which climbs to the edge of the glacier at El Divino Niño. All three are day hikes, and camping inside the park isn’t allowed.

The drier windows are from December to February and July to August, when you can see the peaks most clearly. The weather in the high Andes can change quickly in any season, so expect sun, fog, wind, and rain on the same day and pack accordingly.

You’ll want the following items: thermal layers, a waterproof shell, waterproof hiking boots, gloves, a hat, sunglasses with 100% UV protection, SPF 50+ sunscreen, a daypack, and a reusable water bottle. Bring around 4 liters of water per day. Note that single-use plastics and glass containers aren’t permitted in the park, and bags are checked at the control post.