Walk to the edge of the Nevado del Tolima Circuit

Walk to the edge of the Nevado del Tolima Circuit

You will be able to see one of the most emblematic places of the Los Pantanos del Paramillo del Quindío Park and then approach the edge of the snowy shimmer glacier of Tolima at 5,000 meters.

It is a trip that allows you to penetrate the fascinating biodiversity of the tropical Andes. Starting from the Cocora Valley (with its wax palms), crossing the thick Andean high forest.

It is one of the most complete trekking trips in Colombia.

Itinerary

Day 1: Cocora Valley

Stop At: Valle del Cocora, Salento Colombia
Salento - Cocora Valley (2,400 masl) - Finca La Argentina (3,450 masl)

We will take a Jeep Willys in Salento at 7:00 am towards the Cocora Valley. This trail allows us to cross the incredible landscape of Las Palmas de Cera in the high Andean forest. The height and difficulty of the terrain will lead us to connect little by little with our rhythm and with the best kept thoughts while we recognize the depth of our breathing, we will pause to have a marching lunch over 3,000 mtrs. We follow an ascent in which we already begin to understand our body and its way of mimicking the difficulties of mud, wind and cold, the landscape begins to stabilize in our memory and we become one with our footprints. Around 5:00 pm we will arrive at “La Argentina”, farm of farmers who have been in the area for more than 30 years, we will sleep in bed, in shared rooms.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation as specified in the program of the respective tour (Type bedroom in cabins in peasant house)

Day 2: Los Nevados National Natural Park

Stop At: Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados, Eje Cafetero, Manizales Colombia
Argentina (3,450mtrs) - Buenos Aires (3,700msnm) - Mirador del Paramillo del Quindío (4,045msnm) | Optional, walk to the base of Paramillo (4,200mtrs) increasing 7 km to the route.

Breakfast with eggs, in the warm kitchen that shelters our awakening, will be the best way to meet again with our tired body that prepares for another great day of crossing. The walk will gradually begin to cross the Páramo ecosystem with different types of emblematic Frailejones.
We will pass by La Finca "Buenos Aires", where we will take a short break. Then the most difficult part, the first challenge of our mind, down and up to cross the Cárdenas River basin.

We will reach an ideal point to look up, recognize ourselves in the imposing scenery, still tired and observe the Paramillo del Quindío (4,750mtrs) that fills us with motivation to continue our journey. After filling us with energy, we will begin the descent to the “La Primavera” farm, point from where we can see El Nevado del Tolima and the last place where we will rest tonight and share with the Finca's family.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation as specified in the program of the respective tour (Type bedroom in cabins in peasant house)

Day 3:  snowy Tolima

Stop At: Nevado del Tolima, Ibague, Tolima, Colombia
Finca La Primavera - Heliport (4,900msnm) - Finca La Primavera

Getting to the edge of the Snowy Tolima from this point, is the most daring adventure of your trip, but without a doubt, the most enriching for your soul. We will take a tour of constant Páramo scenarios, views of some lagoons, occasionally we will see the clouds give way to the view of the Snowy.
After ascents and descents we will have the steepest ascent to end our ascent in the Helipad, our highest point of the route at 4,900 meters or to the edge of the glacier at 5,000, this is the ideal place to clean your mind and feed it from wind, Fire and ice. We will begin the descent and enjoy a march lunch in the Laguna del Encanto, where you will enjoy a new landscape. At the end we will return to La Finca La Primavera where we will sleep peacefully.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation as specified in the program of the respective tour (Type bedroom in cabins in peasant house)

Day 4: Water Star Nature Reserve

Stop At: Valle del Cocora, Salento Colombia
Finca La Primavera - Estrella de Agua Nature Reserve (3,150msnm) - Cocora Valley.

It will be the last day of adventure, maybe a little tired but surely full of energy after disconnecting completely to the rhythm of our steps, the descent to the Cocora Valley begins, first we pass through the Cerro La Virgen and the Laguna that bears the same name at 3,800 meters. Then we will walk through the high Andean forest, the landscape will become constant, which will allow us to see a little more of ourselves, 9 kilometers of travel until we reach the Estrella de Agua Nature Reserve. We will rest, we will have one of the last views of this territory to continue towards Cocora Valley. Between 5pm and 6pm we will have finished our trip in Salento.
Duration: 10 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.