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Trekking in Colombia: Day 5 in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
On our second to last day of trekking in Colombia in the remote Sierra Nevada del Cocuy range we hiked up and over two passes to arrive at Laguna Grande de los Verdess.
We had lucked out again with sunshine for most of the day though the temperatures were all over the map. It seemed as though we were either removing clothes or putting them back on every 15 minutes. Fortunately it wasn’t until we arrived in camp that the fog rolled in.
The day ended up being one of my favourites. A quick look at the pictures will show you why. From the moment we left camp the scenery was outstanding. I’d give the day a 10/10.
The trekking was steady, especially with two passes to climb including the 4,550 meter (14,469 feet) Boqueron de la Sierra but it passed all too quickly. There were places I wanted time to stand still so I could etch the views in memory forever.
All told we hiked about six hours. Our final campsite didn’t have the remote feel of the others. In fact nearby was a family who owned the land and looked after an assortment of sheep and horses. But it was still very beautiful; you just didn’t get the wilderness feeling or the sense of isolation that we’d had over the past four days.
Here’s a look at the outstanding scenery we experienced over the course of the day.
The porters heading off from camp
We come across these brightly lit flowers first thing in the morning
Humans are dwarfed in this landscape of rocks and boulders
View up to the glaciated peaks of Sierra Blanca and Norte
Unusually mossy like mounds at an altitude of about 14,000 feet
In your face glacier views on Sierra Blanca
The view gets better and better the higher we get
The view down the valley from the pass – Boqueron de la Sierra
John and I at the first pass of the day
Couldn’t get over the colour of this lake
The colour wheel at work – oranges and blues in nature
Back into a land of green
Native Indians leading horses loaded with potatoes
Heading for the second pass of the day – Frailes Pass
View from Frailes Pass down to our campsite on the lake
Our tent in yellow is just minutes away
View of horses through our tent door
Fog moving in very quickly
After seeing these photos would you like to go trekking in Colombia?
Here are more posts from our trek in the Sierra del Cocuy you might find helpful or interesting.
- Hiking in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy Range, Colombia
- Hiking in the Sierra Nevada Range in Colombia: Day 1
- Day 2 of Hiking in Colombia: High Passes and Heavy Breathing
- Hiking the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy: Dazzled on Day 3
- The Bus Ride from Hell: Bogota to Guican in 14 Hours
Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel
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About Hike Bike TravelAvid world traveler. Craves adventure - & the odd wildly epic day. Gardener. Reader. Wine lover. Next big project - a book on 100 Canadian outdoor adventures.
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27 Responses to Trekking in Colombia: Day 5 in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
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About
I’ve been all over the world – to all continents but Antarctica and to a grand total of 53 countries. I’ve always got some sort of an adventure planned – even if it’s only a weekend. I thrive on change and travel provides that.
Feel free to email me at
leighmcadamtravels at gmail dot com
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Yes! this is magnificent, Leigh! Let me know what’s next to come! I’ll pack my bags!
@Sandy It’s not often you get gobsmacked by mountain scenery but this day was one of those amazing days. Lovely from start to finish.
Very, very nice mountain scenery. So the whole trek is 7 days, eh? How much did it cost if you don’t mind me asking?
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@Jill The whole trek was actually 6 days long. It cost us roughly $1000 each though I paid a little extra to have a porter on two of the days in the middle section. Up until the beginning of February 2013 they used horses to transport bags – but the two middle days never did have horses so you had to carry your pack. Now only the Native Indians can use a horse in the park but I figured I wanted a porter for all 6 days, not just 4 days and so paid for an extra 2 days. That was worth every penny, especially at altitude.
Did you have any issues with exertion at that altitude? I’m not sure I’d be able to stay standing, let alone hike up and over two mountain passes. So, thank you for sharing your wonderful photos. That’s probably as close as I will get to experiencing the Sierra Nevada de Cocuy
Just One Boomer (Suzanne) recently posted..Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, A Nature Preserve and Sancutary at Onomea Bay, Big Island of Hawaii
@Suzanne Early on in the trip I did lots of heavy breathing because of the altitude. Over the course of six days its got easier – never easy – but definitely I could feel myself getting acclimatized.
I must be repeating myself, but I’m totally mesmerized by those photos
Mette – Italian Notes recently posted..Visit Bologna: a chubby and anarchistic intellectual
@Mette I’m glad you feel that way. I was mesmerized by the scenery.
A great place to visit. Amazing pictures, as always
Muza-chan recently posted..A Japanese Song per Day: Juka – Fall of Leaves
Thanks so much Muza-chan.
Yes, absolutely, Leigh! I can see why this ended up being your favorite day.
Love the rich colors of the countryside.
InsideJourneys recently posted..Moving Day, Westmoreland Jamaica
@Marcia I was bllown away with the colour od the lakes on the second and 5th day. I don’t think I’ver ever seen anything quite like that before.
What a stark, beautiful landscape. The occasional touch of color is really startling.
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@Billie It was an incredible day and I feel so fortunate to have lucked out with the weather.
Another gorgeous set of scenery and photos, Leigh. If you didn’t tell me this was Colombia, I would have guessed it was somewhere in Canada. You’ve totally inspired me to look into this part of the world. Love those lake shots!
Mary {The World Is A Book} recently posted..5 Free Things to do in Las Vegas with Kids (Off the Strip)
@Mary I think a lot of North Americans still perceive South America as scary. I’ve been to 5 countries now and have loved each experience. I love the prices, the people, the culture and the scenery. Go – you won’t regret it.
Wow, speechless! Awe-inspiring photos. Great place!
@Kera That’s about how I felt.
What a beautiful place. The landscape is really unique. Scenes are just amazing!
Salika Jay recently posted..Fun Things To Do In Boston
@Salika Thanks – better than my expectations.
What an incredible day. You know what would go good here? A golf course. I’m kidding! But seriously, I loved the view looking across the valley toward the mountains..
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..Traveler’s Confession – I’m That Guy
Wow–this was quite an adventure! Gorgeous photos, as always.
Michael Figueiredo recently posted..5 Fascinating Facts about Costa Rica
Fabulous shots of such unusual landscapes. The rocks are huge. I expected that Colombia would have some great scenery, but had no idea it was this spectacular. What a trip!
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Kreuzberg: Berlin with an Edge
@Cathy Our trip to Colombia more than exceeded our expectations. The scenery will stick with me forever.
Trekking needs good stamina and I am glad to see that you did it and enjoyed it as well. 6 hours of hike is quite impressive.
Missed out on Colombia, when I visited South America. I would definitely go on a trek like this. Which company did you use for the porters in the middle section?
Tracey: Chronic Adventures recently posted..Moving, Getting Rid and Letting Go
@Tracey We used Colombia Trek. Rodrigo – our guide and owner organized the porters. They ended up being the same ones that started & finished the trek with us – nice, gentle but tough as nails guys.