Nevado de Santa Isabel Summit

LEVEL 5. VERY DEMANDING

Only suitable for people physically and psychologically prepared for experiences of great effort and who want to go beyond their own limits. It is necessary to have previous experience in mountaineering. The activities can last more than 12 hours a day, with distances of up to 19 kilometers (≈12 miles) and a change in elevation of 2,800 meters (≈9,000ft). The terrain is rugged, with steep slopes, irregular roads or even without a path (exploratory), some sections with mud, others rocky, others sandy and without shade; Sometimes it may be necessary to use your hands for support and balance. The altitude is above 4,000 meters (≈13,000 ft) with a maximum of 5,212 meters (≈17,000 ft). The luggage will be carried by mules, only the daily equipment will be carried.

DAY PRIOR TO THE TREK: We arrange for your guide to meet you at your hostel in Manizales the day before the trek in order to give a full pre-departure briefing. We double-check you are adequately equipped (hiking shoes, clothes for the cold, waterproofs etc.) as well as complete any outstanding payments. The time and location is to be arranged at an earlier date.

Day 1: Leaving at 6:00 a.m. from the city of Manizales in a private, off-road 4X4 we first head towards nearby town of Villa María to take the unpaved, bumpy road to our basic accommodation for the night. Following our initial two hour drive, we have breakfast before we start out acclimatisation 5 hour walk. We have a picnic lunch once we have reached the Lagoon Otun view point. Following an early dinner we give an equipment briefing before heading to sleep, normally by 7pm.

Day 2: This day starts at the early hour of 2am. We provide a hot drink and light breakfast to help start our challenging day get off to the best start! We then have a 1 hour 4×4 ride to the start of our trek. The first part of the trek will start in the páramo heading up to the super paramo until we reach the glacier edge of the Santa Isabel Nevado, a distance of just 3,7 kilometers, but with an altitude gain of over 1,000 meters. At this point we prepare our ice-climbing equipment, with your guide/s ensuring that everything is fitted correctly and safely. Around 2 hours later you will find yourself on top of the world at 5,000 meters. We then descend back to our transport before starting the journey back to Manizales around 5pm, after a delicious celebratory lunch en route. Typically, groups spend a total of 10 hours trekking on this day.

• Undertake some basic acclimatization- ensure to go for a walk in Manizales upon arrival and stay hydrated.
• For your safety always comply with the recommendations of your guide throughout the tour
• Use of psychoactive substances is prohibited
• Do not drink alcohol the day before the activity
• Do not remove any vegetation of organic matter from the National Park
• Please be open and honest from the moment you contact us regarding medical information or other factors that impact upon your safety when isolated in the mountains.

• Adequate shoes (trekking/hiking boots – no sandals or sneakers. Must be at least semi-rigid to be fitted with crampons)
• Rain gear (rain jacket and rain pants)
• Head torch (remember we start the summit climb at night)
• Feather/Synthetic jackets and/or multiple layers of clothing for the cold of the summit.
• Clothes to change into at the end of day 1 and personal toiletries
• Backpack for your personal belongings and the snack packs more than 30liters
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
• Water bottle, we take care of the refill during the trek

Paramo Trek works according to the Colombian Law 300 that reserves the right to consider compelling reasons and circumstances for non-participation in the reserved and/or contracted activity and the respective reimbursement.

Once the booked activity/service has started, there is no reimbursement of the paid amount.

For cancellation of the booking prior to the agreed start date and time, without cause, will incur a 50% charge of the total value of the booked activity.

In case of a failure to use the service for extreme causes (death, hospitalization, accident duly certified), we will reimburse 80% of the paid amount.

Paramo Trek, due to the very nature of the tours we offer, have to be flexible and constantly evaluating all aspects of safety for our clients. Some of the places we visit are difficult to access with a lack of urban amenities, as well as subject to unpredictable and variable environmental conditions. We therefore consider these experiences to be for the adventurous, with our clients prepared to adapt and to be positive in the face of unexpected change.