Salento to Pereira

LEVEL 3. CHALLENGING

For the physically active, with a spirit of adventure and who have some experience in traveling through mountainous terrain with a light backpack. Hikes from 6 to 7 hours a day, with distances between 10 and 14 kilometers (≈ 6-9 miles). The terrain is hilly, with steep slopes, irregular roads with mud and some sections without shade (direct sunlight). The elevation change is of minimum 1,000 meters and maximum 1,600 meters (≈2,000 – 5,200 feet), with a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters (≈13,000 feet).

DAY 1: We all meet at the Paramo Trek office at 7am where you are introduced to your guide/s before heading to our breakfast stop. Once full from our hearty breakfast, we all jump into a traditional Colombian ‘Willis’ jeep to our start of the trek at the Cocora Valley. We start walking at an altitude of 2,390 meters towards the forest, where you can see the valley of wax palms. A day dominated by ascent, we continue ascending through the forest until we reach our final destination of Day 1, the farm “La Argentina”, at an altitude of 3,400 meters.

Day 2: Following a typical and delicious breakfast prepared by our hosts at Finca La Argentina, we leave for our day exploring the Paramo ecosystem. We started the ascent from the “La Argentina” farm to the Buenos Aires sector at 3,750 meters, getting closer and closer to the Los Nevados National Natural Park. Here we make a quick break, gathering the strength to make our ascent amongst the paramo and frailejones to an altitude of 4,200 meters and a majestic viewpoint of the extinct volcano, the Paramillo del Quindío (4,750 meters). After a well-deserved lunch with a stunning 360 ° view of Los Nevados National Natural Park, we will go to the Berlin farm, where we will spend the night, with an altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level.

Day 3: We start the day with a hearty mountain breakfast before beginning our journey to the Laguna Otun, the largest body of water in the National Park. Here we will have lunch before returning down through the valley eventually leaving behind  National Park Los Nevados and enter the Ucumarí Regional Natural Reserve. Upon arrival to finca ‘el Jordan’ we could be lucky to see an actual sighting of the endangered Danta del Paramo (tapirus pinchaque). This will be an unforgettable day in which you will be immersed in the ecological splendor of the paramo and cloud forest.

Day 4: After a delicious breakfast at finca ‘El Jordan’ we start our long descent towards El Cedral. In the middle of this stony path we can observe a large number of birds among which could include the threatened ‘cock of the rock’ (Rupicola peruviana). With beautiful waterfalls and native forests to explore, we will continue descending to the Fonda El Cedral, where the bridle path ends and the road begins that will lead us to the Otún Quimbaya Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, a small protected area belonging to the National Natural Parks System of Colombia. Here we have a celebratory lunch. Our last part of the tour takes us along the bumpy Pereira in our private transport.

A: Valle del Cocora

B: Finca la Argentina

C: Finca el Jordan

D: La Pastora

E: Cedral

• Undertake some basic acclimatization- ensure to go for a walk in Salento 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)
• Rain gear (rain jacket and rain pants)
• Head torch
• Clothes to change into at the end of each day 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.