Conquering the White Doncella

EXTENUANTE

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 ask all clients to please come to the Paramo Trek office in Salento (before 4pm) where we take you through a 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. We do have some equipment available for rent, however, this is on a first come first served basis.

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 4,045 meters and a majestic view point of the extinct volcano, the Paramillo del Quindío (4,750 meters). Here is our crossing point into the department of Risaralda, home to the finca el Berlín (3,700 meters) and our home for the evening.

Day 3: After breakfast we start our way towards the Otún river canyon until we meet the otun lagoon, the largest in the park and of glacial origin. it is fed mainly by the thaw of the majestic Nevado de Santa Isabel, with it’s glacial summit of 5,000 meters. If the weather is on our side, we get the opportunity to see this mighty peak as well as the surrounding area of natural beauty in full spread. From here we pass through, arguably, some of the most beautiful area of paramo in the National Park, before finally reaching our final point of the days hike, the rural farm Campo Alegre. Here we prepare for the night to come and the rest as much as possible before we embark on our final physical challenge- the summit of Nevado Santa Isabel.

Day 4: 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.

A: Valle del Cocora

B: Finca la argentina

C: Finca el Berlin

D: Finca Campo Alegre

E: Sector conejeras

F : cumbre Nevado Santa Isabel

G : Manizales

• 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