Top 5 National Parks

• Location: Andes Mountains, in the heart of the coffee region
• Known for:
  – Active volcano Nevado del Ruiz
  – Varied landscape: because of the changing altitude there is tropical rainforest and tundra-like Páramo landscape with frailejones trees, glaciers and lakes. Habitat of the condor, mountain tapir and puma
• Hikes
  -Valle de Cocora hike
  -trekking to glacier Nevado de Santa Isabel and Nevado del Tolima
• Autoroute to Valle de Tumblas (4450m, not for hiking)
• How to get there
  – Valle de Cocora; short jeep ride from Salento
  – Trekkings: organized trip with tour operator (Manizales, Salento, St. Rosa de Cabal)
  – Autoroute: through the Brisas entrance, a 2-hour drive from Manizales.

*NB: Always check the current status of the active volcano Nevado del Ruiz before planning a trip to Los Nevados National Park. If there is increased activity, the park will be closed.

• Location: Llanos (Meta), at the point where the Andes, Amazonas and Llanos meet
• Known for:
  – Pink River Caño Cristales (June-November)
  – One of the most diverse ecosystems in Colombia, with landscapes ranging from forest and savanna to rainforest
  -Rock formations and waterfalls
  -Natural pools 
  -Great diversity of birds, reptiles, insects and habitat for monkeys, deer, pumas, jaguars and anteaters.
  
• How to get there.
  – Flight Bogotá-La Macarena (approx. 1.15h)
  – From your hotel in La Macarena, you can make day trips to PNN Serranía la Macarena. You cannot visit the park on your own; you can only do so with an official guide or tour operator
• Check out our Caño Cristales travel guide here .

• Location: Amazon
• Known for:
  –Indian communities
  – Over 4000km2 of jungle, much of which is flooded during the rainy season.
  – Habitat of tapirs, jaguars, many species of monkeys, nearly 500 bird species, 150 aquatic animals and countless plant species, among others.
• How to get there.
  -Flight Bogotá – Leticia (1.45min)
  -Then by boat to the Indian community of San Martín de Amacayacu or Mocagua for accommodation and a guide to the park

• Location: Andes Mountains, northeast of Bogota in the department of Cundinamarca
• Known for:
  – Páramo landscape with typical frailejones trees
  – More than 40 glacial lakes
  -Nearly 400 species of birds, including the Condor
  – Home to deer, monkeys, tapirs and the spectacled bear, the only South American bear species
  – Important cultural area because the Muisca and Guayupe Indians once lived here
• How to get there.
  -By private car from Bogotá (3-4 hours), via one of the three entrances: Guasca, La Calera or Fómeque
  – By an organized tour from Bogotá

• Location: La Guajira, Caribbean Coast.
• Known for:
  – “oasis” in the desert
  – Diverse ecosystems with sand dunes, mountains and rainforest
  – Great diversity of birds, including migratory birds
  – 15 recorded snake species
  – Wayúu culture
• How to get there.
  – With an organized trip by all-terrain vehicle. The trip takes about 8 hours from Riohacha.