Travel Guide Parque Nacional Natural El Cocuy

The Park is spread over three departments: Boyacá, Arauca and Casanare. El Cocuy ("the enchanted mountain range") is classified as a priority protected area for its great biodiversity and its high rate of endemism. Created in 1977, the national park covers an area of 306,000 ha, of which 92,000 ha are allocated to U'was reserves, Indians descended from the Muiscas. The Sierra Nevada rises to more than 4,000 m above sea level and has 25 peaks with eternal snow, including the Ritacuba Blanco and its 5,530 m. The park is famous for its high altitude trekking, among the most beautiful in Colombia, but for some years, it is not possible to go several days in the mountains, only day hikes are allowed, on three trails only (a total of 25 km): Ritacuba, Laguna Grande de la Sierra and Lagunillas Púlpito. It is possible to approach to the foot of the glacier, but it is no longer possible to access it. In 2017, the U'was (and a group of farmers) actually blocked access to the park for several weeks. They were protesting against the degradation of the glaciers and water sources of Zizuma, the sacred land. A degradation which would be according to them the consequence of the increasing development of tourism. The access was reopened under much stricter conditions than before. The situation is very conflictual, between the U'was on the one hand, who defend their sacred land, and the tourist operators (refuges, agencies and guides) on the other, who make a living from tourism. It is therefore important to inquire with the park authorities to know the situation before considering coming to El Cocuy.