Páramo de Sumapaz: Day Trips and Tours from Bogotá

The Páramo or Alpine Tundra ecosystem is considered the largest of its type in the world. Páramo de Sumapaz was once considered a sacred place for the Muisca people and was associated with creation and man’s origins.

Today this protected national park contains two primary tropical mountain ecosystems; Andean Forests and the Páramo.

A day trip to Páramo de Sumapaz National Park from Bogotá is a magnificent way to experience this unique glimpse of a rare and important place of safety for many endemic Colombian species.

Here's all you need to know about Páramo de Sumapaz, one of the most insightful day trips from Bogotá.

How to get to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá?

Páromo de Sumapaz is located south of the Colombian capital of Bogotá.

From Bogotá to Páramo de Sumapaz by car

The roughly 160 kilometer drive south from Bogotá to the entrance of Páramo se Sumapaz National Park along the Via Parque Natural Del Sumapaz takes approximately 2 hours in fair weather and off peak traffic conditions.

Guided tour to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá

The ideal way to experience the unique Páramo de Sumapaz is on a guided tour. Guided tours to Páramo de Sumapaz are typically full day tours lasting 8 hours or longer.

Meanwhile, shorter tours in the region of 5 hours are offered by some tour operators. Tours usually include return hotel transfers and private tours offer a flexible itinerary.

What is the typical itinerary?

Tours usually begin with a hotel pickup followed by an approximately two-hour drive to the park entrance. Your guide will tell you stories about the history and nature of the region and point out aspects of rural Colombian life.

Most tours have a breakfast or morning snack stop before embarking on the day’s hike or other activity. Lunch is included in these full day tours and after a day that can include a relatively challenging trek requiring a good level of fitness, you will return to Bogotá in the late afternoon or early evening.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Páramo de Sumapaz?

Day trips to Páramo de Sumapaz typically include return transfers from Bogotá. Activities such as hiking or trekking, birdwatching and photography form part of the itinerary.

Full day guided tour to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá

A full day guided tour to Páramo de Sumapaz offers an opportunity to get close to nature, hiking in the Sumapaz National Park in the company of an experienced guide.

This type of tour typically takes place on a small group basis and includes a hotel pickup and drop-off and a delicious lunch. Depending on your tour’s start time, an early morning snack may also be included.

Private tour to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá

You can focus on your special interests on a private tour to Páramo de Sumapaz. Your private vehicle and expert guide will collect you from your hotel. The opportunity to tailor your itinerary means that you can spend your day hiking, birdwatching or photographing the unique tropical high altitude ecosystem.

Breakfast, lunch and non-alcoholic beverages are all included in this type of excursion.

How much does a day trip to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá cost?

Small group full day guided tours from Bogotá to Páramo de Sumapaz start at US$80 per person. Smaller group sizes and longer tours can cost up to US$180 per person.

Private tours to Páramo de Sumapaz from Bogotá range between US$200 and US$400 per person depending on group size and tour length. With a private tour guide and vehicle, you can relax and enjoy a personalized experience.

What will you see and do?

Páramo de Sumapaz is a unique high altitude wetland habitat. On a full day tour, you have the opportunity to hike in this fascinating but inhospitable landscape. Glacial lagoons, moors and Andean forests are the primary park ecosystems.

A variety of unique plant species thrive in this wet and humid environment and you will learn how they are responsible for soaking up torrential rains and providing water security to Bogotá.

The critically endangered spectacled bear is found in the páramo, and other mammals including tapirs, ocelots and white deer are also found on the moors.

If you are a bird watcher, you might be fortunate enough to spot the endemic Apolinar’s wren or the tiny green-bearded Helmetcrest, an unusual hummingbird endemic to the region and reliant on its espeletias plants, also known as frailjónes.

When is the best time to visit Páramo de Sumapaz?

Páramo de Sumapaz has a short three month dry season, but even during these drier months, the ground remains waterlogged and hikers should be accompanied by an experienced local guide. The climate at the high altitude of the region average below 10 degrees Celsius and humidity is usually high.

December to February are the driest months and offer the most hospitable conditions to visitors wanting to experience the unique biome.

What other day trips can you do from Bogotá?

• Day trips to La Chorrera Waterfall from Bogotá
• Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá day trips from Bogotá
• Chingaza National Park day trips from Bogotá

Travel tips

• Wear a sturdy pair of water-resistant hiking boots.
• Carry hiking poles.
• Pack bottled water and some high energy snacks for the hike.
• Bring a compact pair of binoculars for bird watching.