Los Nevados: Santa Isabel glacier ascent 3D

Where : Los Nevados National Park

Tomplanmytrip connects you with this local expert to organize an exciting trek in Los Nevados.

Contact this partner No fee, no commitment, no headache

3 Days

Spanish, English

50% deposit and the remaining 50% before departure.

With us, no overpay!

An exciting and memorable experience

Explore the diversity of Los Nevados through fascinating, ever-changing landscapes.

Let yourself be captivated by the charms of the mountains, with all their thrills, difficulties, and adversity. Your adventure is an exceptional mix of hiking, beginner alpinism, fabulous viewpoints, and observation of amazing ecosystems. The farmers you meet and the beauty and fragility of this raw nature bring true authenticity to your experience.

Roadmap

3 Days

Day 1 Otún Valley | 14 km | 1000 m ascent | ~6 hours
Day 2 Paramos and Laguna del Otún | 18 km | 1100 m ascent | ~8 hours
Day 3 Santa Isabel Glacier | 10 km | 845 m ascent | ~7 hours

What to expect

D1: Otún Valley

Today's stage: 14km | 1000m ascent | 50m descent | Alt max: 3150m | ~6h

Depart Pereira in a 4x4 vehicle for Cedrál. Your adventure begins here, at an altitude of 2130m, in the Ucumarí Regional Nature Park.

Follow the mule track to the La Pastora refuge in the cloud forest, where you can appreciate this ecosystem's rich flora and fauna.
After a hearty lunch, continue to the mountain farmhouse at 3100 m at the start of the subpáramo. Meet your hosts and learn more about mountain culture and their way of life.

D2: Paramos and Laguna del Otún

Today's stage: 18km | 1100m ascent | 150m descent | Alt max: 4100m | ~8h

After a copious breakfast and the milking of the cows, head for the Otún Laguna.

Cross the fields of frailejones in the páramos, an ecosystem of great importance in regulating the water supply in the Andean region.

Along the way, you'll discover the Paramillo del Quindío, Santa Rosa, and Nevado Santa Isabel mountains, as well as over 50-year-old farms that bear witness to the unique agricultural practices of this protected area.

Once you arrive at Lake Otún, enjoy the peace and quiet before returning to your lodge, where you will complete the registration formalities to enter the National Park.

D3: Glacier of Santa Isabel

Today's stage: 10km | 845m ascent | 845m descent | Alt max: 4995m | ~7h

Wake up in the dark and climb into the 4x4, heading for the starting point at 4100m altitude.

Switch on your headlamp and cross the paramo zone that extends to 4450m. This section is characterized by high humidity and high-altitude flora.

Then, you will drop down into a rocky area once covered by the glacier, showing how it has retreated. This scenery will accompany you to the foot of the glacier.

Once equipped and roped up, you can begin your ascent of this glacial zone between 4,750m and 5,000m. The slopes are moderate, and the climb is not very technical.

At the top, savor the immensity of the landscape and the magic of the snow-capped peaks of Los Nevados National Park.

It's time to return to the lodge for a well-deserved lunch and then to Pereira. On the way, plan a relaxing break at the San Vicente thermal baths (to be arranged with your expert).

Must know

How to contact this expert

Click on the "contact this expert" button and complete our online form (1min).
Tomplanmytrip will receive your answers and create a WhatsApp group to put you in touch with the agency.
Once the group has been created, you can chat freely with the agency to get all the answers you need.
Then it's up to you to decide whether or not to book your experience.

Important information

This trek is unique because of the variety of ecosystems you'll cross. Over three days, you'll move through wetlands, high Andean forest, cloud forest, and páramos, ending on a tropical glacier.
Guides trained in high-altitude mountaineering and authorized to operate on glaciers. They are also certified "wilderness first responder."
Medium to high difficulty. Good physical condition is required.
The environment is very damp, and you might get wet. The nights are cold.
Equipment for the glacier is provided.
The experience starts in Pereira and returns to Pereira. However, it is possible to leave from Salento. The extra cost is not insignificant; you must get up early. There is a four-day option from Salento.
If the 3 treks we recommend with this agency don't suit you, be aware that they organize other treks lasting from 1 to 7 days. Talk to your expert.
Prices are for a private option. You can join a group for better prices.

What's included

Medical assistance insurance for 3 days.
Private 4x4 transport to and from Pereira.
Local, trained mountain guide (Spanish or English).
All meals: breakfast on day 1 to lunch on day 3 (meals at the farms or picnics at lunchtime).
Daily snacks.
Accommodation (2 nights in a mountain farmhouse - shared rooms, 2 or 3 bunk beds per room).
Hot drinks in refuges.
Full glacier equipment (helmet, harness, crampons, ice axe).
Loan of trekking poles and rain ponchos.
Water purification throughout the route.

Options to confirm with your expert

Prices :

Prices are indicative and should be confirmed with your expert.
Prices are subject to the options chosen, the number of people, and exchange rate fluctuations.

Choose your package:

The prices on the page correspond to a private stay of 3d/2n with a certified Spanish- or English-speaking guide.
A 4d/3n trek departing from Salento and arriving in Pereira is also available. Contact this expert to learn more.

Extra:

Possibility of a 2-hour stopover at the San Vicente terms on day 3 on the way back to Pereira. A welcome break after a 3-day trek. Cost: 90 000COP/pers/2h.

Our review

Why choose this option:

Climbing a tropical glacier after a moderately to highly difficult trek is a rare opportunity.
The variety of ecosystems you pass through in just 3 days is astonishing.
Guides are from the region and trained in high-altitude mountaineering and glacier climbing.
Perfect logistics allow you to hike with a relatively light pack. The glacier equipment is picked up the night before at the refuge. No tent or sleeping bag is needed. Only carry food for the day and your belongings for 3 days.
The glacier is not technical. Anyone in good condition can climb it.
Glacier equipment is provided.
Share and discover a bit of the family's daily life that hosts you the first night.
Add a break at the San Vicente hot springs on returning to Pereira—a great combo after 3 days of hiking.

What may disappoint:

You will be in a humid and cool environment. The paths can be muddy, and visibility might be low.
The shelters are basic but sufficient: they have beds, blankets, hearty meals, and a warm atmosphere.
The return by jeep involves a long, bumpy road, but that's also what allows you to have this experience in 3 days.

Why this expert?

See his profile

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