Park or nature areaOutline guide

Chingaza National Natural Park

National park in Colombia

Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Chingaza National Natural Park is a large protected natural area in the Andean highlands of Colombia. It protects a fascinating ecosystem called the páramo, which is a high-altitude tundra where glaciers alternately melt and freeze. The park attracts hikers, mountain climbers, and naturalists who come for the wildlife and plant diversity.

Getting there and around

Getting there

There are three entrances to the park: Piedras Gordas, Siecha, and La Paila-Laguna de Chingaza.

Read in the guide

Getting around

The park is large but you are only allowed to move about one area per day and access is generally via trails. Be ready to do some hiking and be sure your boots are appropriate for wet and muddy conditions.

Read in the guide

Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Vanguardia Airport

Villavicencio · Regional · VVC

Search stays near VVC

Search flights

Read before you go to Chingaza National Natural Park

Articles and travel topics about Chingaza National Natural Park and Colombia.

Travel tips

Cheapest Countries to Visit in 2027: A Real Budget Guide

What a comfortable day really costs in Vietnam, northern Thailand, Nepal, Colombia and India, with private rooms, good food and local transport.

Oct 15, 20267 min read

Nature & adventure

Colombian national parks

Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet, yet many ecotourists don't consider it when making travel plans.

Wikivoyage

Nature & adventure

Ramsar sites

The Ramsar sites are wetlands designated as of international importance; many are of great interest to birdwatchers. Some are easy to visit while others are destinations for wilderness backpacking.

Wikivoyage

Itineraries

Colombia to Patagonia overland

Colombia to Patagonia overland is an epic continental journey along the Andes across South America. This route starts from the sunny beaches of the Caribbean and crosses Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and…

Wikivoyage

Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandChingaza is a large national park covering an area of 76,000 hectares.

Get inThere are three entrances to the park: Piedras Gordas, Siecha, and La Paila-Laguna de Chingaza.

Fees and permitsVisitors must obtain a permit before entering the park. The number of permits is limited and varies by area of the park you intend to visit. Some trails allow 40 to 60 visitors per day, others are few as 30.

Get aroundThe park is large but you are only allowed to move about one area per day and access is generally via trails. Be ready to do some hiking and be sure your boots are appropriate for wet and muddy conditions.

See

DoHike. The park has six marked trails ranging from easy to challenging:

Buy/Eat/DrinkBring anything you might need. There are no stores or services in the park. Practice Leave No Trace principles and pack out any trash.

SleepThere is a shelter in the park where overnight lodging is available. Designated campsites are also available and backcountry camping is allowed in some areas.

Stay safePark visitors should be self-reliant as there are no stores or services within the park and there is no cell phone service.

Go next

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Chingaza National Natural Park" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Chingaza National Natural Park", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Improve this guide on Wikivoyage