Laguna de Chisaca (Los Tunjos), Sumapaz

Laguna de Chisaca, also known as Los Tunjos, is a sacred Muisca lake at the head of the Tunjuelo river in vereda Chisaca, on the road from Usme to San Juan de Sumapaz in the Sumapaz locality, a rural part of Bogota D.C., Colombia. It sits at about 3,700 m in the Sumapaz paramo, the largest paramo ecosystem on earth. Parques Nacionales has not opened Sumapaz National Park to ecotourism, so visits are confined to the lagoon dike inside the roped-off area, with no walking into the vegetation or down to the water. There is no entry fee at the lagoon, but the national park itself remains closed to recreational visits, and travelling with an authorised local operator or ranger is the accepted way to see the area.

The trailhead is reached by private car or an authorised operator's 4x4 from Usme, about two hours from central Bogota on a partly unpaved road. The walking itself is short: 1 to 3 km along the lake dike and the roadside viewpoints, taking 1 to 2 hours, with almost no elevation gain. That makes the walk easy in technical terms, although the altitude of 3,700 m makes even gentle strolling tiring for visitors who have not acclimatised. The surface is a mix of packed earth, grass and gravel on the dike. There is no shade and full exposure to cold wind, mist and intense ultraviolet light, and temperatures can be close to freezing.

The main landmarks are the lagoon itself, framed by frailejon-covered slopes, and roadside viewpoints across the paramo. Because the visit is confined to the dike, the natural turn-around is the end of the roped-off area. There are no services on the route: no shops, huts, shelter or reliable drinking water, and mobile coverage is patchy. Visitors should bring all food and water, warm and waterproof clothing, and sun protection, and leave nothing behind. Organised day tours from Bogota typically cost about COP 150,000 to 250,000 per person including transport and a guide, and provide the safest way to handle the long, rough drive.