A sacred Muisca lake sitting at the head of the Tunjuelo river in the Sumapaz paramo, the largest paramo ecosystem on earth and a rural locality of Bogota itself. 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.
| Distance | 1 to 3 km of walking along the lake dike and the roadside viewpoints |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 to 2 hours at the lagoon, plus two hours of driving each way |
| Difficulty | easy to moderate |
| Trailhead | Private car or an authorised operator's 4x4 from Usme, about two hours from central Bogota on a partly unpaved road |
| Best season | December to March, when the road is driest and the frailejon slopes are clear of cloud |
| Address | Via Usme-San Juan de Sumapaz, vereda Chisaca, Localidad 20 Sumapaz, Bogota D.C., Colombia |
Trail facts
- Trail area
- Localidad de Sumapaz, southern rural Bogota D.C.
What to bring
- Warm layers, hat and gloves for temperatures close to freezing
- Waterproof jacket and boots
- Sunglasses and SPF 50 for intense high-altitude ultraviolet
- Water and snacks, as there are no services on the route
- Coca or panela tea for altitude comfort
Location
Via Usme-San Juan de Sumapaz, vereda Chisaca, Localidad 20 Sumapaz, Bogota D.C., Colombia
4.2847, -74.2086 View on map