Hey everyone,
I am writing this note from the Sisumi Cabaña near Laguna Pintada in PNN Cocuy. I thought it only right to fill everyone in on what it's like up here! First of all, the bus from Tunja to Cocuy leaves about 4 different times between 6pm and 11pm, costs 35,000 per person (though we got them down to 30,000), and takes 9 hours (keep this in mind when deciding what time to leave because nothing is open in Cocouy until about 6). Two different companies run buses and they are both large buses, but they are not comfortable for sleeping and the road is quite rough. Expect a restless night. Once in town, most hotels cost a minimum of 20,000 per person, except we did find one for 10,000 per person that just says Hospedaje on a sign outside and is run by a nice lady named Maria. It is one block north of the plaza and 1/2 block east. You do need to visit the National park office when you get into town and pay 50,000 per person to enter any part of the park. The office closes at around 4:30, so make sure to buy your ticket before they close if you want to catch the lechero the next morning. In addition, if you don't have personal travel insurance, you will be required to buy it for 7,000 per day per person. The lechero (milk truck) leaves from the main plaza at 6:15am and costs 5,000 per person. You'll want to let them know you want to go toward the Sierra Nevada to make sure you get on the correct truck. All of the cabañas in the park charge 40,000 per person per night to stay indoors and 7,000 per person per night to camp outside in your own tent (which does allow you to sit by the fire inside, but asks you to use the outside bathrooms). All meals at the cabañas cost 15,000 per person per meal. When you buy your tickets they will tell you that only 3 trails in the park are open (the reason the back of the park is no longer available is because the land belongs to a native tribe and they have decided they don't want visitors hiking through their reservation). The first trail, which starts at the Alto de la Cueva will bring you to this cabaña that I am at now, from where most people choose to do two different hikes. A short day hike takes you out along some lakes and up to a mountain pass (that you cannot go over because the backside is closed) and the second trail is a much more difficult hike to La Pulpita del Diablo, an 8 hour round-trip hike up a steep ridge and over an extensive boulder field. Unfortunately, the weather out here right now is terrible. We have been here at the cabaña now for 4 days and the weather has been so bad every day that no one has actually made it to the pulpita without turning around. Rain, wind, snow, ice, and very poor visibility. You can do the day hike in the afternoons when the wind dies down a bit, but that's about it. Therefore, if you really just want to get away from it all and you enjoy being in cabañas near fireplaces, then by all means, come on out. However, if you are coming to hike, I highly recommend waiting until September...when according to the employees here at the cabaña, the weather will improve. If you do decide to come, and still hope to do la pulpita and maybe even the camping up at Laguna Grande de la Sierra, please trust me that no matter how experienced you are, you will absolutely need crampons and a iceaxe, and most likely, a guide, as the trails are all covered in snow and there are no good topographic maps available. I really hope this helps and please feel free to ask more questions if you have them!
- Rochelle
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Okay, just a few more things worth mentioning...
The cabaña I'm at now (Sisuma) is at 4,000m (12,000ft) and most people have had a bit of altitude sickness, so please keep that in mind when coming out. Also, the cabañas do not have any hot water (cold showers!) or heaters in rooms (but they probably will offer you a hot water bottle at night). Also, my boyfriend and I (who I'm here with) are very experienced backpackers (this would have been our 14th trek in South America this year) and love the outdoors, but if we had known what it was like here right now, and all of the accurate prices of everything involved, we would not have made the effort to come out here. It is beautiful, but weather is a HUGE factor!
Dear Rochelle,
thanks for your update! Good to get some more accurate information about the current situation there! You made me doubt about coming over again ;).
What kind of hikes are possible to do currently with the weather in mind?
Thanks in advance!
thanks for this. my knee developed a wierd 'no downhill hiking' thing so el cocuy was out of the question last week, and i've been a bit glum about it--but not anymore!
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brad, tahnk you--i think i clicked on everything else but that. i expected to find it under noticias, or trail descriptions.
Hey traveljoni,
I can´t speak for the whole park since we only ventured as far as Sisuma Cabaña, but from there, a short hike (2 hours roundtrip) to Lagunillas, and about 3/4 of the way up the pulpita (4 hours roundtrip) are both do-able. I'd imagine there are some other hikes that are possible to complete, it´s just that most of them are above 4,000m and therefore not very enjoyable in this kind of weather. We never saw good visibility above about 4,500m. Also, one other thing I forgot to mention before. The lechero only runs one time a day in the morning from Cocuy to Guican. Therefore, to get back to Cocuy, you either have to be back at the main road early in the morning and ride to Guican and then take a bus back to Cocuy, or you have to hire a private vehicle. The company is called Expreso and each one-way trip costs 80,000, no matter how many people are being picked up. Just another important factor for those of us on a budget! Any other questions? Let us know if you go and how the weather turns out!
Sprite - Haha, yeah, I wouldn't be too bummed...you really didn't miss much!
THANKS for compiling all those details, ellemeaux. A friend and I will be (or were planning to be) at E Cocuy in September and this will be a huge help in making plans.
Hello,
Could anyone give me some updated news about the current trekking options ? I'll be arriving in Cocuy in the next few days and would really like to experience the best hikes possible ! Is the weather that bad ?
Thanks !!
Hi there,
I was wondering if you could contact me so I can get some advice from you about Cocuy. My boyfriend and live in Bogota and are planning to go in NY/beginning of January. We were wanting to stay in Cabanas for around 4 nights and just do day trips and you seem to know a lot, and as high season we know we need to look to book now.
I am heading to el cocuy on monday the 13th of october. planning on finding a bus from bogota to take me there. will spend maybe two nighta in town and then head to some cabanas and do day hikes. unless it is warm enough and then i will stay in my tent.
If anyone is interestes in making the journey with me from bogota my email is
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