Tag: El Cocuy National Natural Park

The 7 Most Beautiful Places to Go Stargazing in Colombia

Posted on by Frank59872


In Colombia, you can experience the unique and rare emotion of stargazing. The whole country offers the conditions to make astronomical tourism throughout the year, from the Andes to the Caribbean Sea.

Before telling you which are the best stargazing spots in Colombia, based on tourism facilities and beauty, I will promptly mention some topics of special attention.

The Light Pollution Menace

Sadly, almost a third of humanity cannot see the Milky Way when they look at the sky at night.

There are many sources of light on Earth that emit light particles into the atmosphere, causing the skies to become hazy.

Today there is more awareness of this phenomenon, and more people are mobilizing to promote the use of cleaner light installations.

Light Pollution Map, Colombia – Powered by https://lighttrends.lightpollutionmap.info/

Effects of excessive light

According to the NGO Globe at Night, the light-dark cycle, when interrupted, affects ecological dynamics, and is a serious threat to nocturnal wildlife in particular.

Light pollution can also lead to sleep disorders and other health problems. In addition, health effects are not only due to over-illumination or excessive exposure to light over time.These are also produced by inadequate spectral composition of light (e.g., excessive blue light from cellphones).

With regard to energy waste, over-illumination can be a waste of energy, especially at night. Therefore, it generates increases in costs and carbon footprint.

Light pollution Hong Kong ©Science Magazine

What to do?

Nevertheless, the NGO Globe at Night explains that light pollution can easily be reduced by doing simple things like:

  • protecting the lights properly so that the light does not go up,
  • only using light when and where it is needed,
  • use only the amount needed,
  • install low energy bulbs, and
  • choose bulbs with spectral power distributions appropriate to the task at hand.

Astrotourism is also a way to protect the night sky from increasing light pollution. It works through the recognition and protection of areas that still have low or no light pollution.

Astrotourism or Stargazing

Let’s start with some basic tips.

Basic Tips for an Amazing Stargazing Night

Before going out for stargazing consider the following points:

1.Weather

Try to find the most accurate information about wind speed, wind pressure, cloud forecast, and temperature. Atmospheric pressure is also something important to check. The higher the pressure, the clearer the conditions.

2. Transparency

Dust or moisture ruin the fun of the stargazes since they make the skies hazy. Try to find the best season, which in Colombia, means avoiding the rainy season. But also, going to the driest regions and the higher places.

3. “Seeing”

The later you go out, the better sight.  I found an interesting paper in Science Magazine you can read later. It talks about a light pollution tracking tool ideated by a physicist. With this tool you can check whether the night sky is getting brighter. It is called the Radiance Light Trends Website.

4. High Spot

It can be a mountain or a building. This will help avoid light pollution effects.

5. The Moon

The Gibbous or crescent phase of the moon is best for stargazing. A brilliant moon will overshadow the stars and planets.

6. Prepare for the night

  • Dress appropriately for the weather
  • Let your eyes relax and enter into dark adaptation
  • Avoid devices with white light, astronomers recommend using devices with the red light option.
  • Bug spray, needless to explain, but worth recalling, especially in Colombia, where it is always summery.

Best Stargazing Spots in Colombia

Any place without light pollution is a good place to see the stars. Colombia has many places that offer beautiful starred and cleaned skies, far from the contamination of the cities. However, not all the places offer the appropiate tourism facilities.

Here I will list the best stargazing spots in Colombia, based on tourism facilities and beauty.

Tatacoa Desert

Night at the Tatacoa Desert ©Bernardo Solano

The most recommended destination for astrotourism is the Tatacoa Desert in Huila. This is the only destination in Colombia with a Starlight Certificate, nominated in 2019. 

Besides its intrinsic desertic beauty, it makes you feel like observing the stars from mars, or the moon. The ochre and grayish tones of its landscapes contrast with the clear sky.

The desert has very low light contamination, and it has three different astronomic observatories, with telescopes, which are open to the public offering educational activities and nocturnal expeditions.

The epicenter of astronomical tourism in this region is the municipality of Villavieja, in Huila, where the Tatacoa Astronomical Observatory is located. In this place, visitors can participate in talks about astronomy and see the stars through the astronomical telescope.

Additionally, in the month of August you can witness the ‘Rain of the Perseids’, a beautiful stellar spectacle in which you can see up to 200 stars per hour.

Where to stay: Yararaka Hotel Boutique

Villa de Leyva

Night at Villa de Leyva – Facetas Boyacá

Also a good place for astrotourism is this beautiful town in Boyacá. Every year Villa de Leyva is the meeting point for the amateur astronomers. They gather for their annual meeting, the Astronomy Festival, which is the most important amateur event in Latin America.

Villa de Leyva features a high elevation and a dry environment, which also facilitates the observation.

It also has a very good infrastructure to receive tourists.

Where to stay: La Posada de San Antonio Hotel

Barichara

Casa del Presidente – Barichara

This town is located in Santander. It is also a destination with very good infrastructure and also it offers ideal conditions to watch the sky, because of its dry environment.

Where to stay: Casa del Presidente.

Cabo de la Vela

Full Moon at Cabo de la vela

La Guajira is a magical place in Colombia. It is another desertic area, but placed in the Caribbean region. Cabo de la Vela, in the northern territory of Guajira, also offers a very good infrastructure for tourism, and also clean and dark skies.

Here you will hear the sea waves and learn more about the mysteries of the universe from the Wayúu community.

In Cabo de la Vela, the desert landscape merges with the sea, and the night skies are filled with shooting stars and constellations, thanks to the absence of artificial lighting from nearby towns.

In addition, if you love nature, take a visit to the Flamingo Sanctuary or a tour of the Taroa Dunes are good extras.

Where to stay: Ranchería Utta.

Lagos de Menegua

Astrotourism in Lagos de Menegua ©Lagos de Menegua

The Lagos de Menegua Bioreserve is one of the few privileged places that still have black skies. Its privileged location allows simultaneous observation of the northern and southern hemispheres.

The reserve has a calendar of astronomical events with free registration. It also offers this activity exclusively for companies and specific groups.

Between the months of December and March, the probability of 100% clear skies increases, making the best time to visit.

Where to stay: Lagos de Menegua.

Cocuy National Natural Park, Boyacá

The Milky Way observed at El Cocuy NNP ©Rodrigo Bernal Díaz

After 9 pm, on a very clear night at 4,444 meters above sea level, on the shores of La Laguna Grande in the Sierra in El Cocuy Natural Park (Colombia), the Milky Way rises behind the mountain. The cold can get to your bones, but the view is wonderful.

Rodrigo Bernal Diaz

This national natural park, located in the center-east of the country, on the border between the departments of Boyacá and Arauca, is another of Colombia’s tourist sites where people can experience an unforgettable night looking at the stars. Of course, if you don’t mind to camp.

In fact, the U’wa Indians of the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy created the Astronomical Observatory on the ancestral Camino de Mal Paso. In this place tourists can marvel at the spectacular clear nights and see the stars, and, at the same time, interact with the U’wa community.

Where to stay: Camping zone.

Suesca and Tominé near to Bogotá

Niddo – Suesca

Near to Bogotá are the town of Suesca and the Tominé reservoir. All this region has a very good tourism infrastructure and also, they have altitude, with more than 2500 meter above sea level.

Altitude is fundamental because there are fewer atmosphere layers above you, so you are nearer to the sky.

Where to stay: Glamping* Niddo. 

If you want to know more about the most incredible natural destinations in Colombia, plan your trip with us!

*Find more information about Glamping in Colombia in the post The 32 Most Beautiful Glampings in Colombia You Should Know, at Pelecanus website.

References
About the author

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

 

What to do at El Cocuy National Natural Park in Colombia

Posted on by Frank59872

Precious glaciers, snow-capped peaks and paramo ecosystems are some of the jewels to find at El Cocuy National Natural Park in northeastern Colombia. Mountain climbers and nature lovers will love paying a visit to this huge mountain range that is a water producer and biodiversity haven. 

In this post, you will find all the information you need to know to visit El Cocuy National Natural Park in Colombia, such as how to get there, what you can do in the park, where to stay, how much it costs and some recommendations for your trip. 

Discovering El Cocuy National Natural Park 

Colombia has lost 63% of its glaciers in 50 years, according to IDEAM. This means there will be no glaciers in the country in some years if the trend continues. Meanwhile, the Eastern Andes is the privileged home to the largest glacier mass in Colombia: The Sierra Nevada de Güicán, El Cocuy and Chita.  

In an area of 25 km long by 4 km wide, about 25 snow-capped peaks stand out on the top of two mountain ranges! The peaks go from 4,800 m (15,748 ft) to 5,330 m (17,486 ft) above sea level, and the renowned ones are Ritacuba Blanco, Pan de Azúcar, Pulpito del Diablo, Cóncavos and Güicán. The temperatures in the park range between 0 °C (32 °F) and 20 °C (68 °F) with a characteristic cold climate. 

El Cocuy National Park preserves ecosystems such as glaciers and paramos, as well as high Andean forests – seen in the valleys among the imposing mountains, and moist forests found in the Araucan foothills. Unfortunately, the climate change, livestock breeding and forest clearance (logging) are putting pressure on the protected area.  

This marvelous park is guarded by the U’wa indigenous peoples. These have traditionally inhabited the Eastern Andes range and now fight for the conservation of their sacred territory and culture. Fun fact: U’wa means ‘smart people who know how to talk’. 

El Cocuy – with its 306,000 hectares, is one of the National Natural Parks open for ecotourism in Colombia. All of them offer unique experiences in the world’s second-most biodiverse country! 

How to get to El Cocuy NNP 

There are three land routes to access the tourist area on the western side of the park: 

From Bogotá 

440 km – approx. 11 hours following the route Tunja – Duitama – Santa Rosa – Cerinza – Belén – Susacón, until reaching Soatá. From there, you can follow the Tipacoque or the Boavita routes that lead to El Cocuy or Güicán.  

From Bucaramanga  

8 to 12 hours. Get to the town of Málaga, then to Capitanejo – El Espino – Panqueba and finally El Cocuy or Güicán. 

From Llanos Orientales 

10 to 12 hours on the route Yopal – Sogamoso –Duitama –Belén – Soatá and from there, El Cocuy or Güicán. Or 8 hours on the route Tame, Sácama, Chita until El Cocuy. 

From El Cocuy and Güicán, it takes about 2 hours to get to the main entrances of the park on unpaved roads, in regular condition, suitable only for campers and 4×4 vehicles. You can get by a private car, a shared taxi or public trucks that leave from El Cocuy square every morning. The 3 access points are Valle de Lagunillas (on the south), Hacienda la Esperanza (at the center) and Ritakuwas (on the north). 

What to do in El Cocuy National Natural Park 

Hiking and Trekking  

Hiking is the most exciting activity in El Cocuy Park. You can hike only until the glacier edge along 3 trails: Ritacuba, Laguna Grande de la Sierra and Lagunillas – El Pulpito del Diablo. This activity allows you to admire majestic landscapes with Frailejones, imposing mountains and crystalline water bodies. 

  • Ritacuba Trail goes from the height of 4,000 m (13,123 ft) to the glacier edge of the peak called Ritacuba Blanco. The round trip is about 13.8 km. 
  • Lagunillas – El Pulpito Trail goes from 4,000 m (13,123 ft), starting just above the cabin Sisuma and ends in the glacier edge of the Pulpito del Diablo peak. 
  • Laguna Grande de la Sierra Trail starts in a place known as Cuchumba and ends in the glacier edge of the Cóncavo snow-capped peak. This is the longest and hardest trail (21 km/13 mi). 

Expert mountaineers can do rock and snow climbing as well as high mountain trekking. 

There used to be multi-day treks in El Cocuy, but negative environmental impacts caused by tourists and concerned indigenous inhabitants resulted in the closing of various hiking trails. Now you can only do one-day hikes. 

Lagoons 

At different points in the park, you can gaze at 25 stunning lagoons including Laguna de la Plaza – which drains in the shape of a waterfall, and Laguna Grande de los Verdes – which stands out for its flashy color. 

Wildlife observation

Along the trails, you may spot white-tailed deer, tapirs, the endemic lizard Stenocercus lache and the double-banded false coral snake (Erythrolamprus bizona). The cougar also inhabits the park but it is quite difficult to find. 

Birdwatching 

El Cocuy Park is an Important Bird and Biodiversity (IBA) which means it is a key spot for bird conservation. Some of the species that inhabit the area are the Andean condor, the endangered Northern Helmeted Curassow (Pauxi pauxi) and the hummingbird Shining sunbeam (Aglaeactis cupripennis). 

Where to stay in El Cocuy National Park 

Staying in El Cocuy NNP is not allowed. However, you can find cabins managed by locals at the starting points of the hiking trails. They offer accommodation and meals. 

Best time to visit El Cocuy National Park 

The dry season occurs from December to late January, but this is also a peak season for national tourists so the park or the tourist services may be crowded. 

El Cocuy NNP Entrance fees 

The entrance fee to El Cocuy National Natural Park varies depending on the nationality and age of the visitors. These are the entrance fees for 2020: 

  • Colombians, resident foreigners and tourists from Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru (ages 5 to 25): COP 21,000 
  • Colombians, resident foreigners and tourists from Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru (over 25 years old): COP 36,000 
  • Non-resident foreigners (over 5 years old): COP 73,500 
  • Children under 5 years old and Colombians over 65 years old have free entrance presenting their IDs. 

What you should consider when you visit El Cocuy National Park 

  • You must purchase an all-risk policy for entering and staying in the park. 
  • You must make your reservation and payment one month in advance. 
  • You must register and attend the introductory talk at the registration offices in El Cocuy or Güicán before entering the park. Here you can hire your local guide.  
  • The entrance to the park is from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and return is from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. No tourist should be in the park after 6 pm.  
  • Remember that the park is a sacred territory for the U’wa indigenous. Therefore, visiting the eastern side of the park and entering the indigenous reserve is prohibited. 
  • Wear cold weather, waterproof clothes in layers (so you can peel off when necessary). This includes hiking boots or rubber boots since the trails can be muddy. 
  • Use sunscreen! Even if you think you don’t need it because it is cloudy. Also, a pair of sunglasses is advised. 
  • Bring enough water – at least 2 liters per person per day. 
  • Beware of altitude sickness! Apart from hydration, sun protection and proper clothing, you need to take your time and keep your rhythm during the ascent. Regular rests and arriving in a high-altitude town some days before the trek are advised too for acclimatization. If you feel bad, descend immediately. 
  • Due to physical demands and altitude, the hike is not recommended for people with physical disabilities, heart or respiratory problems. 

Some prohibitions: Feeding, bothering or hunting animals, throwing any garbage, pets, horses alcoholic drinks and drugs, guns, stepping on, sliding on or touching the snow, the entrance of children under the age of 10, people with physical disabilities, heart or respiratory problems, pregnant women or senior adults. 

References 

  • Album Jet Vive la Aventura Colombia – Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia, National Geographic, Compañía Nacional de Chocolates 
  • Natural National Parks

 About the authors.

Ana María Parra

Current content writer for Sula. Modern Languages professional with emphasis on business translation. Interested in cultural adaptation of written and audiovisual content.  Passionate about knowing new cultures and languages, tourism and sustainable living.

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