Ritacuba ice
A white edge below the summit.
Davemor — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kevin Alexander Silva avila — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Petruss — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Andres Ggalindo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andres Ggalindo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andres Ggalindo — CC BY-SA 4.0
El Cocuy National Park is a high mountain reserve in the east of Boyacá, near the villages of El Cocuy and Güicán. It rises from 600 metres to 5,330 metres above sea level and is known for white ice, blue lakes and slopes covered in frailejones, a goal for climbers and hikers. Ancient glaciers shaped its steep slopes and rock cirques, including the lakes La Pintada and La Cuadrada. Its water feeds three large basins and supplies municipalities in Boyacá, Arauca and Casanare. Its icefield has shrunk severely since an 1851 watercolour showed a summit fully capped with snow, and it is expected to disappear within decades. You walk over grey rock among silvery frailejones to the edge of the white ice below the summit of Ritacuba Blanco. Blue Laguna Grande appears between the rocks, and the distinctive Púlpito del Diablo rises above the ice. You may see deer grazing among the shrubs. Temperatures run from -4 °C on the heights to 24 °C lower down. The park is 13.5 km in a straight line east of the village of El Cocuy. Independent entry is not allowed: register at the park office in El Cocuy or Güicán, hire a certified guide and buy rescue insurance. Some trails and summits are closed, so ask first. This is hard, high walking, so acclimatise first and bring warm clothes and suitable boots.
A white edge below the summit.
A blue lake between the rocks.
A distinctive rock above the ice.
Near the villages of El Cocuy and Güicán, Boyacá department
No, a recent guide says independent entry is not allowed, and you must register and hire a certified guide.
Some trails and summits are closed, so ask the park office what is allowed when you visit.