Vuelta al Cocuy

Vuelta al Cocuy (El Cocuy Circuit) is a circular, multi-day high-mountain hiking trek in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. The route length is about 51.53 km, and it’s managed as a long-distance trek (multi-day) rather than a single-day hike.

Most parties plan for 5–6 days on the trail, wrapping around El Cocuy National Park area terrain. Expect sustained altitude work, including high passes such as Paso el Castillo (about 4,700 m).

The trek’s core environment is the high Andean glaciated landscape of the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, with route travel through glacier country and high-mountain lagoons and valleys associated with the park.

Access is typically via the towns of El Cocuy or Güicán in Boyacá, then you continue into the park for the multi-day traverse. Because the route crosses private properties and indigenous territories, an official local guide is required by park rules.

Before hiking, plan time for acclimatization in El Cocuy or Güicán—1–2 days is commonly built into itineraries. Expect altitude sickness risk and plan your pace around that reality.

Entry to the area requires park entry permits, including registration with local authorities. Plan the paperwork and permit process before you start hiking, not on the day you arrive at trailheads.

More information: Wikipedia, Colombia – que chévere es el cocuy « patagonian dreams, Nevado del Cocuy: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting