Laguna Grande de la Sierra is a 19.6 km round-trip day hike in El Cocuy National Park, Boyacá, from a trailhead above 4,000 m to the edge of the glacier below Pico Cóncavo. It is one of only three trails the park opens to visitors. You walk it in a single day with an approved guide, after registering and attending an induction talk in El Cocuy or Güicán; camping inside the park is prohibited, and the old multi-day circuit is closed.
Laguna Grande at a glance
| Item | Detail (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Distance | 9.8 km each way, 19.6 km round trip (Parques Nacionales) |
| Format | Day hike only; camping prohibited |
| Start | Trailhead above 4,000 m; enter between 6:00 and 8:00 |
| End point | Glacier edge below Pico Cóncavo; walking onto the glacier is prohibited |
| Turnaround | Start descending by 13:00; out of the park by 17:00 |
| Guide | Approved guide or interpreter required |
| Other requirements | Accident and rescue insurance, registration and induction talk in El Cocuy or Güicán, booking at least 90 days ahead, yellow fever vaccination |
| Entry fee 2026 | COP 107,000 non-resident foreigners; COP 52,500 Colombians 25 and over; valid 4 days |
| Not allowed | Children under 10, horses, camping |
What is open in El Cocuy
Many guidebooks still describe the Güicán to El Cocuy circuit, a multi-day traverse around the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy with nights at the lakes. That is no longer possible. The park’s own page lists the Vuelta a la Sierra and the eastern flank as off-limits to visitors and camping as prohibited. Three day trails are open, each ending at a glacier edge:
- Laguna Grande de la Sierra: 19.6 km round trip, to the glacier below Pico Cóncavo.
- Ritacuba: 14 km round trip, toward Ritacuba Blanco; the park gives 5,330 m as the range’s highest point.
- Lagunillas to Púlpito del Diablo: 15.6 km round trip, to the rock formation called the Púlpito del Diablo.
About 47% of the park overlaps U’wa reserves. The park was closed in 2016 and reopened in 2017 with today’s restrictions, and we found no closures in 2023 to 2026. Laguna Grande is the longest of the three trails.
How to book and what it costs
- Book at least 90 days ahead. Parques Nacionales asks for the reservation with that much notice; each trail has a daily capacity, though the park does not publish the figure.
- Hire an approved guide or interpreter in El Cocuy or Güicán. The park does not publish an official guide rate, so agree the price and what it includes before you go.
- Buy the accident and rescue insurance the park requires.
- Register and attend the induction talk in El Cocuy or Güicán before your first hike.
- Pay the entry fee: COP 107,000 for non-resident foreigners in 2026 (PNN Resolution 551 of 2025). The ticket is valid for 4 days, so one fee can cover all three trails.
- Carry your yellow fever certificate. Since May 2025 Parques Nacionales has required vaccination at least 10 days before entering any of its parks.
Altitude and difficulty
This is a long day at altitude. You start above 4,000 m, walk almost 20 km on rocky páramo paths, and must turn back by 13:00 wherever you are. The park does not publish walking times, so plan on most of the daylight you are allowed. The hardest part is not the path but the air: arriving from Bogotá and hiking the next day is how people get sick.
We apply the same rule we use before the Classic Inca Trail, whose highest pass is 4,215 m: at least two nights at altitude before the first hard day. In Colombia that means nights in Bogotá (about 2,640 m) and then in El Cocuy or Güicán before Laguna Grande, ideally after one of the shorter trails. If a headache gets worse as you climb, or you feel confused or unsteady, go down. Our altitude sickness guide covers the symptoms in detail.
Weather and best time
December to March is the main dry season and the busiest, which is when the 90-day booking rule matters most. July and August are a second window. Mornings are usually clearer than afternoons, one reason the park sets the 13:00 turnaround. Expect freezing temperatures at the start, strong sun on the páramo and snow at any time of year; heavy snowfall was reported in the park in late September 2025.
What to bring
- Waterproof boots with grip, gaiters and trekking poles
- Warm layers, insulated jacket, hat and gloves for a start below freezing
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Sunglasses, SPF 50+ and lip protection for high-altitude sun
- At least 2 litres of water with a filter or tablets, and food for the whole day
- Headlamp for the pre-dawn start
- Passport, park booking, insurance and yellow fever certificate
For the other treks in the country, see our page on Colombia hiking trails; for flights, visas and the rest of the trip, our Colombia travel guide.
Sources
Rules, distances and fees checked 8 October 2026 against the Parques Nacionales page for El Cocuy, PNN Resolution 551 of 2025 (fees) and the yellow fever requirement.