3-Day Andes Crossing Tour from Salento: Cerro Chispas Peak

Hike Cocora Valley, sleep in the páramo, climb to 4,400 meters

This 3-day private tour from Salento crosses the Andes from Cocora Valley to Los Nevados National Park, summiting Cerro Chispas at 4,400 meters. A certified bilingual guide leads the route through the páramo ecosystem, with two nights in traditional mountain farms, all national park entry, trekking poles, and medical insurance included. Minimum age is 15. High physical fitness is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hike through Cocora Valley and farm stay

• Meet at office early morning
• Have breakfast
• Drive to Cocora Valley
• Hike 19 km with bilingual guide
• Explore Romerales moor
• Stay overnight at traditional farm

Day 2: Ascent to Cerro Chispas peak

• Have breakfast at farm
• Hike through páramo ecosystem
• Ascend to Cerro Chispas peak (4,400 m)
• Have lunch at summit
• Return 15 km to farm
• Stay overnight at traditional farm

Day 3: Return hike to Cocora Valley

• Have breakfast at farm
• Hike 11 km through Andean forest
• Arrive at Cocora Valley
• Have lunch

The experience

The trek starts before dawn at your office in Salento, then heads by car to Cocora Valley for a 19-kilometer hike into the Romerales moor at 3,600 meters. Your guide (accredited by Los Nevados National Park and fluent in English and Spanish) walks you through the transition from cloud forest into páramo grassland, ending at a traditional farm where you sleep that first night.

Day two is the summit push. After breakfast, you climb 15 kilometers to Cerro Chispas peak at 4,400 meters, the highest point of the trek. The guide narrates the páramo ecosystem as you ascend, you eat lunch at the summit, then descend back to a second farm stay at 3,550 meters. The altitude gain is real. The payoff is standing above the clouds on the spine of the Andes.

The return on day three takes a different route down through Andean forest, 11 kilometers over about five hours, to bring you back to Cocora Valley and eventually Salento. Trekking poles and rubber boots are provided. The two farm nights, all park tickets, and medical assistance insurance are included in the price.

What’s included

National park entry for Cocora Valley and Los Nevados, two nights in traditional mountain farms, certified bilingual guide accredited by the national park, private transportation from Salento to Cocora Valley, trekking poles and rubber boots, medical assistance insurance, all meals during the trek.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (15 to 60 years) · Under 15: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Physically demandingPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Salento Hikers

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you are a fit hiker comfortable with high altitude and multi-day mountain camping. The 3-day structure gives you time to acclimatize on day one before the summit push on day two, whereas a shorter trek would skip the páramo entirely and a longer one would add technical climbing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the 3-day trek start each morning?

The first day begins between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. at the office in Salento, with breakfast before the drive to Cocora Valley. Subsequent mornings start after breakfast at the farm.

How high does Cerro Chispas go and what is the páramo ecosystem?

Cerro Chispas reaches 4,400 meters above sea level. The páramo is a high-altitude grassland ecosystem unique to the tropical Andes, characterized by hardy vegetation adapted to cold, thin air, and intense sun. The guide explains it as you hike through it on day two.

Where do you sleep during the 3-day trek?

You stay two nights in traditional mountain farms: the first at 3,600 meters in the Romerales moor, the second at 3,550 meters after the summit day. Both nights are included in the tour price.

What gear and equipment does the tour provide?

The tour includes trekking poles and rubber boots, both essential for the high-altitude terrain and wet páramo conditions. Medical assistance insurance is also included.

Is this trek suitable for someone who has never hiked at high altitude before?

The tour requires a high level of physical fitness and is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health. The minimum age is 15. If you are fit and accustomed to strenuous hiking, the certified guide will support you through the altitude adjustment.