Chicaque National Park Hiking Tour: Forest, Waterfall, Uphill

The climb back up is harder than the descent, and that's the part that stays with you.

Hike Chicaque National Park, a preserved high Andean forest near Bogotá, with a guide who meets you early and drives you south through Soacha to the San Antonio rural area where the park sits. You descend 2 km through woodland thick with birds, insects and rodents, reach a viewpoint called Rock Pick, rest at a lodge, continue to a high-altitude waterfall, then climb back uphill, the most demanding section, to the entrance. Private transport, park fees and coffee are included. Lunch at the lodge costs extra. The full day takes 8 to 9 hours, and a jeep ride uphill is available for an additional fee if you need it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hike in Chicaque Natural Park

• Meet at 6:30 am
• Travel to Chicaque Natural Park
• Stretch and warm up
• Hike 2 km downhill
• Observe vegetation and wildlife
• Visit Rock Pick viewpoint
• Take break at restaurant-lodge
• Hike to high altitude waterfall
• Option to pay for typical lunch
• Hike uphill to park entrance
• Option to take jeep uphill
• Return to starting point at El Dorado Plaza

The experience

You meet at 6:30 am at El Dorado Plaza and ride south through Bogotá toward Soacha, then into the San Antonio rural area where Chicaque sits. The park is one of the best-preserved ecosystems near the city, and the route down gives you time to see what that means: the forest floor is dense with birds, insects, rodents and layered vegetation that most people never walk through. The downhill stretch is 2 km and moves at a pace that lets you notice the detail.

Partway down you reach Rock Pick, a viewpoint where the landscape opens. From there the trail leads to a restaurant-lodge at the bottom of the park, where you stop to rest and can order a typical lunch if you want one (not included in the tour price). The route continues upward to a waterfall fed by mountain springs: high enough that the water itself feels like part of the forest rather than something added to it. This is where most people turn around or consider the jeep option, because the final stretch back to the entrance is uphill the whole way and it is the most demanding part of the day. It is also the part most people say mattered most: the effort of climbing out is what makes the forest feel earned rather than just walked through.

Your guide speaks English or Spanish and knows the park well enough to point out what you are seeing. The jeep ride uphill, if you choose it at the lodge, costs extra and you pay there. Transport from the city, park entry and coffee or tea at the start are all arranged. You show up at the meeting point and the day unfolds without you managing logistics.

What’s included

• Private transportation from El Dorado Plaza to the park and back.
• park entry and facility fees.
• coffee or tea at the start.
• a guide in English or Spanish who leads you through the forest and knows the route.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

AgesAdult (18 to 55 years) · Child (12 to 17 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 4

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by CARLO LEANDRO GODOY PAZOS

Is this one for you?Choose this if you have a full day available and prefer a guided hike with transport included rather than navigating the park on your own. The downhill start and waterfall stop break up the final uphill climb.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (12 to 17 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

How difficult is the hike in Chicaque, and what if I can't do the uphill section?

The downhill 2 km is manageable for anyone with moderate fitness, but the uphill return to the entrance is the most demanding part of the day. A jeep ride is available at the lodge for an extra charge if you need it instead of hiking back up.

What will I actually see hiking through Chicaque's forest?

Chicaque is a high Andean forest ecosystem, and the trail passes through dense woodland where you'll see abundant bird species, insects, rodents and layered vegetation. The route also includes Rock Pick, a viewpoint with a landscape view, and a high-altitude waterfall fed by mountain springs.

What's included in the tour price, and what costs extra?

Private transport from El Dorado Plaza, park entry fees and coffee or tea are included. Lunch at the restaurant-lodge costs extra, as does the optional jeep ride uphill if you choose it at the lodge.

What time does the tour start and how long does it take?

You meet at 6:30 am at El Dorado Plaza. The full tour takes 8 to 9 hours, including the hike down, the waterfall, rest time at the lodge and the climb back to the entrance.

Do I need to arrange my own way to the park, or is transport included?

Private transport is included. Your guide picks you up at El Dorado Plaza and drives you south through Soacha to the San Antonio rural area where Chicaque is located, then returns you to the starting point at the end of the day.