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Los Nevados Provincial Park adventures

Los Nevados Provincial Park Adventures

Los Nevados Provincial Park is a high-altitude nature reserve in Colombia’s Central Andes, celebrated for its snow-capped volcanoes, páramo ecosystems, and diverse wildlife, offering adventurous hiking and breathtaking mountain scenery.

111,756 acres (45,200 hectares)
Acres Protected
Approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers)
Miles of Trails
Around 50,000
Annual Visitors
1974
Year Established

About Los Nevados Provincial Park

 

Los Nevados Provincial Park, located in the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes, spans across the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, and Tolima. Established in 1974, the park protects an area of volcanic peaks, glaciers, and páramo grasslands that represent some of the most iconic Andean landscapes. The park’s centerpiece is the snow-capped Nevado del Ruiz volcano, which rises to 5,321 meters (17,457 feet), along with other notable summits such as Nevado Santa Isabel, Nevado del Tolima, and Nevado del Quindío. The park’s unique alpine ecosystem includes high-altitude wetlands, frailejones plants endemic to the páramo, and rich biodiversity including spectacled bears, Andean condors, and various endemic amphibians and birds. Visitors come to Los Nevados for trekking, mountaineering, and wildlife spotting, with numerous trails leading to volcanic craters, hot springs, and panoramic viewpoints. The park is culturally significant, inhabited historically by indigenous communities, and it plays a key role in water conservation as the páramo acts as a natural water reservoir for surrounding cities. With its dramatic landscapes, Los Nevados is a premier destination for adventure tourism in Colombia, attracting visitors year-round for hiking in its unique high-mountain environment and experiencing the rare snow-capped peaks of the tropics.

Highlights

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Nevado del Ruiz volcano summit and crater, with stunning volcanic landscapes

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Unique páramo ecosystem featuring endemic frailejón plants and high-altitude wetlands

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Wildlife sightings including the endangered spectacled bear and Andean condor

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Thermal hot springs near Santa Rosa de Cabal providing relaxing natural spas

Notable Natural Features

Nevado del Ruiz

An active stratovolcano featuring a snow-covered summit and a volcanic crater lake, famous for its 1985 eruption.

Páramo Ecosystem

High-altitude ecosystem characterized by unique flora such as frailejones plants, crucial for water regulation in the Andes.

Thermal Springs of Santa Rosa de Cabal

Natural hot springs outside the park offering geothermal baths fed by volcanic activity.