Canon del Combeima

The Combeima river cuts down from the Nevado del Tolima and the road follows it up from Ibague through Villa Restrepo to Juntas, where the vehicle route effectively ends and the trail towards the mountain begins - the standard approach to the Nevado del Tolima and its glacier, which takes two to three days with guides and requires ice equipment for the summit. The gorge is steep and heavily settled along the bottom, with coffee and small farms on the slopes, and it has a serious landslide record: heavy rain has repeatedly brought debris flows down onto the road and the villages, with deaths, and the route closes for it. The glacier itself is retreating rapidly and has lost most of its area within living memory.

What you actually see

• A gorge road from Ibague to Juntas - where the vehicle route ends.
• The approach to Nevado del Tolima - two to three days with guides.
• A serious landslide history - debris flows onto road and villages.
• A rapidly retreating glacier - much diminished within living memory.

When to go

December to March. A full day for the gorge, several for the mountain.

Honest expectations

Landslides close the road, sometimes with little warning, and have killed people. The summit is a glacier climb requiring equipment and guides, not a walk. Cloud hides the mountain most days. The gorge road is narrow and busy.

Nearby

Ibague is below; Los Nevados runs north.