Sumapaz Paramo

Paramo is a high tropical ecosystem occurring above the treeline and below the snowline, almost entirely in the northern Andes, and Sumapaz is the largest single one anywhere - well over three hundred thousand hectares of frailejones, tussock grass, cushion plants, bogs and hundreds of small lakes at between roughly 3,500 and 4,300 metres. Its function is hydrological: the soils and vegetation absorb and slowly release water, and this paramo feeds rivers supplying Bogota and a large surrounding population, which is why paramo protection is a serious political matter in Colombia and why mining in these zones has been fought in the courts. Entry requires a permit. Part of the paramo lies within Bogota's own rural district. Nights fall well below freezing.

What you actually see

• The largest paramo in the world - over three hundred thousand hectares.
• Frailejones and hundreds of small lakes - between 3,500 and 4,300 metres.
• The water supply for Bogota - stored and released by the soil.
• A permit-controlled park - entry is not open.

When to go

December to March, the drier window. A full day.

Honest expectations

Entry requires a permit arranged in advance through the park authority. Weather is cold, wet and changeable with frost at night. There is no infrastructure. Altitude affects visitors from lower ground.

Nearby

Bogota is north; the Sumapaz river valley runs south.