2-Day Otún Lagoon High-Mountain Crossing: Potosí to El Cedral

“We don’t operate conventional hikes. We design treks where experience, safety, and respect for the mountains are paramount.”

The Potosí – Laguna del Otún – El Cedral Traverse is a high-altitude experience designed for those seeking a short but intense immersion in the most impressive ecosystems of Los Nevados National Natural Park.

The trek begins in the Potosí sector, accessible by 4×4 vehicle via a mountain route that allows for a gradual gain in altitude. From the outset, the traverse offers breathtaking scenery, most notably the passage by Laguna del Otún, one of the park’s most important bodies of water and a key water regulator for the region.
Along the route, you will cross extensive páramo grasslands dominated by frailejones (Espeletia plants), high-altitude wetlands, and open trails with panoramic views of glacial formations and mountain ranges. The terrain combines rolling hills, humid areas, and zones exposed to variable weather conditions, including wind, fog, and low temperatures.

The main day involves a long-distance hike of approximately 19 km, with considerable physical exertion, ending at Refugio Jordán, a strategic point in the middle of the páramo (high-altitude Andean moorland) that allows for rest in an isolated environment of great natural value.
The second leg of the trek continues with a gradual descent, crossing ecological transition zones from the páramo to the high Andean forest, passing through areas such as La Pastora, until reaching the El Cedral Reserve, where the experience ends and participants depart in a 4×4 vehicle for Pereira.
This trek is designed according to responsible operating criteria, with small groups, mountain pace management, and a focus on safety. It is a demanding experience that requires good physical condition and offers as a reward a direct connection with one of the most strategic and least disturbed ecosystems in the Colombian Andes.