Cundinamarca: Discover Nature and Culture

Cundinamarca offers different thematic perspectives for a trip: the natural environment of Chingaza National Natural Park and the cultural landmark of the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá. Chingaza is a refuge for the wildlife and plant life of the Andes. The cathedral is known as the “First Wonder of Colombia.” Nature and culture give this travel overview different focal points.

Hiking Trails and Getting to Chingaza

Chingaza National Natural Park extends across municipalities in Cundinamarca. The park has seven hiking trails:

• De los Sentidos
• Suasie
• Laguna Seca
• Plantas del Camino-Laguna de Chingaza
• Lagunas de Siecha
• Cuchillas de Siecha
• Lagunas de Buitrago

The trail names offer different points of reference: Plantas del Camino-Laguna de Chingaza refers to plants and the Laguna de Chingaza; Lagunas de Siecha and Lagunas de Buitrago include lagoons in their names. Suasie and Cuchillas de Siecha are other distinct trail names. De los Sentidos is marked as accessible. Check the park’s current visitor conditions before your visit, as they may change.

Getting there also requires some planning: there are no public transport routes to Chingaza National Natural Park. Access is possible only in a private or rental vehicle, such as a car, bus, minibus, or van. Plan your transport accordingly, and check the route again before your trip.

Habitats and Ramsar Protection

Páramos are most commonly found in the western part of Chingaza National Natural Park, followed by Andean and high-Andean forests. This description applies to the western part of the park. It adds a landscape perspective to the trail names and helps distinguish specific trail names from descriptions of habitats.

The Sistema Lacustre de Chingaza is also part of the park: 4,058 hectares are under Ramsar protection, and the area is included on the List of Wetlands of International Importance. Its importance as a habitat for waterbirds is especially emphasized. It was designated by Decree No. 233 of 2008. Thus, the trails, ecosystems, and protection of the wetland describe different aspects of the natural environment.

Broader Nature and Route Connections

Another nature destination in Colombia’s wider travel region is Sumapaz National Natural Park. It covers 210,739 hectares and extends across municipalities in Cundinamarca and Meta, as well as areas of Bogotá’s Capital District. Its páramo and Andean forest ecosystems provide habitats for diverse wildlife and plant life. While Chingaza is presented, among other things, through specific trail names and a description of the park’s western section, Sumapaz is defined by its large area, administrative reach, and habitats.

A regional route description, published on April 3, 2026, describes the Ruta del Agua as connecting municipalities in Cundinamarca, including Guasca, Guatavita, and Gachalá. This adds a cross-municipal perspective that differs from the hiking trails of a single protected area. For travel planning, named municipalities and protected areas thus serve as different points of reference.

Culture in Zipaquirá

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is located in Zipaquirá, Cundinamarca, and is known as the “First Wonder of Colombia.” This is the established description of the cathedral. It adds a cultural landmark in a named location to the nature themes of Chingaza and the broader Sumapaz region. The thematic overview thus ranges from hiking trails and wetlands to páramo and forest ecosystems and a cultural destination.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Suesca, Vergara, Sesquilé, Villeta, Guasca, Chocontá, Pacho, Girardot, Medina, El Colegio, Cachipay, Fusagasuga, Cota, La Vega, Cogua, Chipaque, Nocaima, San Francisco, Cucunuba, Guatavita, Silvania, Apulo, Polinesia, Ricaurte, Tocancipa, Zipaquirá, Anapoima, Tabio, Chia, San Bernardo, La Florida, Cabrera, La Palma, El Boqueron, Susa, Mosquera, Briceño, Soacha, Occidental, La Calera, Cajicá, La Mesa, Facatativa, Tocaima, Llano Del Pozo, Ubate, Subachoque, Tobia, Guaduas, El Peñón, Aposentos, Puerto Salgar, Hato Viejo, La Concepcion, Choachí, Bojaca, Fomeque, Utica, Flandes, Sopó, Cumaca, Santandercito, La Cabana, Casablanca, Sasaima, Marsella, Quebradanegra, Pantano Redondo, El Potrero, Las Ceibas, Anolaima, Tenjo, Camargo, Zipacón, El Ocaso, Balastera, San Antonio del Tequendama, Agua de Dios, Simijacá, La Verbena, La Horqueta, Guayabal de Síquima.

For the broader travel overview: Colombia.