San Antonio del Tequendama: Nature and Hiking Trails

Parque Natural Chicaque is located in the municipality of San Antonio del Tequendama. You can reach the park by car, public transportation, or the Expreso Chicaque; free parking is available. Before you travel, check the details of the transportation service and confirm the parking arrangements, as their terms may change.

Trails and activities in Parque Natural Chicaque

The park has more than 20 kilometers of ecological hiking trails of varying difficulty. The trails can be considered in terms of two features: the size of the network and its different difficulty levels. When choosing, the difficulty level is relevant alongside the distance to be covered. This distinguishes the total length of the trail network from the specific assessment of an individual trail.

One specifically named route is Sendero Colonial. A 2017 study gives its length as 2,300 meters; the trail runs from the park ticket office to the point known as “El Refugio.” This length refers to this individual trail, while the more than 20 kilometers refer to the entire trail network. The named endpoint adds a specific destination to the distance information.

The zipline in the park is 340 meters long and runs about 100 meters above the forest canopy. The two measurements describe different aspects: the first is the length of the route, while the second is the approximate height above the forest canopy. This clearly distinguishes the activity from a hiking trail. If you plan to include the zipline in your itinerary, confirm its current availability and terms before visiting.

Scenery and history in the municipality

Another scenic spot in the municipality is the natural viewpoint Pico del Águila. It lies at an elevation of 2,290 meters on the ridge of the Cordillera Oriental. The elevation describes the viewpoint’s location and should be distinguished from trail and zipline lengths, which are given in meters. Unlike the trail routes, Pico del Águila is defined by its elevation and position on the ridge. The measurements in the park are not directly comparable: route lengths, height above the forest canopy, and the viewpoint’s elevation refer to different quantities.

Laguna de Matoño is named after Manuel Antonio Escobar Lozano, the founder of Chicaque. Historically, some sections of Sendero Colonial were used by the Indigenous communities of the Panches and Muiscas. These references differ: the lagoon’s name refers to the founder, while the trail’s history is linked to the earlier use of certain sections.

More than 400 bird species are listed for Parque Natural Chicaque on eBird. The number of recorded species may change over time. For birdwatchers, this species list offers a different perspective alongside the trails and scenic spots: it concerns recorded bird species, while the other details describe distances, difficulty, and topographic location.

Discover more destinations: Bojaca, Simijacá, San Francisco, La Verbena, Sopó, Puerto Salgar, Casablanca, Medina

For the broader travel overview: Cundinamarca.