Two of us went for the 8 hour Mountaintop Paramo Tour. The tour started with a drive out of Bogota and into the Sumapaz Paramo. Camillo (our guide) talked to us about the neighborhoods of Bogota we were passing through as well as the surrounding geography. It was excellent to learn from him during the car ride instead of passing in silence. We started our visit at a local guides home where we were treated to warm milk and arepas which helped prepare us for our trek! It was amazing to watch the vegetation change as we climbed the soft dirt trail through the cloud forest into the sub paramo and then the high elevation paramo. Camillo taught us English, Spanish, and Muisca words for the plants and explained their unique adaptations to the environment and any uses these plants might have to humans and their role in nature. Many of the plants I have never seen or only seen at a botanical garden. He was a very knowledgeable and made sure to point out a variety of plants from the large frailejon to tiny orchids hanging from trees. At high elevation we found ourselves inside the clouds which prevented a view of the high-altitude lagoons but provided an excuse to notice the little things- ear shaped lichens, a caterpillar, tiny flowers, before we headed back down the trail. Camillo made sure to keep the group together as we stopped for pictures and to make sure we kept our footing on the steep trail. Back at the house, we snacked on leftover arepas and hot aguapanela con limon from the host family, which helped warm us up from our chilly trip. On our way back into the city we learned more from Camillo about the neighborhoods, local graffiti, and additional natural areas to check out near Bogota. Overall great day and an excellent experience!
