WEATHER CONDITIONS & BILINGUALISM
It is necessary to be properly prepared for the weather conditions of the destination which are detailed below, but as this is an approximation, please note that they may vary. Also, keep in mind that it is difficult to find bilingual staff or people at the destination.
Chingaza National Park:
Temp. Min: 6ºC Max: 14ºC, humid climate / (3.000-3.750 m.a.s.l.)
You can have a bilingual guide and locals do not speak English.
ATM´S
It is advisable to carry cash for extra expenses during the trip since access to ATMs and dataphones at the desert are non-existent and the last place to withdraw money is the town of La Calera.
PHONE SIGNAL & WIFI
You will visit a destination where there is no phone and internet signal after you leave the towns and enter the protected area.
The accommodation offers Wi-Fi with decent connectivity, although the signal may not always be the best.
TIPPING
Tipping is not mandatory, but if you consider you can tip the guides and/or other staff with an amount from 20.000 to 50.000 COP (5 to 12 USD approx.) per day of service.
SEASONS
- The dry season in Colombia ranges from Mid-November till March, in this period of the year you can expect to have easier hikes and less rain in general.
- The river levels will be lower and you can expect less mud and drier trails.
- Getting by car to off the road paths will be easier, making the transportation times shorter to those spots in very rural areas.
- Migratory birds might be easier to spot during the dry season.
- The rainy season starts in April and ends in mid-November, being May and October the rainiest months in Colombia and from June to September a softer rainy period.
- In the rainy season you can expect to see the lagoons and rivers with high levels and more imposing, with a greener vegetation.
- From October to November, the yellow flowers of the “frailejones” (endemic plants) bloom making a sunflower-like effect that attracts special birds such as the beautiful Green-bearded helmetcrest (Oxypogon guerinii).