We got to Sopó excited, not knowing what to expect.
Getting to know the small town that we used to know only because of Alpina, a famous Colombian dairy and food company located there, Lala and I looked at the mountains that loom over Sopó looking for a tiny cross. There it was… and that was where we were going.
We took the shortest, steepest route and we couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculously steep the road was. Only a 4×4 could have gone up it, and on a bike, you would surely fall backwards. (There is an easier way to get to Pionono – see below for directions!)
After walking for about 2 hours, we reached the entrance of Pionono Park and we began the hike within the park. Once inside, we were pretty much already on top of the mountain, so the hike seemed easy and short in comparison to what we had already walked. We passed three beautiful lookouts: Cacique Sopó, Alto de las Aguilas and Valle de Sopó.
Sadly, the path to the cross was closed, and still is, because the path is really sketchy. Hopefully someday it will reopen, but at least every lookout has spectacular views.
Pionono was a great destination for a day trip, but I would have preferred to stay a night. Since it’s an ecological park, you feel like you’re in wild nature even though Sopó is about 600 meters below you.
Hiking down was much easier, although our knees wept (yeah, we took the steep way down again) and we laughed at how steep the path was the entire way down.
I’ll leave you with this thought that summarized the hike for me. At one of the lookouts, I gazed out at the grassy tropical plain and thought, “This savannah that raised me and that I take for granted… sure is beautiful!”
How to get to Pionono Park
*Note: You can find the map to get to Pionono Park at the bottom of this post!
Without a car:
Your adventure will begin at the North Portal (sounds like sci-fi, right?), which is the bus terminal in the north of Bogotá right on the main highway, or autopista. Get on a bus that says “Sopó” and tell the bus driver to stop in front of Sopó’s Hospital, which is right after Alpina. Tell him: “Pare en frente del Hospital de Sopó, después de Alpina” (good luck pronouncing that!)
From here you have three options (they’re on the map!):
- Take 6th street, which is the first left turn you can take after the round-about, in front of the Hospital. It turns left into 3rd street and, staying on that main road, you will get to Pionono Park. There are signs everywhere, so it’s hard to get lost. If you do get lost, just ask a local, “Como llego a Pionono?”
- The other option is even steeper (the one Lala and I took), but shorter. Instead of taking 6th street take 4th street, which is two blocks further from the round-about. Go up 4th street for about four blocks until you see an archway that says, “Santuario del Señor de la Piedra.”
- There, take a left. Follow this road, which curves to the right. A few meters later you have to pick between left (steep) and straight (steeper). Keep going straight, taking the steeper route. Be impressed.
- Follow this road for a while. It’s hard to get lost and you will eventually link with the main road, having completed the road less taken. There are signs everywhere, so you’ll arrive at Pionono Park without a problem
- Take a cab up to Pionono. These cabs drive down 6th street in front of the hospital (the first left turn you can take after the round-about). It costs $14,500 Colombian Pesos or $5 USD per trip, so if you take it with a group of 4 people, it’s nice and inexpensive.
In a car:
With Waze: look for “Parque Ecológico PIONONO Sopó” and follow the directions.
Without Waze:
- Leave Bogotá heading north on the main highway (Autopista) and stay on the main road for about 30 minutes. Pass El Corral on your left, and after 500 more meters (1,500 feet) take a right towards Sopó.
- Stay on this road until you get to a round-about and take the second exit.
- Right after Alpina’s parking lot, in front of a hospital, take a left on 6th street (it’s the first left turn you can take after the roundabout).
- Stay on this road until you get to Pionono. There are signs everywhere, so it’s hard to get lost. If you do get lost just ask a local, “Como llego a Pionono?”
Some things to know:
The park is open Wednesday to Sunday and Holidays from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
There is no parking at Pionono Park during the day, but you can park outside on the road. There are always park officials there during the day watching over the entrance and taking payments. If you’re camping, you can take your car inside all the way to the camping area from 5pm to 9am.
Camping per person per night: $24,600 Colombian Pesos or about $9 USD.
Entrance fee: $4,900 Colombian Pesos or about $2 USD.
Taxi up to Pionono Park: $14,500 Colombian Pesos or about $5 USD
What to do in Pionono Park:
- Go Paragliding: one kilometer before the Pionono Park entrance is a detour left through which you can get to Parapente Paraiso, one of the most well-known paragliding centers in Colombia. It’s easy to get to, they have comfortable facilities (restaurant, parking, etc.), and the view of the Tominé dam is spectacular.
- Go Camping: to really feel in the middle of nowhere, you have to camp. The climate is near-alpine, so it’s cold at night, but with a good jacket, I can just imagine the sunrises and sunsets. If you’re lucky, you might even get a beautiful starry night. Plus, Pionono Park’s camping infrastructure is prepared with bathrooms, water, and grill to make food… or a barbeque.
- Take a lot of Pictures: from every vantage point. The landscape is beautiful all around. If it’s cloudy, there are plants, insect, birds, and flowers that would love to pose for you. If you camp, you should have a camera ready to capture the sunset, sunrise, and stars. Yeah, you’re not gonna sleep much.
- Reward Yourself at Alpina: especially if you walked all the way to Pionono Park! Sopó is known for being Alpina’s center of operation. At the cabaña de Alpina (Alpina Cabin), which is right next to the Hospital I mentioned in the directions above, you can eat. A LOT. My recommendations are fresas con crema (strawberries and cream), the repollas (cream puffs), and, of course, some chocolate milk. There’s nothing like a yummy prize at the end of an adventure.
We hope this guide is helpful!
