If you’ve read our blogs before, you know we prefer doing things on our own. We’re also aware it’s not always possible, and summiting Nevado Santa Isabel is one of those times. I wrote this blog to give you information, from our experience, on how to summit Nevado Santa Isabel – all the way from getting ready, to finding a good guide, to reaching the peak. (Check out our video at the end of this post!)
How to get to Nevado Santa Isabel
Fly or drive to Pereira or Manizales, the two closest cities.
From there, your driver and guide will take care of everything else. The road in Parque los Nevados is absolutely terrible for about 3 hours, so you need a hardcore 4×4 to get to the hike. Entrance to the national park is restricted to certified guiding agencies only.
Guide Services
A quick Google search will get you a myriad of contacts for guide companies ranging from 600,000 to 800,000 Colombian pesos per person (USD 150 to 200).
We chose Montañas Colombianas. It worked out perfectly and, to our surprise, they were on time for eveything, which is saying a lot in Colombia. They’re on the more expensive side, but it was worth it. There’s a saying in Colombia: “Lo barato sale caro” or “cheap now, costly later,” but actually more like “you get what you pay for.” That’s definitely the case with Montañas de Colombia.
Two things to keep in mind: the more people you go with, the less it’ll cost. We went with 2 others, and we loved that group size of 4. It made it a little more affordable, and it’s a good group size for some bonding over an adventure. Then, all that’s left is to choose a date. The season with the least rain is December through March, but there may be no snow on the way up to the glacier (since no rain = no snow). We got extremely lucky and got a perfect day with LOTS of snow on the summit while we hiked up to it. Once we got to the snow line, the sky was blue and it was the perfect day. I’ll link the video below if you want to watch it!
Our training to summit the mountain
We trained very informally for this hike because, truly, anyone can do it. Still, we wanted to be over prepared. This hike actually gets you to a nice elevation, to the point where you could get mild altitude sickness. So, to lower the possibility of that happening, we went on some hikes in Bogota. I think it also helped that facemasks were mandatory at the time, so we also had restricted oxygen!
Living in Bogota will help you train for hiking Nevado Santa Isabel, since you’re already starting at a high elevation. You can go enjoy some hikes, such as Monserrate, Quebrada la Vieja, Matarredonda or La Valvanera in Chia. All of those are links you can click to find out how to get there!
What gear do you need?
This is a part that got a little expensive for us. You do need some proper gear for this hike, as it’s kind of technical, quite steep and the weather is ever-changing. Getting water-proof clothes is super important, mostly because if you get wet you may have to turn back due to the cold and possible hypothermia. You don’t want your clothes to hold you back from summiting Nevado Santa Isabel!
We decided to buy the minimum gear we needed because it’s high quality stuff that we’re going to use in our lives and is probably going to last a long time. It’s already paid off, so it was a worthwhile investment! We bought Quechua products from Decathlon because they have a wide range of prices for beginner to pro gear, and it’s all good.
Gear we bought to hike Nevado Santa Isabel:
- Waterproof Jacket
- Waterproof Pants
- Waterproof Boots
- Waterproof Gloves
- Fleece sweater (dries quickly)
- Quick-drying shirt
Gear we didn’t buy because we had or borrowed it:
- 30-40L backpack, waterbottle, sun lotion, head lamps, sun glasses (UV 400 filter), dry bags.
Recommended gear we didn’t actually use:
- Fleece hat, first aid kit with thermal blanket, wool socks.
There’s also some gear you really shouldn’t buy because its only for hiking in the snow or technical ice climbing, and there’s not a lot of that in Colombia. Make sure your guide service includes the following gear in their price:
- Crampons
- Helmet
- Gaiters
- Ice axes (piolets)
- Trekking poles
Where to Stay
This is another thing you don’t have to worry about. You also won’t be camping or anything, since this is a one-day hike. Hidden in a location only the gnarliest of 4×4’s can reach is a gorgeous hostel. It’s called Refugio el Cisne and it has warm water and WiFi. It only has space heaters, and they’re on a schedule, so it is pretty cold. But it’s gorgeous and the beds and blankets are SO warm. A huge plus is that the meals are big and absolutely delicious. This is where you’ll stay after the first acclimation hike for one night before getting up at 1 a.m. for your summit attempt.
How to summit Nevado Santa Isabel
For those of you who, like me, like knowing what you’re getting into in detail, this is what your 2-day trip might look like based on our experience:
- Day 1, 5 a.m.: the 4×4 picks you up from Pereira or Manizales (or Santa Rosa de Cabal, but you can’t get here directly on a plane) for a bumpy 5-6 hour ride into the mountains. The ride includes a delicious breakfast stop.
- 11 a.m.: acclimation hike to Laguna Verde. The idea is for you to get used to the altitude (over 4,000 meters or 13,000 feet) and for the guide to see how well off you are to set the pace for the following day. The hike is gorgeous.
- 4 p.m.: lunch at the hostel
- 5 p.m.: equipment and safety workshop on how to put on and use crampons, ice axe and gaiters.
- 6:30 p.m.: dinner
- 8 p.m.: well-deserved bedtime
- Day 2, 1 a.m.: wake up time and final preparation.
- 1:30 a.m.: quick breakfast and get into the 4×4 to the trailhead
- 3 a.m.: the hike begins (ideal time to summit is 6 hours, and then 3 back down, which is about what it looked like for us).
- 6 a.m.: sunrise and a view of Nevado del Ruiz.
- 8 a.m.: arrival at the snow line and putting on your ice climbing gear for the final push to the summit!
- 9 a.m.: summit!
- 12 noon: back at the trailhead for some food, celebration and the road back to Pereira or Manizales.
- ** For an additional price, you can stop by the hot springs close to Santa Rosa de Cabal, but you have to book that ahead of time.
Watch this video of our experience – it was truly one of the best times of our lives! Now you know how to summit Nevado Santa Isabel, I hope you do it!
