Cascada La Chorrera Colombia

Cascada La Chorrera Colombia is the country’s highest waterfall  a descent of 590 metres, though the water skips over 7 steps. It is very accessible from Bogotá and makes an excellent day trip, though you might want to spend time in this beautiful area around the farming town of Choachi. It is easy to reach by public transport and you can actually see the falls from the Bogotá – Choachi road. To get close up, though, you need to hike three to four hours round trip in the Parque Adventura La Chorrera , which also offers camping, rock climbing and horse treks etc.

For similar posts see:
– Bogotá: day trip to Ciudad Bolivar
– Bogota: walking up to Monserrate

The hike goes through rich Andean cloud-forest, green and dripping and yes, there will be clouds and maybe some rain. The weather here is unpredictable (and often different from Bogotá on the other side of the mountain) but usually the mist lifts in the late morning giving stunning views of the escarpment on the eastern side of the Cordillera Oriental. The rivers here flow east to the Llanos and the Orinico River, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

Apart from the views, this area is a fine example of Colombian Andean life, more remarkable for being so close to the mega-city capital, and you will catch glimpses of campesino life. The Parque Adventura also forms part the regions cultural heritage, being an association owned and operated by 12 local families that have set up an excellent and good-value tourist operation. If you are a serious hiker and backwoods person you will find the La Chorrera trail very easy and way too over-organised. On the plus side, the Parque Adventura is preserving the ecology of the area and making the waterfall accessible to visitors from Bogotá who rarely visit the countryside. I would say that the La Chorrera hike is a must for any visitor to Colombia so don’t miss it.

Let’s get down to brass tacks.

The walk – the steepest part of the walk is probably the 500 metres from the car park to the park entrance. At the entrance you will buy your entrance tickets and watch an ‘orientation’ video. You don’t need a guide for the walk as it is well marked and there are park staff at key points to give a chat on the ecology and history of the area.  In many places the the hike follows the old 1800s Villavencia to Bogotá mule trail, or the Camino Real – Royal Road – and the original stone slabs and steps are still in place.  The route passes some limestone cliffs, a reminder that this part of the Andes is an ancient seabed raised up and buckled by plate tectonics. Even more amazing is the the verdant cloud forest with 50 shades of green mosses, lichens, fern and native trees, somewhere in which are chirping birds and probably animals. On the way you will pass a smaller 50m waterfall, El Chiflón (‘the draught’) where some people do organised abseiling. Later you will pass close to the base of the much higher La Chorrera, but it is best viewed from a distance (there are several places along the route where you can admire its full height, clouds permitting). There is a loop trail between El Chiflon and La Chorrera, but after that you will be returning on the same path.

When to go: avoid Sundays and bank holidays when up to 700 people make the hike.

Getting there

By car – take the Choachi road out of Bogotá (take the marked exit from the Circunvalar just south of Monserrate). At kilometre 27 you will see a  turning to the left marked ‘Cascada La Chorrera’. Follow this dirt road for another few kilometres, there are various turn-off to other villages but La Chorrera is clearly signed. After 15 minutes you will arrive at a car park in a field to the right ($5000 for the day). From here it is a 500 metre walk to the Parque Adventura La Chorrera (if you have a 4×4 you might want to drive this extra bit).

By bus – in Bogotáminibuses leave regularly for Choachi from the small bus station at Carrera 14 and Calle 6 (by the Tercer Milenio park and Transmilenio station). These cost US$3 and are hop-on-hop-off buses so you can flag them down or get down anywhere along the route. Tell the driver you are going to La Chorrera and he will drop you off at the turnoff. From the turn-off to the park entrance is at least an hour’s fast walk, but you can maybe hitch a ride (some payment might be expected) or wait for a rural car that serves the area.

By organised tour – companies like BogoTravel Tours  and DestinoBogota can organise all-included trips for a day or longer, check TripAdvisor for others.

What to bring – rain wear/sun protection, good hiking boots for the slippery rocky/muddy trail. The valley is generally a bit lower and warmer than Bogotá.

Food and drink: there are snacks, coffee and bottled water available at the Parque entrance and the El Chiflon cascada.

Entrance fee: $12,000 per person, kids pay too