Los Nevados National Natural Park

Parques Nacionales Naturales De Colombia, National Natural Park (1974). Contains Nevado Del Ruiz (5,321 M), The Active Volcano Whose 1985 Eruption Destroyed Armero, Plus The Santa Isabel And Tolima Snow Peaks And Paramo Lakes. · Manizales, Caldas

Los Nevados is a high-Andes park on the Central Cordillera above Manizales, where the land rises through cloud forest into frailejon paramo and then bare rock and ice. Its centrepiece is Nevado del Ruiz, a snow-capped volcano of about 5,320 metres whose 1985 eruption buried Armero and killed more than 20,000 people. The volcano is active, so access to the upper slopes and crater depends on an alert level set by the authorities and can change at short notice. Even when the summit is closed, the park still offers the road to El Cisne and the Valle de las Tumbas, cold lakes such as Laguna Verde, and the neighbouring peaks of Santa Isabel and Tolima for experienced trekkers. Altitude is the real challenge: above 4,000 metres the air is thin, the wind is cold and clouds roll in by midday. Go with a licensed operator from Manizales, start early and spend a day at altitude first, such as in Manizales or Salento. Bring warm layers even if the town below is mild, since the weather at the top can turn within minutes.

High-Andes volcano park above Manizales, entered by road to the El Cisne area and the Nevado del Ruiz viewpoint, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia

The park generally opens in the early morning and closes in the afternoon, with last entry well before dusk; the exact schedule varies by sector, season and volcanic status. Access to Nevado del Ruiz may be closed entirely when the alert is raised, and trekking to Santa Isabel and Tolima has its own permit and weather limits. Always confirm opening and the current alert with Parques Nacionales, the operator or local news before travelling.

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