Toubkal Trekking

Hike To Colombia Highest Waterfall from Bogota

Colombia is full of blockbuster scenery, but if you’re hankering for a high-country adventure complete with lush cloud forests, foggy cliffs, and the nation’s highest waterfall, strap on your hiking boots—La Chorrera beckons.

Wait, Colombia’s Highest What Now?

Yes, La Chorrera. At jaw-dropping 590 meters (that’s nearly 2,000 feet for the metric-challenged), this is Colombia’s highest waterfall, and it’s secretly located just about an hour and a half from Bogotá. How this defying-gravity water curtain hasn’t become a household name yet is one of life’s little mysteries. But hey, more peace and unspoiled nature for you.

Getting There: The Journey Begins with a Bumpy Ride

From Bogotá, take a bus or drive towards the picturesque country town of Choachí. Forget silky-smooth highways—this is a bumpy, winding, true Andean road with scenery so untamed you may lose your grip on reality while clinging to the armrest for dear life.

When you arrive at the park entrance, you pay a small admission fee, hear a brief introduction from a chatty local guide (perhaps accompanied by a dog named Max), and you’re off.

The Hike: Mud, Magic, and Moderate Effort

This isn’t Everest, but it’s no walk in the botanical garden, either. The climb is approximately 3.5 km in each direction, rather moderately except for a few deceptively uphill sections. If it has recently rained (and let’s be honest, it’s the Andes—it likely has), there will be mud. Beautiful, squelchy, boot-munching mud.

You will wander through dense cloud forest, walk over tiny wooden bridges, and experience more bird songs than a National Geographic sound collection. There is a resting place at El Chiflón before arriving at the main waterfall, a smaller but powerful cascade that plunges into a rock bowl with mist tickling your face like a teasing forest fairy.

The Big Reveal: La Chorrera in All Her Glory

After a final, slightly steeper ascent, the trees part—and there she is. La Chorrera isn’t loud or aggressive like some falls. She’s more elegant, tumbling in stages down the cliffside like a silken ribbon unraveling in slow motion. It’s the kind of view that makes even the most talkative hikers stop and go, “Whoa.”

You can’t swim here, but standing at the base and looking up is its own reward. Photos don’t do it justice, and no filter needed—Mother Nature already nailed the lighting.

Pro Tips from the Trail

• Bring snacks and water. There are no vending machines in the forest, shockingly.
• Wear hiking shoes. Your flip-flops from Cartagena won’t survive this mission.
• Go early. Clouds tend to roll in later in the day, and trust us—you want a clear view.
• Support local. Grab an empanada or hot chocolate from the little stands near the entrance.

A Day Trip Worth the Trek

Whether you’re a full-on nature nerd or just someone who likes a solid photo-op with less effort than Machu Picchu, this day trip from Bogotá delivers. It’s open, uncluttered, and wonderfully untamed. And you know, how many times can you utter, “Yeah, I climbed to Colombia’s highest waterfall today”?

Add it to your Bogotá schedule—you won’t regret it.