The Andes region has by far the biggest offer when it comes to outdoor and adventurous activities. Of course we have the Andes Range with high mountains going from south to north, and the glaciers in Los Nevados, Cocuy, and Huila, which give excellent opportunities to do trekking, climbing, or rock climbing. Then there are the many rivers you find everywhere which are suitable for rafting, kayaking, or tubing. Other activities that are very common and popular in the Andes Region are horse-riding and parasailing (paragliding). And last but not least, the many options for biking. In the Andes you can find some very nice road bike routes, and when it comes to mountain biking, the options are even better. All these adventures come together with nature. Going from tropical climate in the valleys to the paramo in the high Andes, you find all the possible ecosystems, some of them protected as National Park or Nature Reserve.
When it comes to outdoor activities, San Gil and its surroundings are probably the best places in Colombia. It offers everything you need, including wild water rafting on different rivers with different levels of difficulty. Also considered the best paragliding is done close to San Gil at the Chicamocha Canyon.
Biking is very common in Colombia, and especially in the Andes Region. Highlight is definitely riding a bike through the mountains, offering great scenery while enjoying the ride, the nature, and the little villages we pass on the way. Some of the best spots for riding can be found in the Coffee Region or in Santander.
The Andes mountain range has numerous high altitude mountains for hiking and climbing. Although the best places are Los Nevados National Park, which offers in addition to hiking three glaciers - Tolima, Santa Isabel and Ruiz - and Cocuy National Park. The last one has more than 20 snow-capped peaks, although nowadays you can only do one-day treks in the park, and climb up to the snow line.
The Coffee Region is probably the best choice if you want to spend a short family vacation with nature and activities. This is because it has all the climate zones and possible activities at a reasonable distance. So it is possible to have all kinds of experiences without traveling too much.
Colombia is a birding paradise. More and more birdwatchers from all over the world are visiting Colombia, and in the Andean region the options are limitless. There are a large number of nature and bird reserves - some of them named after endemic species - as well as National Parks.
