The Ruta Chingaza in seven stages

Collection by Lael

Tours

42:57 h

265 mi

36,000 ft

The Ruta Chingaza is a week-long bikepacking loop that starts and ends in Bogotá, the capital of Colombia.The route, created by a team from Bikepacking.com and Conservation International, leads you through some of the area’s most spectacular landscapes, including the high altitude cloud forests and endangered páramos that provide 70 percent of Bogotá’s fresh water supply.The highlight of the route is the breathtakingly beautiful Chingaza National Park, which was previously inaccessible to cyclists. We spent six weeks scouting this route and I've personally ridden it three times-- twice touring and once to set the FKT. It's a wonderful and challenging experience at any pace with such diverse terrain and plenty of resupply to keep logistics fairly easy. Cycling is the most popular sport in Colombia and it's truly special to ride with the locals.Find the official route guide on BIKEPACKING.com:
visit bikepacking.com/routes/ruta-chingazaAlso, note that this route is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, particularly the segment through Chingaza National Park, which is closed to cycling at this moment. The park anticipates being able to begin facilitating cycling experiences (including bikepacking) by sometime in 2021. Check the route guide at bikepacking.com for updates.

On The Map

Tours & Highlights

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 1: Bogota to Zipaquira — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
07:00
55.6 mi
7.9 mph
4,750 ft
4,675 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Starting at the Parque Nacional Enrique Olaya Herrara, the first day starts out with a 19 kilometer paved climb up the Bogotá-Choachi road known as El Verjon.

This road is cycled regularly, but there have also been reports of bike theft along the roadway during non-peak hours. Leave early in the day…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 2: Zipaquira to Buenavista — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
09:10
60.0 mi
6.5 mph
5,875 ft
3,500 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
You’ll have a paved climb next, before the route changes to gravel roads that lead to Laguna Guatavita, one of the many sacred lakes for the Muisca people and the basis for the Legend of El Dorado. If you are interested, add a day, camp nearby, and have a tour. There's also a restaurant nearby and vendors…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 3: Buenavista to Chingaza — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
04:21
26.1 mi
6.0 mph
3,000 ft
3,950 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
It’s best to get an early start on this third day to ensure that you’ll have plenty of time to take scenic breaks in Chingaza and still make it to the campsite before the 4pm deadline.

There’s a hefty climb to get to the park entry. The roads are beautiful and chunky, so take your time and use caution…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 4: Chingaza to San Juanito — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
04:12
26.7 mi
6.4 mph
3,025 ft
6,675 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
On day four, your second day cycling through the national park, the incredible scenery continues as you work your way toward Laguna Chingaza, the park's namesake and one of the Muisca’s most sacred lakes.

As long as the weather is clear, the skyline is dominated by the massive ~4,000-meter peaks that…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 5: San Juanito to San Francisco — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
05:57
30.8 mi
5.2 mph
5,875 ft
5,025 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Leaving San Juanito, the most challenging (but rewarding) part of the route begins. The road parallels Cañón del río Guatiquía, an incredible, remote, and cloud-forested canyon cut by el río Guatiquía. The doubletrack jeep road is chunky, steep, narrow, and, at times, quite challenging. There are also…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 6: San Francisco to Fomeque — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
05:44
29.3 mi
5.1 mph
6,350 ft
7,350 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The next morning we had a hearty breakfast at a small restaurant and carried on with a steep climb and more incredible dirt roads with fantastic scenery.

Three significant climbs mark this penultimate day. The track continues through cloud forest and eventually climbs to a pass that marks the border crossing…
by Lael
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Day 7: Fomeque to Altos Patios — Ruta Chingaza
Expert
06:32
36.5 mi
5.6 mph
7,175 ft
3,525 ft
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The final day is a huge push. Leaving Fómeque, the ride starts with a fast descent and a gradual paved climb into Choachí. Be sure to stop for a coffee and snack before the even bigger climb starts.

The 6,600 feet of climbing may sound intimidating, but is actually more manageable than we predicted. The…
by Lael
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