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Visit Iguaque National Sanctuary

Iguaque National Reserve

Explore a beautiful landscape of undulating Andean peaks, mist-shrouded páramo and mystical lakes.

The mist rolling over this empty wilderness of lakes and craggy hills lends an eerie beauty to the striking landscapes of Iguaque National Sanctuary. The highlight of a visit is the ascent to San Pedro de Iguaque lake at 3,000m, revered by the Muisca Indians as the sacred source of all the world's water.

Begin by following a trail through the subtropical cloud forest and out onto the open páramo, a high-altitude ecosystem typical of the lower reaches of the Andes. After passing an array of scenic vistas you'll arrive at the mystical lake, which ancient mythology also held to be the birthplace of Mother Earth.

The sanctuary is just 20km from the charming colonial town of Villa de Leyva, itself just a 3-4 hour drive from Bogotá, so it is pleasingly accessible.

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  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

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    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

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