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Los Nevados: Snow Volcanoes Above the Coffee Region

The Los Nevados National Natural Park — accessible from Armenia, Pereira, and Manizales — has four active snow-capped volcanoes above 5,000m; the páramo ecosystem, the glaciers, and the volcanic landscape above the coffee zone create an extraordinary altitudinal contrast

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1
Nevado del Ruiz Volcano
Nevado del Ruiz—the most active of the Los Nevados volcanoes—catastrophically erupted in 1985, causing a lahar that buried the town of Armero and killed 23,000 people; the volcano is still active and continuously monitored; the 5,321 m peak is accessible to hikers
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Páramo Ecosystem
The páramo - the high-altitude Andean grassland above 3,500 m - is dominated by frailejón (Espeletia) plants that grow only centimeters a year; The páramo's extraordinary water-holding capacity, eerie landscape and endemic wildlife make it a unique Andean environment
3
Summit hike to Ruiz Crater
The guided hike to the Nevado del Ruiz crater rim - through páramo, volcanic rock and glacier - is one of Colombia's most dramatic mountain experiences; the view from the snow-capped peak over the coffee region far below is outstanding
4
Hot springs at Termales del Ruiz
The hot springs at Termales del Ruiz - at 3,500m, near the entrance to the park - are heated by the volcanic heat below; soaking in the warm pools surrounded by páramo vegetation and with the glacier visible above is one of Colombia's most surreal experiences
5
Nevado de Santa Isabel
Nevado de Santa Isabel - the smallest of the glaciated volcanoes of Los Nevados - is the most accessible to hikers from Armenia and Manizales; its peak at 4,965 m and the trail through the upper páramo is outstanding
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Glacier Retreat Documentation
The glaciers of Los Nevados have retreated dramatically - the Ruiz Glacier has lost 50% of its mass since 1850 and is expected to disappear within decades; the park has become an important place to document and communicate the reality of tropical glacier loss