One of my days in southern Colombia was spent along the shores of Laguna La Concha, the second-largest body of inland water in the country. Legend has it that the lake was formed when an Indigenous princess spilled a cup that caused the entire valley to flood. Whatever the situation, it’s undeniably beautiful.
Accessed by winding mountain roads from Pasto, the journey takes around 30-45 minutes. The region is popular for farm stays and my group had a chance to stop by one to have coffee and snacks with locals. The scenery took on an almost Alpine look as the clouds settled among the mountains.
Our guide took us into El Encano, a town along the canals that flow into the lake lined with A-frame cabins and colorful boats that take travelers around. It’s connected by a series of bridges and most of the cabins are either rentals for visitors or are coffee shops, restaurants, and souvenir shops with thick wool sweaters and scarves.
We popped into Cafe Camino del Viento to sip on coffee to warm up, where I bought a few bags to take home as souvenirs. The group hopped into the boats we’d snapped dozens of photos of, which took us to the island in the middle of the lake: Isla Corota.
Isla Corota is the smallest national park in Colombia and was established as a park in 1977. It’s an important place for the Indigenous people of the nation and is only open on specific days, including religious holidays when pilgrims flock to the chapel.
The island also has hiking trails, where you might spot the spectacled bear, the inspiration for Paddington Bear. The park was closed during our visit, apart from the chapel, but you will typically be charged a fee to visit.
Want to know more about Isla Corota? Read the story I wrote about it for Thrillist.
The rain started as soon as we went back to our boat and we had a short but soggy ride to the other side of the lake for lunch at Hotel Sindamanoy Laguna de La Cocha, the main hotel in the area that has a mountain lodge feel. The warmed up over a hot meal and the views of the lake below.
If You Go
Laguna La Concha is accessible by taxi or bus from Pasto into the village of El Encano. To reach the national park, you’ll have to hire one of the “lancha” boats, which should cost around $4 USD. There are a handful of hotels and guest houses in the area if you want to stay longer.
Leave a Reply