El Huerto Natural Reserve

Peña Negra is a tiny hamlet within Cachipay, a town famed for its railroad history and long appeal to travelers. Both offer lush mountains and a pleasant 18–25°C climate year-round.

Directions: ~1.5 hours from Bogotá by car, via well-maintained mountain roads.

Nearby amenities: Local markets, cafés, traditional restaurants, and trail access points within a short drive.

History: Cachipay is known for its historic railroad that brought visitors for decades, and the area retains deep coffee-growing roots.

Safety: Generally calm; follow normal travel precautions.

Weather: Mild year-round; occasional afternoon showers.

Native flora: Shade-grown coffee, fragrant orchids, towering guadua bamboo and bright heliconias flourish in the rich Andean soil.

Fruit trees: Mango, orange and tangerine trees dot the grounds, ready to pick fresh when in season.

Local fauna: Listen for toucans and emerald tanagers at dawn, watch iridescent morpho butterflies dancing over the garden, and spot playful squirrels in the trees.

Natural features: The Río Apulo winds through nearby valleys, feeding cool streams and misty cloud forests that blanket the surrounding mountains.

Natural reserve: El Huerto is part of a private reserva natural at about 1,400 m above sea level, preserving coffee groves and secondary cloud forest.

Cundinamarca biodiversity: The department shelters over 600 bird species and more than 2,000 native plants across ecosystems from the Magdalena Valley to high páramo peaks.

Conservation: These cloud forests capture water for Bogotá and provide refuge for pollinators and endangered wildlife.