I have been studying in Nueva Lengua (Bogota) for about five weeks now, and along with fantastic (and highly efficient) Spanish classes, the school offers various weekly activities and excursions for its students. One of the most amazing experiences I’ve had during this time was a Hiking excursion to the Páramo de Ocetá in Boyacá. I would never have considered myself much of a hiker, so the idea of climbing big mountains for two days was slightly frightening. But if you’re going to travel to Colombia, you need to do it all, and you need to be open to the immense beauty the country has to offer.

The trip began with our arrival in Mongui, a quaint little village in the mountains, approximately four hours driving from Bogotá. We all felt a very warm welcome from the community, and especially from our wonderful guides for the two hikes in which we would be participating. The tour of the city was both informative and enjoyable, as not only did we learn that Mongui is the center of production for Colombia’s soccer balls, and watch how the balls are made, but we also got to partake in the process by making miniature soccer balls to take home with us. We had an amazing lunch at our hotel, with a kitchen staff that was extremely accommodating to my diet restrictions (which, considering I am both vegetarian AND gluten-free, was no simple task). Our first day ended with a two-hour hike up a mountain to watch the sunset, and some warm drinks with bread and cheese upon our return to Mongui. All of this, however, was nothing compared to the six-hour hike through the páramo that awaited us the next day.

After having spent any significant amount of time in Bogotá, you have an unprecedented appreciation for both silence and air that isn’t polluted with car exhaust and cigarette smoke. And while Bogotá forever has a special place in my heart, there is absolutely nothing like feeling the crisp morning air in the mountains, and the peacefulness of hearing nothing but the birds around you. This was the start to our morning in the paramo. As we climbed, our guide would intermittently stop to explain the significance of various flora, fauna, and even rock formations in the gorgeous natural scenery around us. Before our decent back down the mountain, we enjoyed a lunch break with an extraordinary view from the top, looking down at the laguna. After returning to the hotel to gather our things and change our wet socks, we started our drive home.

The trip was fabulous, and while I still know that I have no future as a professional hiker, I have a much better understanding of (literally) persevering through the climb—even if you struggle—because there’s nothing like the view from the top of the mountain.

This article was originally written in English