At the foot of the Galeras Volcano is the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, its cliffs are excellent for the practice of extreme sports, mountaineering, paragliding and mountain biking.
Part of the sanctuary is located in a High Volcanic Threat Zone (Zona de Amenaza Volcánica Alta – ZAVA), as it is part of a volcanic complex.
The richness of the Galeras Sanctuary is reflected in the great variety of flora and fauna species in the páramo, high Andean forest, and Andean forest ecosystems. It also has lagoons and different water sources that supply the local aqueducts.
Have you ever dreamt to come close to the most active crater volcano in South America? in Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary you can do it and discover much more!
Discovering Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary
This sanctuary is located in southwestern part of Colombia, in the department of Nariño, and covers an area of 76.15 km².
The Sanctuary’s Role as a Water Supplier
In the Galeras Volcano Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, there is a hydrographic star that gives rise to about 125 streams, several rivers and four lagoons: Negra, Verde, Telpis and Mejía, and numerous ponds such as La Blanca, Sumatambo and La Trucha, which benefit the community of the seven municipalities that surround the park.
The 40 villages surrounding the sanctuary, local communities carry out different productive activities and depend on the water provided by the sanctuary. For this reason, they are committed to the sanctuary’s conservation and work together with National Parks to maintain it.
Moreover, because the sanctuary is located between Nariño’s two main watersheds: the Guáitara and Juanambú, protecting the páramo is vital for sanctuary officials.
Natural Attractions
Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is located at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level. The main ecosystems of the Sanctuary are cloud forest and paramo. The variety of topography and the diverse climatic conditions have allowed the development of a great diversity of flora.
The High Andean forest is located between 3,000 and 3,200 meters above sea, it is covered by endemic species such as the Encenillo (Weinmannia tomentosa). Then, the sub-paramo is found between 3,200 and 3,500 meters above sea level, where shrub and bush vegetation predominates, giving rise to mixed and colorful vegetation.
Finally, the paramo is found between 3,500 (3,600) and 4,100 meters above sea level, with a predominance of frailejones, and among them the endemic one Espeletia pycnophylla.
Galeras FFS as an Important Bird Area
The Galeras FFS is an Important Bird Area (IBA/AICA) recognized by BirdLife International, since Globally threatened species and Restricted-range species are present in the area.
The conservation actions carried out in the area correspond to those carried out by the Special Administrative Unit of the National Natural Parks System – UAESPNN.
Conservation responses – actions for key biodiversity include the environmental guide service and the ECOANDINO project, in which 800 families from the park’s surrounding villages participate.
The Galeras Volcano
With a height of 4276 meters above sea level, this majestic active volcano is 9 kilometers far from the city of San Juan de Pasto, and has allowed the city to develop at its feet for more than four hundred years.
It is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Colombia, and has more than three active craters in its internal cone, being one of the most important volcanoes in southern Colombia.
The native Quillacingas indigenous people called it Urcunina, which means “Mountain of Fire”, but its current name was given by the colonizers, who found its shape similar to large ships called galleys.
This volcano is part of the Andes Mountain Range, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, and its famous eruptions have thrilled locals and strangers alike. Its base is 20 kilometers in diameter and at the top there is a crater about 80 meters deep.
How to get to Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary
Flight Bogotá – Pasto
Take a 1,5-hours flight from Bogotá to Antonio Nariño Airport (PSO) at Pasto city. Once at the airport, take an approximately 1,5-hours ride to San Felipe Sector. Once in San Felipe you must hike for 2 hours at medium-high intensity to the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary entrance.
Land routes
From Pasto, there is a surrounding road that connects the seven municipalities that have jurisdiction in the protected area linking Pasto with the towns of Nariño, La Florida, Sandoná, Consacá and Yacuanquer.
Sara Colmenares holds a Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Ecology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Master’s degree in Botany from the same institution. Her doctoral research focused on palm ecology in the Atlantic Forest, supported by the Rufford Foundation conservation grant.
A published researcher in the Brazilian Journal of Plant Physiology and a member of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), Sara has presented her work at international conferences across Latin America and beyond. She was awarded the COLCIENCIAS “Virginia Gutiérrez de Pineda” fellowship, one of Colombia’s most competitive academic distinctions for young researchers.
Sara founded the Sula nature tourism brand in 2018, applying her scientific expertise to develop birding and wildlife experiences across Colombia’s six natural regions. Her fieldwork took her from the cloud forests of the Andes to the Amazon basin, the Pacific coast, and the plains of the Orinoquía. She combined deep ecological knowledge with firsthand experience to create content that is both scientifically accurate and practically useful for nature travelers.
She holds a B.Sc. in Biology from the National University of Colombia, where she also taught plant ecophysiology. She speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English.