This second highest navigable lake in South America is fed by páramos, a unique ecosystem found in only 6 countries worldwide! The lake won the “Grey Globe’ Award from the international World Wetland Network in 2012 for for being a wetland of international importance under threat. This award inspired the people behind the Mentocito Foundation to start ABC Tota initiative. The lake provides the villages surrounding it fresh water supply and irrigation for the crops and water supplies for their herds. Lake Tota is a top 100 sustainable destination by Green Destinations.
Green destination Lake Tota is one of the freshwater lakes in Colombia. This second highest navigable lake in South America is fed by páramos, a unique ecosystem found in only 6 countries worldwide. The Páramo ecosystem also plays an important role in supporting high biodiversity and fertile soil and as a tourist attraction. Their local partner organization Fundación Montecito is a non-governmental organization founded in 2010, who works to protect wetland regions in the Andes, specifically Lake Tota and the surrounding area. Through environmental education at schools and information about environmentally friendly tourism at the lake, our partner organization is raising awareness about the importance of the lake and the threats to this unique environment.