Climate of Boyacá
Temperature, thermal floors, rainy seasons and best time to visit Boyacá. Complete climate data by municipality.
The department of Boyacá is predominantly Andean and cold, with most of its municipalities located between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level on the Eastern mountain range. Tunja, its capital, is at 2,820 meters above sea level and records an average temperature of 13 °C, making it one of the coldest departmental capitals in Colombia. The páramos of Boyacá —Sumapaz, Pisba, Güicán— reach 5,000 meters and are home to the Cocuy snow-capped peak, the largest ice reserve in Colombia. Only in the west of the department, in riverside areas along the Magdalena, the climate becomes warm and humid. This climatic variety, together with its historical and landscape richness, makes Boyacá one of the most complete ecotourism destinations in the country.
THERMAL FLOORS OF BOYACÁ
Temperature in Boyacá varies by altitude. These are the department's thermal floors:
| Thermal Floor | Altitude | Temperature | Municipalities |
| Warm | 0 – 1,000 m | 24 – 30 °C | Puerto Boyacá, Otanche, Pauna |
| Temperate | 1,000 – 2,000 m | 17 – 24 °C | Muzo, Quípama, Buenavista |
| Cold | 2,000 – 3,000 m | 12 – 17 °C | Tunja, Duitama, Sogamoso, Chiquinquirá |
| Páramo | 3,000 – 4,000 m | 7 – 12 °C | Güicán, El Cocuy, Aquitania (Lake Tota) |
| Glacial | > 4,000 m | < 7 °C | Sierra Nevada del Cocuy |
RAINY AND DRY SEASONS IN BOYACÁ
Bimodal regime: rains in March–May and September–November; dry periods in December–February and June–August. Tunja receives 600–700 mm annually. The high plateau is dry compared to the tropical Andes. Frosts are frequent in December and January in páramo municipalities. Lake Tota can present dense fog during the rainy season.
TEMPERATURE BY MUNICIPALITY IN BOYACÁ
Average annual temperatures of the main municipalities of Boyacá:
| Municipality | Average Temperature |
| Tunja | 13 °C |
| Duitama | 14 °C |
| Sogamoso | 16 °C |
| Chiquinquirá | 14 °C |
| Puerto Boyacá | 29 °C |
| Villa de Leyva | 17 °C |
| Güicán | 10 °C |
| Aquitania | 9 °C |
| Paipa | 14 °C |
| Moniquirá | 20 °C |
BEST TIME TO VISIT BOYACÁ
July and August are the driest and sunniest months in the Boyacá highlands, ideal for the Nevado del Cocuy (trekking season). December–January is also dry but very cold with frosts. Villa de Leyva is pleasant all year round due to its dry and temperate climate.