The Best Day Trips from Bogota, Colombia
Colombia’s capital city of Bogota is a vast, sprawling place with a population of over 8 million people, and concrete as far as the eye can see. It’s a great city to visit, but even the most hardcore urbanites will soon find themselves needing a break from the city. Luckily there are some diverse and wonderful day trips to be taken from the city. Here are the very best ones.
Lake Guatavita
Lake Guatavita
Often visited as a combined day trip with nearby Zipaquira, Guatavita Lake is famous for being the birthplace of the Legend of El Dorado, a tale originating during the Spanish conquest of South America regarding an ancient lost city of gold. The Muisca indigenous people who once inhabited this region used the perfectly round mountain lake to make offerings of golden figures to their gods and, in one especially remarkable ceremony, a priest covered in golden powder would immerse himself in the lake. Stories of these ceremonies at Guatavita supposedly gave birth to the El Dorado legend, and no one with an interest in Latin American history can afford to miss the chance to see this legendary spot with their own eyes.
La Chorrera Waterfall
Forest
La Chorrera Waterfall
Colombia’s highest multi-step waterfall, with a total height of 590 metres (1,936 feet), La Chorrera is reached by a lovely hike through pretty rural scenery and stunningly preserved cloud forest. Getting there involves a lovely drive of less than two hours over the eastern mountains of Bogota, passing through surreal paramo high-altitude moors; it’s amazing how abruptly the mountains curtail the development of the city and give way to small rural dwellings and farmland. The hike is moderately difficult, but is a wonderful way to experience nature on a day trip from the city. Lucky visitors can spot toucans, and the waterfall itself is stunning, falling from a high, misty mountain into the jungles below. Bogota & Beyond offer excellent day trips to the falls and come highly recommended.
Zipaquira and Nemocon Salt Mines
These two huge salt mines to the north of the city are very similar but distinct at the same time. While both are cavernous, underground salt mines, Zipaquira is far more well known and contains giant religious figures, which has given it the name of Salt Cathedral. It is closer to Bogota and easier to visit, but a touch pricier than nearby Nemocon, which is stunningly illuminated and much less popular with crowds of tourists. Either trip can be arranged easily through any Bogota tour company.
Chicaque Park
Park
El Jardin Encantado
El Jardin Encantado
This magical little garden in the warm town of San Francisco to the west of Bogota is a wonderland for hummingbirds. The owner of the house has been feeding the magical little birds for years, and now counts over 50 different hummingbird feeders in her gardens, which are visited by at least 10 species of hummingbird, including the gorgeted woodstar, one of the world’s smallest birds at just 6 centimetres (2 inches), and the sparkling ruby topaz. It’s easy to get to the town by bus, and there is a pleasant main plaza where you can enjoy a cold beer after some peaceful birding.
Coffee Tour in Tibacuy
Forest
Coffee Tour in Tibacuy
Bogota-based tour company Andes Ecotours offer this excellent full-day tour to the coffee region south of the city, an excellent opportunity for coffee enthusiasts to discover the culture of Colombian coffee if they don’t have time to visit the more famous Coffee Triangle. But this tour is far from a consolation prize: a fully immersive experience, it gives visitors the chance to learn firsthand from a pioneering coffee collective, dedicated to environmentally friendly coffee, in the stunning environs of the Quinini Hills and surrounding cloud forest. The area is also home to numerous indigenous petroglyphs, so this trip will please history buffs as well. This tour is definitely one of the most recommended day trips from Bogota.
Chingaza National Park
Park
Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip
meet our Local Insider
Hanna
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?
2 years.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.
WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?
I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!
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Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.
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