Bogotá
is where cosmopolitan meets colonial
Welcome to Bogotá
Bogotá is Colombia's beating heart, an engaging and vibrant capital cradled by chilly Andean peaks and steeped in sophisticated urban cool. The city's cultural epicenter is La Candelaria, the cobbled historic downtown to which most travelers gravitate. Here, a potpourri of preciously preserved colonial buildings house museums, restaurants, hotels and bars peppered amid 300-year-old homes, churches and convents. Nearly all of Bogotá's traditional attractions are here – radiating out from Plaza de Bolívar – and gorgeous Cerro de Monserrate is just east.
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Bogotá activities
Bogotá City Tour with Lunch and Cable Car Ride Upgrade
While in Bogotá, take a city sightseeing tour to discover the best of this beautiful Colombian city! After pickup from your Bogotá hotel, begin your city tour in La Candelaria, the historic neighborhood of Bogotá. Admire the colonial architecture of the neighborhood as you walk along cobblestone streets.Then follow your guide to Plaza de Bolívar (Bolívar Plaza), home to some of the most historical buildings in Bogotá. As you walk around the plaza, see La Catedral Primera (Prime Cathedral), the Presidential Palace and the Capitolio Nacional (National Capitol). As your tour continues, make your way to Museo de Botero (Botero’s Museum), where you’ll see more than 100 works of art by famous artist Fernando Botero, as well as many other paintings from artists around the world. 5-hour tour:Choose the 5-hour city tour to visit everything mentioned above, as well as the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), home of the world’s largest pre-Hispanic collections of gold works. Then, ride a scenic cable car up Mt Monserrate, home of the Monserrate Sanctuary, a famous pilgrimage site. Admire stunning panoramic views of Bogotá from the top of the mountain before being transported back to your hotel.8-hour tour:For the ultimate in Bogota sightseeing, take the 8-hour tour to include everything mentioned above, as well as an authentic Colombian lunch at a local restaurant and visits to more interesting sites like Quinta de Bolivar, home of Simon Bolivar, a 19th-century liberator of the Andean countries. Head to the north end of Bogotá, where you’ll see the International Center, the financial district of Bogotá and Parque 93. Then visit one of the most picturesque sections of Bogotá, Usaquén. Admire the colorful colonial architecture of the neighborhood, which is home to many restaurants and bars. After exploring Usaquén, you’ll be transported back to your hotel.
Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral Half-Day Guided Tour from Bogotá
After pickup from your hotel, head out of Bogotá to the nearby town of Zipaquirá, home of the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, in private transportation. Descend more than 650 feet (200 meters) below the surface of the earth and admire this impressive piece of Colombian architecture. Learn from your bilingual guide how the salt cathedral began along a 24 foot (75 meter) section of the mine in 1954 before being closed for safety reasons. After a full refurbishment and expansion, the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral was reopened in 1991. Highlights include the stations of the cross, the dome, and the three naves all carved out of the salty walls and ceiling of the abandoned salt mine. Return above ground and walk around the mountain town of Zipaquirá before transferring back to your Bogotá hotel.
Bogota Layover Private City Tour with Airport Transport
After your local guide picks you up from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, you’ll enjoy a private, panoramic tour of the city, staring downtown in the historical district of La Candelaria. Pass old houses, churches and small shops on the narrow streets, admiring the Spanish Colonial and Baroque architectural styles of the beautiful buildings.Your private guide will take you to Plaza de Bolívar to see the city’s top landmarks, including government buildings and historical monuments. View the Prime Cathedral, the National Capitol, Casa 20 de Julio, Liebano Palace (the mayor’s office) and the Justice Palace before catching a glimpse of the Presidential Palace – the Casa de Nariño. With a bit of Columbian history and culture under your belt, you can decide next whether to have lunch at a typical Colombian restaurant or visit Monserrate Sanctuary. You’ll either enjoy Colombia’s gastronomic diversity as you dine, or catch the best panoramic views over Bogotá – following a climb or funicular tram ride to the top of Monserrate.If there’s enough time, complete you tour with a visit to the Botero Museum to see fascinating works of art by Colombia’s most renowned artist – painter and sculptor Fernando Botero. Admire works by world-famous artists, including Monet and Picasso, from Botero’s private collection. Depending on the option selected, your guide will take you to a shopping mall for some great finds. If you choose the 12 hour option you will have the opportunity to visit also the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral before returning you to the airport.
Bogotá Airport Private Arrival Transfer to Hotel
After you clear airport customs, you'll be greeted by a representative and taken directly from El Dorado International Airport to your Bogotá hotel in a private transfer vehicle.When making a booking, you will be prompted to advise your flight details and your Bogotá hotel details. All you need to do is provide your driver with the voucher you’ll receive upon checkout.
Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, Colonial Center, Independence Square
The tour starts at 9am or the time you prefer. We pick you up at your accommodation and from there we take you to Zipaquirá and its famous Cathedral. Depending on the traffic the trip to Zipaquirá lasts between 60 and 90 minutes. We will accompany you to the entrance to the mine where the guided tour through the Cathedral starts. The tour is in English or Spanish and takes around two hours. Getting back to the surface you'll enjoy a typical Colombian lunch in one of the best restaurants of Zipaquirá. Make your choice between different plates of meat, prepared traditionally on fire, or a vegetarian meal. After lunch and before returning to Bogotá discover the Independance Square and the Main Square of Zipaquirás colonial center with one of the oldest churches of Colombia. From the center of Zipaquirá we drive on way back to Bogotá and leave you at your hotel or the place of your choice. Depending on the traffic the whole tour lasts approximately 7 hours.
La Chorrera, El Chiflon Waterfall Hiking Adventure from Bogota
After morning pickup from your Bogotá hotel, travel with your guide for about 45 minutes to the southern part of the East Hills, rolling lands of forest that are part of the Andean mountain range. As you listen to commentary about the local geology, head up a winding mountain pass with breathtaking views of cliffs and chasms. Then, drive by Choachí, a colonial village with a lovely church in its town square.Disembark in the countryside to begin your 3-hour round-trip hike of medium to high difficulty. First, follow your guide through verdant woodlands to El Chiflón, pounding waterfalls sheeting off an escarpment. Scamper behind the raging cascade and feel its spray on your skin. If you like, take a dip in the turquoise pool of water at the base of the waterfall, and then refuel with a provided locally prepared snack.Next, your guide takes you back into the forests, where you’ll huff your way for about an hour to La Chorrera waterfall. Pass by creeks and a diversity of plant and tree life, which your guide points out along the way, including bromeliads, orchids, juniper, sapodilla, cedar and mahogany. You’ll hear the roar of La Chorrera before seeing it. Snap shots of the falls that are 1,936 feet (590 meters) tall, and relax for a while before hiking back to the vehicle. Finish your day in La Candelaria, where you’ll dig into a delicious traditional lunch at a local restaurant. Depending on the menu, typical Colombian fare might include ajiaco (chicken and potato soup) or sancocho (beef, chicken or vegetable stew), along with side dishes of meat, chicken, rice and salad. After a rewarding day in the countryside, you’ll be transported back to your hotel, or another place in Bogotá if you prefer.Please note: Throughout the day, you’ll be traveling and hiking at elevations ranging from 6,309 to 8,530 feet (1,923 to 2,600 meters) above sea level.