Discover Bogota's Hidden Gems: Explore Colombia, Laguna de Guatavita, La Casa Al Reves, and La Catedral de Sal de Zipaquira with a Local Guide

We will be staying at Hotel La Sabana during the whole trip (3 nights), in the center of Bogota, next to La Candelaria. La Candelaria is the most traditional neighborhood in the city, where you'll find street art, art, and history museums, La Plaza de Bolívar, EL Chorro de Quevedo, and many other historical places. This is the historical center of the city where most of the bohemian, artistic, and cultural life of the city takes place. The hotel is located in this area so you can enjoy it.

The sanctuary of Monserrate in the eastern hills of Bogotá can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. It is located at 3,172 meters above sea level, at the top of Monserrate or Cerro de Las Nieves. Devotees walk up an almost two mile path to this traditional site of religious pilgrimage, which began in 1620 with the shrine of Our Lady of Monserrate. The basilica houses the image of the Fallen Lord of Monserrate, an effigy of Christ which, according to the faithful, performs miracles, and at the top visitors can walk the Stations of the Cross. The history of this sacred place dates back almost 500 years, when Bogotá was founded, and is now an icon of the city. The mountain was originally named Cerro de Las Nieves, it was baptized by the Muiscas for its frequent cloudiness. Years later, a monastery dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat was founded there, and a path was created from the church of Las Nieves to the top of the hill with small chapels for the pilgrims. The first religious festivity that had a pilgrimage to this hill was the festivity of the Holy Cross. At the top of this hill is the shrine of the fallen Lord of Monserrate, made in 1640 by the artist Pedro de Lugo Albarracín. For many faithful Catholics, this statue of the Lord is miraculous and represents a special encounter with God. Hence why every weekend many Colombians and foreigners make the climb up the hill. Faith is the driving force behind why this place receives many visitors. The building of the sanctuary was completed in 1920. It has a funicular and a cable car to bring visitors to the top, especially those who prefer to get there faster. However, the pedestrian path is ideal for enjoying nature, the vestiges of the indigenous path, exercising, browsing interesting handicrafts and interacting with the rich culture of this country.

A multicolored phosphorescent light illuminates the walls of the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, a monumental architectural masterpiece built by the miners' own hands and which became a beautiful temple. This wonderful salt mine is in the town of Zipaquirá, capital of the department of Cundinamarca, only 48 kilometers from Bogotá. It is buried deep in the hill of Zipa (the name of the most important indigenous chief), at 2,652 meters above sea level with an average temperature of 14˚C. This is underground attraction has received more than 13 million visitors from all around the world. Ten thousand foreign tourists and 40 thousand Colombian tourists go there every month. Its structure, a mix of precise engineering and interesting history, led it to be declared the First Wonder of Colombia on February 4, 2007. In 1995, the new site of the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral was inaugurated, as the first mine was unstable. This new construction is 180 meters underground. To build it, 250 thousand tons of rock salt had to be extracted. This mine is the largest deposit of rock salt in the world. When entering the Cathedral you can smell the minerals and the darkness takes hold of everything. Shortly after, a set of lights uncovers the carved rock and the tunnels that house the Stations of the Cross. At the end are three naves representing Jesus' birth and baptism, his life and death and, finally, his resurrection. Each one has an altar. Every nave has beautiful sculptures carved by miners and sculptors. Among them is La Piedad which sharply stands out. Her face has strong indigenous features, in honor of the Muiscas who were the first to take advantage of and use salt. There is also the Guardian Angel carved in 1950 by Italian sculptor Ludovico Consorte and an enormous cross in the entry hall. Another one of the main attractions is the mirrors of water, previously full of brine water (where the salt was saturated). The surroundings are illuminated by the reflection of the light on the water creating a fascinating optical effect of swimming in an underground cavern.

Surely you have heard the legend of El Dorado, according to which, somewhere in the American continent, there was an indigenous city in which everything was made of gold. There was some truth in the legend because there were indigenous communities that, effectively, had a great talent for making gold objects. In addition, a certain Muisca chieftain used to impregnate his body with gold and, loaded with treasures of the community, threw himself into the water of a sacred lagoon in a lavish ceremony. This amazing ritual happened, precisely, in the lagoon of Guatavita, which many times tried to be drained by the conquerors to extract hidden treasures, such as gold and emeralds, and that today you can easily visit, It is only 75 kilometers from Bogota. Currently, the lagoon is located in an environmentally protected area where you will access a path that crosses an impressive mountainous area, full of vegetation and species such as foxes, eagles, and blackbirds. And, as a great ending, you will reach a high point from which you can appreciate the lagoon of Guatavita in all its greatness.