3-Day Tour: Bogota City Tour, Salt Cathedral, Guatavita Lagoon & Villa de Leyva

Itinerary

Day 1: Bogota City Tour

Stop At: Mount Monserrate, Carrera 2 E No. 21-48 Paseo Bolívar, Bogota Colombia
After picking you up, your driver will take you to Mount Monserrate. Listen as your guide shares insights into the city and introduces you to what you’re going to experience during the tour. Then, take the cable car and enjoy the beautiful landscape of the mountain, which is home to 80 species of birds among hummingbirds and migratory birds. Its rich history goes back centuries due to it used to be a sacred place for the indigenous communities. Enjoy the best view of Bogota from the 2nd highest lookout spot in the city (10.341 ft). Walk through the Sanctuary and delight in its colonial architecture as your guide shares stories about its construction.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Gold Museum (Museo del Oro), Carrera 6 No.15-88, Bogota 110321 Colombia
Look in on the largest pre-hispanic goldsmith collection in the world. The Gold Museum has been declared a National Monument and it’s considered the most important in its kind.

It gathers about 34,000 pieces of goldsmith’s work and 20,000 lithic objects, ceramics, textiles and precious stones belonging to several indigenous communities from all over the country. (It's closed on Mondays)
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

Stop At: Museo Botero del Banco de la Republica, Calle 11 No. 4-41, Bogota 250051 Colombia
Browse through the 208 artworks in the Botero Museum Gallery, whose worth is estimated at about $ 200 million USD. Of course, its cultural value is priceless.

Near a day a 1000 people visit this magnificent Colonial house. Join them and find out why it has been placed among the five most important public international art collections in Latin America, which brings together such renowned artists as Picasso, Leger, Renoir, Monet, Dali, Giacometti, Beckmann, Freud, Calder, and Bacon. (It's closed on Tuesdays)
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Barrio La Candelaria, Calle 10 # 0 15 Bogota, Colombia Llegando por avenida circunvalar preferiblemente., Bogota 111711 Colombia
Walk through the antique streets in the Historical Center of the city, whose colonial architecture holds an unparalleled charm for history and culture lovers. Take in the big traditional houses that are still standing from the Spaniard colony. Enjoy the local cuisine!

Listen to in-depth commentary from a savvy guide. Enjoy the incredible graffities that in their own way brighten with life and color a dark past and highlight the biodiversity and cultural wealth through numerous techniques and styles. Then, your driver will take you to the Salt Cathedral.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Barrio La Candelaria, Calle 10 # 0 15 Bogota, Colombia Llegando por avenida circunvalar preferiblemente., Bogota 111711 Colombia
Hear stories about haunted houses in La Candelaria and some legends related to ghosts in the old city while enjoying a Colombian dinner at a restaurant in the historic center. It includes a glass of wine and a cocktail. Finally, we will leave you in the comfort of your hotel in the evening hours.
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

Meals included:
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: Villa de Leyva

Stop At: Villa de Leyva, Boyaca, Colombia
During the ride to Villa de Leyva, stop at Choconta town to enjoy some typical snacks as your guide shares insights into the landscape.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Casa Museo Antonio Narino, Carrera 9 No. 10-25, Villa de Leyva 154007 Colombia
Stroll through this charming colonial house from the 17th century and discover why it is known as the Seed of Liberty.

It’s been named after the famous Antonio Nariño who has been considered The Colombian of all time due to his achievements, such as translating the Human Rights Declaration from French into Spanish, his important role during the Independence and much more!
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Pozos Azules, Carretera Villa de Leyva, Villa de Leyva Colombia
Notice the beauty of the remarkable fluorescent blue color given by the interaction between natural salts and minerals in the soil and the water.

Located at about 3 km from Villa de Leyva; 6 mins ride. Pozos Azules is a captivating place and its 5 artificial wellsprings—2 of them somewhat big lakes—offer an outstanding scenery surrounded by a Pine forest and a semi-desertic landscape. It looks like a giant emerald from afar. Then, head back to the town to enjoy the local gastronomy.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Villa de Leyva, Boyaca, Colombia
Enjoy the local gastronomy and hear commentary on Colombian cuisine.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Casa Terracota, Villa de Leyva Colombia
This tourist attraction is essentially a 500 m² house made entirely of clay, known as the largest piece of pottery in the world. It turns out to be a completely liveable house, which is super interesting and enthralling too.

Wander around its corridors, bedrooms, kitchen, terraces and the lake. Enjoy the beautiful landscape surrounding it and the other pieces of pottery scattered around the garden. By the way, it looks like a sort of huge honeycomb from afar.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Museo El Fosil, Villa de Leyva Colombia
Get to know one of the only three Kronosaurus ever discovered in the world. This 120+ million years old fossil is known as the Jewel of Colombian Paleontology.

Besides, there is a wide collection of ichthyosaurs remains, ammonites, bivalves, and gastropods that show how life should have been in this place millions of years ago.
Duration: 40 minutes

Stop At: Archaeological Site El Infiernito, Carrera 8 Parque Arqueológico de Monquirá, Villa de Leyva Colombia
It is currently considered an archeological park located in the rolling hills outside Villa de Leyva. However, it’s actually a 2000+ years old sacred place for the ancient communities. It turns out to be a sort of unusual indigenous solar observatory.

Come and find out how the ancient indigenous communities used this place as a way to calculate solstices and equinoxes. Besides, there is a super interesting connection with their spiritual traditions and it’s not what you probably think! Finally, we will leave you in the comfort of your hotel in the evening hours.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Overnight at a Villa de Leyva Hotel or Hostel. (Please check the tour options)

Day 3: Guatavita Lagoon and Colonial Town & Salt Cathedral, Zipaquira

Stop At: Laguna de Guatavita, Km 15, Via Guatavita-Sesquile, Tierra Negra Colombia
Try some typical snacks and start your hike at the Chuzua—Indigenous ceremonial house—. Discover everything about how the pre-Colombian ancestors used to live and learn about their ceremonies and rituals. Then, walk through the woods all the way up to the Lagoon at the top of the mountain and enjoy the views and scenery from there (3000 MASL) as your guide lets you in on its enthralling history.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Laguna de Guatavita, Km 15, Via Guatavita-Sesquile, Tierra Negra Colombia
Stroll through colonial streets and gaze at the captivating architecture. Hear stories about the history of the town. In fact, this is the new Guatavita town, and its construction is all about the El Dorado legend. By the way, the old town is underwater. Ask your guide about it while enjoying a typical lunch before heading back to the Salt Cathedral.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Catedral de Sal de Zipaquira, Carrera 6 Calle 1 Parque De La Sal, Zipaquira Colombia
Walk about 2 km through the tunnels of a salt mine. Notice how the temple has been divided into three main sections representing Christ’s birth, life, and death in a unique way.

✓ Hear in-depth commentary on its fascinating history, architecture, and cultural value. Gaze at the outstanding sculptures carved directly into the salt rock. The labyrinth and caverns are illuminated in such a way that makes this ravishing experience almost magical— even for non-religious people. Finally, we will leave you in the comfort of your hotel in Bogota in the evening hours—or the El Dorado international airport.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.