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Travel Guide

How to get to the Sisga Dam

Posted on March 29, 2018
outdoor adventures close to Bogota, Biking, bicycle, how to get to the sisga dam

Any person in Bogota who’s left the city going north has more than likely seen the Sisga Dam, only being 55 kilometers (34 miles) away. The truth is that few people have gotten to know it or, if they have, they’ve only been to the Refugio del Sisga, a beautiful restaurant close to the shore that’s well known as a rest area for people going to Tunja, Villa de Leyva, or other towns northward. We’ve gotten to know this place because we love riding our bicycles, and the Sisga Dam has a road that goes all the way around the dam – 26 kilometers (16 miles) of unpaved road with lots of uphill and downhill biking (you gain a total of 385 meters or 1,263 feet). We’ve done this ride about 5 times now, and we always love it. On top of that, the Dam has a lot more to offer. And the best part of it all: whatever you do, you always have an amazing landscape to look at. Here’s how to get to the Sisga Dam!

How to get to the Sisga Dam

*The map to get to the Sisga Dam from Bogota is at the end of this guide!

In a car

With a GPS: Look for “El Refugio del Sisga” on Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  • Leave Bogota going north and stay on the main road going towards Tunja, not the one that passes Chia. On the way to the dam, you’ll pass the entrances to Suesca and Guatavita.
  • After 55 kilometers (34 miles) along the highway, you’ll get to a long downwards section, after which you’ll cross a bridge that rises over the dam (you can get off right before the bridge to check out the view).
  • A little after the bridge, the dam’s main entrance will be to the right, which is one of the dam’s few public entrances. The Refugio del Sisga is also right there, where you can eat great food (it’s a restaurant only, not a hotel).
  • You can park right next to the restaurant or get down closer to the water on another entrance just before the Refugio’s parking lot and enjoy the view!

On a bus

  • Get to the Portal del Norte (North Portal, a mini-terminal where you can get on buses to towns north of Bogota) and take a bus to Choconta.
  • Tell the bus driver to drop you off at the Represa del Sisga or the Refugio del Sisga. Still, be watching to stand up when you cross the bridge over the Sisga dam just in case the bus driver forgets.
  • A little after the bridge, the dam’s main entrance will be to the right, which is one of the dam’s few public entrances.
  • You can eat right there and also go down to the water’s edge to enjoy the view!

What to do at the Sisga Dam:

  • Ride your bike: for us, this is the best thing you can do at the Sisga Dam. As I said before, there aren’t many public entrances to the dam. Going around it on a bike, although you never get right on the water’s edge, you get to see its landscape from every angle. There’s no better way to enjoy the dam: you see it all and get to do some great exercise.
  • Eat a lot: The Refugio del Sisga has delicious food at good prices. They sell traditional meals from the region, as well as others, and it’s a great place to get warm. My favorite dish: agua-panela with cheese (the cheese goes in the agua-panela) and an arepa, but only in the morning! The other option is to eat by the water’s edge. That’s what we always do after biking. It’s so great.
  • Camp: I’ll be honest with you. The Sisga Dam is not the best place to camp if you’re going to do it at the main entrance because it’s really close to the highway, and there’ll be a lot of noise. Still, you can camp right there below the Refugio and it’s free, although they might charge you for taking care of you and your car! The other option is to befriend a local with property by the water and ask for permission to camp.
  • Fish: you can fish here for free!
  • Rent an Airbnb with your friends: I’ve seen there are some absolutely gorgeous houses for rent on Airbnb with amazing views towards the Sisga Dam. They’re a little pricey, but if you’re coming with dollars or euros or go with a group of friends it won’t even be an issue. Check these awesome places out!

I hope you now know how to get to the Sisga Dam and go! Now, if you’re looking for another dam good time, check out this post on the Neusa Dam! If you’re just looking for outdoor activities close to Bogota, we’ve got you covered too!

Travel Guide

What to do in Puerto Leguizamo

Posted on March 14, 2018
amazon, Sunset Puerto Leguizamo, what to do in Puerto Leguizamo, putumayo river, beancestro, boat

I thought we were going to the middle of nowhere. And… we were! But in the middle of nowhere is a town that is a lot more developed and booming than you’d think, being in the south of Colombia in the Amazon rain forest… in Puerto Leguizamo, Putumayo. We got there and there were hotels, restaurants, touristy activities, adventure tourism, and just a lot to DO! And the beauty of the town – oh my goodness. Built on the edge of the Putumayo river, you can expect gorgeous sunsets every day. Puerto Leguizamo is the place to travel in Colombia in 2018, so this is for you to get to know a little more about this place, so you can go and so that, and this is a beautiful thing about tourism, Puerto Leguizamo and its people may thrive. So here’s what to do in Puerto Leguizamo!

Before we start, though, I want to talk a little bit about BeAncestro. Their mission is for the town to thrive off the natural and cultural tourism the town has to offer. We love what they stand for and would love to see it boom, so give Tati a call when you visit Puerto Leguizamo! Her phone number is: (+57) 310-419-8115. You can also message them on Facebook!

What to do in Puerto Leguizamo

  • Sunset on the Bongo: the most popular spot to watch the sunset is on the bongo. The bongo is a yellow floating box of metal that allows you to stand on the river, instead of on its tree-covered edge. Word is the bongo is also a very popular place to ask someone to be your boy/girlfriend.
  • Swim in lagoons: swimming in the Putumayo river can be pretty dangerous because of its strong current, but swimming in lagoons that feed the river is safe and so refreshing. Being in the middle of the Amazon is a unique experience, and one of the best parts of swimming in these lagoons is that it can only be done with permission from the local tribes. You feel like you’re being included in something special, and so it is.
  • Meet the world’s biggest freshwater fish: only a 30 minute hike from Puerto Leguizamo will take you to Don Zuleta’s farm, where you can meet and feed a specimen of the world’s largest freshwater fish – a Pirarucu named Barrabas. Don Zuleta considers it his child. A 2.3 meter, 150 kilogram (7.5 feet, 330 pounds) child. Don Zuleta actually farms these wonderful creatures, attempting to educate people about fishing this endangered species. His idea is that if people want the fish for their meat, which is said to be the best in the world, they can go get the meat at farms instead of killing the fish in the wild. Don Zuleta also wants people to understand that these animals aren’t dangerous, as Discovery and other TV channels have portrayed it to be. They have small throats, so they only eat small fish. The Pirarucus are like children!
  • Survive in the Jungle: The Rock, in Jumanji, has nothing on Don Zuleta. He’s a true Amazonian badass. He’ll teach you how to survive in the jungle during the day… and at night!
  • Find Exotic Birds: the Amazon rain forest is a birdwatcher’s heaven. We went out on a rainy morning, saw hundreds of birds and monkeys, and were then told it had been a pretty inactive morning. I can only imagine what it must be like when the birds and monkeys are out and about instead of hiding from the rain! Birdwatchers in the area identified 215 birds, of the 1,486 birds identified in Colombia during the Global Big Day event. The birdwatching around Puerto Leguizamo is ridiculously incredible.
  • See Pink Dolphins: you know, there are few places in the world where you can see Pink Dolphins, and Puerto Leguizamo is one of them. Only about 20 minutes from town along the river, we found a bunch of them and watched them show us their fins and catch their food.
  • Get to know indigenous cultures: the wealth of indigenous cultures around Puerto Leguizamo is one of the main reasons you should visit the town. BeAncestro considers it one of their main focuses: it’s even in their name – ancestro, which means ancestor – and rightly so, since the indigenous culture of the Amazon is so foreign to most people, but also something we all should know more about. You’ll learn about mambe, which is a coca leaf powder they ingest like chewing tobacco, watch traditional dances, eat traditional foods (casabe and fish), and can get to know them personally.
  • Go to La Paya National Park: we sadly didn’t get to go to this national park, but we heard it’s THE park for birdwatching. You can also see monkeys, jaguars, boas, and much, much more.
  • Drink juices at the Galeria: one of my (Eric’s) favorite meals was a breakfast where we drank juice and ate fried stuff. But the winner there was the juice. In the main square there’s a small indoor plaza where people go to eat and buy groceries. Ask for the guy who makes juices and then indulge! When my dad and I travel together we occasionally have a meal of only juices if we find spectacular juices. This place 147% makes the cut for a juice meal.

If you call Tati, from BeAncestro, you’ll do a lot of these activities depending on how long you’re there. Let her know what sounds best to you!

How to get there:

In a plane: your two options are to fly to Puerto Asis and make a connection to Puerto Leguizamo or fly to Florencia and make a connection to Puerto Leguizamo. The only airline that flies to Puerto Leguizamo is Satena.

In a boat: you can ride a boat to Puerto Leguizamo from Puerto Asis or Florencia, but it’s better to just fly in.

Some things to know:

Once a very dangerous region of Colombia, Puerto Leguizamo now, I can with certainty, is ridiculously safe. You can walk around with camera equipment or valuable items and nothing will happen, and Leguizamenios are proud of that fact.

Just to reiterate, Tati’s phone number is: (+57) 310-419-8115. Call her and she’ll give you a tour of a lifetime.

Get the yellow fever vaccine 10 days before your trip. If you’re in Bogota, you can get vaccinated for free at the airport. There were no cases of yellow fever in Colombia in 2017, but it’s best to be safe.

Even if you were vaccinated, take bug spray. There are many, many insects that want to suck your blood in the Amazon Rainforest.

Make sure you drink bottled water. Really, this tip applies to any town or city in Colombia other than Bogota.

The rainy season is from March to July.

Take a camera. Obviously!! Puerto Leguizamo is one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever been. Part of that may be because there are no roads to the town, which have kept it from crowds of tourists. Let’s hope it stays that way… take care of it when you go!

 

Are you going to be in Bogota for some time? Here’s a list of places to go while you’re there!

Travel Guide

Indoor Climbing Gyms in Bogota

Posted on January 17, 2018
indoor climbing gyms in bogota, laladventures

Colombia has a ton to offer when it comes to climbing, indoors and outdoors. You could consider Lala and I weekend warriors, climbing indoors during the week, and making it outdoors on the weekends. This is a list of indoor climbing gyms in Bogota.

If you’d like to read our local tips for touring Bogota, click on the link!

Where to Climb Indoors in Bogota

Before we start, for non-climbers, I’d like to point out that there are two kinds of climbing you can practice at climbing gyms in Bogota. First is bouldering, which is without a rope because it’s not very high (you do have pads beneath you, though). Second is sport climbing, which is with a rope and harness because you climb high.

Roca Solida

Roca Solida is our home gym. Lala and I have come to this gym for the most part of our climbing lives, which makes it about 10 years. I’ve worked here as a coach and also set for them (if you go, look for routes with the name “Eric” on them and let me know how you liked them!). This indoor climbing gym, like most in Bogota, only has bouldering. Its walls are filled with holds and are very featured: slabs, overhangs, crazy overhangs, and roofs.

Address: Av 19 #125 – 26

Phone Number: (57-1) 812-1208

Hours: 10am-10pm Monday to Friday, 10am-8pm Saturday, 9am-3pm Sundays and holidays.

WEYA

WEYA is through and through a bouldering gym for boulderers. Come here to boulder your socks off, because everything here is overhung except for maybe a 1 meter by 50 cm section at the end of the wall. Really nice people work and climb here, I must say, and the sports therapist who works on the second floor of the gym, Liliana Roa, is a magician (she’s healed me twice).

Address: Carrera 20b No. 73-17

Phone Number: (57-1) 732-2314

Hours: 1pm-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 9am-6:45pm Saturday, not open Sunday and holidays.

Zona de Bloque

Zona de Bloque is probably Bogota’s most complete bouldering gym. But, again, you can only boulder here. It is a big gym, with a lot of holds and a lot of features. I’d say Zona has the best setting too, so expect to do some fun climbing.

Address: Carrera 21 No. 50-34

Phone Number: (57-1) 255-4305

Hours: 10am-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 9am-9pm Saturday, 11am-5pm Sunday and holidays.

Gran Pared

Gran Pared used to be undoubtedly Colombia’s best climbing gym. It was huge and the sport climbing amazing – world class, even. They closed down for years, but are now up and running again. The gym is smaller now, but still has amazing sport climbing. So if you’ve gotten tired of all those bouldering gyms in Bogota, this place will be a good rest.

Address: Calle 52 # 15 – 27

Phone Number: (57-1) 288-4061

Hours: 2pm-9:45pm Monday to Friday, 10am-6:45pm Saturday, 10am-5:45pm Sunday and holidays.

Cumbre Andina

I honestly don’t know much about Cumbre Andina, except that it is another only-bouldering gym and looks really cool in pictures! It has lot of cool features and holds. So go get to known this gem of a gym.

Address: Calle 78 # 24 – 45

Phone Number: (57-1)  388 27 84

Hours: 8am-10pm Monday to Friday, 8am-7pm Saturday, 9am-5pm Sunday and holidays.

Rocópolis

Rocópolis, for a long time while Gran Pared was closed, was Bogota’s only gym where you could sport climb, so a lot of people came to love it. It’s also really close to my house, so I was able to enjoy it a good bit. This gym is smaller, but it has fun routes and great people work and climb there.

Address: Carrera 49 #128c-17

Phone Number: (57-1) 322 306-1737

Hours: 2pm-10pm Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday, 12pm-6pm Sunday and holidays.

 

Interested in getting outdoors close to Bogota? Check out this link with our recommendations!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Neusa Dam

Posted on January 2, 2018
how to get to the Neusa Dam, Camping at the Neusa Dam, Reflection on Water, mountains, andes, sunrise

One of the most popular dams close to Bogota is the Neusa dam. Only an hour and a half away from Bogota, this dam makes for a great spot for outdoor activities and is especially well-known for its camping. What’s best about this place is that it’s so dam big that even though it’s a popular spot, it doesn’t feel saturated with people. Here’s how to get to the Neusa Dam and some things you should know about it!

*Bored of the city? Check out this blog post for a list of places to do outdoor activities close to Bogota!

How to get to the Neusa Dam

You can find the map to get to the Neusa Dam at the bottom of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. In Bogota, make your way to the Portal del Norte, which is a bus station in the north of the city (you can plan your route there from your location on Google Maps).
  2. Take a bus to Zipaquira, which will cost about $5,000 COP ($1.70 USD). Once you’re there, ask for a bus that will take you straight to the Neusa Dam. This one costs about $4,000 COP ($1 USD). Both buses, and actually all buses, will have signs attached to their windshields saying where they are headed.
  3. After climbing up the road to the Neusa Dam, the bus will drop you off at the entrance, where there’s a fork in the road to go left or right. To the left about 1 kilometer, you’ll find the Dam’s administration, where you pay, and then one of the camping areas, called “Chapinero,” with 5 camping spots if you keep going. To the right, you’ll find the other camping area, called “Laureles,” with 7 camping spots. The camping to the right is more popular because of the pine forests. We recommend zone 4 of Laureles.

In a Car:

With a GPS: type in “Embalse Neusa Park” on Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogota, drive north on the Autopista and leave the city. Keep heading north until you reach the first bridge. Don’t go over it. Follow directions to Chia, taking a road to the right, which will then curve to the left, under the bridge.
  2. Stay on this road until the next bridge. Go over this bridge, staying on the right. Continue on this road until you see a Homecenter on your right. Shortly after, you’ll take a right where there’s a sign for Zipaquira and Ubate.
  3. Stay on this road until you get to a bridge. Stay on your left to go over the bridge, which will take you to the right, following the sign to Ubate.
  4. Shortly afterwards, you’ll run into a round-about. Take the second exit. This road is adjacent to the main road, but much quicker. When it runs back into the main road, get on it to the right.
  5. Soon, you’ll see a sign that says “Embalse del Neusa 14km.” There, get on the left and do a U-turn where the road allows it (in Spanish it’s a retorno). The entrance to go up to the Neusa Dam is the first entrance to the right after the U-turn.
  6. From there, just follow the main road and you’ll reach the main entrance of the Neusa Dam!
  7. At the entrance, there’s a fork in the road to go left or right. To the left about 1 kilometer, you’ll find the Dam’s administration, where you pay, and then one of the camping areas, called “Chapinero,” with 5 camping spots if you keep going. To the right, you’ll find the other camping area, called “Laureles,” with 7 camping spots. The camping to the right is more popular because of the pine forests.
  8. Find a picnic, or camping spot and park right next to it!

Click here to read some of our tips on car camping!

Prices

Camping at the Neusa Dam costs $60,000 pesos (15 USD) per person, and you can stay up to 3 nights with this. If you’re camping, you don’t have to pay an additional entrance fee. Don’t throw away your receipt, since park authorities will ask for it every night.

The entrance fee to the park for day-trips costs $6,000 pesos ($1.5 USD) for Colombians and $13,500 pesos ($4 USD) for foreigners.

To see all the prices for everything (cabins, fishing, grill, etc.), go to this link.

Some things to know:

  • Make sure you have cash, especially small bills for buses.
  • The Neusa Dam is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm for people going just for the day. Service hours for camping are from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm. The dam is open every day except Monday, or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday, to allow the environment a day to recover from the crowds.
  • This park is pet friendly.
  • If you have a boat or kayak, and a license to use it at the Neusa Dam, which you can get for free at the Ministry of Transport in Bogota, you can use it and go fishing in the dam. Each day of boat-use costs $26,500 COP ($9 USD).
  • The rainiest seasons are April to June and October to November.

What to do at the Neusa Dam:

The challenge: take a bike with you and bike around the dam! There’s a road that goes the whole way around the dam. Whichever way you go (left or right when you get to the dam), you’ll bike along an unpaved road until you enter Tausa, a nearby town, and then make your way to the unpaved road on the other side of the dam to continue your trek and make it back. If you’re up for the challenge of challenges, ride your bike from Bogota, ride around the dam, and then ride back!

Camp: the Neusa Dam is most well-known for its camping. That’s because in a country where there is a tiny amount of infrastructure for outdoor activities, this place is a breath of fresh air. The roads, though unpaved, are easy to drive along, and you don’t have to hike to your camping spot – you can park your car right next to your tent, only 15 meters from the water’s edge. It’s comfortable but still adventuresome, which means it draws crowds.

Pack for comfort: I say this because my brother and I didn’t do it right. We had little food, no fire, no warm place to sit while still outside of the tent, BUT we did have a thermos full of hot coffee. We’re used to camping simply, hours from the car. But we realized you can take a lot of things with you when you’re right next to your car. Take anything you need, such as to make a big fire, two foldable chairs, a guitar, a harmonica, TWO thermoses of hot coffee and lots of food.

Take pictures: especially at dawn. The place is beautiful, but at dawn there’s fog over the water, birds flying around, and the water is so still that everything is almost perfectly reflected.

Another ridiculously beautiful place, where you can also camp, is La Chorrera. This place is a must, since it houses Colombia’s tallest waterfall. It’s also only an hour and a half from Bogota!

Travel Guide

How to get to Chicaque Natural Park

Posted on December 14, 2017
pico del aguila, Eagle's Peak, How to get to Chicaque Natural Park, hiking, soacha, outdoor adventures close to bogota, travel couple

When a place is described as Cloud Forest, you go there because it is called Cloud Forest. It’s hard for me to think of two more attractive words.

Lala and I have been to Chicaque Natural Park a number of times: we went with a group of friends the first time, then we went with Kyle, from The Dive Wagon, Lala and I went once on our own, and the last time we went was to shoot an engagement at a beautiful lookout.

And we can’t wait to get back. We’ll probably be there soon to make a video to show you guys!

Anyway, getting there can be kind of a hassle, so I’m going to let you know how to get to Chicaque. I hope you get out there and enjoy the hike!

(If you’re just looking for outdoor activities to do in Bogota, check out our list of recommended places here!)

How to get to Chicaque Natural Park

In Public Transportation:

  1. Make your way to the Portal 80 Transmilenio station (you can plan your route from your location on Google Maps).
  2. There, take a bus to Mosquera and get off the bus at the main plaza of the town. Then take a Coomofú bus (it’s black and white) that says Soacha and tell the bus driver to drop you off at Chicaque. Both buses, and all buses for that matter, will have signs attached to their windshields saying where they are headed.
  3. Once you get off on a bend where there’s the beginning of a dirt road, you’ll have to walk along that dirt road for 3 kilometers (or 1.8 miles).
  4. At the end of the dirt road you’ll get to the Chicaque Natural Park Entrance and just keep walking!

In a Chicaque Van (only available on weekends):

  1. Make your way to the “Terreros/Hospital” Transmilenio station (you can plan your route from your location on Google Maps).
  2. When you exit the bus at that station, go right (which is south) and then go right again to cross the street across the bridge. You’ll see a gigantic home goods store called “Hogar y Construcción: Easy.” Go the OTHER way.
  3. The bridge will leave you at a little plaza. Look for some vans on a corner with small stores that has a sign that reads: “Terreros Droguería.” There will be one or two vans there, which head out to the park once they’re full.
  4. Pick-up times at this spot are Weekends at 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am, and 11:00 am. They will get you straight to the Chicaque entrance. These vans will take you back to the “Terreros/Hospital” Transmilenio station on Weekends at 9:00 am, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 4:30 pm.

In a Car:

You can find the map to get to Chicaque Natural Park in a car at the bottom of this post!

If you have a Google Maps or Waze, just type in “Chicaque Natural Park” and follow the directions. If you don’t, here are the directions (good luck!):

  1. In Bogota, drive to Calle 80. You’ll take this road west (away from the mountains) and take a left at the first roundabout. You should be following signs to Mosquera or La Mesa.
  2. Stay on this road, pass the Mondoñedo toll, and take a left turn soon afterwards, where there’s a sign that points to Soacha.
  3. Shortly after that, to the right, there’ll be the beginning of a dirt road that has a sign pointing towards Chicaque. Get on the dirt road and drive along it, which ends in an incline into the park.
  4. Then, get ready to walk a good bit!

Some things to know:

Make sure you have cash, especially small bills for buses.

The entrance fee for Chicaque Natural Park is $15,000 COP ($5 USD) during low season and $15,500 COP ($5.20 USD) during high season.

The vans to get to or from Chicaque cost $6,000 COP ($2 USD) one way.

If you take buses to get to the park, they cost between $1,800 and $3,000 COP ($0.50 – $1.00 USD)

Chicaque Natural Park opens every day at 8 am. If you are a day-hiker, the latest you may enter the park is at 3 pm. If you are camping, the latest you can enter the park is 5:30 pm. Ask about what time you should be leaving, because it changes depending on the conditions.

The Park offers a bunch of services, from really nice rooms in which to stay, to restaurants, to zip lining. Check out their full list of services here!

The walk through Chicaque is downwards all the way to the end, which means… yep, the entire way back is up, and I mean UP. So be ready to sweat.

What to do at Chicaque Natural Park:

The challenge: try to see every feature and lookout in one day. It’s possible, I promise!

Camp: this place is so wild and so deep in its little part of the world that the nighttime at Chicaque Natural Park is something you need to experience. Stay up to see the stars, but don’t be disappointed if you don’t see them, since it’s a Cloud Forest after all – the best time to see the clouds because of cloud cover is usually 2-4 am.

Get engaged: this place is pretty magical, and we shot an engagement here once. It was a great spot (Eagle’s Peak or Pico del Aguila, if any of you guys are interested).

Take pictures: as usual! There are some amazing lookouts, the hostels blend beautifully with the landscape, and the unique ecosystem make for some awesome shots.

I hope knowing how to get to Chicaque Natural Park makes you go! Another great place to hike, just as amazing as this one is Chingaza. Check out how to get there!

Travel Guide

How to Explore Bogota on a Bicycle

Posted on November 17, 2017
How to explore Bogota on a bike, ciclovia, bicycle

*This blog post isn’t sponsored; we just want to help!

In our previous blog post, which was a local’s edition of what to do in Bogota, one of my tourism tips was to ride a bike around the city to explore it. It soon hit me… people who come to Bogota don’t inherently have a bike to ride around.

So I thought I would do the research and help you guys out so you can just come here, to Just North, and find out where to rent a bike or where to take the best bike tours.

Here we go!

BogoTravel Tours

BogoTravel Tours has the best prices for renting bikes I could find online. They range from a simple setup to use for 4 hours that costs USD $11 to a setup with everything you need up to a baby seat for an entire day that costs USD $25. They even have tandem bikes!

As for bike tours, this company offers one of the most complete tours that operators in the city normally offer, at one of the best prices (USD $20).

BogoTravel Tours also offers an amazing graffiti tour, in which you just ride around to see Bogota’s graffiti. And I say the tour is amazing because Bogota’s graffiti is amazing. I hear during the trip they tell you about how Justin Bieber’s ill attitude started a graffiti revolution in Bogota. I’ll say no more! You’ll have to see it yourself!

Graffiti tours cost the same as a normal bike tour and are offered Monday to Friday because on Weekends and Holidays there’s a City Bike Tour, which covers most of the Graffiti tour’s spots.

Check them out here for more information and how to contact them!

Bogota Bike Tours

I had to include Bogota Bike Tours in this post because I just like them. On top of offering bike tours that are just as complete as BogoTravel Tours and at the same price (USD $20), they will give you a free tour if you donate an old, working computer. They give those computers to children who need them, and I like that.

Check them out here for more information and how to contact them!

Tips:

1. Always be prepared for rain. Bogota’s weather is crazy; you never know when or where it’s going to hit!

2. Make sure you definitely bike or jog or do some exercise on Sunday. The city of Bogota closes a whole lot of city streets for people to exercise, but mostly for bikers to do their thing. It’s called Ciclovia.

3. Don’t stay downtown, go explore the city! Tours have upsides and downsides. The upside is that you get a lot of cool information and do activities you wouldn’t have known existed otherwise. The downside is that tour operators confine you to a section of the city.

On the other hand, when you go out on your own you get to see a lot more stuff because you can go wherever you want. But, you don’t get information along with the sightseeing and you may miss out on activities you don’t know exist. At Just North, Lala and I usually prefer to do our own thing.

In conclusion, take a bike tour AND bike by yourself! There we go.  Here are just some ideas for places you can look up and search for on a bike: Parque Simon Bolivar, El Campin, Parque 93, Parque Virrey, La Calera, and Club Naval Antares (those last two are for serious bikers).

4. Uber it up to get to the bike shop. Taking an Uber is by far the safest, most comfortable way to get around town. You’ll also be surprised at how inexpensive it is if you make money in a currency that’s more valuable than the Colombian Peso. A lot of tour operators will offer to pick you up, but it’ll cost WAY more than an Uber, which you can get yourself.

Of course, you can save even more money if you take a bus or a Transmilenio. These can be more complicated to use, but that just makes them more fun.

Looking for outdoor activities to do while you’re in Bogota? Check out our list of places for outdoor activities near Bogota! We’ve been there, and we recommend them.

Here’s a video of Eric wreaking havoc, or just being weird with a GoPro biking on the streets of Bogota:

Travel Guide

5 Things You Have to do in Bogota, Local’s Edition

Posted on November 9, 2017
colombia, Bogota, Plaza de Bolivar, Bubble Reflection, 5 things you have to do in Bogota locals edition, what to do in

Bogota is an enormous city and its history and diversity make it a place with a lot, may even too many things to do – some more well-known than others. There are a bunch of touristy things that are totally worth it, but I know some of you prefer to get off the beaten path and experience Bogota a little more like us locals do. So here are 5 things you have to do in Bogota, local’s edition, from me to you!

  • Visit the Colpatria Tower
  • Hike the 3 CH’s
  • Bike downtown
  • Check out the Usaquen Flea Market
  • Drink Chicha
  • Bonus

Note: check out the locations of all these places on the map at the end of the blog post!

Look Down on the City from Atop the Colpatria Tower

One of my favorite places to go, right above the crowded streets of downtown Bogota, is the not-so-crowded top deck of Colombia’s second-tallest building. Much like from The Empire State building, you’ll be able to comprehend the vastness of the city from a high vantage point.

My advice is simple: go watch the sunset from above and then wait for the dark of night to see the beautiful, chaotic city illuminated by man-made lights and in ever-constant motion.

The Colpatria Tower is on the southwest corner of the intersection of Calle 26 and Carrera 7. Go inside and tell the guard you want to go up to the top deck, or mirador in Spanish. The entrance fee is $7,000, and then you take an elevator all the way up to the 46th floor.

The top deck is open 6 – 9 p.m. on Fridays, 2 – 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sundays.

*Caution: great disappointment imminent if you expect New York City-like views. It amazes me that the Empire state building’s top deck is almost twice as high as Colpatria’s, and it isn’t even considered to be that tall!

Go Hike

Bogota is a city surrounded by mountains, and it is recommendable, no, it is necessary for you to go experience them! The best three places to go hike really close to Bogota are the three “CHs:”

  • Chingaza National Park: just how vast and wild this place is, I will probably never comprehend. The area of the park you can access from Bogota rises easily to 13,000 ft (4,000 meters), with hikes on ridges to glacial lakes and the possibility to view the last remaining native bear species in South America – the Spectacled Bear. Click here for how to get to Chingaza National Park.
  • Chicaque Natural Park: whereas the area of Chingaza close to Bogota is a páramo, which is an alpine ecosystem of the Andes, Chicaque Park is more jungly and has 7 types of forest, 3 streams, waterfalls, and 20 kilometers of trails. It’s perfect for hiking for one or two days. Click here for how to get to Chicaque Natural Park.
  • Choachi: constantly engulfed in fog, this place is wild, but you can see the big city of Bogota almost at all times. Turn to one side and you’ll see lush green forests and waterfalls. Turn to the other side and you’ll see the city framed by the same lush green forests. There is also some amazing climbing in Choachi!

Bike Downtown

Like I said, downtown Bogota is THE place for doing touristy things. You should definitely go downtown, so why not on a bike? Tens of thousands of people get to work and go about their daily lives on bikes every day, and for a few hours you could be one of them too!

Just some tips: make sure you take a bike lock and a helmet, and befriend whoever is guarding your bike when you leave it; maybe even give them a tip afterwards! The city has ciclorutas, which is a network of bike routes all throughout the city – the longest in South America, actually! If you ride on the road, you need to be aggressive, but also defensive. Also, stay on the right.

If you’re already staying downtown, ride your bike anywhere. Trust me it’ll be an adventure! The best option is to ride down Calle 26, not far from downtown. But don’t stay on Calle 26; explore the city! Check out this post about biking in Bogota to know where to get a bike and some more tips!

Check out the Flea Market in Usaquen

If you like to shop and eat, this is something you need to do. Start at the Usaquen Plaza and follow the tents literally everywhere (Usaquen used to be a town, but is now a neighborhood of Bogota). The tents under which artisans sell hand and homemade crafts and food make the narrow streets of Usaquen even narrower, which just makes it feel more welcoming. All of the food and crafts you’ll find will be inexpensive and extremely creative. On top of that, the area around the plaza is full of amazing restaurants and a mall you can explore. All in all, the Usaquen Flea Market is the perfect place to have a great time, buy souvenirs, eat things you’ve never heard of before and get things to take your friends back home.

Go drink Chicha

Chicha is a drink that Bogota’s native indigenous tribe, used to drink, and you can still find it in downtown Bogota. It’s made with corn. In past times, the natives fermented the drink by chewing on the corn. I promise the method has improved over time though!

I’ve taken a lot of people to drink Chicha, and some have love it; others have not. Either way, it’s something you have to try. It’s not at all strong; it tastes like a citrusy juice (like lulo juice) was mixed with soda water.

The place I like to get Chicha is 5 blocks west (towards the mountain) and 2 blocks north from the Plaza de Bolivar, Bogota’s main plaza (address: Cra. 2 #12b – 90). You get to the Chorro de Quevedo (if you can’t find it, ask someone!) and then follow the Rastafarian flags into an alley beside a restaurant called Rosita. The small restaurant where you can drink Chicha is on the left and is called La Totuma Corrida.

#6 Bonus

I’ll just list a few more things because I just can’t help myself. You can go to the Simon Bolivar Park in Bogota, Maloka, which is a fun, hands-on science museum, Jaime Duque Park right outside of Bogota, you can stay at Alegria’s Hostel, you can eat at La Puerta Falsa and NEED to eat at Crepes and Waffles.

I hope this helped you if you were wondering what to do in Bogota!

If you’re looking for outdoor activities to do near Bogota, check out this list of places to go!

Travel Guide

How to get to La Mojarra, Santander

Posted on October 18, 2017
refugio la roca, the rock refuge, where to climb in colombia, climbing, How to get to La Mojarra, Santander

How to get to La Mojarra, Santander:

*Note: You can find the map to get to La Mojarra at the bottom of this post!

Using Waze or Google Maps: search for “Hostal Sol de la Mojarra.” This is the entrance to the park, but the hostel here isn’t great. There are two hostels a block away that are much more comfortable, and minutes away from the park there are lots more.

In a car from Bogota:

  1. Exit the city from the north and take the Zipaquirá-Ubaté highway. Follow the signs towards Bucaramanga.
  2. After you’ve descended the Chicamocha Canyon in Pescadero and passed the Los Curos toll booth, take a left on the Teleférico (Cable Car) Piedecuesta Highway.
  3. 5 kilometers down this road, you’ll come to a fork in the road. Don’t head down to Piedecuesta. Stay left towards La Mesa de los Santos.
  4. Stay on this road for 22 kilometers until you see the Refugio la Roca on your left. One block away is the entrance to La Mojarra.

On a bus from Bogota: Take a bus going to Bucaramanga. Tell the bus driver, “Me bajo en Los Curos para irme a La Mesa de los Santos (I’ll get off at Los Curos to head to La Mesa de los Santos).” Make sure you remind the bus driver after you go down the Chicamocha Canyon. Cross the street where the bus drops you off and take a bus that says Los Santos. The words may be very small; another option is to take any bus that says Flota Cachira. Tell the bus driver “Voy para la Mojarra (I’m going to la Mojarra) and get off where he tells you. Good luck pronouncing all that! J

On a bus from Bucaramanga: get on a Flota Cachira bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.

On a bus from Piedecuesta: get on a Flota Cachira or La Culona bus headed to La Mesa de los Santos.

Some things to know:

La Mojarra is a natural preserve and rock climbing park. There’s been a lot of work put into it and it’s a privilege to have this place open to the public. So make sure you pay the entrance fee to the park. Find the park’s rock climbing guide here.

Take lots of insect repellent. Once we went during fertilizing season in the valley and the amount of flies was insane!

What to do in La Mojarra:

Climb: well, La Mojarra is a climbing park. If you’re a climber, grab a partner and do your thing. If you’re not, you can book a guide here or ask around hotels when you arrive.

Hike: the path through the park is beautiful and great for running or hiking. The path gets interesting at one point where it stops and the only way to continue is on a via ferrata, on steel cables and metal footholds put in the rock. To use this path you have to have climbing gear and know how to use it!

Take pictures: La Mojarra has a unique, spectacular landscape. Don’t leave without having taken some good pictures!

Watch sunrises and sunsets: these are the best times of the day! Sunsets are easy to watch; they happen while you’re awake. But it takes a little more will power to wake up and see the sunrise – which makes it more special. You have to watch at least one sunrise!

Want more tips on what to do while in Colombia? Check out our latest post, a list of great outdoor spots close to Bogota!

Here’s a video of one of our latest trips to La Mojarra!


Travel Guide

Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Posted on September 28, 2017
travel guide, hiking, Neusa Dam, fishing, Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Outdoor Adventures Close to Bogota

Bogotá is one of the densest, most chaotic cities in the world. And it’s pretty darn beautiful.

But sometimes a big city can become really tiring. Well, as it turns out, there are a lot of places to go on outdoor adventures close to Bogota! Whether you’re a Bogotano looking for something to do on the weekend or a foreigner looking to take a break from the urban tourism that Bogotá offers, we have got you covered!

The following is a list of places where you can have epic outdoor adventures close to Bogotá. We have been there and recommend them. You can even check out directions for how to get there by clicking on the links that are on each of the places’ names. Get out there, go an an adventure!

Chingaza National Park: directly to the east of Bogotá, this gigantic national park is a treasure of the Andes Mountains.

Chicaque Natural Park: to the south of Bogota lies a magical natural park known as a Cloud Forest. We love this place for its lookouts, starry nights, how wild it is, and, of course, its clouds.

Pionono Park: straight above the town of Sopó is this Ecological Park that offers beautiful hikes and views of the savannah of Bogotá. There is also a place to go paragliding right outside of the park.

Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon): way above the Neusa Dam is the Laguna Verde. This place is pristine and so fresh. You’ll be surrounded by frailejones and every shade of green. If it’s about getting to know the Colombian páramo (alpine), this place is exemplary.

Las Moyas Trail: with a trail-head right on the outskirts of the city, this trail will lead you up the mountains on the east of Bogotá to a height of about 3,100 meters (10,200 feet) above sea level.

The Neusa Dam: known for its cold water, comfortable camping, and closeness to Bogota, let me tell you a little more about this place – starry nights, perfect stillness at dawn, and wooded pine forests. Dam. Here are some tips for car camping!

The Sisga Dam: we love biking, and there’s a route that goes all around the Sisga Dam. On top of being moderately difficult, which we love, you get to enjoy the landscape from all of its angles.

The Tatacoita Desert: this desert that lies hidden outside the town of Nemocón is a wonderful place to hike, bike, picnic, and camp.

Check out videos for most of these places on our YouTube channel!

*We will update the list many times throughout the years! Be on the lookout or subscribe to our mailing list to stay on top of updates!

Travel Guide

How to get to Las Moyas Trail

Posted on September 11, 2017
How to get to Las Moyas Trail, hike in bogota, colombia, nature

The Las Moyas Trail, or Sendero las Moyas, was closed for years. But it’s been open to the public since 2022, and the whole process was re-organized to be efficient, quick and safe. I appreciate Live Happy Colombia and the land owners, who opened this trail for people to enjoy it, while still taking care of the area and all its beauty. This is how to get to Las Moyas Trail!

But first, a comment from the heart. Bogota, with its mountains, could be like Santiago, Chile or Boulder, Colorado. If Colombia’s Eastern Mountains (Cerros Orientales) were full of hiking and mountain biking trails, Bogota would be completely different. However, that culture just doesn’t exist, and trails get damaged due to bad use or over-use when they do open. The only way that culture can change is by organizations taking the initative and taking the risk of opening lots of trails to share the load, teach people to take care of what they have and regulating their use. It looks like that’s already starting to happen, and we’re SO excited for what the future holds!

If you like hiking, click here to read about Quebrada la Vieja, which is 6 blocks from Las Moyas!

How to get to Las Moyas Trail

*Note: You can find the map to get to Las Moyas Trail at the bottom of this post!

Walking:

  1. Get to the Transmilenio station called Calle 76 and then walk to Carrera 7 (towards the mountain).
  2. Cross Carrera 7, and keep walking towards the mountain on Calle 74. You’ll get to the Circunvalar, which is Carrera 1. Cross it and continue on Calle 74, which bends to the left becoming Carrera 1 East.
  3. Turn right on Calle 77 and then take the next left, which is Carrera 2 East.
  4. Walk along this road until you find the entrance to the Horizontes – Las Moyas Trail. It’s on the right after a sign that points you to the Metropolitan Club.
  5. Hike for about 2 hours until you get to a boulder field past the antenna on the summit.

In a car:

With a GPS: Use Waze or Google Maps to look up “Umbral Cultural Horizontes” and follow the instructions. Parking is prohibited on the street, but there’s a parking area for the hike next to the Metropolitan Club (I marked the spot on the map).

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogota, get to the Carrera 7 and go up towards the mountain on Calle 74 until you get to Carrera 2.
  2. Take a right on Carrera 2 and then take the next right turn and then your next right turn again to be on Diagonal 76. Cross the Circunvalar, which is Carrera 1.
  3. Once you cross the Circunvalar, the road will turn left becoming Carrera 1 East.
  4. Take the first right turn onto Calle 77 and then take a left where the street ends, which is Carrera 2 East.
  5. On this road, go right and park at the Metropolitan Club. The spot is marked on the map below. The Las Moyas Trail begins at the end of the road going up to the right.
  6. Hike for about 2 hours until you get to a boulder field past the antenna on the summit.

Some things to know:

  • The trail opens from Tuesday to Friday from 6-9:00 AM and you have to be starting the hike between 6 and 6:30 AM. Entry on the weekends is subject to group outings, which are organized on their Telegram.
  • The entry fee to Sendero las Moyas is $15,000 pesos, and you can buy a monthly “membership” for 60,000 pesos. This money goes towards the trails conservation and some social inclusion projects.
  • The trail is totally safe during the authorized hours.
  • The hike is 4.2 kilometers or 2.6 miles long.
  • To make a reservation and pay, click on this link to go to Live Happy Colombia’s website and follow the instructions. You’ll also find your QR code at that link, which you have to show to start hiking the trail.
  • Pets are not allowed.

What to do in Las Moyas:

Picnic on top of a rock: have your breakfast at the summit of Las Moyas Trail, with amazing landscapes whichever way you turn.

Take care of your surroundings: people sometimes damage beauty while they try to enjoy it, like when they’re eating on top of a boulder. Don’t graffiti the boulders or even engrave anything on them. Take everything you brought with you back to the city, even organic waste. The beauty of a pristine place is that it’s pristine. Let’s keep it that way.

This hike is my favorite one on Bogota’s eastern mountains, partly because it has some amazingly photogenic views. The only thing missing is the Pine Forest of Quebrada la Vieja but, you know, nothing’s perfect! I hope you get to it now that you know exactly how to get to Las Moyas Trail!

Read some more posts about outdoor adventures close to Bogota to get psyched for more!

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