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bogota travel guide

Travel Guide

How to get to Quebrada la Vieja

Posted on July 6, 2022
how to get to Quebrada la Vieja

The mountains to the east of Bogota are a unique place right outside the big city. You’re close to the city, but the cool air enters your nose like you’re in the backwoods of who-know-where. All the hikes on Bogota’s mountain range were closed for a few years because they were over-used. Thankfully, they reopened in 2022, although with more restrictions. You have to reserve a spot online and have until about 9:30 am to reach the top of the hike. This all makes for a nicer hike with less crowds. And let me tell you – the amount of people you could find here on a Sunday before the restrictions was CRAZY! Find out how to get to Quebrada la Vieja, make your reservation and more by reading on!

How to get to Quebrada la Vieja:

You can find the map to get to Quebrada la Vieja at the bottom of this post!

Walking:

  1. Get on a Transmilenio to get to the Calle 72 station and walk straight towards the mountains.
  2. On Calle 72, you’ll find the trailhead with a big sign. You’ll still be among the buildings, but on top of a little creek. Follow the trail.
  3. When the trail puts you back on the pavement, keep walking towards the mountain. When you get to the Circunvalar road, or Carrera 2 Este, you have to cross it underneath through a sketchy-looking tunnel. Exit the tunnel and the real trailhead will be right above.
  4. Start hiking and a few minutes in they’ll ask you for your reservation and point you in the right direction. Eventually, tou’ll get to a large clearing. If you continue on the trail towards the left, you can get to a lookout with a statue of a Virgin. If you continue on the trail towards the right and keep going, you can get to a lookout with a cross.

In a car:

To be honest, it’s best to get to Quebrada la Vieja from the Transmilenio or in an Uber.

If Ubering, type in this address and you’re good: Quebrada La Vieja, Cl. 71, Bogotá.

If you do head over in a car:

  1. The closest parking garage is called Park Elite on Calle 72 close to Carrera 7 (I know, that probably means nothing to you, so it’s marked on the map below).
  2. Walk up Calle 72 towards the mountains, eventually walking along a little creek and through a sketchy tunnel. The trailhead will be there right after the tunnel.
  3. Start hiking and a few minutes in they’ll ask you for your reservation and point you in the right direction. Eventually, you’ll get to a large clearing. If you continue on the trail towards the left, you can get to a lookout with a statue of a Virgin. If you continue on the trail towards the right and keep going, you can get to a lookout with a cross.

Is it safe?

During the hours Quebrada la Vieja is open to the public, there are officials spread out across the hike to help make it safe and a police officer at Claro de la Luna. So yes, it is safe!

Watch this video to see Quebrada la Vieja for yourself! It’s hard to believe this is INSIDE Bogotá..

How to make a reservation:

  1. Go to https://gme.acueducto.com.co/visitas/
  2. Click on any of the Quebrada la Vieja options. I recommend La Virgen or Alto de la Cruz because Claro de la Luna is an intermediate option from where you can go left to La Virgen or right towards Alto de la Cruz. The “Paramo” option is a longer hike but is usually not available.
  3. Fill out the information and you’re good to go! You have to show your reservation when you get there.

Some things to know:

  • There is no entrance fee for the Quebrada la Vieja trail.
  • Pets are not allowed on the trail.
  • The trail is open Tuesday to Friday from 5:00 to 9:00 am and Weekends from 6:00 to 11:00 am. It’s not open on Mondays and, if the Monday is a holiday, it won’t be open on Tuesday.
  • The hike to the Virgin is 1.3 km and 1.7 km to the Cross.
  • You’re only allowed to go to one lookout per visit, so if you want to get to know the Virgin and the Cross, you’ll have to go two separate days.
  • If you have any questions, write to me on Instagram!

What to do at Quebrada la Vieja:

Have a breakfast picnic while you gaze at Bogota from above.

Take care of your surroundings: people sometimes damage beauty while they try to enjoy it; please try not to! One of the amazing things about Quebrada la Vieja is how wild it feels even though you’re literally minutes from one of the world’s most populated cities. Let’s keep it that way.

Take pictures of towering eucalyptus and pine trees, the morning sun rays splitting the air, the cold morning air visibly entering and exiting your lungs, and Bogota, much smaller from above.

Interested in getting to know the outdoors close to Bogota? I recommend you check out Choachi and all there is to do around there!
Travel Guide

How to Get to Cerro de Guadalupe

Posted on July 28, 2019
how to get to Cerro de Guadalupe, Bogota, monserrate, the road less traveled, guadalupe hill

Have you heard of Monserrate? It’s a church on top of the mountains that overlook Bogota. EVERYONE goes there. And you should too! But if you’ve been there, I’m sure you’ve seen the enormous statue on the mountain peak across from Monserrate. This place is called Cerro de Guadalupe (Guadalupe Hill) or Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Parish of our Lady of Guadalupe). It has a road all the way to the top and, in my opinion, has a better view of the entire city of Bogota! To use a cliché, this place is the road less traveled. If you want to get to know a place not even very many Colombians know, this is definitely the spot. This is how to get to Cerro de Guadalupe!

How to get to Cerro de Guadalupe

*The map to get to Cerro de Guadalupe from Bogota is at the end of this post!

In Public Transportation:

  1. In Bogota, take a Transoriente or Cootransfómeque bus on Calle 6 with Avenida Caracas (see on the map below). The trip should cost less than $10,000 Colombian pesos ($3.5 dollars) and last about 45 minutes. Buses leave between 5:15 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. every day.
  2. Tell the bus driver you’re going to the entrance to Cerro de Guadalupe (“la entrada al Cerro de Guadalupe,” in Spanish). Be looking for signs on the road anyway because the driver may forget.
  3. When you get off, a long, steep walk up to the mountain peak and statue awaits you.
  4. If you’re going on a Sunday, which is when the place gets really crowded for catholic mass, you can take a bus all the way up for $2,000 pesos. Grab the bus at Carrera 10 with Calle 6 (I marked it on the map below).

In a Car:

With a GPS: enter “Cerro de Guadalupe” in Google Maps or Waze and follow the instructions. I recommend using a map because getting out of downtown Bogota can be confusing!

Without a GPS:

  1. In Bogota, get on Calle 26 East (towards the mountains) and follow it until it becomes the Av. Circunvalar. The Circunvalar is a road that snakes along the outer edge of Bogota by the mountains.
  2. Headed south, turn left where you see a sign towards Choachi. That left turn comes right after the Universidad Distrital campus.
  3. After a few minutes, there will be a sharp U-turn. Do the U-turn to stay on the main paved road instead of continuing straight.
  4. Follow this main road towards Choachi until you see a sign pointing to the right towards Cerro de Guadalupe.
  5. Drive up the very steep road all the way to an informal parking lot, and then walk the remainder of the way through some restaurants and up to the statue and parish.

Click here for a list of outdoor adventures close to Bogotá!

What to do at Cerro de Guadalupe

Eat typical Colombian food:

Don’t expect an all-out restaurant up here. What you can expect is a bunch of different stands that sell a huge variety of typical Colombian food. I’ll give you a list of things you can ask for: arepa, almojabana, hen (I know, that’s a little weird), agua de panela, pony malta and tomato chips. The list could go on, but with this, you’ll at least get a good taste of all my favorite typical treats (except hen – I included it because it’s different and worth trying).

Bike:

Yes, I did say the road up to the Statue is extremely steep. I also did just say you should bike up here. So many Colombians are so good at biking, that hundreds of people bike up to Cerro de Guadalupe every weekend to do some exercise, get a good view and, if they’re about it, go to church. If you’re a really good cyclist, I encourage you to try it out and understand why Colombians do so well in mountain stages in cycling races like the Tour de France.

Take pictures:

Like I said, I think Cerro de Guadalupe has a better view of the entire city of Bogota than Monserrate. That being said, it’s hard not to take out a camera and start snapping shots. Panoramic shots are amazing, as you can capture entire cumulus cloud filtering rays of light onto the city. A portrait shoot up here would be great too, actually!

Some things to know:

  • Security at Cerro de Guadalupe used to be a concern, but not so much anymore. Still, the place can be lonely, so be wise, don’t show off expensive things and be wary of suspicious people.
  • Make sure you take cash, especially small bills to pay buses and shops/services that can’t take your card (most places).
  • The bus ride from Calle 6 with Avenida Caracas will cost less than $10,000 pesos or $3.5 dollars per person. On Sundays, the ride from Carrera 10 with Calle 6 costs $2,000 pesos, or 65 cents.
  • The road up to the Statue and parish is VERY steep.
  • Sundays are very crowded for mass at 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon. On the first Sunday of each month, mass is at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
  • Number of tolls between Bogota and Cerro de Guadalupe: none!

I hope this blog post helped you learn how to get to Cerro Guadalupe, or Guadalupe Hill!

Colombia’s tallest waterfall is further down the road, passing Cerro de Guadalupe towards Choachi. Read about La Chorrera here!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Laguna Negra

Posted on June 6, 2018
how to get to the Laguna Negra, mongua, boyaca, colombia, hiking, remote, paramo

The most beautiful paramo in the world. At least that’s what locals call the Oceta Paramo, and I’d have to agree it was one of the more spectacular sights I’ve seen (a paramo is an alpine ecosystem that exists almost solely in South America). And in the middle of this gorgeous paramo, between towering mountains and sheer rock faces lies the Laguna Negra (Black Lagoon). With its two waterfalls and nicely placed camping spots, it makes for quite the view. We camped under the stars one night and in the rain the next, hiking, eating and playing throughout the day. You need to come here! This is how to get to the Laguna Negra in Mongua, Boyaca!

How to get to the Laguna Negra

*The map to get to the Laguna Negra from Bogota is at the bottom of this post!

In a car

With a GPS (highly recommended): type in “Laguna Negra, Mongua, Boyaca” in Waze or Google Maps and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

  1. Exit Bogota to the North. Stay on the main road, always following the signs to Tunja or Sogamoso when the road may split.
  2. Right before Tunja, stay on your left. The road will split in two and the left-side road will take you to Sogamoso instead of straight into the heart of Tunja. There are signs, so be watching for them!
  3. Stay on this road, following signs to Sogamoso. You’ll go straight through Paipa. Stay on the main road.
  4. You will soon get to a round-about where a sign will indicate that you can go towards Tibabosa or Nobsa. Take the second exit, towards Nobsa and stay on the main road.
  5. The exit to go up the mountain to Mongua will be on your right. The sign is right between the fork in the road, so be watching. It is right after a restaurant with blue-ish windows.
  6. Drive up the windy road. From here on out I suggest you use the map below, because this could get confusing. When you get to the fork in the road with a virgin’s statue in the middle, take a left towards Topaga. If you’re going to Mongui, take a right and drive all the way to the town.
  7. You’ll go through Topaga. Go around the plaza, exiting it from the opposite side you entered. The easiest way to “stay on the main road” is to only drive on the paved road. If it’s cobbled, you’ve gone the wrong way.
  8. Once you get to the very beginning of Mongua, take a left on a small road (last I knew, where there is a tiny wall right before you turn with the name ‘Gustavo Puentes Diaz’ painted on it). Drive down this road until it ends, then take a left, and then take the very first right turn.
  9. On this road, drive until you reach a U-turn to the right, going up. From here on out you’re home free all the way to Laguna Negra. Park where the road ends.

On public transportation

  1. Call Mongui Travels or write to Mongui Travels to coordinate someone to pick you up from Mongui or Mongua and take you to the Laguna Negra, since no public transportation makes it all the way there.
  2. Go to Bogota’s Bus Terminal (search Terminal de Transporte on Google Maps or Waze) and take a bus from there to Sogamoso. It will cost about $25,000 Colombian pesos or $8.50 USD.
  3. Once you get to Sogamoso’s bus terminal, take a bus from there to Mongua or Mongui.
  4. In Mongua or Mongui, get on your pre-scheduled ride to the Laguna Negra!
  5. If you did not pre-schedule a ride, your best bet is to get to Mongui, go to the Mongui Travels shop that’s right by the plaza and get them to help you out with transportation. If they’re not there, talk to the people in the ice-cream/juice shop next door. They’re extremely nice and make amazing juices.

What to do at the Laguna Negra:

When you get to the Lagoon, unless it’s a cloudy day, you’ll be able to see the sheer cliffs rising above you. One of the best activities is to hike up over those cliffs. The trail is kind of hard to find, which makes the adventure way more fulfilling. The trail is where you see a small house, not the tiny stone shack below it. It goes up the valley by the cliffs’ side until you can climb up on top of them. Two things: (1) use the map in the next point to get there, starting from the Laguna Negra, and (2) be careful with the locals (more info on that in “Some things to know”).

Hike from Mongui. Here’s a map for how to get to the Laguna Negra by the trail. This hike is really tough because it’s uphill most of the time, but it’s one of the most beautiful you’ll ever hike. I recommend getting a guide because it’s really hard to find and then follow the trail and because a guide will know how to deal with the locals (again, more info on that below).

Walk to the third waterfall. That’s right! THREE! As if the two waterfalls that feed the lagoon weren’t enough, there’s another one further up-river. A trail that starts right before the second waterfall will lead you up and above the lagoon. You’ll see a waterfall to your left at the top and you can walk most of the way there on a trail.

Get in the first waterfall. Need I say more? Nothing refreshes a human body like painfully cold water! I hope you take extra clothes and a towel with you.

Go fish. If you look at the water, you’ll see a LOT of movement on and under it. Fishing is allowed at the Laguna Negra!

If it’s not raining at night, make sure you stay up to look at the stars for a while. It’s quite a sight to behold and a rarity because it almost always rains at night in the paramo.

Some things to know:

  • As I said before, be careful with the locals. Now, this is a touchy subject because these “locals” are just an old couple that claims that the Oceta Paramo belongs to them. If you haven’t given them something, they approach you with rocks in their hands and demand payment. They may have more dangerous weapons, but it’s not likely. At least that’s what happened to my group when we walked from the Laguna Negra to the paramo above the cliffs. This old couple is annoying because it stains the experience of being in a place few people have seen. But don’t let it stop you from hiking. Either take a guide with you to deal with them nicely or take something to pay them with. We thought they wanted a lot, that they wanted to take advantage of us, but they were happy with food. That was humbling.
  • If you’re hiking from Mongui, I recommend getting a guide from Mongui Travels. Here’s their website with their contact information.
  • There aren’t very many flat spots to camp on, and whatever place you will find will probably be quite bumpy. Just to let you know, the camping infrastructure isn’t great, kind of like the Laguna Verde de Tausa’s. You’re pretty much just in the wilderness.
  • Fires are supposedly not allowed, but I say go for it. Forest rangers walked by our fires and said hi without saying anything about the fire. It’s so cold here, you almost need it, and the paramo is so wet that you’d have a hard time trying to start a forest fire. You’d need Napalm or something. Do be ethical and use fire pits that are already there and don’t make a fire under a tree.
  • 85% of Colombia’s water comes from its paramos, which make up 1.6% of its surface area. All that to say, it’s wet up there, so pack accordingly.

I hope this blog post helps you get out to this wonderful place! If you’re interested in going to a really nice, comfortable place to camp that’s really close to Bogota, check out this blog post about the Neusa Dam!

Travel Guide

How to get to the Laguna Verde de Tausa

Posted on April 9, 2018
camping, hiking, Green Lagoon, how to get to the Laguna verde de Tausa, outdoor adventures close to Bogota

Lala and I had a blast with 3 other couples at the Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon in English). We called the trip a quadruple date. It was awesome. Now, the Laguna Verde is an aquifer that actually creates the river that feeds the Neusa Dam! When I was camping at the Neusa Dam, I felt very deep in nature even though I was still close to civilization, so you can just imagine how wild the Laguna Verde feels. You get see thousands of frailejones (probably my favorite plant) and other alpine plants and a beautiful, pristine lake on a trail that, though it isn’t well known or highly hiked, is really well preserved. We met the guy who owns the property – a ginormous property that includes the lake. He keeps the trail preserved and is really cool about letting people in. He didn’t charge us anything! And he gave us his phone number, so you can call him before going, just for him to know. I totally recommend you go to this wonderful, off-the-beaten-track spot! This is how to get to the Laguna Verde de Tausa (Tausa is the closest town).

Misiades Salazar’s (the owner) phone number: (571) 312 4938840

How to get to the Laguna Verde de Tausa

*The map to get to the Laguna Verde from Bogota is at the bottom of this post!

In a car

With a GPS (highly recommended): type in “Laguna Verde Tausa” in Waze or Google Maps. Make sure you picked the one in Tausa, Cundinamarca, Colombia and follow the directions.

Without a GPS:

*Some tips before you read: (1) this will all make more sense if you can see it, and Google Maps has Street View all the way to step 8, so use it to get your bearings, and (2) you’re probably going to have to ask locals for directions as you go, so brush up on your Spanish!

  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 yet another 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 third exit, staying on the main road.
  5. From here on out, having a GPS is best because you’re going to take a left on a corner where you’ll see two stores named ‘Viejo Mao’ and ‘Alejo 2.’ There are no signs to Cogua or the Laguna Verde.
  6. Stay on this main road, and you’ll get to Cogua. Where the road seems to end, take a right and then immediately take the next left. Then, still in Cogua, stay left where three roads intersect.
  7. Soon enough, you’ll get to an obvious fork in the road. Go left. If you take a right, you’ll see a sign that says LA PAZUELA 2, and you’ve gone the wrong way. Stay on the road to the left.
  8. After you pass the Rio Borracho (Drunk River), take a right on a downward sloping dirt road to the right. Drive down to a house at a small intersection before the beginning of the trail and park there. The house is at the very bottom, where everywhere else you go is up.
  9. Walk to a fork in the road. To the left, it goes up, and to the right, it goes down. Take the road to the left, go through a gate, and begin the hike! It’ll last about an hour.

On public transportation

  1. You can get on a bus that says ‘San Cayetano’ at Bogota’s Bus Terminal (Terminal de Transporte) or at the North Bus Terminal (Terminal Satélite Del Norte).
  2. Take this bus for a while, passing Cogua. Tell the bus driver you’re getting off at the entrance after the Drunk River to go to the Laguna Verde. He probably won’t know English, so say: “Voy para la entrada a la Laguna Verde después del Rio Borracho.” Good luck!
  3. You’ll be dropped off at a downward sloping dirt road to the right. Walk a good 15-20 minutes to the beginning of the trail, following the main road.
  4. You’ll get to a fork in the road. To the left, it goes up, and to the right, it goes down. Take the road to the left, go through a gate, and begin the hike! It’ll last about an hour.

Check out our video!

What to do at the Laguna Verde:

Camp: the friend we made, the man who owns the property that includes the Laguna Verde told us to give him a call if we ever want to camp, for two reasons. First, just to let him know so he can make sure everything is good and second, because he offered to rent us a small house there is on the property. The house is in really bad conditions, though, so I would just camp outdoors… right next to the lake. Much better, huh?

Breathe fresh air: I only mention this because I think it’s important to do it consciously!

Have a long picnic: there’s a few really nice spots quite close to the lake to have a picnic and enjoy the view for a good long time. Bring your choice of food and enjoy! The ground will probably be soggy, because this ecosystem is just very wet, so bring a blanket or jacket to sit on or just get your bum wet, it won’t hurt!

Go on a double, triple or quadruple date: seriously, there’s no better way to enjoy nature than with friends. So grab some people you love and go on this adventure!

Take pictures: of course! Pick up your camera and capture some earthy, wet, moody, beautiful shots in this gorgeous place.

Some things to know:

  • Though our friend, who owns this property, will let you in for free, the township of Cogua doesn’t really love people going to the Laguna Verde because it’s such an important body of water (it feeds the Neusa Dam and 17 towns). Please take care of this wonderful place – don’t leave your trash, try to stay on the trail – so that it doesn’t get taken from us. It’s true, this place should be pristine because of its importance, but I also think it’s important for people to enjoy special outdoor places like this one. Both can be true. Let’s keep it that way.
  • Call Misiades Salazar at (571) 312 4938840 just to let him know you’ll be going!
  • Like I said, everything is free: entrance to the property and parking at a farmer’s house, but give the people some money as thanks. They aren’t obliged to help us out, but they do.
  • A car can make it all the way to where the trail begins in good conditions, but definitely not if the road is wet. If it’s been raining, you’ll have to park further up the road or be in a car with 4-wheel drive.

Now that you know how to get to the Laguna Verde, make sure you go! So recommended. Let us know how it went!

If you saw a big lake on your way to Laguna Verda, it was actually a dam. The Neusa Dam! Click here to find out how to get there.. or click here to see a list of places to have outdoor adventures close to Bogota!

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

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!

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