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!
