Guatavita Lake and Salt Cathedral: Journey Through Indigenous Economy, Art and Religion in Bogotá

Embark on a journey through indigenous economy, art, and religion in Bogotá. Explore Guatavita Lake and the Salt Cathedral to discover the rich cultural heritage of the Muiscas and their influence on Colombian society.

Duration: 11 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Laguna de Guatavita - We begin to walk into Guatavita natural reservation. We will meet a guide of the lake that speaks about the native culture, I do the translation and add some information, then we begin to climb steps, it is aprox 130 meters (426 feet). But do not worry we will stop several times.
    As soon as we finish the stairs, we arrive to…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Entrance to the Guatavita Lake
  • Bottled water
  • Loan of binoculars and raincoats during the tour
  • Snacks
  • Entrance to the Salt Cathedral with Audioguide
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • Breakfast
  • Carbonated beverages
Additional Information

The location of Spanish settlements and the establishment of Bogotá were largely influenced by indigenous economic, religious, and artistic activities. On this journey, you’ll grasp the connection between nature, salt, the Legend of El Dorado, the Salt Cathedral, Gold Museum, gold, copper, and the inhabitants of Bogotá.
From the moment our acquaintance,…

Location
Laguna de Guatavita
Km 15, Via Guatavita-Sesquile
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(37 Ratings)
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Nancy_u
Aug 18, 2024
10 out of 10 - The experience with Javier was great. He was on time, his car was comfortable and clean, he provided great communication, he is a safe and cautious driver, very respectful and professional. We not only got to see the lagoon and salt cathedral but also the beautiful town of Guatavita. Very charming and quaint. The restaurant he picked for our lunch was big and busy but the service was fast and the food amazing plus we got to enjoy live music. Would recommend him to anyone interested in doing these activities!
Review provided by Viator
Gabiiuspa
Oct 7, 2023
I would definitely come back! One of the most beautiful places in Colombia - I actually went more than 2 years ago and it was one of the best trips I took in Colombia. It's totally worth it, it's beautiful, incredible and the history and culture is surreal.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Greggboston
Sep 4, 2023
Worth seeing this amazing wonder. A bit too Religious though. - High recommend this tour. We took this tour as part of an all day trip to visit the sacred lake and salt cathedral. Both trips were amazing. The cathedral is a very large catholic cathedral built by salt miners and designed by an architect who won the design contest. There are beautiful carvings in salt and sandstone reflecting the 14 stations of the cross. These were amazing, but the significance was lost on me. The central cathedral is large and contains beautiful art leveraging the natural beauty of the salt mine. There is a video display area that was very striking. The acoustics of the cathedral were well thought out and it would have been lovely to hear the choir. A tape of the choir showed off the well designed acoustics. Our guide was amazing and understood all the history of the cathedral, it’s construction, and the motivations. The cathedral is amazing and large with lots of sections that were related to Christ’s crucifixion (meaningless to me). The audio guide focused on the journey of Christ and spent almost no time on the architecture or design. While the cathedral is worth the trip, the audio guide was too religious and a waste of time. As our guide suggested, we skipped over the religious parts. There is an amazing commercial area at the end to buy local art and souvenirs and coffee. We bought a magnet, but after all the religious discussion of the tour, we really weren’t up for shopping.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karen_e
Jun 25, 2023
Best Full-Day Tour - This full day trip hits all the best spots and Javier was the best tour guide ever! Javier was friendly, knowledgeable, and prepared. He knows all the tips and tricks when visiting the spots and treats you to authentic snacks along the way. The pick up and drop off at the hotel was super convenient as well! We loved this tour and highly recommend booking it again!!
Review provided by Viator
Voyage51350889174
Jan 17, 2023
Amazing day trip with Javier. - Had a great day trip with Javier. 10x better than a large organized tour. We got a personal experience and Javier provided us with a lot of history and good information. Best part of the trip was getting to know Javier and seeing a whole new side of Colombia. Beautiful places, all worth the long day. Javier even helped us with our Spanish!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_r
Nov 22, 2022
Stellar service, scenery, food--highly recommend! - This trip far surpassed my expectations. The tour leader, Javier, created a very nice mood for the trip, with informative explanations along the drive. He was good at going with the flow, modifying plans to accommodate individual travelers. He's friendly and kind, a very good driver, even in challenging conditions. I didn't expect to learn so much, or to feel so connected to the other travelers. Everything was stellar---Javier's guidance, the food, the guides, the scenery, the timing (even though we ran late because of a flooded road), the conversation. I feel so lucky that I signed up for this tour. I would totally recommend Javier for anything!!!
Review provided by Viator
Pumpking853
Nov 20, 2022
Jojo - Very worth & high recommended day tour, if I can give six stars, I will give six. Small groups, so more freedom and flexibility. The places we travel are also very interesting. A very fulfilling and pleasant day, with our Tour Guide, Javier, and other group members. Javier is very helpful, especially with my booking issue, patience and talkative gentleman. 非常值得&推薦的行程,如果可以給六星,我會給六星。 小團體,所以比較自由,彈性。行程去的地方亦非常好玩。 和我們的導遊 Javier 以及其他團友過了非常充實愉快的一天。 Javier 非常幫忙, 尤其在我預訂上有問題的時候. 人隨和, 健談與友善。
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V531ubyasminf
Oct 30, 2022
Wonderful day in Columbia! - I had a such a great time in this tour. My guide Javier Yhama was patient; knowledge; and has a great personality! We had a small group and I felt like I was on a road trip with friend. The hike to the lake was scenic and peaceful. The energy was amazing. The salt cathedral was a grand display of mining and worship at the same time. We got there juts in time to see the colorful procession. Wonderful and full day 👏🏾👏🏾. I highly recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jjj8115
Oct 1, 2022
Must Do! - Javier was fantastic! I felt like I got such a localized experience that I wouldn’t have gotten with a bigger group or big tour company. He knew the best food stands to stop at and was very knowledgeable about the area and attractions. I had a wonderful time and would 10/10 recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Franco_d
Aug 4, 2024
Canceled - Canceled... just 12 hours before... so, i did not have any chance to plan something else. Very disappointed
Review provided by Viator
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