Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral tour from Bogotá: 180m underground
Walk inside a cathedral carved from the world's largest salt deposit
A private tour from Bogotá to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, built 180 meters underground and carved entirely from salt, with hotel pickup and a Spanish-speaking driver. The cathedral holds stations of the cross, a central dome where Eucharists are held, and natural salt formations. Lunch and a live guide in English or Spanish are available on certain options. The tour lasts between 5 and 7 hours depending on which option you choose.
Options for this experience
3 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Visit Salt Cathedral and Lunch
- Pickup from hotel in Bogotá
- Travel to Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral
- Tour the underground Salt Cathedral
- Visit Zipaquirá town and central square
- Enjoy typical Colombian lunch
- Return to Bogotá
What’s included
- Private transportation with hotel pickup and return.
- Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral entry ticket.
- audioguide in your chosen language or a live guide in English or Spanish (depending on your option).
- typical Colombian lunch in Zipaquirá (on options that include it).
Times
- Every day 08:30 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00
Before you book
Operated by Nómadas Colombia Travel
Prices and times updated yesterday
Traveler reviews
The experience
Your driver picks you up at your hotel in Bogotá and handles the drive to Zipaquirá, so you don't navigate the route yourself. The journey takes you past Tequendama Falls on the way. Once you arrive at the salt cathedral, you descend 180 meters underground into a structure carved entirely from salt: the only underground cathedral in the world and one of the largest salt rock deposits on the planet. The scale hits you as soon as you enter: the entire space is hewn from the mineral itself, with walls, pillars and ceilings all salt.
Inside, you move through several stations depicting the Christian way of the cross, each one positioned within the salt chambers. The central dome is where Eucharists are held, and it's been sculpted and lit to create an effect that combines the raw geology of the salt deposit with artistic intervention. You'll see both the religious installations and the natural formations that salt mining leaves behind: veins, layers, and the texture of the rock itself. An audioguide in your chosen language walks you through the space, or you can book a private guide who speaks English or Spanish and leads you through in person.
After the cathedral, the tour moves into the town of Zipaquirá itself. You walk through the central square and colonial-style streets to find a restaurant for a typical Colombian lunch, where you'll taste dishes seasoned in local style. Then it's the return drive to Bogotá and your hotel. The whole day runs between 5 and 7 hours depending on whether you add lunch and a guide to your booking.
Is this one for you?Choose the audioguide option if you want to move through the cathedral at your own pace and spend less time overall. Pick the complete guide option if you prefer someone to explain the history and meaning of each station and the cathedral's role in the region, since a live guide adds context that an audioguide cannot match.
Compare the 10 alternatives
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 17 years).
What exactly is the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral and why is it underground?
The Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral is carved 180 meters below ground inside the world's largest salt rock deposit. It's the only underground cathedral in the world and was built as a functioning church where Eucharists are held. The entire structure (walls, pillars, dome and all) is carved from salt.
Do I get a guide, or do I navigate the cathedral on my own?
You choose at checkout: the audioguide option includes a recorded guide in your language. The complete guide option includes a live Spanish or English-speaking guide who leads you through the cathedral in person.
Is lunch included in this tour?
Lunch is included on two of the three options: the audioguide with lunch option and the complete guide option both include a typical Colombian meal in Zipaquirá after the cathedral. The audioguide-only option does not include lunch.
How long does the whole tour take?
The tour runs 5 hours with the audioguide alone, 6 hours with audioguide and lunch, or 7 hours with the complete private guide option. This includes hotel pickup, the cathedral visit, town exploration, and return to your hotel.
What's included in the price besides the cathedral and lunch?
Private transportation from your hotel in Bogotá and back is included in all options, along with the cathedral ticket. The driver speaks Spanish and can use an electronic translator if needed. Children from age 2 are welcome, and strollers are permitted.
Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral tour from Bogotá: 180m underground
7h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 59 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.