Private tour: Salt Cathedral & Guatavita Lagoon from Bogotá

Two sacred sites in one day: the underground salt cathedral and the lagoon that inspired El Dorado

A private tour from Bogotá combines two of Colombia's most storied places: Lake Guatavita, where the Muisca people performed rituals and the legend of El Dorado took root, and the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, carved entirely from salt deep underground. A bilingual guide leads you through both sites and the towns around them, with hotel pickup, entry to the cathedral, and time for lunch included. The full day runs 10 to 11 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Lake Guatavita3h · entry included
2. Zipaquira Salt Cathedral3h · entry included

Visit Guatavita Lagoon and Salt Cathedral

• Travel through Bogotá Savannah
• Pass through Sesquilé town
• Visit Guatavita Lagoon and learn El Dorado legend
• Tour Guatavita town
• Stop at Mirador del Embalse del Tominé viewpoint
• Visit Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral
• Tour Zipaquirá village

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your Bogotá hotel and heads northeast across the Sabana de Bogotá, the high plateau that surrounds the city. Along the way you pass through Sesquilé, a colonial town whose architecture the guide points out, and stop at the Mirador del Embalse del Tominé for a view across the reservoir. Lake Guatavita sits in a crater at the edge of the plateau, ringed by steep slopes. The lagoon itself is small and still, but it carries the weight of Muisca history: the indigenous people held ceremonies here, and Spanish conquistadors heard stories of gold offerings that became the legend of El Dorado. You walk around the site and hear the history before the tour moves on to the town of Guatavita, where the guide shows you the main streets and explains the local culture.

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá lies about an hour south, also on the high plain. It is carved 180 meters underground into a salt mine that has been worked for centuries. The cathedral itself is a working church, with a nave, a transept, and a cross carved from the salt walls: the largest underground cross in the world. You walk through the chambers, see the reflecting pool, and visit the virtual reality theater. The scale and the oddness of worshipping in a space made entirely of salt create the kind of moment that stays with you. After the cathedral, a brief tour of Zipaquirá's town center rounds out the day before the drive back to Bogotá.

Your guide speaks both English and Spanish and travels with you the whole day. Entry to the Salt Cathedral is paid for by the tour. A recommended restaurant in one of the towns gives you time to eat lunch on your own. You get water throughout the day, a small souvenir, and a chance to try a typical Colombian snack. Medical insurance is included, and audioguides in multiple languages are available at the cathedral if you want extra detail.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Bogotá.
• professional bilingual guide for the full day.
• entry ticket to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá.
• audioguides in multiple languages at the cathedral.
• water and a typical Colombian snack.
• a souvenir.
• medical insurance.
• free time for lunch at a recommended restaurant (meal cost separate).

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 49 years) · Senior (50 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Audio guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by GoBogotá

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from Bogotá means you don't need a car or arrange separate transport to reach either site. The driver collects you and handles the full day's route. This works especially well if you're staying in the city center or elsewhere without a rental.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the legend of El Dorado and why does it connect to Lake Guatavita?

Lake Guatavita was a sacred site where the Muisca people performed rituals and made offerings. Spanish conquistadors heard stories of gold thrown into the lagoon as part of these ceremonies, and those tales grew into the legend of El Dorado: a mythical city of gold that explorers spent centuries trying to find. The lagoon itself is small and sits in a crater, but the history and the mystery are what draw visitors.

What exactly is the Salt Cathedral and what do you see inside?

The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is a working church carved 180 meters underground into a salt mine. Inside are a nave, a transept, and the largest underground cross in the world, all carved from salt. You also see a reflecting pool and a virtual reality theater. The entire space is made of salt, which creates an unusual and memorable setting for worship and sightseeing.

How much time do you spend at each site?

The tour spends time at Lake Guatavita and the town of Guatavita in the morning, then moves to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá and its town in the afternoon. The full day runs 10 to 11 hours from pickup to return, with a lunch break built in at a recommended restaurant. The guide controls the pace and decides how long to linger at each stop.

Is lunch included, and where do you eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but the guide recommends a restaurant in one of the towns and you have free time to eat there. You choose what to order and pay for your own meal. Water and a typical Colombian snack are provided by the tour.

Can you visit these sites if you don't have a car or aren't staying near Bogotá?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour, so the driver collects you from your accommodation in Bogotá and returns you there at the end of the day. You don't need a car or arrange your own transport to either site.