Zipaquira Salt Cathedral & Guatavita Lake tour with pickup
The Salt Cathedral sits deep underground in a converted mine, with a towering cross carved from salt at its center.
A full-day group tour from Zipaquira visiting five sights (Guatavita Colonial Town, Guatavita Lake, the Sabana de Bogota landscape, a typical Colombian lunch stop, and the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral) with hotel pickup, bilingual guide, and round-trip transport included. Entrance fees to the lake and cathedral are paid separately at each site. The Guatavita Lake portion includes a moderate 90-minute guided walk with a local Spanish-speaking guide. English translation is available through your driver for an additional fee at the entrance.
Step-by-step itinerary
Visit Guatavita, Sabana, Zipaquira
- Pick up guests at accommodations
- Drive via La Calera viewpoint
- Visit Colonial Town of Guatavita
- Walk and explore Guatavita town
- Travel to Laguna de Guatavita entrance
- Guided walk at Laguna de Guatavita
- Enjoy landscapes of Sabana de Bogota
- Arrive at Zipaquira for lunch
- Eat typical Colombian food
- Visit Zipaquira Salt Mine and Cathedral
- Explore Salt Cathedral independently
- Drive back to Bogota and drop off
- Lake Guatavita 2h
- Zipaquira Salt Cathedral 2h
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off at your accommodation.
- round-trip transport in a comfortable SUV or van.
- bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
- a 90-minute guided walk at Guatavita Lake with a local guide.
- time for lunch at a typical Colombian restaurant in Zipaquira.
- approximately two hours inside the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral with a free audio guide available in English or Spanish.
- and views of the Bogota savanna landscape throughout the drive.
Times
- Every day 07:00
Before you book
Operated by Cesar Augusto Cruz Perlaza
Prices and times updated yesterday
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The experience
The day starts at 7 am with pickup at your accommodation, then heads north through the Calera viewpoint to see the Bogota savanna before arriving at Guatavita Colonial Town by 8:30 am. You walk the white-walled streets with clay tile roofs and stone floors for 45 minutes, with time to photograph the colonial architecture. After 35 minutes of driving, you reach Guatavita Lake, a natural reserve sitting almost 3,000 meters high on a mountain. A local guide leads a two-hour walk explaining the ancient Muisca rituals connected to the lake. If you need English translation, your bilingual driver can provide it for a fee paid at the entrance.
The third stop is the Sabana de Bogota itself, not a single site but the landscape you see throughout the drive: valleys, different tree species, local vegetation, flowers, and lagoons across the region's towns. After more than an hour crossing this terrain, you arrive in Zipaquira for lunch at a local restaurant serving typical Colombian food. The final stop is the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral, a former salt mine converted into an underground cathedral. You descend to the central dome, where a 14-meter cross carved from salt stands as the largest underground cross in the cathedral. The space includes a light show, a film about the mine, and a water mirror feature. You spend around two hours inside at your own pace, then drive back to Bogota, over an hour, and are dropped at your hotel.
The tour runs approximately 12 hours total, and while the exact end time can vary, your bilingual guide speaks both English and Spanish throughout. A free audio guide in English or Spanish is available inside the Salt Cathedral. The tour is designed for all ages, from children to seniors, and requires only short walks. Bring Colombian cash for coffee shops and souvenir stores along the way.
Is this one for you?The 7 am start and 12-hour duration mean an early morning and a full day of travel and walking, so book this if you're comfortable with an early pickup and can handle the pace of five stops across mountain terrain. The moderate 90-minute walk at Guatavita Lake is the most physical part. If you prefer less walking or a shorter day, look for a tour that skips the lake or focuses on fewer sites.
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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 (15 to 17 years); Child (7 to 14 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.
What is the Guatavita Lake walk like?
Guatavita Lake is a moderate 90-minute guided walk at almost 3,000 meters elevation on a mountain. A local Spanish-speaking guide explains the ancient Muisca culture and rituals connected to the lake. Your bilingual driver can translate into English for a fee paid at the entrance.
Are entrance fees included in the tour price?
Entrance fees to Guatavita Lake and the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral are not included and are paid separately at each site. Prices vary depending on whether you are a national or foreign visitor, and discounts apply for disabled travelers and seniors.
What time does the tour start and end?
The tour starts at 7 am with pickup at your accommodation. It lasts approximately 12 hours, so you return to your hotel around 7 pm, though the exact end time can vary depending on the group's pace at each stop.
Is lunch included?
Lunch is not included in the tour price, but the itinerary includes time to eat at a local restaurant in Zipaquira serving typical Colombian food. You pay for your meal separately.
What is the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral?
The Zipaquira Salt Cathedral is a former salt mine converted into an underground cathedral. You descend to the central dome, where a 14-meter cross carved entirely from salt stands as the largest underground cross. The site includes a light show, a film about the mine, and a water mirror. You spend around two hours exploring at your own pace.
Zipaquira Salt Cathedral & Guatavita Lake tour with pickup
11h–12h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 59 per person
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