Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral & Lake Guatavita tour from Bogotá

Descend into the salt cathedral, then climb to the lagoon where El Dorado was born

A private tour from Bogotá combines two sites tied to Colombia's pre-Columbian past: the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, built 180 meters underground inside the world's largest salt deposit, and Lake Guatavita, the sacred mountain lagoon where the Muisca culture made gold offerings that sparked the El Dorado legend. Your expert guide leads you through both, with hotel pickup, lunch and stops in the colonial town of Guatavita included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Zipaquira Salt Cathedral2h 40m
2. Lake Guatavita3h

Explore Salt Cathedral and Guatavita

• Visit underground Salt Cathedral
• Travel to Guatavita town
• Walk Guatavita cobbled streets
• Visit sacred Guatavita lagoon
• Enjoy view of Tominé reservoir

The experience

The tour starts at your hotel and heads to Zipaquirá, where you descend into the only cathedral ever built underground. The structure sits 180 meters below ground inside a working salt mine: the ingenuity of the excavation combined with Christian iconography, sculpture and lighting creates a space unlike any other religious building. Your guide explains how the Stations of the Cross were carved into the salt walls and how the mine's scale rivals any surface cathedral.

From there you travel into the Bogotá savannah toward Lake Guatavita, stopping in the colonial town of Guatavita itself: rebuilt on higher ground after the original was flooded in the 1970s. Your guide walks you through its cobbled streets and explains the town's history while you see the architecture that survived the relocation. The real draw is the lagoon at the highest point in the surrounding mountains, where the Muisca people made ritual gold offerings centuries ago. That practice gave birth to the El Dorado legend, which you'll hear more about during the drive. On the return, you pass the Tominé reservoir, another mountain water view that frames the day.

You choose whether to have lunch in Guatavita or Zipaquirá, and your guide speaks either English or Spanish throughout the 10 hours. The tour is private, so the pace and stops stay on your schedule.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return.
• private expert guide throughout in English or Spanish.
• lunch at a restaurant in either Guatavita or Zipaquirá of your choice.
• tours of Sesquilé and Zipaquirá villages.
• access to Lake Guatavita and the surrounding mountain landscape.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 07:00 and 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 21 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Nómadas Colombia Travel

Is this one for you?The 10-hour commitment means you leave your hotel in the morning and return by evening, so it fills most of a day but leaves room for an early dinner or a neighborhood walk in Bogotá afterward. If you're visiting for only a day or two, this single tour covers both the underground cathedral and the legendary lagoon without splitting your time between separate trips.

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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: Child (3 to 17 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral?

The Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral is a full-scale religious temple carved 180 meters underground inside the world's largest salt rock deposit. It includes the Stations of the Cross, sculpture, and a lighting system integrated into the salt walls: a working salt mine transformed into a cathedral space.

Why is Lake Guatavita considered sacred?

Lake Guatavita was the site where the Muisca culture, a pre-Columbian civilization around Bogotá, made gold offerings as ritual practice. Those offerings inspired the legend of El Dorado, the mythical city of gold that explorers searched for across South America for centuries.

Will I see the town of Guatavita itself?

Yes, you walk through Guatavita's cobbled streets and colonial buildings. The town was rebuilt on higher ground in the 1970s after the original was flooded, and your guide explains that history as you explore it.

Is the tour physically demanding?

The tour involves walking through the cathedral underground and around Lake Guatavita, but it's suitable for all fitness levels. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnant travelers due to the terrain and altitude.

What's included in the 10 hours?

Hotel pickup, the private guide in your chosen language, lunch, tours of Sesquilé village and Zipaquirá village, and access to both the cathedral and the lagoon area are included. Entrance tickets to the cathedral and lake are separate and arranged on the day.