Bogotá is a vibrant and exciting city, but sometimes you just need a change of scenery. Luckily, you don’t have to travel far to find incredible experiences – there are plenty of easy day trips from Bogotá available. The surroundings of the city are bursting with hidden gems, from stunning waterfalls and picturesque villages to fascinating historical sites and romantic escapes. Outdoor lovers will be amazed by the numerous great hikes that are possible near Bogotá!
Thanks to Bogotá’s unique location in the Andes Mountains, you’ll encounter dramatic shifts in landscape and climate as you venture out. Drive just one hour downhill, and you’ll find yourself in tierra caliente, where lush vegetation and warm temperatures await. Head uphill, and you’ll discover the rugged beauty of the Andean páramos.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your next adventure, check out these 10 ideas for easy day trips from Bogotá.
Charming Guatavita is a romantic colonial-style white town by the Tomine Lake, about 1,5 hours from Bogota. Stroll through the little streets admiring the local art galleries and handicraft shops, have a coffee and enjoy the artsy atmosphere. Guatavita is a great place to buy high-quality handmade Ponchos (“Ruanas” in Colombia) at affordable prices. There is a little path by the lake from which you can enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding landscape.
The mystic “Laguna de Guatavita” (Lake Guatavita) is located just outside of town. A gold ritual held by the indigenous Muisca people in the laguna is widely considered the origin of the famous El Dorado legend.
Photo by Travelhapp, Guatavita Old Town
The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira is an otherworldly underground church carved into a salt mine – pretty unique, and quite spooky. The bus from Bogota (Terminal Salitre or Terminal del Norte) takes about and hour to reach Zipaquirá.
A top-rated tour on Civitats.com* combines Zipaquirá and Guatavita in a great day trip.
Photo by Jimmy Baikovicius, CC BY-SA 2.0, Salt Cathedral
Cascada La Chorrera (Choachí) is one of the highest waterfalls in Colombia and just about 1,5 hours away from Bogota, taking a local bus from Portal del Oriente (view La Chorrera on Google Maps). This scenic hiking adventure is one of the best day trips from Bogotá.
While you can go independently, it’s easier with a guided tour. Travelers really enjoy this La Chorrera Hiking Tour* available for online booking at GetYourCuide.com.
Photo by Travelhapp, La Chorrera Waterfall near Bogotá
The unique Chingaza National Park close to Bogotá is worth visiting for many reasons. It features varied landscapes including a beautiful Paramo, a very rare high-altitude ecosystem that can only be found in 5 countries in the whole world. Chingaza is home to different species of deers, the spectacled bear (oso andino), and the condor, Colombia’s national symbol.
To enter Chingaza National Park you need to be accompanied by an authorized tour guide. Check out this top-rated Chingaza Tour at GetyourGuide.com*.
Take warm and waterproof clothes and shoes since Paramos tend to be chilly and rainy (thus creating amazing cloudy landscapes).
Photo by Travelhapp, Chingaza National Natural Park: Páramo
Suesca is located North-East of Bogota and boasts a breathtaking natural scenery with impressive rugged cliffs nestled amidst lush vegetation close to the Bogotá River. Outdoor enthusiasts can indulge in a range of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, – and most famously rock climbing. The impressive rock formations of Suesca invite rock climbers of all skill levels.
You can book a top-rated rock-climbing experience with an experienced local tour operator in Suesca at Viator.com*.
The bus from Bogotá (Portal del Norte) to Suesca takes approximately 2 hours (see Rome2Rio).
Photo by jkraft5, Suesca Rock Formations
The Sueva Nemosten waterfalls are set in stunning natural surroundings, about 2 hours from Bogota, on the way to Junin. You can find several hot springs and thermal baths (“termales”) close to Sueva, Gacheta and Junin; some of them are open until about 8 or 9 PM in the evening. Check out Balneario Las Palmas and nearby thermal baths on Google Maps.
It makes a great day trip from Bogota to visit the Sueva Nemosten waterfalls first, and relax in a nearby thermal bath afterwards.
To get to the waterfalls, you can take a bus towards Junin (via Guasca) in Cl. 72 # Cra. 13 in Bogotá and tell the driver to drop you off at “Hidroeléctrica Sueva de Cemex” (Google Maps). Make sure to ask the driver when the last bus back to Bogotá passes. If you want to include the thermal baths it may be more convenient to go with a local tour operator in Bogotá.
Photo by Travelhapp, Sueva Nemosten Waterfalls
If you feel like summer, just hop on a bus to Villeta (Cundinamarca) at Portal 80 in Bogota. It takes about 2 hours to reach the village in “tierra caliente” (warm land) and from there you can easily walk up to the first waterfall of the “Saltos de los Micos” (Monkey Waterfalls). The further you walk, the more pristine waterfalls you will find. However, it’s recommendable to go with a local guide if you plan to venture further into the forest as the trail is not marked.
Also check the weather conditions beforehand, since the path can get very muddy when it has rained a lot.
Photo by Travelhapp, Villeta waterfall trail near Bogotá
Not even a lot of people from Bogota have heard about Parque Natural Chicaque (Google Maps). This unique cloud forest is truly a hidden gem and a great place for hiking and bird watching. It features a variety of ecological trails of different difficulty levels, leading you through unique flora and fauna. If you want to fully immerse yourself in nature, consider spending the night in a tree house inside the park.
During the weekend, the Park offers transport from the Transmilenio bus stop Terreros in Soacha (Google Maps) in the morning. Scroll to “Servicio transporte” at the bottom of Parque Chicaque’s Home page for details (in Spanish). Alternatively you can take a guided tour from Bogotá. Check out this popular Chicaque tour on Civitatis.com* or the Chicaque tour on GetYourGuide.com.
Photo by Travelhapp, Chicaque Park, Pico de Loro Viewpoint
To get a real jungle feeling, hike down the Camino Real de Tena, a royal trail originally built by the indigenous people of the region and used as the starting point for Mutis’ Royal Botanical Expedition. This is a fantastic day trip to “tierra caliente” for forest lovers and urbexers! Read more about the Camino Real de Tena Hike.
Photo by Travelhapp, Camino Real de Tena
You will enjoy a totally different climate from Tena when hiking along the Camino del Indio (also known as Camino del Meta), which is not even an hour away from Bogotá. This beautiful indigenous trail rewards you with amazing views of the San Rafael lake and a serene atmosphere to connect with nature. Read more about the Camino del Indio Hike.
Photo by Travelhapp, Camino del Indio
As mentioned, the variety of activities possible in the surroundings of Bogotá is enormous! I will add some more suggestions soon (Sopó – hiking, paragliding and charming town, Nemocón – salt mine, desert and picturesque village, Tobia – Rafting, Facatativá – Nature and Archeology, Sumapaz & Usme – Paramó und rural Bogotá). Here are some great options you can book online via GetYourGuide*.
Culture destinations like Guatavita are perfectly fine to visit alone as a solo traveler.
While many nature spots near Bogotá are easy to reach by public transport, it’s normally better to explore them with a group for safety reasons (also because the trails are often not well-marked). You can find tours to some of the most popular destinations mentioned above on Civitatis*, GetYourGuide* and Viator*.
For the lesser known destinations “Renting a local friend with a car” at Viator.com may be an interesting option. While these tours are within Bogotá city limits, you can ask your guide if they’re open to day trips, if you’ve had a good experience with them. (Note: I haven’t personally tried the “local friend” service for day trips, but I’m drawing on positive experiences in negotiating day trips with friendly local drivers.)
Also have a look at my Safety Tips for Colombia and Colombia Solo Travel Guide. If you are a woman traveling alone, join our Colombia Solo Female Travelers Facebook Group. Besides providing a space to share insights and experiences, our goal is also to enable teaming up for activities.
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Last Update: May 4, 2025
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