Did you know that hiking is one of the top things to do near Bogotá? An excellent place for hiking near Bogota is “Camino del Indio” or “Camino Al Meta”. This old trail was used by the indigenous people around Bogota. It’s a very beautiful small stone path that leads through the mountains past the lake and water reservoir Embalse San Rafael where you can observe the ever so slightest waves from high above. It’s a beautiful hike with scenic views not even half an hour away from Bogota.
You can take the Camino del Indio (Camino del Meta) either from Bogotá (Via la Calera) or from La Calera. The hike from La Calera almost immediately provides you with scenic lake views, the one from Bogotá first leads you along a peaceful paved road through the forest.
The full hike, from one place to the other, takes around 6 hours, but you can also just walk for about 2 hours and then turn around. You will still be able to enjoy some breathtaking views during this shorter hike.
Starting your hike in La Calera is the best option, if you can’t do the whole hike but would like to experience the original trail. The ancestral stone path is beautifully preserved in this first section, and the views are stunning.
There are frequent mini buses to La Calera from Calle 72 # Carrera 11, opposite of the Avenida Chile shopping mall (see Google Maps). Watch out for buses with signs saying La Calera or Guasca and hail them on the street. Get off at the central square of the village of La Calera. From there, walk about 30 min northwest along Carrera 7 (or take a taxi) to find the La Calera entrance to “Camino al Meta”.
Photos by Travelhapp, Indigenous Trail close to La Calera village
Photos by Travelhapp, Indigenous Trail close to La Calera village
Starting the hike in Bogotá is a great way to experience the fascinating and quite unique juxtaposition of nature and urban infrastructure in Colombia’ capital. Ever wanted to know what this mega city is hiding behind its back (meaning its hills)? On Camino del Meta / del Indio you can find out. Also in this direction its totally possible to take a shorter hike and still have a great experience.
To get to the tarting point, you can take one of the buses headed toward the village of La Calera (see above) and tell the driver to drop you off at “Porteria Arboretto”, which is also the entrance to Camino del Meta (see Google Maps).
View a description of the full hike from Via La Calera to La Calera Village on wikiloc.
Photos by Travelhapp, Lake View at Arboretto
I recommend to do this beautiful hike with a group and/or with a local guide for safety reasons, if you start your hike in the village of La Calera or plan to do the full 6-hour hike. Join our Colombia Solo Travelers Facebook Group to find other travelers near you.
There are more people on the trail during the weekends, meaning it is safer.
Photo by Travelhapp, Indigenous trail close to La Calera village
When I still lived in the working-class neighborhood of San Luis in the Eastern hills of Bogotá, I used to walk or bike alone along the private road leading from Via la Calera (Google Maps) to the San Rafael lake viewpoint (Google Maps) and the Arboretto residential area.
There is security staff at the entrance to the private road checking the cars, but pedestrians can pass without problems. The first part of the road leads through the forest but it never feels completely isolated since there are always some cars passing by, and there are houses not too far from the road. At the lake view side they are better called mansions… Once you get to Arboretto (about 2 km from the entrance) you should not continue to walk alone, since the path gets more isolated and less safe.
It always feels incredible to me that this idyllic piece of nature is literally right at the back of busy urban Bogotá. The smells and views up in the mountains close to the lake remind me of holidays in France or Italy, but I have to admit that I have quite an associative brain and a wild imagination. Biking here is amazing! The challenge is getting up steep Via La Calera from downtown Bogota, but you could consider renting an electric bike.
A fantastic and unusual plan in Bogotá is to visit the San Rafael viewpoint in the afternoon, enjoy some birdwatching, and then head to the Observation Deck on Via La Calera to watch the sunset. See my article on the Solo Hike to Monserrate in Bogotá (and Lesser-Known Viewpoints) for more details.
Photos by Travelhapp, A few steps from Arboretto Housing
Read more:
Bogotá Insider Tips: Things to do in Bogotá
Bogota Escapes: Unique Day Trips for the Adventurous Soul
Colombia Travel Inspirations: Top Attractions and Hidden Gems in Colombia
Colombia Travel Tips: General Colombia Travel Advice for Solo Travelers