Guatavita Lagoon

Guatavita Lagoon, in addition to its wonderful tourist charm, hides a fascinating history, a legend that characterizes it and makes it more attractive to visitors.

La Leyenda del Dorado (Dorado Legend) tells that long ago, before the Spanish conquest, the Muiscas, the indigenous tribe belonging to this region, offered the lagoon their dead and their wealth; Many were the rituals that took place around the lagoon, for example, it is said that when a new cacique (chief) was possessed, a great ceremony was organized in which he was smeared with a sticky resin and then sprinkled with gold dust, in that ceremony the whole community offered gifts of gold and emeralds to the gods, these precious stones were thrown into the lagoon.

At the time of the conquest the Spanish knew this legend and under the rule of Philip II 14 loads of gold were extracted from the lagoon.

HOW TO GET TO THE GUATAVITA LAGOON

Guatavita is located 63 km from Bogotá, in the municipality of Sesquile (Cundinamarca), approximately one hour and a half away. To get to Guatavita you must first get to the Transmilenio North Portal, there you can take a bus to the town of Guatavita.

To get to Guatavita Lagoon you must cover a distance of approximately 7 kilometers. Although there are taxis and private transportation, a good option is to walk. You should keep in mind that the lagoon is only accessible Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Monday on holidays.

GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE IN GUATAVITA

The Guatavita Lagoon has 613 hectares, is located in the eastern Colombian mountain range, the lagoon has an altitude of 3,100 meters above sea level and 400 meters in diameter. The Guatavita lagoon is a mountainous depression that is surrounded by native forests of encenillos.

The climate of the region covered by the lagoon ranges from 5°C to 13°C of temperature, for this reason it is advisable to take warm clothes for moorland: cape and waterproof boots.

ATTRACTIONS IN GUATAVITA

The main attraction of Guatavia is the Guatavita Lagoon. However, you can find different tourist attractions, for example, you can visit the Plaza de la Cacica, it is a square where the architectural treasure of the Muisca culture is shown.

You can also visit the New Town of Guatavita, which was built to relocate the inhabitants after the flooding of the Tomine reservoir. You can also visit the church of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores and the Puente de los enamorados, the Guatavita coliseum and the Clock Tower.

WHAT TO DO IN GUATAVITA?

Besides enjoying the different places that Guatavita offers, you can find different things to do, for example, practice water sports on the Tominé Reservoir.

You cannot visit Guatavita without visiting its cemetery and indigenous museum, they are places full of history and enriching information

HOTELS AND CAMPING IN GUATAVITA

There is a great variety of lodging sites and hotels in Guatavita, different prices and locations, for example:

-Hotel Hospedaje Guatavita is located 350 meters from downtown on Carrera 3 # 4-05 and has affordable prices.

-Hostel Orígenes has a free WiFi zone, a living area, shared bathroom and allows pets. It is located on Carrera 1.

-Hotel Muisca Campestre is located 700 meters from downtown Guatavita in Montecillo Calle 5 #6-7, is a hotel that offers free WiFi, private bathroom and toiletries, in addition to serving daily American breakfast.

If you prefer adventure and camping, Camping Altavista is located 500 meters from downtown Guatavita, is a farm that offers all the facilities for camping. The entrance fee includes parking, camping area, bathroom, campfire area, covered common area with BBQ and board games. You can call the following numbers for more information: 320 3220499 / 313 8528006.

COSTS

Taken from Col Parques (Updated May 4, 2018)
The entrance to the Guatavita lagoon has the following costs