Guatavita Lake - the Legend of “El Dorado”
Description
Since we met, I began to explain some general details about Bogotá, then when we leave the city I will speak about the valley around the city, I will provide information about the originally indigenous habitant called “ Muiscas” , their customs, some of their words and how all this heritage is included now in our society and in our food. We will meet a guide of the lake that speaks about the native culture and will explain why is so popular the Dorado Legend?, we will discuss the meaning of this ceremony. We will feel the mystic of the place, its energy and the relationship between nature and this space. In Guatavita town we will enjoy architecture, food, deserts and also handicrafts shopping.
Tour Options
Itinerary
we begin to walk into Guatavita natural reservation. We will know a guide that is a directly descendent of the “muiscas culture” (originally people of Bogotá Valley), the guide will speak to all the lake visitors about his native culture, I do the translation and add some information, then we enter into a relax time and after that we begin to climb steps, it is aprox 130 meters (426 feet). But do not worry we stop several times. As soon as we finish the stairs, we arrive to the first lake viewpoint, we can appreciate the lake, the water and her colors, also we can listen and see some birds. We continue walking and the vegetation begin to change from Andean cold weather (same weather than Bogotá) to Paramo (Andean moor) with its special plants like the frailejon (plants with their thick, soft leaves like the ears of a rabbit), you can find that plants only in Ecuador, Perú and Venezuela. After walking for 90 minutes we exit the lake and we can eat some muisca food like the corn cob
We can enjoy the views o the Tominé reservoir, that is an important hydric source of the area, we stop and watch the Andean mountains and the reservoir
Guatavita town was founded in 1967, when I will show you places to buy Colombian handicrafts, at a later time we have lunch and will taste special dessert of the area
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
I will pick up the travelers at their accommodation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not for children under 5 years and seniors of 65 years and more
Reviews(20)
The tour was a complete success. I highly recommend it. Javier deserves most of the credit—he provided us with in-depth information throughout the entire trip and also took care of our meals. He went above and beyond to lead a wonderful tour. Thank you so much, Javier!
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was truly a pleasure to share Guatavita Lake with you and be part of your journey. I'm delighted to hear you enjoyed the experience, from learning about our history and culture to discovering our local food. Your recommendation means a lot to us and motivates us to keep creating memorable experiences for every guest. I hope to welcome you back to Colombia someday for another adventure. Safe travels, and thank you for choosing Imagine Your Bogotá!
Javier is an amazing guide - well organized, supremely knowledgeable, and friendly. He reached out ahead of time to confirm details of my pick-up and drop-off and let me know when he was on the way. The trip was so much fun, and Javier explained everything we saw on the route to Guatativa and the differences in culture between the city and the countryside. He also explained the local history and gave us local snacks to enjoy. Lake Guatativa itself is a stunning site, sacred to the Muisca. The local Muisca guide Oscar was so funny and charming. He clearly explained Muisca cultural traditions and language in an engaging and welcoming manner, while also discussing the history of Spanish colonization, cultural transformation, and environmental change and restoration in the area. The tour and the hike were incredibly informative and beautiful. After the hike, Javier took the group for lunch in Nueva Guatativa, a beautiful town built in the 1960s when the Tominé Resovoir was built. The restaurant was charming and served many local specialties. A marvelous day.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was a real pleasure spending the day with you and sharing the history, culture, and landscapes that make this region so special. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed both Lake Guatavita and the visit to New Guatavita town. I'll be sure to share your kind words with Oscar—he'll be thrilled to know that his passion for Muisca culture made such a positive impression. Thank you for joining us and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review.
Javier was a fantastic guide- so knowledgeable about the history of Bogotá and Guatavita Lake. He was easy to talk to, and had thought of all the little touches which made the tour even more enjoyable- freshly made snacks, tea, umbrellas etc. We'd recommend this tour to anyone who wants a peaceful day out from the city!
Thanks Penny for joining the tour and sharing all your experiences.
Javier was a great guide from start to end. I learned a lot about Lake Guatavita and Javier patiently answered all of our questions. I loved the small, personalized feel and felt like I got a lot more out of this experience than if I had gone through a large tour group. Overall, he is a great guide. He made the experience all the more memorable and I would recommend touring with him to anyone traveling to Bogota.
Thanks for joining the tour
Javier was the absolute best host I could’ve asked for. He went above and beyond from the moment he picked me up in my hotel promptly. The whole ride he was educational and super fun! The hike was very fun with him being encouraging and also providing a ton of fun facts. And after the hike, he made sure the Guatavita town was well explored! It felt like hanging out with a buddy I’ve known forever who knew Colombia perfectly. Take this tour, it’s the best decision you’ll make in your Colombia trip.
Thanks for joining the tour and sharing great stories!.
Prior to going on the tour, I had very little knowledge about Gautavita and the Legend of El Dorado. Javi was very accommodating and knowledgeable! He provided additional insights into the history of the lagoon, which made the story that much more amazing! The lagoon is a beautiful site with an enlightening history and philosophy. The entire experience itself is a breath of fresh air and perspective. 100% recommend visiting this wonderful landscape and learning more about its history. Book time on Javi's calendar, as he is the best guide. Great food recommendations as well! Make sure you try the arrepas de choclo, you won't want to miss out! Thank you Javi!
Thanks Sergio, it was great to share the day with you!
Javier was amazing and very very knowledgeable. The weather was rainy but that didn’t matter because we still had a great time! Would 100% recommend this experience for any tourist!!
Thanks for booking the tour, and for sharing great stories. It was a pleasure to meet you and Brian
We had an amazing experience and wonderful 10 hours. Javier is an awesome guide, as promised he picked us from our place and we had a great time. Javier translated the Lake tour for us in English. Post visit to Guatavita lake, Javier took us to an authentic Colombian restaurant to try the local cuisine. Herbal tea before the hike to lake was a great surprise. Javier had all the travel essentials in his car i.e. hot water, tea bags, sugar, umbrella, cap etc. Overall awesome experience!!
Thanks for joining the tour. It was a pleasure to show Gutavita lake!.
The guided tour was super interesting and our guide taught us a lot about the indigenous people of Colombia. First a cultural introduction and then walk it from 3100msnm. It is quite a challenge but when you arrive at the top of the Lagoon you really feel the encounter with that civilization that were once the inhabitants of those beautiful lands.
Gracias por tu compañía ese día, la pasamos muy bien.
An amazing place where nature surprises you, with a slight physical demand, you should wear jacket
Gracias, es muy bonito poder siempre mostrar los paisajes que tenemos cerca a la ciudad.
