Breaking Borders: Bogota Gansters Story

Totally recommend this tour!!! Andrea was highly knowledgeable, entertaining, and professional. Andres the driver was also professional. The breaking borders team and the workshop team were all very hospitable and their stories were very eye opening. If you want something different for sure this is the tour.

Gigio (tour guide) did an excellent job giving us an overview of the divide between the Egipto area and the rest of Bogota. He did a fantastic job translating what our amazing local guides, Harold, Pato and Monkey were relating about their former life of crime and drugs. Gigio did this in a very respectful way. Pato, Harold and Monkey shared their personal stories, were very open to any and all questions and are deeply committed to changing their community into a safe and peaceful one. Breaking Borders provides a whole different look at what is happening in Bogota and how much change still needs to occur.

The Breaking Borders tour blew us away. So often tourists stay in the bubble of Candalaria, but a short walk away is another world that embodies the people of Bogota's struggles and triumphs from the city's gang heyday. But let it be known, you can not just stroll through the Egipto neighborhood; you need the expert guiding and deep relationships of Impulse Travel to have Calle 10 open up to you. Gigio did an amazing job bringing context to the area and translating the heartfelt/soul-crushing stories of the gang members/now-neighborhood-guides. Their candor was so refreshing, and the graffiti that illustrates their story is mesmerizing. Part street-art-tour, part cultural immersion into the Colombian underbelly, Breaking Borders is an eye-opening and beyond inspiring day in Bogota. Highly recommend!

We did the breaking borders tour with Andrea , Harold and Monkey . We saw Barrio Egipto through their eyes . This is a community which has experienced huge violence and drug issues resulting in huge loss and trauma . However through the breaking borders project this resilient community are trying to turn things around and give the next generation a different life with more options Thank you for sharing your stories so honestly with us and explaining your community history through the graffiti . We will never forget this tour and encourage people to see a less touristic side of Columbia which is overcoming its past and witness change by supporting this project . William & Ann

Very educational and quality tour. One of the best we’ve ever taken in 39 countries of traveling ! Daniel was super kind and I highly recommend him !

Our Highlight in Bogotá! The Breaking Borders tour is not your typical sightseeing activity – it’s a raw and honest insight into the history, struggles, and transformation of the Egipto neighbourhood. The tour is led by former gang members who now work to change the image of their community and create opportunities for the next generation. We were lucky to have a private tour, accompanied by our amazing guide Gigio, who translated for us and gave helpful context throughout. He introduced us to three former gang members, who shared deeply personal stories – how they joined, what they experienced, and why they decided to leave that life behind. Their honesty, strength and hope for a better future were incredibly inspiring. We also explored the neighbourhood, learned about the meaning behind its many murals and graffiti, and ended the tour with a freestyle rap just for us (we’re still trying to translate it 😅). This tour breaks down stereotypes and supports real change. If you’re in Bogotá – don’t miss it. A huge thank you to Gigio and the whole team. 💛

Today I went on the tour: Breaking borders with my tourguide Martha Jamoco. First of all, I think the tour gives a very interesting and real inside of life in the slums of Bogota. I’m really impressed with the foundations of Breaking borders and Buena Semilla that try to make a positive impact on this neighbourhood with many challenges. For the men that get seduced by crime, the women that are the backbone of the neighbourhood and the children that are the future of tomorrow. I would advise others to take this tour as well to get a better idea of the difficult challenges in Colombia. I felt safe during the trip. I was also really happy with Martha as my tour guide, who translated and explained a lot. She was very kind and I think it’s very impressive of her that she makes this tour possible.

This is not your typical day visit. Egipto was a troubled, crime-ridden neighbouhood that is now a most unlikely tourist attraction. Residents were sick of crime and now show tourists colourful murals and tell remarkable stories of life under the gangs versus life now. We visited for several hours in January 2025 with Impulse Travel and Mejdi Tours. Several of us thought it was the highlight of our 10-day tour of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena. You wouldn't want to go at night on your own but during the day with Impulse Tours it was perfectly safe. Afterward, we stopped in at Egipto workshops to buy lovely clothing, wood products etc -- further contributing to the residents' efforts to build better lives for their children.

It was an extraordinary experience. Our guide Gildardo (Gigio) was very knowledgeable and his English was excellent. We were deeply impressed by the people who shared their life stories with us.

This is an amazing opportunity experience first hand the living conditions and to learn about the violent history and the path many of the residents have chosen to achieve a more peaceful environment. It is a work in progress, but the results, to date, are impressive. One learns about conflicts and resolutions from different perspectives. The tour guides are sincere and willing to answer even difficult questions. The symbolism associated with the graffiti in the area is explained and touches one's heart. This is truly an opportunity to see a part of Bogata missed by most tourists, where your emotions will be challenged!

I was so impressed by how this community is trying to forge a brighter future for itself and especially its children. After being neglected by the rest of Bogota, the citizens of Egipto are working to make peace in their neighborhood, beautify their streets, stay out of jail, and learn a viable trade. Please come and support this inspiring community!

This was an incredibly authentic tour. What made it even more special is you have former gang members talking about the the rivalry and the neighborhood and the transformation and how they got shot with guns and spent time in prison and I mean it was really, really unbelievably authentic. It was, I highly recommend it for everybody.

We were honored to be welcomed to Barrio Egipto by Harold, a former gang member who explained the history of injustice and violence in his neighborhood and the work Breaking Borders is doing to bring peace, resilience and transformation to its residents. His explanations of the meaning and symbolism behind the amazing street art was really helpful, and we appreciated being able to take a quick look at the weaving workshop Buena Semilla. We also enjoyed great conversation and insights from our guide Daniel, who accompanied us throughout the tour.

Excellent overview of the social and economic challenges of the Barrio Egipto, from three who have tried to change the narrative of gang violence and control. They have had some success, but need more support. The tour offers the opportunity to learn and support the change.

This tour was unlike any other we had done. The guides are candid about the reality of their neighbourhood, but their optimism and enthusiasm shines through. This made for an extremely interesting and moving visit. It showed us a facet of Bogota that many locals are not comfortable discussing, and left quite an impression on our 13- and 11-year old children who consider this experience one of their highlights of our time in Bogota.

Our first tour in Columbia which gave us an insight into how many poor Columbian’s have little or no education & end up in gangs.The ex gang members who guided us are ready embracing the responsibility & the chance of turning their lives around with the help of Breaking Borders Charity.We also loved the ladies at the weaving workshop where we bought a beautiful hand loomed rug at a very reasonable price.It made us feel good that the money would go to them personally & help them manage their finances.This part was a bit rushed so think the tour should be 3 hours instead of 2,as we would have liked to spend more time talking to them.Perhaps the starting point would be better outside the church as we came by taxi & it would have saved us the steep climb up from the square.We would not have met these people generally so it was good to see how they survive when across the big main road there is an affluent life going on.I hope that 1 day they will cross that road ..Inspirational tour.

Great insight into the life of the people at Egipto. It is such a success story. We learned about the livelihood in this areas in 1990s and how these people leading a better future to their community.

I read on sites " best experience " and now I do understand why ❤️ In company of Harrold y Pato del barrio de Egipto y Raul de Impulse travel I had an easy walk of a few hours just steps away from the so touristic" plaza del charron de quevedo"en La Candelaria barrio. Amazing way to ear story of a breaking vicious circle of violence and drugs, told by people with strong character who succeed in changing immovable destinies. The force that emanates from it is the force of life and " No Words " the best summary of an adventure that no visitor should be without. a mandatory visit.

Mr. Pumpkin, the former gang leader turned tour guide, provided extremely interesting information about his life in the gang and in the barrio. He was very animated, upbeat, and well-informed. Moreover, his story and that of the community’s positive transformation were inspirational. Our English tour guide Raul was also great. Super-good tour!!

The highlight of my time in Bogotá. The tour is unique, meeting the gang members and understanding their motivation for changing their lifestyles was indescribable.

Cannot recommend this tour enough. Gildardo Arango was so knowledgeable about history and effortlessly weaved his knowledge with our interests into a tour that left us emotionally committed to Breaking Borders. We left rooting and respecting these beautiful humans who are doing the tough work to break a cycle of violence and gangs. Thank you GIGO for being the best guide and to Monkey and Harold who risked letting complete strangers into their lives through their honest stories and sharing of their community. We leave Columbia with you in our hearts and fond memories of this country!

The best way to see human resilience in action. Egipto is known for its troubled past, today we we find a different story. One of Bogota's hidden treasures.

Amazing experience!! Provides a deep understanding of the lifestyle of a community that has been heavily impacted by violence and exclusion

The visit in egypto was very interesting tour, very nice guides, learned a lot, we got a lot of general bogota tips on top also!

Breaking Borders is a fascinating walk through Egipto, a neighborhood that has a history and past of violence and gangs that is now at peace with its past and the citizens are creating a better tomorrow for the youth. You'll hear some interesting stories about events that have happened here, told by the members of the gangs that experienced them. They are sincerely hoping to make a better future for their neighbors and their younger residents. Impulse Travel is easy to work with and arranges everything. You'll be paired with a guide/translator and a local guide/resident of Egipto to accompany you along the streets of the neighborhood. Every corner, wall and street has a story!

It was a true experience to be with impulse travel and meeting breaking borders. We had a pleasure knowing about the history of the area and of course, history of egipto. This is A MUST to do - also to really get a look into some political issues and how breaking borders really wants to change and unite all. Thank you so much for that beautiful experience and seeing all the mural art!

This visit to Egipto was a highlight of my 14 day stay. This is a true story of revival. They, the members of this gang, in this neighborhood, have come so far and have so many opportunities and it all came from them. Stay strong and best wishes.

Very authentic tour in the Barrio Egipto, a former problematic district on the hills of Bogotá where drug- and weapon business was the daily struggle. A perfect example how a whole district can change completely when the right people are meeting the right measures. Felt super safe during the whole tour and the guides provided lots of important information and answered all questions.

Wonderful guides, great tour, unique experience for kids and adults. We learned a lot, saw a part of Bogota that otherwise would have been accessible, and highly recommend. It’s also an opportunity to concretely support former gang members.

Incredible, informative tour of a sadly overlooked part of Bogota - Egipto. Our guides grew up in the neighborhood and were extremely informative (along with our English language translator). We felt safe, and we’re impressed with their presentation of the past conditions and the efforts to bring peace to the area. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Bogota! We even met one of guides kids, who had just returned from school. It was great!

This was one of the most unique and interesting tours I've ever been on. Monkey walked us through the difficult history of Barrio Egipto - including his personal stories - and told us how this program is helping to create peace in the neighborhood. It was a great way to learn about a side of Bogota that many don't get to see and support an excellent cause.

We felt very privileged to be shown Harold’s home and we loved his rap dance! Monkey was very open about,his experience as a gang member and even showed us his bullet wounds. Everyone who visits Bogotá should do this tour to get a perspective on the gang era.

Must do experience in Bogota and in Columbia. The stories of the ex-gangs are touching and you see a real Columbia. Doing such initiative without government’s support is impressive!

What a unique and inspiring tour! Andres, Monkey, and Valentina were great tour guides, and showed us around Barrio Egipto, a gang-controlled neighborhood that's too dangerous to explore if you're not accompanied by a local. The tour had a relaxed, informal pace...we even stopped to hang out and drink a beer. This is less of a rigid, "cookie cutter" tour, and more like an informal walking tour interspersed with observations and anecdotes. We also made a brief visit to a knitting workshop that employs mainly older women from the neighborhood who have trouble finding employment elsewhere. Everyone was super cool, and we had a lot of laughs, while getting a brief education about life in a dangerous, impoverished neighborhood. Why go on this tour? It's a rare glimpse into a different way of life and a different socioeconomic environment. But at the end you realize that we have a lot more in common than we realize ☺️

Incredible insider view into life for some in Bogotá. Our guide showed us a few great spots around La Candelaria before bringing us into Barrio Egipto and introducing us to community members who carried the tour from there : explaining the history of the neighborhood, the meaning of the street art, the ongoing push for social change, and even bringing us into his home. The cost of the tour directly contributes to improving the future opportunities for the kids from this barrio. Without a doubt this was one of the highlights of my trip to Colombia.

Phenomenal, must-do tour in Bogota. Our guide, Andres was extremely knowledgeable, humorous and offered insights impossible to get anywhere else. The gang members, Herman and Monkey, were personable and affable. They also provided information as to the “real life” inside the barrio. We felt as safe inside the barrio with these three guys as we did in the comfort of our Zona Rosa Airbnb. Please do you’re self a favour and make time to take this tour. Guaranteed it will be worth every second of your time.

Alejandro did not provide a direct translation of what Monkey and Harold were saying. Harold had a very compassionate story about Breaking Borders and Alejandro gave a glazed version of it. Alejandro seems like a very sweet person, but didn’t express the cause, mission and successes of Breaking Borders clearly. I think we would have enjoyed this more if we could have gotten a better translation of what Monkey and Harold were trying to share. We also would have loved to hear more about the community that lives there, especially in the favela style homes. What we saw was very interesting, we are grateful they opened their community to us.

Most impressive experience we had in Columbia. Absolutely authentic and serieus. We were the only tourists in barrio egypto, but people were friendly and polite. „Monkey“ was a great guide. We also made the Comuna 13 tour in Medellin which is very much overrun by tourists and it is far from the great experience in Bogota

Guide Andrés picked us up for the Egipto Barrio experience. We met Harold & Monkey near the entrance to the Barrio. They explained the concept and a lot of graffiti, showed the Barrio, and we had a beer together. Amazing tour and important project Thatcher should be supporter nu everyone visiting Bogota.

@Raul took us on amazing tour of the 10. Gang District and introduced us to the fantastic @Breaking Borders initiative. We were shown round by @Harold and @Monkey. The trip was fascinating and the project to support the changes to the lives of the residents was truly inspirational. Highly recommend this trip to anyone visiting Bogota. @Raul was brilliant - really helpful and informed - thank you!

What an amazing experience! Can not compare it to any other museum! It is an authentic experience to see how real people live in a really bad neigbrhood with such an unequal life opportunity. A must see tour with really nice guides

This is a wonderfully uplifting and unique tour which provides a one-of-a-kind insight into gangland activity in Bogota's Egipto barrio and how individuals like Harold and his uncle "Monkey" are trying to change the barrio for the better. Lorenzo was our tour guide and interpreter since both Harold and Monkey speak limited English, although it was inspiring to see how Harold used every opportunity during our tour to practice his English. If everyone in Bogota's barrios were like Harold, they would instantaneously be much safer and better places to live - he is truly a fantastic role model for other potential reformers in the barrios. Our only regret was that we did not have our kids with us so that they could see clearly how fortunate they are to enjoy a normal life back in the United States. Special mention here to Lorenzo who ensured the tour ran smoothly with his clear interpretation and his close rapport with the barrio inhabitants. When you visit Bogota, don't just do the obvious default visit to the Gold & Botero Museums - take this tour for an authentic insight into what goes on in this city and how it is changing for the better.

This tour is one of a kind. Led by local gang members, they show you what life was and is like in barrio egipto. They are open, welcoming and kind. We had a translator but the local guides were still very active and answered questions. The entire concept behind this tour is reason enough to go- they are trying to find a way out of poverty and delinquency by showing others their world. You won’t find anything else like this. They walk you around their small section of the barrio and explain all the beautiful graffiti art and tell tales of what life is like there and how things have changed. They also explain the direction they want to turn their neighborhood towards. There is an after school program with a textile shop and wood shop that we got to see and they further explain how everything they’re doing is investing in the neighborhood. I was surprised at how open they were and just how kind. If you ever visit bogota, do not miss this tour!! (It is worth every cent).

This tour was sensational. The guides were really friendly, the tour informational and personal, and the ambiance and experience a 10/10. Thank you to our wonderful local guides and our impulse guide for a truly unforgettable experience. We would recommend every traveler looking to see the real Bogota to do this tour!

Had a really informative tour with Harold and his Uncle "Monkey" Really friendly and good fun. Many thanks for giving me a small insight into your lives. I felt really quite safe in their hands in what is possibly not a very safe place to be. Also met two very nice couples from Ireland and Atlanta. I'd throughly recommend this tour.

Finally a tour to discover and explore the real life of people who lived a totally different life besides us. Understanding their reasons, because at least it’s not their fault. Many areas like this are around the world. Just open your eyes and heart to get in touch. Communication! Your Curiosity! If you want to see a Zoo you are not elected to join this tour. Change your point of view before participating. Thanks to our guide and the gang members to explain and answer on our questions! Highly recommended!

Very interesting and perfectly guided Tour through an ancient dangerous Gang-Barrio. For us ist was one of the best activities in Bogotá

This was an amazing experience to learn about the transformation of one of Bogota's oldest neighborhoods that at one time was considered to be the most dangerous, told by a local guide who at one time had been part of the gangs. His story will bring tears to your eyes. Added to the story are the amazing and colorful murals and the welcoming smiles of the people who live in the neighborhood. Not to be missed.

I returned from Colombia 10 days ago. My head and heart are full, and I will never forget the amazing people we met and the stories they shared about themselves and their communities. Walking through, learning about the neighborhood and seeing the powerful murals of Egipto with our local guide is the kind of tour that I wish everyone would make time to experience. I cannot recommend it highly enough! How does one grow up in a community that has been perceived by so many as "dangerous and ravaged by decades of gang violence"? How does one get to that point of "enough is enough" and commit to breaking that cycle, not only for oneself but also for one's family and community? How can thoughtful tourism be one positive of many needed to complete the puzzle? Breaking Borders is indeed a transformation experience. Don't miss!