Cheapest Zipaquira & Guatavita Lake Visit 5 Top Sights W/pickup

If you have time in Bogota, the lake and salt cathedral are unique experiences! My guide, Carlos, was very kind and got us from A to B most efficiently. It’s a long 12 hr day with pickups/dropoffs, so be prepared for that. But, it’s worth the time if you know to expect that. Carlos also had an English-guided colleague where we could join him if we preferred the lake hike in English, so that was nice! All around, it was a great day:)

After you picked us up, it took more than two and a half hours to pick up all the other participants. It was absolutely exhausting. We then went to Guatavita, where our guide gave us just 20 minutes. 20 minutes — please remember that number. After that, we arrived at the starting point of the lagoon hike, where we had to wait for at least 20 minutes for absolutely no apparent reason. The hike to the lagoon itself was fine. We learned a lot of interesting information, and this was actually one of the best parts of the tour. Unfortunately, from that point on, things just kept getting worse and worse. The restaurant where we had lunch was extremely expensive — a typical tourist trap. I would have expected better meal prices considering we arrived as a large group, as has been the case on many other tours we have taken, and believe me, we have been on quite a few. You mentioned that we were free to eat there or somewhere else. However, I would have expected you to choose a really good restaurant with reasonable prices, especially for a group of this size. We then arrived at the Salt Cathedral at around 4:30 PM, where our guide announced that we would be staying until 7:00 PM. Two and a half hours??? That was an absurd amount of time, especially considering how much he had rushed us earlier in Guatavita, where we were given only 20 minutes. When we finally left at 7:30 PM, the guide told us that the drop-offs would be done in reverse order, meaning that those who had been picked up first in the morning would now be dropped off first. However, that did not happen. The guide was the first person to get off the bus, leaving us alone with a driver who spoke absolutely no English. The driver seemed completely confused and had no idea what was going on. In the end, several of us decided to get off the bus and take taxis back to our hotels instead. Overall, this tour was a huge disappointment. The organization was extremely poor, the time management made absolutely no sense, and the way the tour ended was completely unacceptable. After such a long and exhausting day, we expected a much more professional and better-organized experience. Unfortunately, this tour fell far below our expectations.

Carlos is extremely knowledgeable about the history of Gutavita and Zipaquirá. It was fascinating to learn about the Muiscas, the El Dorado, the lagoon and the Salt Catheral. The views were breathtaking!! Victor our driver gets us to each destination safely despite the crazy Bogota traffic and unpaved mountain roads. It was not an easy task to say the very least! Just a disclaimer. The ride can be long depending on where you stand on the pick up queue. We were the second one to be picked up and the second to last to be dropped off. So the total time inside the van just for this process was around two and a half hours besides the drive to the destinations. With that said. It really depends on your mindset. We thought of it as a driving tour around the city. Seeing different areas outside of our hotel. Overall, a really great tour. Met a lot of interesting tour mates from different corners of the world. We would recommend this tour. You will get so much out of it. Thank you Carlos and Victor!!

Juan Carlos was a great guide explaining! He took really good care of us - we were the only 2 English speakers on the tour. He made sure we understood and had all the information about the places. He helped us order our lunch. The hike up to the lagoon viewpoints was really good - not too hard and very worth it. The salt mine and the cathedral was great. The trip is well worth doing. A great day!

Your guide Nuan Carlos is Good Good good good good. Your guide Nuan Carlos is Good Good good good good.

Great day visiting some of the most iconic places in Colombia. Be prepared for the altitude, some uphill walking and a long day. Our guide, Juan Carlos, was wonderful,, especially as we had some Spanish speakers and some English speakers and he moved with ease between the two. The company communicated very well with us and we always felt like we knew what to expect in terms of timing etc. Lake GUATAVITA is beautiful and the salt mines and cathedral are amazing. Photos don’t do either justice. You simply can’t show the sheer scale in a photo. Highly recommend.

Highly recommended. This tour is an all day affair, but you get to see some highly impressive sights that are very unique. The driver and tour guide are great.

Not recommended at all, the guide is not official guide nor he educates you on the area, Too long of a tour with a poor route management and takes to a logoon which was really umimpressive with 1.45 hrs treak. No tickets are included and lunch is at a tourist trap.

The hike to the lagoon was a bit tough but overall it was very enjoyable. Juan Carlos is an excellent tour guide.

A very full day so be prepared to see ALOT. I was surprised to be picked up at my door which made the start of the trip easy. The guide was excellent, very interest and knowledgeable and proud of his country. The stops were all worth the time and by the end of the day we were ready to return but not regretful for the time spent. Highly recommend for first time visitors to Columbia/Bogota

This was such a fun experience and you get to see so much. There were people from all over the world in our group. The guides were so nice, knowledgable, and passionate - we had Juan Carlos as our guide and Leiber as our driver. The whole trip took 13 hours, mostly because of traffic and different drop off/pick up points. I recommend bringing cash to buy different snacks, maybe a poncho if it’s raining. Wear hiking shoes or shoes that have grip that you don’t mind getting dirty. And try the Colombian traditional dishes! I thought the cathedral would be closed because it is underground but it was not cold - it was very comfortable. There are many shops inside the cathedral. I recommend doing your shopping before 6pm because the shops start closing then!

This was an excellent experience. Our guide was very friendly and the company as a whole is very professional. They were very informative and clear with the instructions. The tour itself is amazing, the places we visited were very nice. We are very satisfied with this tour.

The van was okay I was disabled but did not get a proper seat had to walk all the way in the back especially I had mentioned my knee replacement . Your driver and guide were both very friendly hard working explains every thing but as we were picked up amongst the last ones disability seats were occupied by normal young people. The day was long hike to the lake was an experience of life time . It was hard for me but still do able . Salt cathedral was more of a marketing place . Tickets are expensive as compared to the salt cave may be cathedral . May be good for people who would like to visit for the sake of their faith . It was a long day and super tiring . Lake is beautiful

We love the tour. It was very smooth from pick-up to the end. I would recommend this tour the driver and tour guide did the exceptional job Mr Juan Carlos and his partner thank you for making this very special to us he is very accommodate to all the people in van. Best team . See you again soon senior Juan carlos’

This tour included a guide and transportation to GUATAVITA, a hike to the lagoon, and transportation to zipiquaria/salt cathedral. The tour brought us to a BBQ restaurant for lunch, and the food was good there. Be aware that the food and entrance to the attractions were not included in the tour.

A great experience, we were able to see the two of the most iconic points in Bogota. Every detail was taken care of. Our lunch place was a great place for Colombian food. Our guide Carlos was excellent. He kept our group together and used out time efficiently. Very highly recommended.

I give two star review because at the beginning the tour seems to be fine. The agency provided detailed information regarding the tour, answered the question properly and was very patient. The guide was knowledgeable and the tour seems to be very organized despite the long day. However I can’t ignore the disorganization during the drop off process and the lack of accountability. Before everyone was dropped off to the hotel, the bilingual guide got off the bus. The bus driver doesn’t speak a single word of English so that fact alone already added a huge layer of difficulty for tourists like me. When the bus was only 3 minutes away from my hotel, the driver ignored my hotel and drove further away. Some of the peer tourists can speak Spanish, so they tried to talk to the driver that he missed one spot. The driver ignored them and kept going. At that moment I decided to call the guide, who yelled at me rudely in the phone before he finally agreed to talk to the driver. During their phony conversation the driver seemed to be really confused and didn’t realized that he missed my hotel. Then he turned around and sent me back to the hotel after at least 10-20 minutes delay. I contacted the agency raising my concern. To be up front I was not trying to ask for any compensation. I just wanted him to know what happened and acknowledge the issue. The person insisted that “since you got to your hotel safely, there’s nothing wrong on our end”. I clearly stated that if I was not closely watching Google map, the driver might kept driving further and further and totally forgot about my hotel. The agency then claimed that since they had to serve the other guest they can’t continue the conversation with me, and refused to apologize. To the agency, I know you can see this review. I was simply listing the fact, providing the feedback and asking for some acknowledgement. I would like to resolve this privately if you apologized. However your lack of accountability really disappointed me. To the future travelers with them, please make sure you watch closely during the drop off process.

We had a wonderful day on this tour! The hike to the lagoon was absolutely worth it, with stunning scenery along the way. Just be sure you’re reasonably fit, as the hike can be a bit strenuous. I also recommend wearing comfortable shoes and bringing a raincoat or umbrella, as the weather can change. It was a long day, but we truly enjoyed every stop on the itinerary. The best was definitely saved for last—the Salt Cathedral was absolutely breathtaking and an unforgettable experience. A big thank you to our driver and our guide (sorry if I got your name wrong!) for taking such great care of us and making the day enjoyable. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area!

I purchase a tour package from this company in July 9, 2026. This was my first time taking a tour with then, and I have to say the experience was outstanding from beginning to end. This was a wonderful family experience. On this trip to Colombia, I brought my mother-in-law and my niece so they could discover the country with me and my wife, and they were absolutely delighted with the tour. It created memories that we will cherish for years to come. Our guide, Juan Carlos, was exceptional. I would highly recommend this tour with him to anyone. He is truly professional, completely customer-focused, and very transparent about every aspect of the service provided. As for Víctor, our driver, he was excellent. He drove very carefully and responsibly throughout the entire trip. At no point did I feel there was any unsafe or careless driving. On the contrary, he added tremendous value to the experience by ensuring that those who were unable to do the walk around the lake could still learn about the history of the area and fully enjoy the tour. I strongly recommend this tour package to anyone visiting Colombia. It offers an excellent balance of sightseeing, history, comfort, and outstanding customer service. I am truly grateful to this team for making our family tour an unforgettable experience. Thank you for exceeding our expectations.

An excellent day where you get to see some very picturesque parts of Colombia that you might otherwise miss. Guatavita is a lovely little town and the views of the lagoon are stunning. The Salt Cathedral is a must see as well. Juan Carlos was a fantastic guide who was professional and gave us lots of information on the Lagoon walk. Make sure you do this if you have time!!

We had an amazing experience on this tour. The lagoon and the cathedral are absolutely stunning, and the atmosphere throughout the day was incredible. Even better, neither place was crowded, which made it much more enjoyable. Keep in mind that the admission fees for both the lagoon and the cathedral are not included, so you'll need to pay for those separately. Also, this is a full-day trip since it's quite far from Bogotá, and traffic can be heavy. Our driver and tour guide were fantastic—funny, friendly, and easygoing, which made the long journey much more enjoyable. One important tip: the weather can change very quickly. It may rain, and it can also get quite windy and cold, so I recommend bringing a waterproof jacket, wearing sunscreen, and dressing in layers. Overall, this was a wonderful experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Bogotá!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The BEST Day Trip Ever! 😍🙌 This full-day tour to the incredible Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, the beautiful Laguna, and charming towns along the way was absolutely unforgettable! Our guide was hands-down the best I’ve ever had — funny, charismatic, with a perfect sense of humor that kept the whole group laughing all day! 😂❤️ He was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating stories about Colombian history, traditions, and fun facts that made everything come alive. Super informative and engaging! 📖✨ He also took fantastic care of the group — always organized, on time, and making sure everyone was happy and together. The perfect balance of fun, learning, and smooth logistics. This tour genuinely became one of the best days of my life. Highly, highly recommended! 🚀🇨🇴 Thank you so much — you’re a legend! 🙏

Fantastic experience with a great guide!

Diego was a superb guide. Fun and lively. We enjoyed the tour. We also liked the lunch after the guatavita lake tour.

Ridiculously and totally unnecessary long day. Only visited 3 areas and somehow still driving back after 8pm. Places were nice enough but the timings need to be tightened drastically

Wonderful tour! The lake guatavita hike is amazing. Knowledgeable tour guides and the time they gave us to visit the salt cathedral was perfect.

Great tour, enjoyed the small group. Good driver and guide. Well-paced itinerary and unique destinations.

Amazing day, we did lagoon first and the nature and view were unbelievable, the cathedral is very unique experience. The guide was so funny and professional

The tour provided an engaging and interactive experience, offering valuable insights into Colombian culture. I highly recommend it.

It was a wonderful day! I learned do much and the salt mine is incredible. The guide was knowledgeable and humorous. Make sure to plan for a long day (14 hrs)

Great way to see a lot of Colombia in a time crunch. We got to learn a lot of Colombian history and enjoy some stunning views in this full day tour. Our driver and guide were wonderful and made sure ee all had a wonderful time.

This is a great tour. 160m up to the Lagoon in Guatavita and 180m down at the Zapiquira Cathedral and salt mine. A wonderful experience both above and below ground. Juan Carlos was a fabulous guide who expertly guided us through the history of El Dorado and the Muisca, Grand Colombia, Spanish independence to modern day Colombian politics. Truly uplifting and inspiring.

The tour guide and driver were very good, the tour was let down by the restaurant that we were taken too. Reasonable food takes you in so you don’t notice the lack of prices on the drinks menu. Then the bill hits and you find out just how crazy the drinks prices are. I did contact the tour operator afterwards, but the response was very dismissive. Enjoy the tour, BEWARE THE RESTURANT THE TOUR TAKES YOU TO!

I had already paid for a mine tour somewhere else and it was a real disappointment, but this one turn out to be mind-blowing. I recommend you take a comfortable pair of shoes and be ready to admire each of the impressive 14 small chapels, carved entirely out of rock salt. Our driver, Jefferson, was really kind and helpful. I'd take the tour again!

“I had a fantastic experience booking this activity through TripAdvisor. Our driver and guide, Jefferson, was absolutely amazing—so knowledgeable, friendly, and pleasant to be with. The activities were well-organized, and I couldn’t have asked for a better time. Highly recommend!”

The sites were amazing, but Juan Carlos and Victor truly made the experience. From seamless coordination to thoughtful and funny storytelling.. they went out of their way to make the day special. I felt safe, informed, and taken care of throughout.

Our driver Victor and guide Carlos were punctual and amazingly helpful. We had a blast at the lagoon walk and the cathedral. On the way Carlos explained many things of significance and his bubbly demeanor was indeed a delight on a long day. Kudos to Colombia Travel agent.

Great One Day Tour For Guatavita and Zipaquira. Door to Door service makes it practical and safe. Distance and traffic does affect the travel time. The destinations are amazing and must see Colombian sites.

This was a great experience from start to finish. Juan Carlos and Victor were extremely friendly. Juan Carlos was accommodating, funny and loved that he kept checking in individually. It truly was a packed day and definitely kept my fitness in check but the views were worth it. Overall a great trip!

The places we went to are one of a kind. Our guide Juan Carlos was so informative and very nice person. Our driver is so respectful also.

The driver and tour guide Carlos was very helpful and knowledgeable about his country will recommend this tour

The tour was great, we thoroughly enjoyed it. The driver Victor and the guide Juan Carlos were both excellent. We learned a lot during the walking parts of the tour and had ample time to see each attraction. The drive was long but there was beautiful scenery along the way and they stopped to allow pictures. The lunch restaurant was good quality and reasonably priced. Overall I would recommend it.

I had a great day out on this tour and definitely recommend it. It may be cheaper than other options, but I don’t think anyone would get anything less out of it. The pickup instructions were very clear and the pickup itself went very smoothly. Juan was a very good guide - entertaining, knowledgeable and good at keeping the group together. The information given during the Guatavita Lagoon tour was especially interesting and well- delivered. It’s also not a rushed tour so there’s plenty of time at the lake and plenty of time to explore the whole of the salt cathedral. Thanks for a great day!

The lagoon walk can be quite challenging if you are not acclimated to the high altitude - it is NOT slow paced for persons in their mid to late 60s and includes many higher than "normal" steps. Getting to the top await some beautiful views. The light show at the salt cathedral is a bit underwhelming; the Cathedral itself is amazing to see / experience.

I enjoyed the experience. Both the driver and the tour guide made it worth while. I learned a lot of interesting things about Botoga’s origina as well as the history of other surrounding areas. The hike part of the tour is not the easiest but the scenery from up top made it all worth while in the end. The change in altitude as we climbed made it a little tough. My one issue with the tour was that we didn’t make it to our lunch destination until around 3. Imagine starting as early as 7ish in the morning and not having lunch until then. Thankfully we both snacks and was able to hold out until lunch time with little or no issue.

The tour was excellent. The tour guide was professional, funny and friendly.

The operator, the guide and the driver were very friendly and helpful. I needed to get to the airport after the trip, they made special arrangements for me to brighten my day! It’s great itinerary, the Guide was very informative and professional. Thanks for all!

It was like a whirlwind experience… It was Good Friday and there were lots of different processions of people celebrating Good Friday as Columbia is a massively catholic country… we got to see many sites on the road, including the upside down or crazy house, the amazing countryside, full of hills, pasture and farm animals, such as horses 🐎, cows 🐄 and sheep 🐑. We stopped at the Guatavita lake (lagoon) and then we went to the Zipaquirá caves. Make sure to try and sample local cuisines such as the arepas with cheese that are grilled, empanadas or grilled corn 🌽 or sausages. When you’re inside the Zipaquira caves there are lots of shops at the very bottom of the cave, such as emerald’s, gold, etc.… enjoy!!! 😊 I met some lovely people from all over the world, such as United States of America 🇺🇸, Canada,🇨🇦 🍁 Hong Kong, 🇭🇰 and Turkey 🇹🇷 . The tour guide and driver were very amicable, friendly and helpful.

This tour was amazing! You get to experience Guatavita lake and hear the natives stories, their cultural practices and language. You also get to hear about the legend of el Dorado. The salt cathedral in Zipaquira was super impressive! Just make sure you manage the time wisely to get to see everything! Our guide Mr Carlos was extremely helpful and knowledgeable.