Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [45]
Sal Si Puedes (Map; 283 3765; www.salsipuedes.org, in Spanish; Carrera 7 No 17-01, oficina 640; 8am-5pm Mon-Thu, 8am-2pm Fri) This is an association of outdoor-minded people who organize weekend walks in the countryside (COP$30,000 per person, including transport and Spanish-speaking guides). Most last nine or 10 hours. Drop by for a schedule.
Trotamundos Centro Internacional (Map; 599 6413; www.trotamundos.com.co; Diagonal 35 No 5-73; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-12:30pm Sat); La Candelaria (Map; 566 4892; Calle 19 No 1-85; 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-12:30pm Sat) Colombia’s STA Travel rep can help get discounted international airfares or AeroRepública’s 15% discount on domestic fares for those under 25.
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Visa Information
DAS (Map; 601 7200; Calle 100 No 11B-27; 7:30am-4pm Mon-Thu, 7:30am-3pm Fri) A 30-day visa extension can be obtained here. Your passport, two photocopies of your passport (picture page and arrival stamp) and two passport-sized photos are required, and you’ll need to show an air ticket out of the country in most cases. Show up first to fill out forms, then they’ll direct you to a nearby Bancafe to pay the COP$60,600 fee. You get the extension on the spot.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
Things have become safer here in recent years, but, as in most cities, safety in Bogotá depends on both where you are and what time it is. Of the most visited places, La Candelaria (near some poorer areas like Egipto, just southeast) is generally safe, but has a more questionable reputation after 9pm or so. (We’ve had no problems in several weeks spent in the area, but visitors occasionally do.) At its north end, Parque de los Periodistas (Av Jiménez and Carrera 4) has seen muggings after dark – as well as some drug sales. La Perseverancia barrio, just north of Macarena, has a dodgy rep too.
One notorious areas for knife-point muggings is along the seemingly innocent walk up to Monserrate – either on the mountainside trails, or the short walk between the cable-car station and Quinta de Bolívar just below. At the time of research, we met a 70-year-old German traveler who was bitten by two thieves after he tried to fight back; the same area on busy weekends is generally quite safe.
The north is, on the whole, a different story. Many locals walk well after dark between, say, Zona Rosa and Parque 93’s club/restaurant scene. That said, the area has seen a few isolated bombings, including a couple in October 2008 that led to injuries. And we met a local who had resisted a purse-snatching while in her car and got her hand sliced up badly.
The lesson here is to not fight back if you’ve been targeted – hand over your money and move on. Meanwhile, avoid deserted streets and take taxis after hours.
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SIGHTS
Most attractions are in historic La Candelaria, where Bogotá was born, and you’ll probably want more than a day to look around the area.
If you’re thinking of going to a museum on a Sunday, think twice – Bogotá has half-a-hundred options, and most get crammed with locals, particularly on free day (the last Sunday of the month); we’ve seen 45-minute lines outside a modest museum or two not even listed here! It’s quieter during the week.
When walking about, pop into random churches too. Most are beauties, often dating from the 17th and 18th centuries – often with more elaborate decoration than the exterior would suggest. Some show off a distinctive Spanish-Moorish style called Mudejar (mainly noticeable