Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [71]
By the late 19th century an English company managed to drain the lagoon, finding only 20-odd objects – not nearly enough to pay off the £40,000 or eight years invested in the project.
In the 1940s, US divers with metal detectors searched out treasures, and the Colombian authorities – finally – banned such activities in 1965. Not to say that all treasure seekers obeyed. In the ‘90s access to the lake required a permit to keep track of visitors (illegally coming with scuba gear to search out fortunes).
Despite its fame, Guatavita never yielded much gold. Colombia’s best-known piece – the Balsa Muisca (also at the Museo del Oro) – was actually found in a cave near the village of Pasca.
The golden god must be getting a chuckle over all this.
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These days, you can’t follow the Zipa’s lead (no swimming), but there are several lookouts on a trail above the water. The area is higher up than Bogotá – and you’ll feel the difference on the 15-minute hike up to the lakeside hilltops from the site entrance (Colombian/foreigner COP$8000/12,000; 9am-4pm Tue-Sun).
During the week, the trails are far less crowded than on the busy weekends. Previously permits were required to visit the site – that’s no longer necessary. For additional details, contact the Corporación Autónoma Regional de Cudinamarca ( in Bogotá 1 320 9000; www.car.gov.co, in Spanish; Carrera 7A No 36-45, Bogotá).
The town of Guatavita, 18km southwest, is the chief gateway. On weekends, you’re likely to find transport to the lake, but it’s not guaranteed. The town was created in the mid-1960s – for locals displaced by the nearby reservoir Embalse de Tominé – and does a fine job of re-creating the white-washed Spanish colonial template, with a cute bullring, a pedestrian mall center with souvenir shops, restaurants, a museum and a hotel or two. It’s dead quiet during the week.
SLEEPING
Most travelers day trip here only. Some locals who weekend this way prefer staying at the nearby town of Guasca, about 15km south. A worthy option is the horse ranch Hacienda Betania ( 091 850 4987; www.hotelhaciendabetania.com; Vereda Trinidad sector; r from COP$65,000), which offers two-hour rides for COP$30,000.
GETTING THERE & AWAY
Laguna de Guatavita is not convenient to reach by public transport. Buses go from the TransMilenio northern terminus (Portal del Norte) in northern Bogotá to the town of Guatavita, via Sesquilé. About 11km north of town, the bus passes the 7km uphill road to the lake – no public transport. Ask to get out, and walk or hitch (follow the signs to the right near the Escuela Tierra Negra), or go on to Guatavita, where on Sundays, colectivos leave from the central plaza to the lake directly. Taxis are scarce here.
A return taxi from Bogotá costs about COP$110,000.
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WEST OF BOGOTÁ
Those heading to the beach, Medellín or coffee country head west from Bogotá. Many don’t stop, but there are a few places that qualify as destinations. If you’re heading that way by your own means, note that two highways head out of Bogotá – take the northerly route via La Vega (west on Calle 80), a nicer drive than the southern route via Facatavita, which hooks up with the La Vega route (after many suburbs and truck jams) at Villeta, about 65km west.
Cloud forest (bosque de niebla) hikes await only 20km west of Bogotá in the gorgeous privately owned Parque Natural Chicaque ( in Bogotá 1 368 3118; www.chicaque.com, in Spanish; admission Colombians/foreigners COP$8000/20,000; 8am-4pm). The 3-sq-km area features half a dozen walks (about 8km altogether), which are among the nation’s best marked. During rainy season, walks lead to waterfalls. On weekends you can hire a horse to ride back up the steep hill paths.
You arrive above the trails, and below – a steep hike down – you’ll find various accommodations (campsite/dm/bungalow incl all meals COP$37,000/68,000/208,000) including a nice bungalow for two. You can also camp up at the entrance for COP$8500 (no meals).
The reserve is a few kilometers off the