Guatavita Lake - Salt Cathedral

Indigenous economy activities, religious, art, and other determined the settlement of the Spanish and the foundation of Bogotá. In this tour you will understand the relation between the nature, the salt, the Dorado Legend, the Salt Cathedral, Gold Museum, the gold, the cooper and the Bogota population.

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 original indigenous habitants 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.

In Zipaquira I will speak some details of the Salt Cathedral and I will conduct the traveler to the underground Cathedral, this construction is unique because of its magnificence, the content of every sculpture, the representation of the way to the cross and the cross.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Laguna de Guatavita, Km 15, Via Guatavita-Sesquile, Tierra Negra Colombia

We begin to walk into Guatavita natural reservation. We will meet a guide of the lake that speaks about the native culture, I do the translation and add some information, then we begin to climb steps, it is aprox 130 meters (426 feet). But do not worry we will 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. There are three viewpoints

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Catedral de Sal de Zipaquira, Carrera 6 Calle 1 Parque De La Sal, Zipaquira Colombia

The traveler will pick up an audio guide and enter the underground cathedral built by miners, will walk through the entrance tunnel and reach the representation of the way to the cross (representation of the Jesus moments experienced by Jesus before the crucifixion) then the tourist will find a dome and access to the main Cathedral when will find the cross, holy Mary and other works made by miners. You will find a water mirror and can buy salt figures, emeralds, coffee and more. I will wail the travelers at the entrance of the touristic attraction.

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Guatavita, Guatavita, Cundinamarca Department

Guatavita town was founded in 1967, it has colonial architecture, big squares, gastronomy and place to buy handicrafts

Duration: 20 minutes