Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral and Guatavita Lagoon

Description

This full-day tour will take you to two places of interest located within Bogotá's savannah. Zipaquirá's Salt Cathedral; a majestic cathedral built inside of the largest salt-rock deposit on earth. Here you'll see the how Catholic symbology and contemporary engineering converged in the construction of this gigantic temple. The second stop, Guatavita Lagoon, a mystical and sacred place for the Muiscas, will give you a glimpse of what Paramo ecosystem looks like while you learn about the famous legend of El Dorado, Muisca cosmology and its relation to the lagoon. 

With materials from this former salt mine and using lighting effects, sculptors created innovative interpretations of the Catholic Via Crucis that you will be able to see throughout the cathedral. Here you will learn about the creative process and the symbology behind the sculptures. After exiting the cathedral, you will head to Guatavita, passing through the colonial village of Zipaquirá, famous for its various buildings that were declared national monuments.

After a stop for lunch, you will be driven through a countryside road to Guatavita where the sacred lake hides among mountains and mist. Inside this natural reserve, you will learn about the connection that the ancient Muiscas had with nature. Moreover, you will understand the symbolism behind the gold offerings that awoke the gold rush of Spanish treasure hunters. 

Finally, after returning to Bogotá, you will be taken to your hotel or to any other point of your convenience.