A Guide to Hiking Cerro Monserrate

View of Bogota from Cerro Monserrate with clouds

 

Cerro Monseratte is a small mountain which overlooks the city of Bogota.  It is a very popular destination for tourists as well as locals because it is so close to the city center.  From the peak of Cerro Monseratte, you will see a beautiful view of downtown Bogota as well as Guadalupe Hill.

 

The hike is challenging for someone who is out of shape or someone who doesn’t tolerate elevation well, but for an experienced climber, this is a training route at best.  Also, the hike is Free!

 

I am currently in Colombia for the second time, so I have a lot of experience with this country.  I wrote a guide with information on Colombian culture, safety, food, things to do and more.  You can check it out here.

 

 How to get to the trail

 

The bottom of the trail is right next to the colonial Candelaria District.  To get there you can walk, take an Uber, or use the bus.  All of these are fine.  Walking is safe during the daytime, especially on the weekend, because there are so many people.

 

I climbed the mountain today on a Monday and there were tons of people, but admittedly it was a really nice day.  The bus is simple to use and goes directly to the trail, use buses C12A or the 7.  And of course, if you want to make it easy on yourself, Ubers are fairly cheap in Colombia.

 

Is it Safe?

 

Although there are some stories of people getting mugged on the way to the trail or on the trail, my opinion is that if you are hiking during the official hours, you should be safe most of the time.  However, I wouldn’t recommend climbing the trail if you don’t see a lot of other people hiking.  The trail is not nearly as busy on weekdays when the weather is bad.  So, if you are really worried, just do the climb on weekends when it is nice outside.

 

Why would it be dangerous?  Any time you are hiking next to a big city there is the possibility that criminals from the city might target people on the path.  They know that they can quickly escape or even kidnap you by going off trail.  The thing is that this route is ridiculously busy, it is actually annoying how many people there are.  It is possible that the trail is empty when the weather is really bad, but then why would you want to hike anyway?

 

The hiking route is officially open at 5 am – 4 pm but you aren’t supposed to start climbing past 1 pm.  There are some police officers at the gate and en route, but not enough to necessarily provide full security.  The signs warn you that hiking outside of these times is at your own risk.

 

Climbing the Trail

 

Bogota itself is at around 2640 meters (8660 feet) and the peak of Cerro Monserrate is 3152 meters (10341 feet), so the total climb is around 510 meters (1650 feet).  Depending on your physical fitness and elevation tolerance the climb to the top should take just over an hour.  If you are particularly sensitive to elevation sickness I suggest taking this hike very slow.

 

While you are on your way to the top you will pass people selling drinks, jewelry, and even some restaurants.  The prices are a bit inflated, but they aren’t terrible either.  You don’t need to stop at any of these places – there are tons of shops and restaurants at the top of the mountain.  Also, you don’t need to worry about getting lost because the path is extremely obvious, just stay on the paved area and follow everyone else.

 

Note: This climbing route was temporarily closed a few years ago, but has been reopened since 2017.

 

What to do at the top

 

First off check out the amazing view of Bogota and Guadalupe hill.  From the peak, you can see all of downtown Bogota as well as other parts of the city.  A lot of locals come here and hang out all day.  You can go inside the church if you want, but it is not particularly special unless you are climbing the mountain as a pilgrimage.

 

My lunch on top of Cerro Monserrate

 

If you are hungry there are more than a dozen typical Colombina restaurants.  To get to them face opposite from the city and turn left, continue past all of the vendors selling touristic items.  Walk for about 5 minutes and you will get to the eating area.

 

I ate a slightly overpriced, but tasty Bandeja Paisa dish with fresh squeezed orange juice at one of the local restaurants.  There are also lots of ice cream places in this area.  As an Alternative to this local restaurant area, there is a cafeteria next to the washrooms.

 

Taking the Cable Car or the Funicular

 

I had never heard the word funicular before hiking Monserrate.  There is some interesting engineering behind it, but basically, it is a train that goes uphill.  The Funicular is open from 630 am – 1145 am Monday – Friday, 630 am – 4 pm Saturday, 530 am – 6 pm Sunday, and 630 am – 6 pm on Holidays.  From Monday – Saturday the cost is 10 000 Colombian pesos (3.2 USD) each way and on Sunday it only costs 6000 Colombian pesos (2 USD) each way.

 

If you miss the return trip with the funicular you can always go down on the cable car (teleférico in Spanish).  It is open from 1200 pm – 11 30 pm Monday – Saturday, on Sunday it is open from 1000 am – 430 pm.   Note: it is not open on some holidays so you are supposed to use the funicular.  The cost is the same as the funicular, 10 000 pesos each way Monday- Saturday and then 6000 pesos each way on Sunday.

 

I don’t know why they need such a complicated pricing system and schedule, it is absurd.  For more absurdity check out the official Cerro Monserrate website.

 

History of Cerro Monserrate

 

Monserrate has had religious significance since the Pre-Columbian era when the Muisca people occupied the region.  They called the mountain quijia cacha, which means grandmother’s foot in the Muysccubun language.

 

In the 1620s the Spanish started using the mountain as a site for religious ceremonies and in 1650 built a permanent structure there.  Over time more development occurred, now Cerro Monserrate is mostly of a touristic/entertainment destination, but there are still people who climb the mountain for religious reasons.

 

As someone who is staying in Bogota for an entire month, I love going to Cerro Monserrate.  It is a fun thing to do on the weekend or any day I am available.  If you are physically able, I recommend hiking to the peak.  Otherwise, it is still worth your time to go to the top in the funicular or in the cable car.

 

What else to do in Bogota?

 

With more than 8 million people Bogota is one of the biggest cities in South America.  As you might expect there is a lot to do in a city this big.  A lot of people move through Bogota quickly to get to other parts of Colombia, I think that they are missing out. Here a few recommendations to enjoy your time in Bogota

 

Map of the Candelaria District in Bogota including safe areas

Click the Image for an Interactive Map

 

Wander around the Candelaria district

 

The Candelaria district, near the hiking trail to Cerro Monserrate, is filled with old colonial architecture.  It is an artistic hub with musicians, slam poets, writers, and more.  Most of the hostels are in this part of Bogota.

 

When I first went to Bogota I stayed here, it is a great place to stay if you are new to the city or if you are only staying for a short period of time.  The Candelaria is fairly safe by Bogota standards and has all the things you might need as a tourist (laundry etc.)  Check out Bolivar Plaza to see a huge cathedral from the 19th century and some old government buildings.

 

Go to Zipaquira Salt Mine

 

Zipaquira is a small city 50 kilometers north of Bogota.  There used to be a dangerous salt mine here.  Because so many of the miners were dying, they built an underground cathedral to help with their existential despair.  It is open every day from 9 am – 5:40 pm, the admission fee is 50 000 pesos (16 USD) for foreigners and 23 000 pesos (7.5 USD) for Colombians.  The Admission fee includes a guided tour which takes around 2 hours.

 

To get Zipaquira you first need to get to Portal Norte in Bogota, lots of Transmillenio buses go this way.  Once you get to Portal Norte look for a tunnel exit with the title “Zipaquira”, your bus will be labeled “Zipa – Chia”.  It takes about 45 minutes to get to Zipaquira from portal Norte without traffic and can take up to 2 hours with traffic.

 

Museo del Oro

 

One of the biggest tourist attractions in all of Colombia, the Museo del Oro is conveniently located right next to the Candelaria district.  This museum features countless gold and golden artifacts from the pre-Columbian era.  The museum is open from Tuesday – Saturday 9 am – 6 pm, Sunday 10 am – 4 pm, and it is closed on Monday.  The entrance fee is only 4000 pesos (1.3 USD).

 

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