6 Days in Bogotá: First-Timer Plan
Six days covers Bogotá’s core, both salt mines north of the city, and a slower final morning. Here’s the day-by-day plan.
Day 1
Arrive at El Dorado International Airport and book your transfer through an app rather than hailing a taxi outside. Once settled in La Candelaria, keep things easy: walk Plaza de Bolívar, the Cathedral Primada, and the Capitolio Nacional, then continue to Chorro de Quevedo, the plaza marking the city’s 1538 founding. Dinner at La Puerta Falsa, open since 1816, for ajiaco and chocolate santafereño (around $8-12 per person).
Day 1 tip: hydrate more than feels necessary tonight. Bogotá sits at roughly 2,640 meters, and altitude sickness hits hardest in the first 24 hours.
Day 2
Take the cable car or funicular up Monserrate (round trip around $10-12), ideally before midday cloud rolls in. In the afternoon, visit the Museo del Oro (around 5,000 COP, free Sundays) for the Muisca Raft, followed by the free Museo Botero (closed Tuesdays). Dinner at Andrés D.C. for a livelier Colombian meal (budget $25-35 per person with drinks).
Day 2 tip: dress in layers, temperatures at Monserrate’s roughly 3,152 meters drop fast once cloud sets in.
Day 3
Spend the day around Zona T and Zona G: browse Zona T’s shops in the morning, then move to Zona G’s quieter gourmet strip for lunch. In the evening, head to Chapinero, home to one of South America’s best LGBTQ+ scenes including Theatron, a genuine plus given Colombia legalized same-sex marriage in 2016 (budget $15-25 per person for dinner and drinks).
Day 3 tip: book any late-night ride home through an app, not a street-hailed taxi, and keep an eye on your drink in nightlife areas.
Day 4
Spend the morning at Paloquemao Market for Colombia’s exotic fruit lineup, lulo, feijoa, guanábana, granadilla, mangostino, and uchuva (a few dollars per bag), then walk the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis in the afternoon. In the evening, book Leo, chef Leonor Espinosa’s restaurant, ranked #23 in Latin America’s 50 Best for 2025, for a tasting menu built around Colombian biodiversity.
Day 4 tip: Bogotá’s tap water is safe to drink, so carry a refillable bottle through the market instead of buying bottled water at every stall.
Day 5
Take the day trip north to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, about 1-1.5 hours away (entry around $17, plus transport), going early for the best underground light and fewer crowds. Nemocón’s own salt mine, with its own galleries and a saltwater lake used for reflection photography, sits close enough to pair with Zipaquirá if you have a car or driver for the day. Dinner back in the city at El Chato, ranked #1 in Latin America’s 50 Best for 2025, if you can get a table (tasting menus run higher, budget accordingly).
Day 5 tip: buses reach Zipaquirá directly from Bogotá’s main terminals, but a hired driver saves time if you want to fit both salt mines into one day.
Day 6
If your last morning lands on a Sunday, spend it at Ciclovía, when roughly 120 km of streets close to cars from 7am to 2pm. Otherwise, use the morning for a return visit to your favorite neighborhood or last souvenir shopping. Book your airport transfer through an app and leave extra time, since Bogotá traffic to El Dorado can be unpredictable.
Day 6 tip: confirm you’ve completed the Check-Mig departure form within 72 hours of your flight; it’s required alongside entry.
Read more: our Bogotá day trips guide covers Zipaquirá and Nemocón logistics in more depth.