Eclectic, energetic, and just a little bit misunderstood, the city of Bogota is the heart of Colombia and it’s dynamic and gritty capital. Located at 2640 metres above sea level, Bogota sits nestled in the Andes and is the 4th highest capital city in the world. Against a mountainous backdrop, the urban sprawl includes a heady mix of beautiful colonial architecture, historical landmarks, skyscrapers and shanty towns. Whether you are looking to immerse yourself in local life, visit world-class art galleries and museums, or witness intoxicating local festivities, Bogota is bound to impress. Here are 6 unmissable experiences for you to have while enjoying Colombia’s compelling capital city.
Lose Yourself in La Candelaria
The cobbled streets of Bogota’s beautiful historic district La Candelaria, are the perfect place to begin your exploration of Colombia. Amongst the cobbled streets and beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, you will find some of the best museums and galleries in the city. The historic Plaza Bolivar is here, and you will also find treasures such as the Church Museum of Santa Clara, one of Bogota’s oldest churches and considered by many to be its most beautiful. Currently a museum, its interior is full of detailed paintings painted mostly in gold. On the topic of gold, in La Candelaria, you will also find the Gold Museum, a giant treasure chest of glittery artifacts that cannot fail to impress. Over 55,000 pieces of gold are housed in this museum with 6000 of them on display and they include beautifully intricate carvings including the famous “Muisca Golden Raft” estimated to be from the time period between 600 and 1600AD and believed to represent the story behind the myth of El Dorado.
Feast Your Eyes
Whether you prefer your art hung in a gallery, painted on city walls, or even just sewn into your clothing, Bogota has you covered. Bogota has a dynamic art scene with many exciting galleries including the Museo Botero. Fernando Botero is one of Colombia’s most famous artists and known for his signature style of art called ‘Boterismo’ where he enlarges and exaggerates features of anything he paints. At times his artwork has been comedic, such as his take on the Mona Lisa, at other times overtly political, revolving around topics such as the violence inflicted by Colombia’s drug cartels. The Museo Botero features not just his work but many other famous artists from his private collection including Picasso, Monet and Klimt.
For those who prefer their art a bit more al fresco, Bogota has an exciting street art scene. Artists use these murals as a canvas to express themselves and communicate the story of their city, leading to artworks that are often very moving. The streets of La Candelaria are where some of the most poignant pieces can be found, giving you a whole new insight into the experiences of its inhabitants.
Get High on Cerro de Montserrat
In the east of the city, the imposing mass of Cerro de Montserrat dominates the skyline, and is the perfect place to go for panoramic views over the city. At 3030 metres from sea level, the vista is (quite literally) breathtaking. This location is significant not just because of the religious site on top which is believed to be a place of miracles, but because the indigenous people noted that the sun rose from directly behind this mountain during June solstice. Aside from the church on top, there is also a park and some restaurants. To reach the peak, you can take either the cable car or funicular or for the more active, a strenuous hike is possible. If you are finding it a tough climb, spare a thought for the pilgrims who will sometimes do this on their knees!
Join a Celebration
Bogotanos love any excuse for a celebration and so it isn’t hard to time your visit with an exciting event on the festival calendar. Just some of the festivals on offer are to celebrate film, theatre, Independence Day, Gay Pride, flowers and food. Once a year, the historic Simon Bolivar Square even gets turned into a giant moshpit as Bogota hosts South America’s biggest rock festival. For something a little less loud, if you travel in August your trip will coincide with ‘kite month’, where colourful and quirky kites fill the blue skies, taking advantage of the stronger winds associated with that time of year.
Meet Colombia’s Peace Weavers
Colombia’s story is one of incredible progression, as it forges its way from a past full of conflict into a brighter future. The peace-weavers are a brave group of indigenous communities who have taken on the challenge to change the country for the better. These range from chocolate shop owners who allow thousands of peasant families to leave illegal coca farming behind by building a future through cocoa, to the Tejedoras de Mampuján, a group of afro women from the Caribbean who received the National Peace Prize and started the tradition of creating woven tales of Colombia’s armed conflict victims. Crooked Compass can organise for you to meet these inspiring people and see first-hand how they are changing their communities for the better.
Go underground
An incredible day trip to do from Bogota is to visit the incredible Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira. Here you can go underground in a tunnel deep inside a salt mine, to where an incredible church has been built. The interior is dark and magnificent and includes a 50ft high illuminated cross at its centre, as well as 14 separate chapels some of which are decorated with intricate scenes carved into the rock. Still a working church that can hold 4000, this cavernous cathedral is a piece of stunning design.
Dreaming of exploring Colombia? Crooked Compass offers both small group tours and private touring through Colombia and Bogata, the countries beating heart. Contact our team today to make this experience yours.
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This category of tours involves light trekking, walking, cycling, rafting or kayaking for a few hours each day with a small amount of inclines and declines. You will require a reasonable level of fitness and good health to participate. It is important to note that due to the nature of some of our trips, they may take place in remote areas (with basic facilities) and can involve long travelling days on various modes of transport.
Suggested preparation : At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake aerobic exercise (this may include jogging, cycling or fast walking) for 30 minutes, three times a week. It is also advised to walk on variable terrain and in variable weather conditions. For a cycling adventure, road cycling twice a week is recommended and for adventures which involve paddling and kayaking, it is important to gain confidence and rhythm rather than speed prior to departure.
This category of tours involve trekking, kayaking and cycling for period of 6 to 8 hours a day at a fairly consistent pace. Ideal for people looking to slightly increase the heart rate. For our moderately rated tours, you must have a good level of fitness and also be in good health. It is also important to be prepared for variable weather conditions. Altitude may also come into play. This category of tours may involve visiting remote areas where facilities can be quite basic. Accommodation may also involve camping, homestays or basic accommodation where facilities may not be considered of western standards. To enjoy this style of travel, it is suggested for travellers to have a reasonable level of fitness and health, a positive attitude, as well as a fairly active lifestyle. An open mind is also required.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 months prior to departure, it is recommended that you undertake 45mins – 1 hour of aerobic exercise, three to four times a week. Some potential exercises that could be beneficial include hill walking with a backpack on over variable terrain and weather conditions, as well as running and cycling dependent on the activity you plan on undertaking.
This category of tours involves trekking, kayaking, cycling or other adventure activities in remote areas for up to 8 to 10 hours a day. It is important to note that with the remoteness of some regions comes a variety of other challenges such as variable weather conditions, accommodation as well as facilities. You must have an excellent level of fitness and good health to be able to partake in this category of tour. You must have confidence in your own ability and be in good physical condition. Includes extended periods of endurance.
Suggested preparation: At least 3 to 4 months of strenuous exercise, four times a week. When preparing for treks it would be beneficial to participate in hill walks with a weighted day pack (approximately 5-8 kg) once a week for aerobic fitness and strengthening of leg muscles. It is also important to do this on variable terrain to prepare for challenging adventures. When preparing for cycling adventures, regular bike riding (at least 4 to 5 times a week for 1-4 hours is essential). It is also important to cycle on uneven surfaces or even participate in other aerobic exercises such as running or swimming to build up strength and stamina. Altitude may also be a factor in these tours.
This category of tour often involves extreme trekking, cycling or other extreme adventure activities. It is important to expect remote and poorly defined tracks and to be prepared for variable weather conditions for 10 to 12 hours per day (may sometimes be more depending on weather and altitude). These adventures are suitable for travellers who have prior experience in strenuous travel and activities, are extremely fit and have excellent health. It is also important to note that some of the terrain on these adventures will involve trekking in snow, at high attitude levels and may require technical equipment.
Suggested preparation: It is important to note that physical fitness should be an ongoing activity, commencing around 5-6 months prior to departure, or even before if you have no prior fitness. Exercise should focus on building maximum endurance and stamina. Four to five hard sessions of 40-60 mins per week should be completed and can include exercises such as going to the gym, running, swimming or cycling to focus on building aerobic stamina. It could also be beneficial to prepare by hiking on rough terrain, in extreme weather conditions or partake in altitude training.
Our Signature Tours are the cornerstone of the Crooked Compass journey: meticulously designed small-group itineraries that balance authenticity, comfort, and ease. These are destinations where travel can be complex—from navigating evolving logistics to reaching places far from the usual tourist path—yet our expertise ensures your experience feels smooth, effortless, and deeply rewarding.
From the moment you arrive, every detail is handled with care. You’re welcomed personally on arrival and met for a private transfer to your accommodation, where you’ll join the rest of your group. Your guide will walk you through an orientation, helping you understand the rhythm of the journey ahead and settling you in with clear, practical insights from the very start.
Accommodation is selected for both comfort and character, reflecting the richness of its locality through thoughtful design, creative ingenuity, and a genuine sense of place. Whether it’s a boutique property, a sustainable lodge or a homestay, each choice is made to connect you meaningfully with the destination.
Cultural integration sits at the heart of our approach. Every itinerary is crafted with respect for local communities, aligning sensitively with their values and protecting the authenticity of their culture. Through this, travellers experience a deeper connection —stories shared firsthand, traditions encountered in their true context, and moments that shift perspectives long after returning home.
With a maximum of 12 travellers and our most trusted local partners, you explore with confidence, guided by teams who combine deep regional knowledge with an intuitive understanding of Western traveller expectations. Through the powerful medium of storytelling, our journeys inspire personal reflection and spark genuine emotion, turning travel into something transformative.
For travellers seeking even more flexibility or personalisation, our Tours By Design journeys are crafted with the same care — mindfully designed around your interests for a more tailored experience.
Why travellers love our Signature Tours:
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Our Founders Tours are rare, one-of-a-kind journeys personally hosted by Crooked Compass founder, Lisa Pagotto. Designed for the traveller who seeks more than just adventure, these exclusive small-group expeditions uncover places few have ever seen – experiences not featured in our regular collection, chosen for their depth, beauty, and story.
Each itinerary is hand-crafted by Lisa to offer meaningful connection and unique access built through years of trust and collaboration with local communities. Travelling alongside her gives you an unparalleled perspective into the world of ethical exploration – from the behind-the-scenes partnerships that shape our journeys, to the human stories that inspire them.
With an intimate group size and seamless support from our expert team, a Founders Tour is less a trip, and more a masterclass in discovery.
Why travellers love Founders Tours:
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Set sail on a rare journey across remote islands, wild coastlines, and untouched ecosystems aboard a small, luxury expedition vessel. Travelling by sea unlocks access to places few travellers ever reach – from isolated villages and pristine reefs to dramatic landscapes that can’t be accessed by land – while each evening, you return to the comfort of your beautifully appointed cabin.
These voyages blend adventure with refinement. Expert-led excursions bring you face-to-face with raw nature and vibrant cultures, while exceptional onboard dining, service, and comfort allow time to unwind and reflect.
To complete your experience, Crooked Compass can seamlessly craft pre- or post-cruise land extensions, ensuring your journey flows effortlessly from sea to shore.
Why travellers love our Expedition Cruises:
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Our Tours by Design experiences are private journeys curated exclusively for you by the Crooked Compass team. Whether you’re drawn to one of our existing itineraries, wish to adapt a small-group tour for private travel, or want to design something entirely new, we’ll craft a journey that reflects your pace, passions, and sense of discovery.
Why pay for inclusions that don’t fit? With Tours by Design, every detail is intentional – from the destinations and experiences to your style of travel and choice of accommodation. Each itinerary is hand-built through our deep local partnerships and expertise, ensuring authenticity, comfort, and connection in every moment.
Why travellers love Tours by Design:
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Our Partner Tours are carefully chosen group journeys operated by our long-standing, in-country partners — experts who share our values of authenticity, cultural respect, and meaningful connection. These departures, averaging between 17 and 22 travellers, are designed and delivered by our partners, while Crooked Compass manages your booking and provides full support from start to finish.
Enjoy the reassurance of booking through an Australian-based company, delivering our same personalised service and attention to detail you expect from Crooked Compass. We take care of the logistics, so you can focus on what matters most – the journey itself.
Why travellers love our Partner Tours:
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