The Most Unique Day Trip from Bogotá (Our Honest Experience)
When we planned our time in Bogotá, we were looking for the best day trips to add to our itinerary. One place kept coming up: the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral.
But honestly… this one caught us completely off guard.
A cathedral… inside a salt mine? 😳
We thought it would be interesting. And to be fair, our friend Eddie had mentioned it to us before. Still, we didn’t do much research, so we didn’t really have the full picture in mind.
We were just expecting… a salt mine.
What we didn’t expect was for it to become one of the most unique experiences of our entire Colombia trip.
In this blog, we’re sharing our personal experience visiting the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, along with practical tips to help you plan your own visit from Bogotá.
🎬 Watch Our Full Experience
We captured the entire journey—from Bogotá to inside the cathedral—in our vlog.
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Why Visit the Salt Cathedral from Bogotá?
If you’re looking to add a meaningful experience to your Colombia trip and searching for day trips from Bogotá, this one stands out immediately.
Not only is it close (about 1.5 hours away), which makes it easy to visit in a day without feeling too tired, but it also combines:
- History
- Culture
- Faith
And most importantly, it offers something you probably won’t see anywhere else.
The Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá is the largest of its kind in the world, followed by the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Kraków — another incredible underground experience.
From our experience—and everything we learned along the way during the guided tour—this isn’t just a tourist attraction. It’s a place shaped by centuries of mining, often referred to as “white gold” in the region.
Getting to Zipaquirá (The Easy Way)
We had heard that it’s possible to get from Bogotá to Zipaquirá by public bus, and some travellers do it that way.
However, from what we’ve seen—and even heard from other travelers—it can take more time and requires a bit more planning, especially if you need to connect to another bus to reach the salt mine.
For us, we decided to keep things simple.
We booked our tour through GetYourGuide, and honestly… it made the whole experience much easier.
Why we recommend a guided tour:
- ✅ Hotel pickup included
- ✅ No need to figure out transport
- ✅ Local guide explaining the history
- ✅ Smooth and stress-free experience
- ✅ Option to include your entrance ticket at a lower price + skip the lines
Within about 90 minutes, we arrived in Zipaquirá—a quiet town that feels very different from Bogotá.
💡 Our tip: If you’re short on time or prefer a hassle-free day, the guided tour is 100% worth it. Public transport can work, but it’s less flexible if your schedule changes.
However, if you prefer a more budget-friendly option, you can also travel by bus. We recommend using tools like Busbud to compare routes and prices in advance.
First Impressions of Zipaquirá, Colombia
Our first stop, before visiting the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, was the small town of Zipaquirá—and it turned out to be much more than just a gateway.
If you’re planning a day trip from Bogotá, this is where your journey begins.
Long before the Spanish arrived, this area was already known for its rich salt deposits. Indigenous groups, especially the Muisca people, were extracting and trading salt here—so valuable it was often called “white gold.”
Later, when the Spanish colonized the region, they expanded mining operations. Over time, a settlement grew around this activity. So while the city wasn’t built exclusively for workers, its development has always been closely tied to the salt mines and the people who worked in them.
👉 In other words, Zipaquirá exists because of salt.
Zipaquirá town – What surprised us most
We didn’t expect to enjoy the town itself as much as we did.
Zipaquirá has:
- A beautiful main square
- Charming colonial-style architecture
- A peaceful, local vibe that feels very different from Bogotá
One detail we loved learning about? The balconies.
Our guide explained how different styles—Spanish, English, and French—can reveal the history and architectural influences of each building.
👉 It’s one of those small details that makes you slow down and appreciate the place even more.
🌟 A quick cultural note
Here’s something we didn’t know before visiting.
Zipaquirá is home to a cultural center dedicated to Gabriel García Márquez, the Nobel Prize–winning author of One Hundred Years of Solitude.
He lived here during his adolescence, and his work—known for blending reality with magical elements—helped define the style of magical realism.
👉 In a way, visiting places like Zipaquirá makes you understand how Colombia itself can feel a little magical.
Entering the Zipaquirá Salt Mine
Before even stepping inside the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral, there’s a moment to pause.
The entrance area feels like a small plaza. Buses arrive and leave, travelers gather, and you’ll find a few shops, restrooms, and quick spots for snacks.
💡 Tip: If you’re visiting with a tour and want to buy something, it’s best to do it here at the entrance. After the Salt Cathedral, most tours head straight to lunch in Zipaquirá.
Also, if you need to use the restroom, we recommend doing it before going inside. It can take a while before you find another one once you’re in the mine.
🎟️ Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral – Entrance & Tickets
After a quick stop at the entrance plaza, you’ll make your way toward the ticket area of the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral.
At first, we noticed ticket machines near the entrance, which seemed to be the main option for visitors buying tickets on-site.
However, in our case, we chose the option “Zipaquirá: Salt Cathedral with Pickup & Entrance Ticket” through GetYourGuide.
Because of that, everything felt much easier.
Instead of waiting in line, we followed our guide through a separate entrance. They handled all the tickets directly with the staff, which made the whole process smooth and stress-free.
Before going in, you’ll also find useful information displays about the mine, including maps, depth, and other interesting details that help you better understand what’s waiting underground.
💡 Tip: Bring a light jacket. It gets cooler once you’re inside the mine.
Entering the Salt Mine: The Experience Begins
Once past the entrance, everything starts to change.
Step by step, the outside world begins to fade. The light softens, the air feels cooler, and the sounds from the plaza slowly disappear behind you.
And then you notice it.
Everything around you… is salt.
The walls, the ceiling, even the ground beneath your feet—completely carved from it. It’s one of those moments where you stop for a second and think, “Okay… this is already different.”
Walking Through the Cathedral
The path takes you through a series of stations, each representing moments from the journey of Jesus.
Some areas feel quiet and intimate. Others feel more powerful, almost overwhelming.
Each station is carved directly into the salt rock, with unique shapes, textures, and lighting that change the atmosphere as you walk.
And then… it opens up.
The tunnels give way to a vast space, and suddenly you’re standing inside a massive underground cathedral.
At this point, our guide from the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral tour shared more about how this place came to life—explaining how miners first carved small prayer spaces, which eventually evolved into the cathedral we see today.
After that, we were given time to explore on our own. We walked around, took photos, and simply took it all in.
👉 It’s one of those rare moments where you can really feel the history, the scale… and the faith behind it.
The Moment It All Comes Together
Up until that point, it still feels like a mine.
But here, everything shifts.
It becomes:
- A place of reflection
- A work of art
- Something completely unexpected
What stood out to us the most was the lighting. It transforms the salt in different ways depending on where you look.
The textures, the shadows, the scale…
It’s much bigger—and much more impressive—than we imagined.
And honestly, it’s one of those places that pictures just can’t fully capture.
More Than Just a Cathedral
After the cathedral, comes something we honestly didn’t expect.
There’s an entire underground complex beyond it.
As you continue exploring, you’ll find:
- Small shops
- Exhibits and a museum
- A short 3D film about the mine
- Even restaurants
At first, we weren’t sure how we felt about this. It felt a bit unexpected for a place that had just felt so quiet and reflective.
But the more we explored, the more it made sense.
👉 It adds another layer to the experience. It’s not just about seeing the cathedral—it’s about understanding the full story behind it.
Best Time to Visit (Important Tip)
If you can, avoid visiting during Holy Week (Semana Santa).
Our tour guide mentioned it gets extremely crowded—thousands of visitors per day.
👉 Go on a weekday if possible for a calmer experience.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth Visiting?
We went in curious, not really knowing what to expect.
And we came out genuinely impressed.
The Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral is more than just a tourist attraction. It’s a place where history, culture, and creativity come together in a way that feels completely different.
What stayed with us the most was the feeling behind it all.
You can sense, in every sculpture and every detail, the energy and faith the workers poured into creating this sacred space—one that now welcomes thousands of visitors and stands as the largest salt cathedral in the world.
👉 If you’re spending a few days in Bogotá, this is one experience we truly recommend adding to your itinerary.
🎬 Watch Our Full Experience
We captured the entire journey—from Bogotá to inside the cathedral—in our vlog.
Planning Your Visit?
👉 We booked our tour here (easy + stress-free)
💬 Final Tip from Us
If you’re like us and enjoy discovering places that are a little different… a little unexpected…
This is one of those experiences that stays with you.
