Bogota holidays
Bogota holidays at a glance
There’s never a dull moment in Bogotá. Colombia’s capital combines a fascinating colonial core with a modern urban landscape of restaurants, shops, nightlife and cultural attractions.
At the heart of the city lies La Candelaria, Bogotá’s historic district, where churches, colonial buildings and palaces cluster around Plaza Bolívar. Beyond the old centre, contemporary neighbourhoods provide a striking contrast, with fashionable restaurants, nightlife and commercial activity helping to make Bogotá one of Latin America’s most exciting Colombia capital city destinations.
Bogotá is also one of Colombia’s leading cultural centres. The city is home to museums, theatres, cinemas, universities and a thriving café culture. Set at around 2,600m above sea level and surrounded by Andean peaks, it enjoys a spring-like climate throughout much of the year.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Bogota
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
In the heart of the Andes at 2,600m, Colombia’s vibrant capital contains cultural delights, cobbled streets and fantastic nightlife.
When to visit Bogota
Best time to visit Bogotá? December to March, generally, though the highland climate stays fairly mild whenever you go.
With sunny days and warmer temperatures reaching highs of 20°C, this is an ideal time to stroll through the streets of the capital. These months see the least rainfall, with only three wet days in January. Lovers of the performing arts shouldn’t miss the International Theatre Festival which begins in March.
While temperatures remain mild, there is increased rainfall and less sunshine during these months. The International Theatre Festival continues in April, with cutting-edge productions from across the globe.
Carnival celebrations in July feature colourful parades and costumed dancers in the streets. This period is fairly dry, with an average of seven days rain each month, and the city lights up with clearer skies and warm sunshine.
Rainfall and cloud cover increase over these months and temperatures are mild. Music enthusiasts will enjoy the world renowned Jazz Festival in September.
Top Things to do in Bogota
Bogotá combines culture, history and outdoor attractions, making it one of South America’s most rewarding capital cities.
Explore the Colombian capital’s colonial streets, leafy parks and historic monuments by bicycle.
Take a trip just out of Bogotá to see a unique subterranean church in a salt mine.
Take a tour of the primary cloud forest in a protected reserve set on a mountainside.
Wander around the impressive displays of pre-Columbian metalwork at this world-class museum celebrating a substance with great significance to South American culture and history.
Accommodation in Bogota
Our accommodation in the city ranges from boutique hotels in the colonial streets of La Candelaria to sleek contemporary properties in Bogotá’s modern districts, so you can base yourself wherever suits your trip.
The design of the classy, contemporary Artisan DC Hotel is inspired by urban chic and offers exemplary personal service.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Bogota
Group Bogota Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Chachalaca: Colombia’s Colonial and Coffee Culture
Places visited: Bogota · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Cartagena
14 days from £4,476
Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia
Places visited: Bogota · San Agustin, Popayan and Cali · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Caribbean coast and islands · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Cartagena
16 days from £3,326
Tailor-Made Bogota Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Magdalena River Cruise: Colombia’s Hidden Gems
Places visited: Cartagena · Caribbean coast and islands · Bogota · Medellin
13 days from £4,800
Off The Beaten Track Colombia: Colonial towns to the Llanos
Places visited: Bogota · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · The Colombian llanos
13 days from £5,350
Off the beaten track Colombia: San Agustin and the Amazon
Places visited: Bogota · San Agustin, Popayan and Cali · The Colombian Amazon
12 days from £3,800
Self-drive Colombia: Exploring the coffee region and beyond
Places visited: Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Villa de Leyva & Barichara
12 days from £2,700
Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee
Places visited: Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Caribbean coast and islands · Cartagena
15 days from £4,050
Signature Peru and Colombia – Andean Wonders to the Caribbean Coast
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Cartagena · Caribbean coast and islands
20 days from £6,030
FAQs about visiting Bogota
Bogota is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When is the best time to go to Bogota?
The city is an all-year destination. Set in a highland bowl it has a permanent spring-like climate with an average temperature of 14°C and a mixture of sunshine, cloud and showers during the day. There’s a dry season from Dec-Mar and it is also drier Jul-Aug. Many museums are closed on Mondays.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What language is spoken in Bogota?
The main language spoken in Bogota is Spanish.
- What currency do I need in Bogota?
The peso is the main currency used in Bogota. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs using a UK credit or debit card, though you may have to advise your bank first and amounts that can be withdrawn may be lower than in the UK. Be aware that some ATMs are often out of service but there should be a working one nearby. Banks will offer advances on a credit card, but with a lot of paperwork. Money exchanges (casas de cambio) change US dollars cash (very few accept euros or sterling and the rate will be poor).
- What is the time difference between Bogota and UK?
The time difference between Bogota and the UK is GMT – 5 hrs
- What places combine well with Bogota?
An excursion to the lovely rural colonial town of Villa de Leyva, 129km; a few days in Colombia’s most graceful and atmospheric cities, Cartagena, on the Caribbean coast, 1.5hrs by air; a wind-down in the country’s tranquil coffee country, glorious bucolic scenery and friendly people, 167km or 1 hr by air
- How do I get to Bogota?
Average flight time to Bogota is 14 hrs. There is a direct flight from London Heathrow to Bogota; (11.5 hrs) and popular non-direct routes involve a change of plane in Europe or the USA.
- What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Bogota?
Carnival de Bogotá, Aug 5 -6, annually. celebrating the anniversary of its Spanish foundation. Most of the cultural events take place in the heart of Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar. The festivities include pre-carnival celebrations during Jul.
Ibero-American Theatre Festival of Bogotá, Mar-Apr, biannually. One of the most comprehensive and best respected celebrations of the performing arts in Latin America. 2 million spectators attend 450 performances in theatres and around 150 street performances.
International Jazz Festival, Bogotá, Sep, annually. World renowned artists performing to thousands of jazz enthusiasts.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.