Guatavita Lake: enjoy Colombian history, culture, and nature in the same place

Guatavita Lake 101

Mountains in Colombia are often adorned with cities and towns. In the case of the Montecillo Hill, the main attraction is the Guatavita Lake. Located only 35 miles from Bogotá, it makes for a great day trip. Along with the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, it is one of the best places to visit in Colombia around the capital city.

The lake sits about 9770 feet (2977 m.a.s.l.) high on the eastern range of the Andes. The area is usually 53° F (11°C), with dry and rainy periods. For skies, the best time to visit is between December and February. Intense rainfall occurs from March to August, with a peak in July.

The main activities to enjoy at Guatavita Lake include looking over its turquoise-green waters, and hiking around it. There are guided tours available suitable for travelers of all ages and fitness levels. The entire tour takes around two hours. For a better experience, wear comfortable clothes and footwear on your visit. A warm jacket is also a sensible choice for the colder hours of dusk.

Another reason to visit Guatavita Lake is that it is the birthplace of a legendary tale.

The birthplace of the legend of El Dorado

Back in colonial times, European explorers stormed Colombian soil in the quest for El Dorado: a mysterious place bursting with gold and other treasures. In reality, the term (which means ‘the golden one’) was the way previous Spanish conquistadors referred to the Zipa – the Muisca ruler of the region then known as Bacatá.

The nickname hails from the Muisca indigenous tradition of making gold offerings to their gods. The main site for this ceremony was the Guatavita Lake, which was seen as a sacred place of connection between the mortal and spiritual worlds.

In the ritual, the new reigning Zipa would cover his body in gold dust. He would then sail to the center of the lake on a small barge. Once there, he would wash off the gold dust as a gift to the gods. People accompanying him would also throw gold figurines and emeralds into the waters.

Today, you can see a depiction of the scene in Bogotá. It is a famous gold ornament housed at the Gold Museum, a must-see location among Colombian tourist attractions.

The allure of the Guatavita Lake

The founder of Bogotá, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, discovered the Guatavita Lake in 1537. He encountered large amounts of gold in and around the lake. Such findings were seen as confirmation of the El Dorado rumors among other explorers.

This intensified the interest in the lake, to the point of it actually being drained three separate times in 1545, 1580, and 1898. The first two revealed considerable amounts of gold. In 1965, the Colombian government protected the lake from being exploited and from other disturbances.

Other places of interest nearby Guatavita Lake

The actual town of Guatavita is about nine miles from the lake. It is a charming place of colonial-style architecture, although it does not come from that period. Its white buildings and cobblestoned streets take after the original 1593 town, which now lies at the bottom of the Tominé reservoir.

Modern-day Guatavita was built around 1967, after a public-private project flooded the old town in order to create the reservoir. The enterprise intended to provide hydroelectric energy, as well as drinking water for the greater Bogotá and Cundinamarca areas.

Guatavita welcomes visitors with town squares, usually flanked by artisan stores, restaurants and shops. Stop by the Indigenous Museum to learn about Guatavita’s history and heritage. The Tominé reservoir is a popular location for water sports, such as sailing, windsurfing, and rafting.