Review Of The Salt Cathedral In Bogota, Colombia

Visiting Bogota, Colombia And Wondering If The Famous Salt Cathedral Is Really Worth The Bus Ride Over?

I moved to Colombia to teach English, but I got to travel all over the country during my time here and visit places like the Salt Cathedral near Bogota. Visiting the Salt Cathedral was one of my favorite things I did during my time in Bogota, but here’s a review of my time here, with all the good and bad details, so you can decide if it will be worth visiting for you.

ℹ️ Facts About The Salt Cathedral In Colombia

The mine was first discovered by indigenous people.

the Salt Cathedral is not actually located in Bogota, but about an hour and a half north in the smaller town of Zipaquirá

this salt rich area was first discovered by the indigenous people, and it was used to economically develop the region*

as the salt mine developed during industrialization, miners began creating small alters in the mine*

the first attempt at converting the mine into a salt cathedral began in 1954 and lasted until 1992*

the current cathedral in the salt mine was designed by architect, Roswell Garavito Pearl, in 1995*

the Salt Cathedral is considered the First Wonder of Colombia and it’s the only underground temple in the world*

*all info I learned from visiting the Salt Cathedral itself

✅ Why Visit The Salt Cathedral Near Bogota

During my exploration of the capital city, Bogota, visiting the Salt Cathedral was at the top of my list, because I’d heard it was one of the most unique places in Colombia and it did end up becoming one of my favorite adventurous activities here.

Besides my positive experience visiting the Salt Cathedral, here are a few other reasons this mine is worth taking a day trip to from Bogota:

it’s the only underground temple in the world

it’s one of Colombia’s most beautiful and unique attractions

it’s about 590 feet (180 meters) underground, but it’s pretty wide and open in most parts, so not too claustrophobic (at least for me)

they’re pet-friendly 🐶

there are professional guides available to take you through the mine

the audio tour is available in 7 different languages

there’s wifi down there (in case that matters to you)

there are multiple other attractions in and around the mine (like museums, a rock climbing wall, a nature path, etc.)

there are unique salt souvenirs available for sale in the mine (I got a few here)

❌ Downsides Of The Salt Cathedral

The mine is about 590 feet underground which might be too much for those with anxieties.

Although I enjoyed exploring the Salt Cathedral (it was my first experience going underground like that), there can be some downsides to visiting this mine:

public transportation to the mine from Bogota is a nightmare (more on this in the next section)
it’s a very popular and crowded tourist attraction
it is underground and may be too much for those with anxiety or claustrophobia
the guided tours were only available in Spanish (when I went)
it may feel a little cheesy with all the vendors and such down there

🚌 How To Get To The Salt Cathedral From Bogota

I recommend getting to the Salt Cathedral with a guided tour rather than taking public transportation from Bogota.

Aside from a few instances, when I went out to explore I typically took public transportation because it was so cheap and so simple. And while it worked out in almost every situation, the bus from Bogota to Zipaquirá was not one of those instances.

Although the distance from Bogota to Zipaquirá is only about an hour and a half, when I took the bus, it took over 3 hours to get there because of all the stops the bus made along the way through the city and the traffic.

👉 Getting from Bogota to the Salt Cathedral is one situation where I do not recommend taking public transportation, but instead suggest a private or shared guided tour so you can get straight to the mine without making tons of stops along the way.

🔁 Sum Up: Review Of The Salt Cathedral In Bogota

Although the Salt Cathedral is a crowded, popular tourist attraction and not the most hassle-free place to get to from Bogota, it’s a very unique place to visit in Colombia and one of my favorite adventures during my time living here. I recommend going with a guided tour rather than riding public transportation because it was so frustrating in my experience.