When visiting Bogota, many people will be inclined to visit the mountain named, Montserrat. However, there is actually a better mountain to visit and you can even get to the top by car.
The History of Cerro de Guadalupe
Prior to the Spanish invasion of the local area, Cerro de Guadalupe was a sacred place for the Muisca, and indigenous group of people who resided in what we now know as the Bogota savanna area. The place was sacred to them and they even buried their dead here.
In Muysccubun (their language) this places was called “quijicha guexica” (grandfather’s foot). After the Spanish conquered the area, the Spanish constructed a cross on Cerro de Guadalupe as a symbol to protect the capital of their New Kingdom of Granada.
Much like today, the eastern hills of Bogota were filled with trees and the Spanish made use of this wood for construction and heating as their city rapidly grew in the 19th century. Back then, this led to deforestation, erosion, and other problems due to them cutting down too many trees. Restoration of the forests began around 1855 and a second effort of reforestation occurred in 1940.
The Place
In Spanish, it is called “Cerro de Guadalupe” which roughly translates to “Hill of Guadalupe”. It is a beautiful mountain and I thoroughly enjoyed going to it during my last trip to Bogota. It is so high that it actually looks down onto Montserrat.
The views you can see from this mountain are breathtaking; photos alone do not do justice to just how immense and massive this spectacular view really is.
The silence you hear at this mountain is pretty serene too. You hear nothing but the wind at the top of the mountain for the most part. This was by far one of the best mountain top views I have seen so far.
You can see the entire city of Bogota from here and well beyond it as well! Bogota is located in a valley and you can see the mountains all the way on the other side of the valley as you look from the top of this mountain.
There is a giant statue on top of the church at the top of the mountain and you can see it from much of the city. The forests in the mountains around Bogota are quite breathtaking as well. They can be dangerous and you should probably be accompanied by locals and have a good grasp of Spanish if you venture into these areas. You just never know who you might encounter out there. I had a close call once while venturing out alone. 🙂
Conclusion
I highly recommend visiting both mountains, but I truly agree with the locals when they say that this mountain or hill is the superior one of the two. A special thanks goes out to Santiago, who took me here. Muchas gracias y vas con suerte, amigo!
