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Discovering Bogota, Colombia via a Bike Tour
There is no better way – at least in my opinion to discover Bogota, Colombia then via a bike tour.
Mike – our guide providing us with his insights while on the university campus
That’s just what John and I did for five hours a few days into our Colombia visit. I had heard that Bogota was particularly well set up for bikes – with literally hundreds of kilometers of mixed use bike paths. I’d also learned of a company - Bogota Bike Tours run by an American – Mike from California. Every day – often twice a day – he takes a group of one to twenty people out on a 12-15 kilometer (this is not a hard bike ride!!) ride that covers about 10% of Bogota – and the most interesting bits as he puts it.
I would concur. We discovered parts of the city we never would have found on our own and learned about its’ turbulent history. Even if you’re not a biker this is a tour to take. The pace is relaxed, it’s safe and if you’re traveling alone it allows you to discover the city with others from around the world. Mike also speaks several languages so if English isn’t your first language – no problem. And for 35,000 Colombian pesos (~$US 17) it’s a steal of a deal.
Here’s a look at the sights we saw on our Bogota bike tour.
The one area that we cycled through where I didn’t take photos – for obvious reasons – was the Red Light District – which in mid-afternoon was quite busy.
Interesting colours and architecture – the building is now used for apartments
Colourful buildings – though a little worn at the edges
Pigeons galore at the Plaza de Bolivar
A snail slime vendor – with products to cure all manner of skin diseases
The bullfighting ring turned into an ice rink – during bullfighting season
Statue of bull fighter Pepe Caceres (1934-1987)
Some of the fabulous street art – as opposed to the graffiti you see everywhere
Lady holding up a sign that reads Nothing Won
Catching a field hockey practice on roller blades
This lady has been serving delicious street food from the same spot for 50 years
Look for agapanthus blooming in gardens all over the city
I wasn’t game enough to try this concoction
A 3D model in one of the parks illustrating Bogota’s physical location – surrounded by mountains
Checked out the house/grave-site of Luis Carlos Galan who ran for the presidency of Colombia on two occasions. He was shot to death by the drug cartels.
Unbelievable amount of graffiti covered all buildings at the sprawling National University
More drawing on university buildings
The sign reads something to the effect – Stop the enslaving of women
The only thing that changed is the attitude if you look closely at this drawing
I don’t know who the man is but loved the drawing and colour seen on a wall leading into the city
Stopped for a coffee tour and had our best cup of Colombian coffee at a little hole in the wall (most of the high quality coffee beans are exported)
The afternoon rains hit after our coffee stop
Loved the colours but don’t know what she represents
Sampling unusual fruits at the market
A very colourful display of fruit
Vendors happy to introduce us to new fruits
Rooftop statues in the Candelaria neighbourhood of Bogota are in honour of local characters
Do you like to discover cities via bike tours? Have you been on the Bogota bike tour?
Leigh McAdam
HikeBikeTravel
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About Hike Bike TravelAvid world traveler. Craves adventure - & the odd wildly epic day. Gardener. Reader. Wine lover. Next big project - a book on 100 Canadian outdoor adventures.
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37 Responses to Discovering Bogota, Colombia via a Bike Tour
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About
I’ve been all over the world – to all continents but Antarctica and to a grand total of 53 countries. I’ve always got some sort of an adventure planned – even if it’s only a weekend. I thrive on change and travel provides that.
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I’ve been on lots of walking tours and even a segway tour, but never a bike tour as much as I love riding bikes! Love all the photos. So many of my favorite things — food, street art, historic places, colorful building — wow!
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..Are We Too Old to Stay in Hostels?
@Cathy You would definitely have loved seeing Bogota by the back of the bike. Plus we had a local on the tour who had just finished reading a 2000 (not 200) page history of the city so he had lots to say to make the city come alive even more.
I have to admit, I wouldn’t think of visiting Colombia to go cycling, but your photos really make it look like fun! Great shots!
Michael Figueiredo recently posted..The Los Angeles Times Travel Show 2013
@Micheal Cycling Bogota was definitely one of the highlights visiting the city. It was nice to enjoy the camaraderie of other travelers too.
I’ve never done a bike tour before, but this looks like a great way to see a city. Love the photos – the photo of the fruit makes me wish for spring.
@Alouise You don’t have to be a real cyclist to do this ride – though you have to be comfortable riding on and off curbs and in and around people. I highly recommend it.
GREAT photos!! Bogota is high on my travel list and seeing the various sites here bumps it up even higher.
I often rent bikes when I travel – such a great way to explore places – and would totally be up for a tour in Bogota.
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Photo of the Week: A motorcyclist in Montmartre
@Pola And the price is right to rent a bike too.
Love the bike tour. Sounds like it was a lot of fun. Have not done a city tour but clearly need to add it to my city itineraries from now on! So civilized. Your photos are awesome. So full of colour.
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This bike tour certainly looks like a great way to explore and find out more about the city first hand. Looks like you had a great day despite the rain! Thanks for stopping by my blog today and for your comments. Have a wonderful weekend!
@Jill Luckily the rain only happened in the last 45 minutes of the day – and it wasn’t as bad as it looks with our ponchos flapping in the wind.
What a great way to see the city. Love the photos. Looks like an old and beautiful city.
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@Billie The city has a long and unfortunately turbulent history but discovering it by bike was awesome.
Though I see them here – especially on cruise ship days – I’ve never thought of doing a bike tour. But it sounds like the perfect way to get around and it’s definitely faster than walking. Love the colors. How was the altitude?
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@Marcia The bike tour was easy because we did it at a relaxed pace. It was a whole lot more fun than walking and going with a group made it more interesting too.
Looks like a very good bike tour! Loved those buildings, they are so vibrant and colorful. Thanks for sharing these captures Leigh
Arti recently posted..The Temple of the Golden Pavilion or Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto, Japan
@Arti Thanks for stopping by Arti. Highly recommend the tour.
It definitely looks like a great way to see Bogota. I admit I had some misconceptions about Bogota but this tour and your pictures have totally changed that. I love the street art and all the colorful buildings and yum on the street food. We thought of doing a bike tour in bike-friendly Copenhagen last summer but wow..those were some busy streets. I think we need to do a countryside tour with the kids first.
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@Mary I really wasn’t sure what to expect in Bogota – as I too still had images of drug wars in the back of my mind. There is a strong military presence and as long as you use common sense – as in any big city around the world – the city is safe. I did watch my money closely but I had ZERO problems. Biking in Copenhagen sounds very enjoyable – and your kids are that much bigger now that it should be possible anytime now.
What a fabulous way to see the city. I couldn’t believe how much street art there was in the city. Together with the buildings it certainly makes for a pretty colourful time. What is in those drinks?
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@Jenny I’m not sure if those drinks have a fruit juice base. There was certainly fresh fruit and coconut but the red was a bit to artificial looking for me to want to try it. Agreed. There is amazing street art in Bogota and in fact I think there has been a documentary on it.
Exploring Bogota by bike? Awesome idea, you probably felt like a local
Beautiful photos, it’s such a colorful city. Love “before” and “after” graffiti. I see you treated yourself with some decent food and local drinks! 
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@Agness That’s the first city I’ve discovered solely by bike and it is one that’s meant for exactly that. Some of the local stuff I wasn’t brave enough to try.
Amazing you can do biking tours in Colombia considering the country was a no-go destination just a few years back.
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@Mette Colombia’s reputation is still a deterrent yet the drug wars have been over for some time. There is a strong military presence and I found most Colombians to be very keen on keeping tourists happy. They appreciate what it does for their economy.
What a great day…I’ve become a fan of bike tours of late, because its hard to find a better way to really connect with a city…
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..A Gift From The Travel Gods And A Failure To Pay It Forward
@Deej We truly had a great time on our bike tour. With a guide especially it’s a great way to gain insight into the city you’re visiting.
Awesome, awesome photos. This convinces me more to visit Bogota (I have friends there). The photo of the poster of Luis Carlos Galan touched me. A few weeks ago a series about Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels finished so I kind of have an idea about the life of the politician.
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@Ruth I found that poster of Galan very powerful too. I believe there were 3 or 4 presidential candidates assassinated that year. It was a dark time for Colombia. I’d like to know more about Colombian history now that I’ve been there.
I never had expected Bogota suited for bikes. Unexpected! Great pictures by the way. Nice work)
@Ronald Bogota is actually the leading city in South America for pushing cycling – partly to relieve congestion. On Sundays they close some of the major streets to cars and open them to cyclists.
the guy with glasses was a very famous comedian, with a very sharp political humor. he was murdered by paramilitaries in 1999, I think. the graffiti of the black girl is probably about the African heritage of the country, and the city, which has received a lot of war refugees from black populated areas of the country.
@Hue Thanks so much for your insightful comments. Good to learn about the people behind the art.
Also, the phrase “país de mierda” (“damn country” or something like that) written above the picture of the comedian (Jaime Garzón) makes reference to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjBBM8tOA8I (the news presenter says it at the end of the video).
@Hue Thanks for the link and the translation.
Great way to see the city. Sounds like my kind of tour.
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@Tracey It was a superb way to see the city. I wish there were more cities doing bike tours. It sure beats the bus.