With several television shows on Pablo Escobar and other former drug lords, tourists are increasingly putting Colombia on their travel wish lists. Located in South America and cradled by the Andes, the country is a repository of various indigenous cultures and languages. The capital city of Bogotá is filled with museums that document the country’s rich past.
Pueblitos, or small villages, dot the Colombian countryside, and serve as a reminder of the country’s colonial past. From almost every major Colombian city, pueblitos can be accessed via road, making for easy weekend trips. Outside Bogotá, Guatavita is a small town that offers idyllic views of casitas or the small houses, that are synonymous with Colombia’s countryside.
We headed to the Guatavita forest, which is about 66 kms away from the capital and is worth visiting even if one plans a day trip to the area. Known not only for its natural beauty and significance in the country’s history, the forest is also a site of reverence to locals. The native people of Guatavita, who are known as the Muisca, believed in a natural balance that was maintained by a communion with nature.
One of the most important aspects of the forest is the Guayacan tree. According to local legend, the tree was sacred to the Muisca who often came to the tree to pray and confess. The locals performed a ritual known as El Pagamento where they thanked Mother Nature for what they received and sought forgiveness for their mistakes.
However, when Colombia was colonised by Spaniards in 1525, they cut down many of these Guayacan trees and caused considerable damage to the local heritage and culture. Centuries later, the forest has become a national heritage site, where the government and the people are working together to maintain its history and landscape. Lake Guatavita remains the epicentre of the forest.
A day’s trek to the region spans through winding terrains where the path is uneven and uphill. A certain level of fitness is required to complete the trek. We recommend taking a local guide who can share anecdotes and stories of the region. Though, there is much to appreciate along the way, it is the summit that makes the journey worthwhile—a clear 360 degree view of the entire forest with the Guatavita Lake adorning its centre.
Colombia is filled with mesmerising natural landscapes, but one doesn’t have to go much further than Bogotá to find beauty. There is huge amount of art on the streets and in museums. The capital is home to over 40 museums, Gold Museum or Museo del Oro, Museo Santa Clara, Museo de Arte Moderno, Casa Museo de Bolivar are some of the most visited spots. We visited the historic Botero museum, named after the artist Fernando Botero. It was founded in the year 2000 when Botero donated more than 100 of his own works, along with 85 from his personal collection of other artists. This haul includes pieces by Picasso, Monet, Matisse and Klimt.
If one is unfamiliar with Botero’s paintings, his most interesting works to look out for include a parody of Leonardo Di Vinci’s Mona Lisa (1978), Pareja Bailando (1987) and the haunting studies of Colombia’s drug-cartel violence in the 1980s and ’90s. His artworks range from the social issues faced in Colombia to simple still life paintings ideas about beauty and power.
The size of the paintings often takes up an entire wall which has a great impact on the viewer. Botero has curated the museum himself. Located in the La Candelaria neighborhood, in the heart of Bogotá, all the museums are within walking distance of each other. A lot of them can also be visited free of charge. However, it is important to note that most of them are closed on Mondays.