Monserrate
Place · La Macarena
The city's best view, reached by cable car or funicular, never on foot unless a hotel or local guide confirms the trail is open and busy: go clear mornings or sunset, not midday haze.
- Best view in Bogotá
- Cable car or funicular only
- Cold and windy at the summit
- Go clear morning or before sunset
- Queue: switch at 45 min
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 10Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…Candelaria streets are narrow, uneven and partly cobbled,…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Colombia ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Migración Colombia or a Colombian consulate; some travellers must complete an online migration form before arrival.
- Colombia ↗Security advice lists specific departments and border areas: check your own government's advice for every place on your route, including coastal roads.
- Colombia ↗Never accept drinks, food or cigarettes from strangers, and be careful with people met on dating apps: drugging (including with scopolamine) followed by robbery is a known risk.
- Colombia ↗Fill in Check-MIG only on the official Migración Colombia site; it is free, and lookalike sites charge a fee.
- Bogotá and surroundings ↗The Sabana is cool and rainy in any month: carry a rain jacket and a warm layer even in the dry season.
- Bogotá ↗Candelaria streets are narrow, uneven and partly cobbled, and empty after dark: large suitcases go from the car to the hotel door, never on a walk.
- Bogotá ↗Weekday rush hours (about 06:30–09:00 and 16:30–19:30) can double car times; plan cross-city rides outside them.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours not on file: check the official site.
- Crowds
Go clear morning or before sunset
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Thu · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: about COP 30,000–35,000 (2026 estimate, confirm locally)
- Time to spend
- 75–100 min · up to 140 min if you linger
Best time to go
Weekends and sunset are the busiest; weekday mornings are quieter, but queues build fast once cloud lifts.
Queue rule: switch if the queue passes 45 min; come back when under 20.
By weekday: quietest Mon–Thu, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Note
- Cable car and funicular operating hours are not printed until verified; they can close early in poor weather.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Cable car / funicular base station, Cra 2 Este, edge of La Candelaria / La Macarena
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- Short flights at the summit church and viewpoint terraces; the ride itself is step-free at both stations.
- Shoes
- Not recorded
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance · Short flights at the summit church and viewpoint terraces; the ride itself is step-free at both stations.
- Check firstLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- PartialWheelchair
- PartialStroller · caution
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
Exposure: high
What to bring and the rules
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · A warm layer; it is noticeably colder than the city centre at the summit.
- Water, a hat and sun or rain cover · Rated high exposure: little shelter while you walk.
- A warm layer; it is noticeably colder than the city centre at the summit.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- crowd: Wait at the summit craft stalls for the queue to thin, or come back at a different hour.
- rain: Museo Nacional (indoor, at the base of the hill)
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Museo Nacional garden benches (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Do not attempt the pilgrim footpath without a confirmed-safe day and company; robbery incidents have occurred on it.
- Hold the handrail and follow staff instructions boarding the cable car or funicular in windy weather.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
The pin marks the centre of La Macarena: this place has no exact entrance point on file.
More places in La Macarena
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Go by cable car (teleférico) or funicular only. The pilgrim footpath up the hill has had robbery incidents; do not walk it without a confirmed-safe, busy day and local advice.
- The summit is at about 3,150 m, roughly 500 m above the city: cold wind is normal even on a sunny day.
- Cloud and rain often roll in by early afternoon and can close the view completely — book the earliest slot you can on a clear-looking morning.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Queues
- Cloud and rain often roll in by early afternoon and can close the view completely — book the earliest slot you can on a clear-looking morning.
- Dress code
- A warm layer; it is noticeably colder than the city centre at the summit.
- What's closed
- Poor weathercheckCable car and funicular can pause or close early for high wind or storms; check before you go.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cable car or funicular, return | about COP 30,000–35,000 (2026 estimate, confirm locally) | — |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
60min
Worthwhile
75min
Typical
100min
p95
140min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (100 min).
With the other 20 min, these are a walk away (their own visit time is on their page):
- Museo Nacional de ColombiaNot walkable — a short taxi ride away; combine in the same half-day by car.0 min on foot · 20 min spare
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Ride up by cable car or funicular (they alternate for maintenance
check which is running)
Walk the summit terraces for the view, then the small 17th-century church (Iglesia de Monserrate) if it is open
Browse the craft stalls and food stands near the top before riding back down
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlyShort flights at the summit church and viewpoint terraces; the ride itself is step-free at both stations.
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
- Stroller: partly · partlycaution
Both the cable car and funicular stations are step-free; the summit terraces have some uneven paving and short steps.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets, a café and craft stalls at the summit. | ||
| Snacks and drinks sold at both the base and summit stations. |
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The single best panorama of Bogotá | good | — |
| A clear-morning start to a La Macarena day | good | — |
Skip it if
- Heavy cloud or rain is forecast — the view can vanish entirely and it is not worth the ride.
- You are still adjusting to the altitude on day one; the extra 500 m can worsen breathlessness.
Combine with
Combine with
- 0 minMuseo Nacional de Colombia — Not walkable — a short taxi ride away; combine in the same half-day by car.
Walk the La Macarena area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
- The main terrace at sunset, looking west over the city grid.
- The church façade against the sky in clear morning light.
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Cable car or funicular — which should I take?
Either; they sometimes alternate for maintenance, so check on arrival which one is running. Both are step-free and about a 10–15 minute ride.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Can I walk up instead?
There is a pilgrim footpath, but it has had reported robbery incidents; only attempt it on a confirmed-busy day with local advice, or take the cable car or funicular instead.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Photos
Photos
Monserrate Photo: Steffen Schmitz ( more photos ), CC BY-SA 4.0
Deep dive
Sources
- officialOfficial tourism source
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.