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In my opinion, Bogotá Bike Tours is the best way to see Bogotá. With a variety of tours to choose from, as well as private tours, they give you plenty of options to see the parts of Bogotá that interest you most.
Tours with Bogotá Bike Tours
The Daily Bike Tour is open to anyone. It costs COP$60,000 per person (as of May 2024) and runs twice a day at 10:30am and 1:30pm, leaving from the office in La Candelaria. It lasts between four and five hours and there’s no need to reserve. Tours include a guide as well as a security and safety person riding with the group. Visit the official website for more info.
The Private Bike Tour costs COP$90,000 (as of May 2024), but it follows pretty much the same route. I took a group I was leading on this tour. We had to reserve it ahead of time, give the time we wanted to start, and send in everyone’s height in order to get the right size bikes. The owner of the company, Mike, met us in our hotel in La Candelaria and walked us to the shop. He gave us a quick safety briefing and a lesson on changing gears (for those of us who weren’t used to riding). From there, we met our guide for the day, Julia, and started the tour.
Plaza de Bolívar
Our first stop of the day with Bogotá Bike Tours was Plaza de Bolívar. We stopped in the middle of the plaza and were given a quick history of the buildings surrounding us. Julia told us the terrifying story about the attack on the Palace of Justice in 1985 and also a short biography on Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), whose statue sits in the center of the plaza.
Riding Down Carrera 7
Next, we started riding down the pedestrianized Carrera 7, which is one of the most famous streets in Bogotá. Julia stopped in front of the spot where Colombian politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán (1903-1948) was assassinated, setting off the Bogotazo riots and a period of violence known as La Violencia (1948-1958), and ultimately contributing to the rise of guerrilla groups.
Dilan Cruz Memorial
We then continued to the spot where Dilan Cruz (2001-2019) was murdered by Colombian riot police on November 25, 2019. Cruz was a university student protesting for better access to higher education.
Julia wanted to point out that the makeshift memorials to Cruz are constantly being covered up by the state, and locals always come back to put up more memorials overnight. She was very critical of the government during the entire tour, especially since the country was still experiencing ongoing protests that had started less than two months earlier.
Murals
From there, Julia took us through a few more streets in the area to show us some of the most impressive graffiti murals in the city. She explained the hidden political meaning behind many of the works of art.
Fruit Tasting
Next, we went back to Carrera 7 where we turned left at Plaza de las Nieves. Julia had us park our bikes and we walked into a small market, where the group was able to try some of the exotic fruits found in Colombia.
This was one of our favorite stops, and the group really enjoyed discovering some new flavors. Originally the plan was to stop at the famous Paloquemao Market, but protests outside the market prevented us from going there.
Bullfighter Graffiti
We continued up Carrera 7 into the heart of Santa Fe, passing the Torre Colpatria and the planetarium before stopping outside the Santamaría Bullring. Julia then pointed out one of her favorite murals, a bull killing a matador with other bulls watching from the stands. She was very adamant that it’s a tradition brought from Spain that many Colombians would like to end.
Bakery Stop
After a long ride through some upscale neighborhoods and National Park (Parque Nacional), we made another stop for some snacks. Julia spotted Pastelería Romannoti, her favorite bakery, and took us inside to try a pastry filled with either guava or arequipe (dulce de leche).
Plazoleta del Concejo
Our next stop was a few minutes away at Plazoleta del Concejo, where the Bogotá City Council (Consejo de Bogotá) meets. There are a couple monuments in the plaza.
Avenida El Dorado
Across the street, we stopped to look down Avenida El Dorado. Julia showed us some grass on the overpass where rainwater is collected underneath. It felt like standing on a waterbed. She also explained how a visit by Justin Bieber singlehandedly changed the graffiti laws in the country. On a visit to Colombia, Bieber was protected by police while painting a mural under the same bridge. Local artists protested that if Bieber was protected by police while performing an illegal act, they should have more rights.
A couple blocks away, we crossed a pedestrian bridge and got some beautiful views of the city’s tallest skyscrapers.
We were also able to see haunting graffiti on the sidewalk representing the over 6,000 “false positives” killed by Colombian government in the battle against guerrilla forces between 2002 and 2010.
Indigenous Statues
Not too far away, Julia took us to a small park filled with statues that are replicas of those found in San Agustín. She wanted to remind the group of the importance of the indigenous peoples of Colombia.
Coffee Tasting
About a block away, we entered a coffee roasting plant at Café de la Fonda. Julia gave the group a quick overview of the coffee roasting process and a look at the roasting machine before we sat down to a nice cup of coffee.
Riding Through the Red Light District
Next, Julia wanted to take us on a ride through the city’s red light district. She asked us to hide all valuables and not to take any photos in order to protect the locals. The idea was to show us a part of Bogotá that people rarely mention, and to give a glimpse into the dark reality of many locals.
Drinking Chicha
For our last stop of the day, Julia took us back to La Candelaria. We walked up the scenic Callejón del Embudo before reaching Chorro de Quevedo, where Bogotá was founded.
From there, we walked down some stairs to the small hidden Café del Chorro, where we had to duck our heads to enter the building.
We walked up to a small room and shared a bowl of chicha, which is a fermented drink dating back to pre-Columbian times. It’s traditionally served in a hollowed-out nut shell.
My Thoughts on Bogotá Bike Tours
After the chicha, Julia took us back to the office to drop off our bikes and say goodbye. She did a wonderful job on the tour and spoke excellent English. She was enthusiastic throughout the tour and her love for Colombia was contagious. Julia did have some viewpoints that the group thought were a bit radical, but we appreciated her honesty. We also appreciated her honesty about Colombian history, not trying to sugarcoat things and presenting both the good and bad aspects of Bogotá.
I would highly recommend Bogotá Bike Tours to any visitor to Bogotá. It’s a very bike-friendly city and the tour covers a lot of ground in a short time. You’ll get a good overview of life in the city as well as a touch of history, and also get to try a few local treats.
