Bogota travel guide, the basics (Part 2)

So you’ve heard that Bogotá is pretty cool but you’re worried about safety? You wonder if maybe it will be too much to handle?

They don’t have a subway? Will my electronics work there? Where can I go outside of the city that is nice and interesting?

Well, worry no more! I am here to give you the basics for your Bogotá travel in this second installment!

Here we go!

More Bogota travel basics

Weather

Bogotá (and Colombia) is near the Equator, which means there are no seasons per se, only dry seasons and rainy seasons.

Also, the weather and temperature are determined by the altitude. Bogotá is 2600 m (8500 feet) above sea level, so it’s significantly high.

You may experience a mild case of altitude sickness, so be prepared, though most people don’t have a problem. The weather is generally dry and temperatures go from 43°F (6°C) to 67°F (20°C) all year round.

If you visit during the dry season, be prepared for extreme temperatures, very cold at night, very hot at noon.

Time

Colombia has only one time zone, GMT -5 which is the equivalent to EDT – Eastern Daylight Time when it’s not offset by daylight saving time.

The sun generally rises at around 6 am and sets at around 6 pm.

Electrical outlets and plugs

Electrical appliances work the same as in the US. 110 V, plugs type A and type B.

Phone calls

Calling to Bogotá on a land line is easy. Country code: 57. Then the area code for Bogotá is 1. And then you dial the phone number.
For example, 57+1+2123456

Change the area code according to the city if you wish to call other cities.

If you wish to call from a land line in Bogotá to another country, you can use:
Operator code (07 or 09) + country code + area code + phone number
07+1+860+1234567

If you need to call to a cell phone anywhere in Colombia:
Country code + operator code + phone
57+310+1234567

How do you know the operator code? Because it’s always included with the cell phone number.

The emergency number is 123.

For more information, contact your hotel concierge, or ask me!

Tourist cards and discounts

Unfortunately there is no museum card in Bogotá. But not to worry! Museums are dirt cheap! You’ll pay from $2 to about $8 at the most.

If you’re a senior, most touristic attractions offer discounts.

Public transportation

The most popular form of transportation is Transmilenio. A red bus system that acts very much as a subway or metro.

Transmilenio uses the designated lanes on avenues and streets and you can use the online trip planner to plan your routes.

Unfortunately Transmilenio does not serve the entire city.

There are other buses that run on regular vehicle lanes throughout the main avenues of the city.

They have different names depending on their size and form. The biggest white ones are generally called “ejecutivos”.

Medium sized square ones are called “busetas”.

And the smallest ones are called “colectivos”.

They all charge a similar price. Unfortunately, since they belong to private operated companies, the only way to know how to work them is to ask your hotel concierge or a local.

Generally speaking, they’ve got signs with the places they go to, pinned to the front window.

Then you have your taxi cabs. I don’t recommend you hail any old taxi from the street. It is safer to call for a taxi at a reputable company.

If you’re greener, there are “ciclorutas”, designated bicycle routes throughout the city. Though they don’t cover the entire city, they do run for long stretches.

Bogotá cannot really be walked. It is too large.

In general you do need to take public transportation to get from one place to another, though you can walk around whole neighborhoods that include several attractions.

For example, the old area of town, “La Candelaria” encompasses many of the tourist attractions which are walking distance from one-another.

Day trips

There are many charming small towns near the city of Bogotá that are definitely worth a visit, like Tabio, Guatavita, Nemocón, Zipaquirá, Ubaté and Villa de Leyva.

Definitely consult with locals or your hotel, to make the most of them!

Safety

Bogotá is huge. It has good safe places and some others you definitely want to avoid. Follow common sense and apply the same recommendations as you would in any other big city.

Also, it’s best to ask local people or your hotel concierge about safe places, safety precautions, etc.

Do not assume Bogotá is like your hometown. It’s not; it’s chaotic, noisy, full of movement and excitement so you do need to be on your toes.

Despite the foul fame, many foreigners love the place!

Here are a few advocates: Natalie from A year without peanut butter and Jeff from Career Break Secrets from the US and with Gringa Colombiana, who is not really a “gringa” but a Brit.

Bogotá is a fantastic city to visit, with everything for every taste, it is the perfect get-out-of-your-comfort-zone trip!

Have you visited Bogotá before?
Do you have any other general recommendations you’d like to share?
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Tags: Bogota, Colombia, Latin America