The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Monserrate in Bogota, Colombia
By Daniella from Sampler Platter Travel- this guide to Monserrate contains affiliate links to trusted partners!
Looking to figure out the logistics of visiting Monserrate in Bogota, Colombia?
Monserrate is a beautiful hill right in the heart of Bogota with a sanctuary and a shrine at the top. It is a sacred place that everybody should visit when in the city. You’ll get gorgeous views with a fun ride up via a funicular or cable car.
My family and I visited Monserrate one afternoon in December, and boy were we overwhelmed by the lack of organization and craziness thanks to the crowds.
After a lot of running around and being in the wrong lines, we have written this article to help make your trip to Monserrate a lot smoother than ours.
In this guide to visiting Monserrate in Bogota, we will go through things to see at the top, how to get to the summit, average ticket prices, and some frequently asked questions.
Although it can be daunting to plan a trip to Monserrate, we are here to help!
It may be difficult to visit during a long layover in Bogota, but it is certainly something you should add to your bucket list if you are in the city for three days or longer.
Happy sampling!
Things to See in Monserrate
There are so many things to do when visiting Monserrate, Bogota!
1. Visit the Sanctuary
The most famous thing is to admire the Sanctuary, a beautiful Basilica that commemorates El Señor Caído. You certainly don’t have to be religious to visit, although if you are, there are various Eucharists hosted throughout the week. See a full schedule at the official website.
2. Casa San Isidro
San Isidro is a French restaurant at the summit of Monserrate that even offers lobster come September. It is located in a colonial building and is a great place to go if you want to sit on the panoramic balcony and catch views of the city of Bogota down below.
3. Casa Santa Clara
Casa Santa Clara is the restaurant to go to if you’re looking for traditional Latin and Colombian dishes like ajiaco, bandeja paisa, and lots of meat and beans. The restaurant is within an old house and is a good place to grab a beer.
4. Food Stalls (Kioscos)
If you aren’t interested in sitting down for a meal, there are quite a few little food stands on Monserrate that serve coffee and pastries. They are very casual with outdoor seating but make for a super good snack stop.
5. Catch the Views
This point needs no introduction, but the views of Bogota are absolutely breathtaking on the summit! We had the pleasure of being able to view a storm rolling into the city.
How to Get to Monserrate
Monserrate is a large hill, and while you cannot take a car up to the top, we recommend grabbing an Uber or a taxi to the Cable Car and Funicular Station at:
Carrera 2nda Este #21-48 (the base of Monserrate)
There is parking available in a lot across the street but with traffic and crowds, it can get really crazy. We recommend not bringing your own car to avoid the hubbub.
How to Summit Monserrate
Option 1: Cable car
The best way to summit Monserrate is to take the cable car. Once in the compartment, the ride itself takes less than 5 minutes, and you get great views of Bogota. Getting onto the cable car is certainly a different story.
Budget travelers are going to have to close their ears, but we really recommend paying for the fast pass to get on the priority cable car. This is not something that you have to decide ahead of time, and you can wait until you get there to see what the crowds are like.
For us, we were told that the line would take approximately 2 hours just to get to the start of the cable car entrance. We decided to purchase fast pass tickets and only waited for around 20 minutes.
The lines are completely different, with one dedicated to the normal route and the other to the fast pass. There’s no point in time where you ever have to wait in the same line, which does save precious time. If you’re short on time or don’t fancy waiting, we recommend buying the fast pass upon arrival.
The cable car is only available for the ride up, and you cannot take it back down.
Option 2: Funicular
The funicular is another way to get to the top of Monserrate. It is a little bit slower than the cable car but takes you through the lush jungle and can be very scenic.
The funicular is only available without the fast pass. If you purchase the fast pass, you must take the cable car up.
However, you can only take the funicular down. For fast pass users, this means that the funicular terminal at the top of the hill has a separate line for ticket holders, where you can bypass the crowds.
Option 3: Walking
The final option (definitely unpopular for the average traveler but is a great idea for athletes) is to hike up the side of the hill.
The pedestrian trail is only operational from 5:00 am to 1:00 pm daily to ascend, and from 5:00 am to 4:00 pm to descend. If you are planning on walking up and/or down, make sure to take these hours into account.
Entrance to the pedestrian trail is completely free, saving you a few Colombian pesos. The pedestrian trail does not allow pets, and it takes a while to summit the 1,115 steps over a total of 2,350 meters.
If you’re up for the steep hike, do note that it’s pathed well, and the total walk will take approximately 1.5 hours.
Unless you’re feeling extra adventurous, our top recommendation is to skip the walk altogether, buy the fast pass, and take the cable car up and the funicular down. It’s the best option for visiting Monserrate in Bogota.
Monserrate Ticket Prices
Monday Through Saturday
| Ticket Tyle | Price (Colombian pesos) |
| Two Way | 29,500 |
| One Way | 17,500 |
| Adult over 62 years old | 25,000 |
| Adult groups (more than 20 people) | 25,000 |
| Collegiate groups (more than 20 people) | 17,500 |
| Fast Pass (our recommendation) | 81,000 |
| Pets | 10,500 |
| Additional personal item | 7,000 |
Sunday
| Two Ways | 17,500 |
| One Way | 10,000 |
| Adult over 62 years old | 14,000 |
| Fast Pass (our recommendation) | 81,000 |
| Pets | 10,500 |
| Additional personal item | 7,000 |
Click here for updated ticket prices and options via Viator.
Monserrate Cable Car or Funicular
So to recap the incredibly complicated activity of getting up to Monserrate, here is the overall gist:
To get up, you can either take the cable car or the funicular, although fast pass holders must take the cable car.
To get down, you must take the funicular which is available to both regular ticket holders and fast pass holders.
Walkers can go up and down, although you are summiting over 3,000 meters, so it can be quite a trek.
FAQs About Visiting Monserrate in Bogota
How much time do you need in Monserrate, Bogota?
Deciding how much time you need in Monserrate depends entirely on what your interests are. If you are there just to sightsee, get the views, and walk around for a bit, you can complete the whole experience in about 30 minutes.
If you’d like to sit down for a meal at one of the three restaurants, we would suggest adding an extra hour to your schedule.
If you would like to partake in any of the services that occur in the Sanctuary, make sure to budget an extra hour as well.
Finally, don’t forget to add some buffer time for ascension and descension. If you don’t have a fast pass, the lines can be quite crazy at times.
Is it safe to hike up Monserrate?
Yes, it is completely safe to hike up Monserrate as there is a path the entire way up the hill. Access is free, and there are also vendors along the way. You’ll never be completely isolated while hiking.
Given its urban location, it is not an incredibly strenuous hike. It should be noted that the entire way up is uphill so even if you are in good physical standing, the walk will take around 1.5 hours. The trail, however, is closed in the evenings and early mornings.
The hours of ascension are 5:00 am to 1:00 pm and descension from 5:00 am to 4:00 pm.
What is Monserrate famous for?
Monserrate is famous for being a very beautiful hill right in the heart of Bogota. It is viewable from most of the city, especially around La Candelaria area. The hill has an incredibly historic Sanctuary that is worth a visit.
The site is of incredible importance to religious individuals in Bogota. In 2020 during the pandemic, El Señor Caído was brought down from the mountain and visited different villages in Colombia to give his blessing.
How high is Monserrate, Bogota?
Monserrate is a mountain that measures over 3,000 meters. The name refers to the mountain itself, although the most famous site on the hill is a Sanctuary with a shrine dedicated to El Señor Caído.
We hope you enjoyed this guide on visiting Monserrate in Bogota, Colombia. Whether you stretch your legs and climb to the top, take the cable car, sit down for a meal, or visit the church, Monserrate has something for everyone and should be added to your Bogota bucket list.
Already in Colombia? Make sure to spend a relaxing weekend in Cartagena and visit the sprawling city of Medellín.
Check out our other travel destinations in South America for your next trip.
Happy sampling!