The most exciting destinations around Bogotá

The water of the "Salto del Tequendama" plunges 145 meters vertically into the depths. But here, barely an hour from the city, it has something else that attracts attention. Across from the waterfall, in close proximity to the abyss, is a fairytale villa that now houses a museum of biodiversity and culture. But it was not always possible to read diary entries of Alexander von Humboldt there. Built as a train station, known and loved as a resort for the rich, the "Hotel del Salto" had to close in 1980 due to water pollution. For 30 years it was left to its own devices and deteriorated into a "horror hotel". Today it enchants tourists from the inside and outside - so almost like before.

In the "Parque Natural Chicaque" it has an extraordinarily varied flora and fauna. In this region of South America, not only the smallest birds, but also the largest ones have their natural habitat. Follow the "Eagle's Peak Trail" for an unobstructed view of Bogotá's surroundings. If you're lucky, you may also see eagles or vultures, which are particularly fond of the park's higher elevations. If you're more sympathetic to hummingbirds, stay lower down - the tiny bird feels most at home surrounded by flowers and bushes.

"Cordillera Oriental" is a Colombian mountain range out of a picture book. It stretches infinitely over 1,000 kilometers from north to south and west to east, rising more than 3,000 meters into the air. Since the trip from Bogotá takes about three hours, you should plan a day trip to get to know the special features of nature. Ideal for this is the nature reserve "Paramo Iguaque, because it trumps with an ecosystem of a special kind, called "Páramo". From an altitude of 3,200 meters, the area has the character of a steppe: only grasses and shrubs survive, above all the pointed crested rosette trees.