Free Walking Tours in Bogotá

The diverse and multicultural city of Bogotá is the ideal place for a free walking tour. Surrounded by the foothills of the inspiring Andes mountain range, Colombia’s capital city is a place that fuses the modern with the historical.

Bogotá is a melting pot of history and culture and you will witness this as you stroll through the city streets. Green belts, modern buildings and colonial era remnants come together to add to the city’s allure.

Free walking tours in Bogotá give you the chance to learn more about the history of the region, taste the flavors of foods as varied as the people who live here, and visit popular and less well-known attractions and landmarks of this vibrant city.

Here's all you need to know about free walking tours, among the most engaging sightseeing tours in Bogotá.

How do free walking tours work?

Free walking tours in Bogotá have become increasingly popular in recent years as they provide tourists with an affordable and authentic way of experiencing this incredible city.

These tours are completely free to book and participate in, but it is encouraged that you tip your tour guide at the end of the tour. The amount you decide to tip is completely up to you.

How much should you tip?

When deciding how much to tip, think about the effort that your guide put into the tour and how much you enjoyed the tour overall.

Most free walking tour participants tend to tip between US$10 and US$15 per person, but some people tip as much as US$50 for outstanding tours.

What are the best free walking tours in Bogotá?

Like walking tours in Bogotá, free tours also offer so many places to see and things to do in that it can be difficult to decide what kind of tour is best for you. Several of the tours are customized around a specific theme such as history or food and this may help you to make your choice.

Free walking tour in Bogotá

Discover the historic center of Bogotá on a two to three hour walking tour. Your guide will orientate you and inform you about the city, its history and the fascinating sights, sounds and smells you will encounter as you explore.

As these Bogotá city tours are free, museums and other places of interest are only pointed out while on the tour, leaving you free to come and visit on your own at a later stage.

Guided free walking tours typically depart from a central meeting point two or three times a day. The Museo del Oro or Gold Museum is a popular meeting point and your guide will tell you how to recognize them.

Most of your time is spent in La Candelaria, as most historical center tours in Bogotá, witnessing the old and new combine to create the essence of the city.

You will see Plazoleta del Rosario where you will learn more about the city’s founder, Plaza de Bolívar. Discover the site of a dramatic assassination attempt and monuments such as the neoclassical Primatial Cathedral of Bogotá.

After walking a circular route that is full of history, myth and modern touches, your tour ends at the starting point.

Free food tour in Bogotá

A free walking and food tour in Bogotá focuses on the variety of gastronomic delights available throughout the city. With no upfront costs, you will be able to decide what food you would like to try and where you might possibly like to return to enjoy the full menu.

These free tours operate in English and Spanish, and you will meet your guide and the rest of your group at a central meeting point. Food is a point of passion for your guide, and they use food as just one of ways to help visitors connect to the city.

As you walk, you will learn about Bogotá’s gastronomic roots and have the chance to sample Ajiaco, Patty, Wafers, Colombian Origin coffee and other local favorites.

If you have any specific dietary restrictions, you can advise your guide to ensure that suitable foods are included in the day's food stops.

Free graffiti tour of Bogotá

Not all of Bogotá’s art is safely displayed on gallery walls, in fact the city is one of the most well known street art destinations worldwide. Bogotá’s street art and graffiti is a mixture of creativity, social and political commentary with a generous dose of local style.

Along with several streets well known as graffiti destinations, these guided street art tour in Bogotá also includes stops at some the city's iconic art pieces on display and lets you sample a coca leaf tasting.

This tour starts at a central meeting point and your guide will steer you along paths leading to places like La Candelaria district, Funnel Street, La Concordia Marketplace, Journalist Park and some local art galleries.

Monserrate free walking tour

Monserrate is one of the highest peaks surrounding Bogotá and on this short walking tour, you can discover the reason why this destination is popular among locals and visitors alike.

While your walking tour may not incur any charge, the cableway up Monserrate is not free and will need to be paid on the day. There can be queues, and so it’s best to arrive early.

On your tour, your guide will join you as you discover the restaurants, snack vendors and coffee shops on the hill slopes. You will learn more about how Catholicism is an integral part of many customs and traditions.

You will see some of the area's wonderful flora and fauna and will hear how the hill became a pace of pilgrimage. There are nine popular lookout points that give you a panoramic view across Bogotá and to the Andes mountains in the distance.

In which languages is it operated?

Most of the free walking tours in Bogotá are offered in English and Spanish. Some tours only operate in one of these languages while other tours offer one language or the other at various times of the day.

Very occasionally, a free walking tour might be bilingual. When making your tour booking, it is important to confirm the language of the exact tour that you want to join, as some guides alternate the primary language of their tour throughout the day.

Where does it start?

Locations close to the Museo del Oro (Modern museum for pre-Columbian gold) are a popular starting point for free walking tours in Bogotá.

How long does it last?

Although there are longer and shorter tours available, a free walking tour in Bogotá typically lasts between 2 and 3 hours.

When is the best time to join a free walking tour in Bogotá?

A free walking tour of Bogotá is best booked for the beginning of your trip. You can use the tour as an opportunity to orient yourself within the city, and will be able to identify places of interest and local landmarks that you would like to visit at a later stage.

As the weather can get quite hot, especially in the summer months, an early morning or late afternoon walking tour is best.

Should you book tickets online?

By making your free walking tour booking online in advance, you allow your guide the time to plan and prepare for the size of the group participating in the tour. Some tours only operate if there are a certain number of participants. This makes prebooking especially important.

During the busiest tourist season free walking tours in Bogotá may be fully booked and so it is best to make your booking early.

Making an online booking for your free walking tour is quick and easy. You are not required to make any upfront payments, and no booking fees are charged. If you cancel your booking, you will not pay any cancellation fees.

You will be advised upfront if there are any additional fees, such as entrance fees, that may apply to your tour.