Monserrate: A High-Altitude Family Adventure Above Bogotá
When traveling with family, you quickly learn that some of the best moments come from balancing adventure with a bit of comfort. During the first leg of my journey through Colombia—a trip I had spent six months carefully planning out back in 2017—my parents joined me in Bogotá. We knew we wanted to see the capital from its most famous vantage point: the towering peak of Monserrate.
Rising over 10,000 feet above sea level, Monserrate dominates the city's skyline. But reaching the top presents every traveller with an immediate choice: take the gruelling, historic pilgrim stairs, or opt for the cable car (teleférico).
The Climb vs. The Cable Car
If you have the stamina, there is a stone path with over 1,500 steps leading to the summit. It’s incredibly popular with locals, especially on Sunday mornings. However, between the steep incline and Bogotá's already high altitude, it is an absolute workout.
Since I was exploring with my parents and we wanted to save our energy for the summit, we happily opted for the cable car.
Instead of winding up the mountain slope, the cable car shoots straight up from the street-level station to a dedicated platform at the top. Gliding practically vertically through the air was an experience all on its own. As you rise, the bustling city below starts to shrink, and the massive scale of Bogotá begins to unfold right outside the glass windows.
Life at 10,000 Feet
Once you step off the arrival platform, there is still a bit of a steep path to walk to reach the very top. It is a brief but noticeable incline, especially with the thin mountain air, but it leads you right up to the beautiful, white 17th-century church—the Sanctuary of Monserrate—which has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
Off to the side of the sanctuary area, the mountain features a bustling market street. It is set up like a vibrant alleyway with souvenir shops and artisan stalls packed tightly on both sides, leaving a central path for visitors to walk down the middle. It is filled with everything from hand-woven Colombian crafts and colorful textiles to local street food vendors selling hot canelazo (a warm, spiced cinnamon drink). It's the perfect place to wander, pick up a few mementos, and soak in the culture.
The Best View in Bogotá
But the absolute highlight of Monserrate is the jaw-dropping panoramic view.
Standing near the edge, you can see all of Bogotá sprawling out endlessly into the horizon. From up there, the massive capital looks like an intricate grid nestled tightly against the Andes mountains. Looking back at the photos we took, I am still amazed by how much ground we were able to see from that single peak. It gave us a whole new appreciation for the sheer size and energy of the city before we headed back down to earth.
Panoramic view of Bogotá from the peak of Monserrate.