Nemocón Salt Mine

An amazing natural wonder

Nemocón is a municipality in the department of Cundinamarca, located in the Cundiboyacense highlands of the Sabana de Bogotá, founded on 26 July 1600. It is the site of a once forgotten salt mine. The Nemocón Salt Mine was recovered by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, through its National Directorate of Tourism and the IFI – Salt Flats Concession, transforming it into an attractive tourist site near Bogotá.

The Nemocón Salt Mine, with more than 500 years of history underground, has become a new tourist attraction of Colombia for the world; a natural wonder that surprises for its vernacular architecture, material testimony of the traditional underground mining. Inside you will find the salt waterfall, which is more than 80 years old, and the spring or well of desires, which are some of the scenarios to be discovered. The meaning of the Nemocón Salt Mine is cultural, historical, scientific, thematic, mining and tourist.

Abandoned Nemocón Salt Mine

The Nemocón Salt Mine reopened its doors after more than 38 years of having completed its exploitation, entering into operation again, by management of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and Directorate of Tourism and the IFI Concession Salinas, under the name of the Natural History Museum Tourist Complex in Nemocón.

Interior view of the Salt Mine
Interior view of the Salt Mine

The mine is located in the municipality of Nemocón, an indigenous word meaning “Warrior’s Lament”, located 65 km from Bogotá and 30 minutes from Zipaquirá. Most of the territory has a cold climate, with an average annual temperature of 12.8 °C.

The first salt mine exploited in Colombia.

Learn more about mining in Colombia

Attractions inside the mines include a 1,600-kilogram (3,527-pound) salt crystal carved in the shape of a heart and a salt waterfall. A small church inside the salt mines hosts a Catholic mass every Sunday. Visitors wishing to learn more about the history and importance of salt in Colombia can visit the Salt Museum, located in one of the oldest buildings in Nemocón.

Heart of the Salt Mine
Heart of the Salt Mine. Photo: turismoi .co

It is a fascinating journey of less than 1 hour 80 metres underground through 1,600 metres of tunnels through which approximately 8 million tons of salt were extracted between 1816 and 1968.
An excellent plan to visit Nemocón (mining town par excellence) for those who want to learn more about the history of mining in Colombia. A tourist destination to remember forever.

On the tour through the veins of the mountain, the guides will explain to visitors how the salt extraction process was carried out and what life was like for the miners inside the mine. The tour is a learning and discovery experience.

How to get to Nemocón?
Mina de sal de Nemocón - How to get to the salt mine?
Mina de sal de Nemocón – How to get to the salt mine?

By Bus: You can get to the Nemocón Salt Mine from the city of Bogotá by taking a bus from the Salitre Transport Terminal or the new Northern Transport Terminal to the municipality of Nemocón. The ticket costs $7,800 per person for Transportes Alianza and the trip takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. These buses leave for Nemocón from 8:15 am, every half hour. Also to get to Nemocón, you can take a bus to Zipaquirá and from there board a bus to Nemocón, which costs $3,000 each.

Tourist Train: You can also travel to Nemocón on board the Tren Turístico de la Sabana or Turistren, which goes to Zipaquirá and offers an additional package that includes transport and admission to the Nemocón Salt Mine.

By Car: If you wish to travel by car and take the Autopista Norte and Calle 170 (Bogota), the journey will take just over an hour. A recommended route is Autopista Norte – Chía – Cajicá – Zipaquirá – Nemocón. The road is in good condition and you should note the Andes toll on the Autopista Norte before Chía, which costs $8,400 for cars.

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