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7 wonderful waterfalls in Villeta. The closest tourist town to Bogotá
Cundinamarca is one of Colombia’s favourite departments for lovers of nature, modernity and comfort. Many visitors who choose it as a holiday or business destination are completely overwhelmed by the beauty hidden in every corner of the region.
And although the main city is Bogotá, there are many breathtaking places around it with well-developed tourist infrastructures.
One of the most popular towns close to the city is Villeta, capital of the province of Gualivá and a place of astonishing beauty and cultural variety.
Villeta: the sweet city of Colombia
Surrounded by immense forests, a thousand species of butterflies and countless rivers and waterfalls, Villeta has become one of the favourite tourist destinations for local and foreign visitors.
Located only 90 minutes from Bogotá, this small town has great natural attractions and provides exquisite comfort, housing bank branches, lodging companies and tourist entertainment, as well as an unequalled tranquillity.
Villeta has been culturally enriched in a singular way, since they have dedicated efforts to the development of its young people in areas such as dance, music and theatre. But what is more surprising is that they have transformed their main economic activities into the city’s iconic cultural attractions: horse breeding and panela production.
Visitors who choose Villeta as their destination will enjoy trekking, rivers and waterfalls, horseback riding and tours of the main panela production companies. The town’s annual schedule is full of agro-cultural festivals attended by thousands of people and its Panela Tour has earned it the title of Colombia’s Sweet City.
I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a beautiful parade, in which different dance and music groups took to the streets to delight visitors and villagers with their talents. But what impressed me most was the sight of dozens of beautiful ponies and imposing stallions riding to the rhythm of the drums and bowing to their ecstatic audience.
Salto de los Micos
It is a set of 7 waterfalls which can be accessed completely free of charge. The waterfalls are not very high and the depth of the lagoons is ideal for family enjoyment. This is why it is not at all unsafe to jump from the middle of the waterfalls into the natural pool formed by the waterfall.
From the village there is a very stable staircase path for adults and children, through which you can access the main waterfall of Salto de los Micos. The maximum depth of the lagoon is two metres and visitors can get a little closer to the area where the water breaks through ropes fixed to the rock.
The height of the main waterfall is at least 40 metres and its waters are very clean and free of aquatic species. The lower surface of the lagoon is covered with small stones and some moss, so anyone wishing to enjoy it would not get hurt walking and swimming in it.
To the left, across the river, there is a small path which, when climbed, will lead you directly to the second waterfall. Although a little smaller than the previous one, the lagoon is estimated to be of the same depth and is a little more private.
It is recommended that access to the other 5 waterfalls be undertaken with tour guides based in the main park of Villeta, as Salto de los Micos has not yet been declared a nature reserve and therefore is not controlled by organisations providing information, safety and rescue services.
How to get to Villeta?
This small town is fully accessible from the city of Bogotá and has well maintained paved access roads. If you are travelling by car, you can take Calle 80 on the La Vega-Nocaima road or Calle 13, on the Facatativá-Sasaima road.
Photo: Joy Fernandez.
Villeta: an idyllic destination especially for you.
A place full of wonders and great expectations where the wildness of the forest and the modernity of the city come together. Without a doubt, my experience in Villeta was very rewarding and I fell in love with this beautiful city.
What are you waiting for to let yourself be captivated by it and write your own story in the Sweet City of Colombia?
