Both Frank and I have never been to South America before and we really wanted to visit. Being a same-sex family, we always do extensive research where we would be safe, where our family is legally recognized, and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are protected.
We did our research and Colombia was high on the list for LGBTQ human rights. It was a no brainer, so we decided to book our trip and visit Colombia!
We honestly did not know what to expect. We have heard so many negative things about Colombia; the drug cartels, gangs, civil wars. Just an FYI, the Colombian government has been working very HARD to rid the country of this stigma and tourism is booming. We were surprised by how beautiful the country is, how friendly and helpful the locals are. We felt completely safe everywhere we went, however you must always exercise caution and be smart wherever you go. Make sure to do your research where you are staying, the neighbourhoods, and time of day you are out sightseeing.
Colombians, like many, LOVE kids, and treated Milo like he was one of their own.
Colombia varies in temperature depending where you go. We started off our adventure in the capital of Colombia. Bogota is 2,640 meters (8,660 feet) above sea level, and it’s average high/low temperature is 19 C/9 C (66 F/48 F) We know that Colombia is a hot country, so we needed to pack smart because Bogota was chilly. We only packed one pair of long pants, and a sweater to wear in Bogota. What we wore on the plane is what we wore when walking around. We wanted to keep the bulky clothing out of our carry-ons which made for more room, plus lighter bags!
We arrived into Bogota late at night, hopped in a cab from the airport, headed to our hotel and went straight to bed. One thing that is key for travelling in Bogota with kids, is having a hotel with a breakfast option. We do love to go out and explore different restaurants, but having a breakfast provided for you in the hotel makes it that much easier and super convenient. We filled up our bellies, took along some fruit as a snack to tide us over throughout the day. We only had one full day in Bogota, and wanted to visit the most famous landmark there. We ordered a taxi and made our way to Monserrate.
Monserrate is a hill that rises to 3,152 metres (10,341 ft) above sea level. Since you are so high up, we found ourselves out of breath more often, and at times had to rest because of the high altitude. At the top of the hill, there is a church that was built in the 17th century with a shrine, devoted to El Señor Caídon.
There are three ways to access the top of Monserrate. One by hiking, second by funicular and third by cable car. Unfortunately the cable cars were closed because it was a public holiday, so we took the funicular up, which I have to admit was really cool! (If you’re feeling adventurous and your kids like to hike, then you could climb it!) A little tip to save time, there are two lines for getting to the top. The left line is for ticket purchasing, and the right line is to the funicular. One person in your group go purchase tickets while the rest of your group waits in line for the funicular. Depending how busy it is, get there early, but expect to wait about an hour in line.
Tip: Colombia celebrates many holidays, so check to see if your attraction is open
Once we reached the top, we walked up to the plaza of the Monastery, and took in the panoramic views which were spectacular. Bogota is a massive city with about 10 million people that just goes on and on. We walked around a bit, snapped a ton of pictures, explored the food market, restaurants, ate ice cream, and browsed the souvenir market at the top just outside of the Monastery. After spending a couple hours there we made our way back to the funicular to head down. Monserrate is very busy, and expect to wait about 45 minutes in line for the funicular back down. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon. This is an absolute must when visiting Bogota with kids.
Market at top of Monserrat One of the vendors in the market
We made our way back to the hotel to relax for a little bit before heading out for dinner. Around the corner from our hotel was a park called Parque 93. It is surrounded by restaurants and coffee shops so if you want to grab a quick bite to eat or a coffee, this is your place.
At the park, there is an off leash area for dogs, and a children’s playground. We grabbed a coffee, sat down and let Milo play in the playground. We met many locals, and tourists as well. This is a great way to relax, let the kids use up energy, and best of all it’s free!
For more on Colombia, read our next article, Medellin with Kids (coming soon)
