Escape the city crowds and discover native flowers and plants at the Jardín Botánico José Celestino Mutis (Bogotá Botanical Garden). It is the perfect place to relax with a picnic, take a yoga class or enjoy live music. The garden opened in 1955 in honour of Spanish-born astronomer and botanist José Celestino Mutis.
Follow pathways around the 47-acre (19-hectare) garden leading to themed exhibits, which display about 18,000 plants in total. Signposts guide you between the exhibits, and information boards provide the names of the plants. Find areas dedicated to Colombia’s various climatic regions, including the Amazon, Andes mountains and Orinoco basin.
See the collection of almost 600 palm trees or spot thousands of native orchids. Check out the rose garden, which has more than 70 varieties of colourful roses, and visit the greenhouse dedicated to the conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Don’t miss the chance to walk through an Andean forest and admire the tall oak trees.
The scenic beauty and tranquility of the garden make it a pleasant place to spend the day. Stop for lunch or a snack at the on-site café, which overlooks an ornamental pond, or bring your own picnic to eat at the tables on the café’s terrace. On certain days, you can take part in organised activities, such as yoga classes for both adults and children. You can also attend live music events at the garden’s auditorium .
The Bogotá Botanical Garden is situated northwest of downtown and is easily reachable via public buses. You can also catch a hop-on, hop-off tourist bus to the garden’s entrance. If arriving by car, park in the metered lot close to the main entrance.
The garden is open daily and there is a nominal admission fee. Adults over 60 and children under 3 enter free. Find the complete opening hours, admission fees, and schedule of classes and concerts on the garden’s official website.
