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Tequendama Falls

Colombia · Cundinamarca

Tequendama Falls

Salto de Tequendama

Just outside Bogotá, the Bogotá River drops off the savanna's edge into a deep canyon beside a haunting abandoned belle-époque hotel that once drew high society and now anchors ghost-story tours. Severe upstream pollution makes it a striking but sobering sight rather than a swimming destination.

Xemenendura · CC BY-SA 3.0
Colombia's most famous, and most polluted, waterfall Essentials guide

Just outside Bogotá, the Bogotá River drops off the savanna's edge into a deep canyon beside a haunting abandoned belle-époque hotel that once drew high society and now anchors ghost-story tours. Severe upstream pollution makes it a striking but sobering sight rather than a swimming destination.

Tequendama Falls drops 157 metres (515 ft) on the Bogotá. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Soacha, with BOG the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.

Drier months give clearer air for photography; the river itself is heavily polluted year-round.

What you can do here

Hiking

From ten-minute boardwalks to multi-day approaches through cloud forest.

Photography

Light angles, moonbows, spray management and the hours that actually work.

When to go

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Drier months give clearer air for photography; the river itself is heavily polluted year-round.

Entry: Viewpoint access via former hotel building

Getting there

  • Base townSoacha
  • AirportBOG
  • CountryColombia
  • RegionCundinamarca, South America
  • AccessEasy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint

On the map

4.5658, -74.3272

Quick answers

How tall is Tequendama Falls?

Tequendama Falls drops 157 metres (515 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Bogotá.

When is the best time to visit Tequendama Falls?

Peak flow is January to February and July and December. Drier months give clearer air for photography; the river itself is heavily polluted year-round.

What can you do at Tequendama Falls?

Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.

How do you get to Tequendama Falls?

The usual base is Soacha, and the closest airport is BOG. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Viewpoint access via former hotel building.