Bogotá with kids works if you plan the first two days around the altitude. At Colombia Desk, we plan family trips to Bogotá and Medellín, and in Bogotá we always schedule the easy, flat sights first and the mountain last.
The city sits at about 2,600 m (8,600 ft). That is above the 2,450 m sleeping altitude where the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says altitude illness becomes a risk. The CDC also says children are as susceptible as adults, so a slow start is the plan for everyone in the family.
Bogotá is also big, at about 8 million people, and cool, with daytime highs around 19 °C. A base in Usaquén or northern Chapinero keeps most outings to a short taxi ride.
Fun Things to Do in Bogotá with Kids
The best things to do in Bogotá with kids are the Museo del Oro, Maloka, Parque Simón Bolívar, the botanical garden and Monserrate. Do them in that order, flat and indoors first and the mountain last. Prices are 2026 figures in Colombian pesos (COP) unless marked.
| Sight | What kids get | Price for foreigners | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museo del Oro | Gold objects, short visit, easy walking | COP 21,000 adults, under-12s free | Free for everyone on Sundays, closed Mondays |
| Maloka | Hands-on science museum | Not published on the site we checked | Under-4s free on the Recorrido Exploratorio |
| Parque Simón Bolívar | Lake with boats, 3 playgrounds | Not confirmed | Open 5 am to 6 pm |
| Jardín Botánico | Gardens and greenhouses | COP 38,000 | Fares from 29 July 2026 |
| Monserrate | Cable car or funicular to 3,152 m | COP 35,000 round trip, Mon to Sat | COP 21,000 round trip on Sundays |
Museo del Oro
The Museo del Oro, run by the Banco de la República, is the easiest first outing in Bogotá. Foreign adults pay COP 21,000 from Tuesday to Saturday, children under 12 are free every day, and everyone gets in free on Sundays. A family of two adults and two children under 12 pays COP 42,000 on a weekday and nothing on a Sunday.
It sits in the historic centre near La Candelaria. Go by day and take an app taxi back, because the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) reports armed robberies of British visitors in La Candelaria.
Maloka
Maloka is an interactive science museum at Carrera 68D # 24A-51, open daily from 9:30 am to 6 pm, with tickets sold until 4 pm. Under-4s and over-60s enter free on the Recorrido Exploratorio. Tickets are sold through a third-party box office, so check the price on Maloka’s page when you book.
Parque Simón Bolívar and the Jardín Botánico
Parque Simón Bolívar is run by the Instituto Distrital de Recreación y Deporte (IDRD), the city’s parks agency. The park has about 910,000 m² of green space, a 10-hectare lake with boats and three playgrounds. It opens from 5 am to 6 pm. It is the place to let children run after two days of museums.
The Jardín Botánico de Bogotá charges foreigners COP 38,000 and nationals COP 16,000 from 29 July 2026. For four foreigners that is COP 152,000, so pair it with Parque Simón Bolívar on the same day to make the trip across town worth it.
Monserrate
Monserrate is the mountain above the city, with a church at 3,152 m. A round trip by cable car or funicular costs COP 35,000 from Monday to Saturday and COP 21,000 on Sundays, per RCN Radio. No child fare is published, so a family of four pays COP 140,000 on a weekday or COP 84,000 on a Sunday.
Sunday saves COP 56,000 but closes earlier, at 5 pm, against 10 pm from Monday to Saturday. Families who want the sunset over the city should go on a weekday.
How to Handle Bogotá’s Altitude with Children
Handle Bogotá’s altitude by keeping the first 48 hours easy and saving Monserrate for day three or later. The CDC says risk starts at sleeping altitudes of about 2,450 m (8,000 ft), and Bogotá sits at about 2,600 m.
Children who cannot yet talk show altitude illness differently. The CDC lists loss of appetite, irritability and pallor as the signs to watch in preverbal children. For adults it advises avoiding alcohol and limiting exercise in the first 48 hours.
This is the order we use:
- Day 1: arrive, eat, sleep. No sightseeing beyond a short walk.
- Day 2: one flat, indoor sight such as the Museo del Oro, with a long lunch.
- Day 3: Maloka or Parque Simón Bolívar, with more walking.
- Day 4 or later: Monserrate by cable car, never the stairs on the first visit.
If a child has a heart or lung condition, ask your paediatrician before booking. For that family we suggest starting in Medellín, at about 1,500 m, and adding Bogotá later.
Where Families Stay in Bogotá
The best family bases in Bogotá are Usaquén and the northern, quieter parts of Chapinero around Chicó and Parque de la 93. Both sit in the north, with restaurants and parks within walking distance. Our where to stay in Bogotá guide compares hotels by area.
- Usaquén was its own town until Bogotá absorbed it in 1954, and its old centre still feels like one. The Sunday flea market runs from 9 am to 6 pm and makes an easy day-two outing.
- Chapinero holds the Zona Rosa, Zona T and Parque de la 93. Pick a street near the park rather than the bar blocks of the Zona T, which stay loud late into the night.
- La Candelaria is the historic centre. Visit it by day and sleep further north.
For a longer stay, see the best neighborhoods in Bogotá.
Getting Around Bogotá Safely with Kids
Book every taxi through an app or by phone in Bogotá, and never hail one on the street. The Alcaldía de Bogotá warns about the “paseo millonario”, where criminals use taxis to intimidate riders into handing over bank passwords.
The city’s advice, in short:
- Order only through authorised apps.
- Check the driver’s ID and that the plates inside and outside the car match.
- Share your live location with someone not in the car.
- Stay awake for the ride.
The 2026 minimum taxi fare is COP 8,000. Rides from 8 pm to 5 am and on Sundays and holidays add COP 3,800, and El Dorado airport trips add COP 8,000.
TransMilenio buses cost COP 3,550 a trip, but they are crowded at peak times and hard work with a stroller. The first metro line is due to open in March 2028.
The FCDO also warns about fake police officers in Bogotá. If someone in plain clothes asks to check your money or passport, ask to be taken to the nearest Comando de Atención Inmediata (CAI) police post.
Health and Emergencies in Bogotá
Dial 123 for police, fire or ambulance anywhere in Colombia.
Bogotá has two well-known hospitals for families. The Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá holds Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. Fundación Cardioinfantil (LaCardio) was one of seven institutions in Colombia with the national “acreditación con excelencia” in 2025.
Pack warm layers for every child. Daytime highs are around 19 °C and nights drop to about 8 to 9 °C, and the rainiest months are April, May, September, October and November. December, January, July and August are the driest.
Bogotá or Medellín for a Family Trip
Medellín is easier with young children, and Bogotá is better for museum-loving kids aged eight and up. The table shows the difference.
| Bogotá | Medellín | |
|---|---|---|
| Altitude | About 2,600 m, needs two easy days | About 1,500 m, no adjustment |
| Weather | Highs around 19 °C, cool nights | Highs around 28 °C, pool weather |
| Best for | Museums, history, older kids | Cable cars, science park, toddlers |
| Getting around | App taxis, TransMilenio | Metro and cable cars to most sights |
Pick Bogotá first if your children are older and want the Museo del Oro and Monserrate. Pick Medellín with kids first if you are travelling with under-5s, a child with a respiratory condition, or kids who want a pool.
We would change this advice for a family that can only travel in a Bogotá rainy season and wants outdoor days. A higher State Department advisory level for Bogotá would change it too.
If you want the trip planned end to end, our group trip concierge books the apartment, the airport pickup and the drivers. We build the altitude days into the schedule.
Start your Bogotá with kids plan by booking two quiet nights in Usaquén for arrival.