FAQs

Question

How do we get from the airport in Bogota (El Dorado National Airport) to the hotel?

Answer

When exiting the airport, you will see an area where white taxis (cars and vans) are lined up awaiting passengers that require a ride. These taxis are safe and registered with the airport so we recommend taking these taxis whenever possible. The cost to arrive to the hotel ranges from $10-$20 and the ride to the hotel is about 35 minutes (assuming moderate traffic). Bogota can have very heavy traffic, so if you can arrive outside of rush hour, great! Rush hour is from 8-10 AM and 4-7 PM.

Question

What is the best way to communicate while in Colombia?

Answer

I can't stress this enough, download Whatsapp! This will be a great way to communicate with others guests and the bride and groom.

Question

Is Altitude Sickness Real?

Answer

Yes! Bogota is a city located in the mountains at about 9,000 feet above sea level. There's a reason we are asking you to arrive the day before events take place- treat your body kindly! For the first 24 hours after arriving we recommend taking it easy (this means little to no alcohol). Stay close to the hotel and don't overextend yourself until your body acclimates.

Question

What are the COVID Requirements for traveling to Colombia?

Answer

Right now current requirements for COVID require either a vaccine card, an antigen test within 48 hours prior to arrival, or a PCR test 72 hours prior to arrival in Colombia. A form is required to be filled out prior to travel with this information and customs will check this upon entry into the country. Please ensure to check with your Airline or the US Embassy on these requirements and be prepared. PCR tests can be scheduled at most testing locations located in the US. https://co.usembassy.gov/health-alert%E2%80%AFnew-covid-19-entry-requirements-colombia/

Question

Is Colombia Safe?

Answer

Yes! Especially Bogotá. If you're comfortable in NYC, Philadelphia or Chicago, you'll feel safe in Bogotá. Like any major city, be aware of your surroundings, stay on the main roads and go out in groups. Nick is a typical white guy with very little Spanish and has not felt unsafe in the four weeks he has spent in the country so far.

Question

Do I Need To Speak Spanish?

Answer

At most restaurants and our recommended hotel, AC Hotel Zona T, most people will speak both English and Spanish. Most restaurants have menus in English, typically through a QR code on your phone.

Question

Will we have down time to see the city?

Answer

Absolutely! We have built in a full day of downtime the day before the wedding. For those wanting to explore the area, the hotel is within walking distance to some of the best shops and restaurants in Bogota. Please visit the "Things to See" tab for more information. We have taken time to provide our favorite recommendations. We highly recommend if you are interested in site seeing that you extend your stay either on the front end or back end, there are many things to see, but seeing the city takes time.

Question

Cell Phones

Answer

AT&T includes South America in their unlimited plan so your phone might work out of the box with your international plan. Check with your carrier in advance to see what cellular options they offer for South America. You can also buy a SIM card at the airport from Claro.

Question

State Department Website

Answer

If you read the State Department website, they call out the remote areas and the Venezuela-Colombia border as being unsafe, neither of which you'll be anywhere near in Bogotá or the wedding venue. Obviously, if you walk into a cocaine processing camp in the middle of the woods, it's not a great idea, no matter which country you're in.

Question

Cabs

Answer

From the airport, we recommend either getting in the taxi line or looking for the white vans. The white vans will bring you to a booth inside and you can prepay for your trip by credit card. They also are more likely to speak English. Ignore the people yelling, "taxi, taxi" as you exit the airport after customs, those are not real taxis and should be avoided. An extra piece of safety advice we'll give when traveling in the city is to take either Uber or the White Cabs. The yellow cabs on the street can be unregistered and may not be the safest. There are reports of people being taken in these cabs and "strongly encouraged" to withdraw cash from their bank accounts. You can avoid this by avoiding the yellow cabs on the road. The good news is there's so much to do in Zona T, you probably won't need to take a taxi anywhere. Ubers may ask you to sit in the front seat because they used to not be legal here and some Uber drivers are used to the old ways of doing things.

Question

Cash

Answer

That being said, we recommend taking out any cash you may need at the airport ATM near baggage claim. A good rule of thumb is to take out $100. You can take out a little more if you want to make sure to have extra cash on hand. If you'd rather bring US dollars and trade them, the airport has a good exchange rate and we'd recommend you get it done before leaving the airport.