Salto de Tequendama

Beautiful and abandoned, the Hotel de Tequendama has been
 the source of urban legends and reported hauntings for years. 

After the exhausting trip to Boyaca, we decided to sleep in the next day and plan for a less demanding adventure. One location that I had been thinking about for months but had never really considered visiting was the allegedly haunted Salto de Tequendama. Located an hour south of Bogota, the abandoned hotel and its neighboring waterfall sit alone high in the mountains. The hotel, which began its life as a mansion for the wealthy visitors disembarking from the train that would run right past the building, now sits in ruin with the majority of the building off limits for safety reasons. However, the hotel is now getting new life thrown into its halls. With interest from ecological groups, its locating next to the Rio de Bogota is perfect for the hotel's new life as a research center. 

The waterfalls of Tequendama have a history that originates with the native population of the area, the Muisca. Their legends says that the waterfall was created by Muisca hero Bochica when he responded to the cries on the inhabitants of the savanna of Bogota who were suffering from an extreme flood. Bochica came to the savanna, and with his staff broke a piece of the mountain allowed the flood waters to drain away and created the waterfall.

1895: Bogotanos enjoying Tequendama in a family outing.

In more recent history, the waterfalls and the surrounding area became a popular tourist destination for the natural beauty and the natural resources found in the mountains. In 1923, construction began on what was then called the Mansion of Tequendama. Designed by architect Carlos Arturo Tapias, it was meant to welcome wealthy guests traveling by train to Bogota. By the 1950's the mansion was converted into a hotel. However, contamination in the river created an unpleasant and fowl odor. In addition to the abandonment of the train through to Bogota, these factors resulted in the hotel's abandonment in the 1990's. 

However, the hotel would not easily be forgotten. Its beauty and location would be seen by motorists traveling on the highway that passes along side the hotel. The hotel also gained a different reputation from its early glitzy and glamorous heyday. The beautiful waterfall that guests used to admire became the location of a number of suicides. An abandoned hotel and multiple suicides gave the area a reputation for being haunted and sightings of ghosts became common. 

Even without the ghosts, the hotel and the water falls have
an ethereal and timeless feel about them. 

Ironically, the very odor and contamination that drove visitors out of Tequendama is now drawing new attention to the area. Researchers from both Colombian and French organizations purchased the building and are repairing it to serve as a research headquarters. Concern for contamination has reached a critical level because of the ways it is affected fishing and water sources for the rest of Colombia. Today, the group is saving the hotel and providing tours of the third floor of the hotel (the only safe level for the public) that explains the history of the building and the mission of the ecological researchers. Your ticket fee goes towards continuing the buildings restoration and allows you the best view from inside the house. I highly recommend paying the 4 thousand pesos for this unique opportunity to step inside this magnificent house. Be forewarned, the group is aware of the area's haunted reputation and does not allow photos while inside the hotel. They are committed to re branding the hotel. 

An unexpected adventure during our trip, I genuinely enjoyed this low key opportunity to see the Salto de Tequendama. Although this might not be your first stop when visiting Bogota, I recommend taking the relatively short drive to see it if you find yourself with a spare day with nothing to do. Its a great escape from the city and is something completely different from the small pueblos that litter the area outside Bogota. Something different and unexpected, its one of the many hidden historical gems Colombia has to offer to those willing to look.