Best Time to Visit Bogota

Two drier spells, two wetter ones

Bogota sits high in the Andes, so the temperature barely moves all year. Days are mild and nights are cool, at around 18–20°C by day and 9–10°C at night. What changes is the rain, and that's how locals split the year.

December to February is the driest stretch, and January is our top pick. You'll get the most sun, around four hours a day, and fewer grey afternoons. Rain still falls on about 12 days in January, so don't expect a desert. A second, softer dry spell runs from July to September, with August and September a little brighter and calmer than the months around them.

The wet months, honestly

April and May are the wettest, with rain on 24 or 25 days each month. October and November are the second wet season. It's rarely a full day of storms. More often you get a grey, drizzly afternoon that sends you into a museum or a café for hot chocolate with cheese. Yes, that's a real local habit.

If you're here for city sights, wet months still work. The Gold Museum and the Botero Museum in La Candelaria (the old colonial centre) are free of weather worries. The cable car up to Monserrate, the hill above the city, is the one thing to save for a clear morning. Cloud can hide the view completely.

Which month for which trip

Want hiking? Aim for January, February or the July to September window. Trails around the city, like the paths above Quebrada La Vieja, and day trips to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral or Lake Guatavita are much nicer on drier days.

On a tight budget or hate crowds? April, May and November are quieter, and rain is the price you pay. Travelling with kids? Choose the drier months so outdoor plans don't keep collapsing.

Crowds and events

High season follows Colombian holidays. Late December to early January is busy, and so are Holy Week (Semana Santa, the week before Easter) and the mid-year school break around July. Long weekends with a Monday holiday fill the roads out of the city, though Bogota itself often feels calmer then.

In July and August, the Festival de Verano brings concerts and street activity to parks. In August, the Bogotá Kite Festival fills Parque Simón Bolívar with colour, helped by the breezy weather. Early in the year, the Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro is a big draw, though it only runs every other year, so check before you plan around it.