Colombia's self-declared dairy capital, a working market town in a green valley of milk farms, famous for its Basilica del Santo Cristo and for cheese, arequipe and almojabanas sold straight from the roadside. Nearby Sutatausa has Muisca rock art and the Laguna de Fuquene lies a short ride further north.
| Distance | 95 km north of Bogota |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 2-2.5 hours by bus from Portal del Norte |
| Getting there | Mode: Bus; Detail: Direct Ubate buses from Portal del Norte and the Terminal del Norte along the Zipaquira-Ubate road |
| Cost | COP 30,000-40,000 (about USD 9.52-12.70) return bus fare; market food is inexpensive |
| Address | Basilica Menor del Santo Cristo, Parque Principal, Calle 7 con Carrera 7, Ubate, Cundinamarca, Colombia |
How to get there
- Bus: Portal del Norte to Ubate, COP 15,000-20,000 (about USD 4.76-6.35), 2-2.5 hours
- Car: Autopista Norte to Zipaquira then the Ubate road past Nemocon and Sutatausa
- Combined: pairing Ubate with Nemocon on the same road makes a full day
- Onward: local buses continue to Chiquinquira and the Laguna de Fuquene
Location
Basilica Menor del Santo Cristo, Parque Principal, Calle 7 con Carrera 7, Ubate, Cundinamarca, Colombia
5.3078, -73.8153 View on map
Highlights
- The Basilica Menor del Santo Cristo on the main square
- Dairy stalls selling fresh cheese, arequipe and almojabanas
- Muisca rock paintings and colonial murals at nearby Sutatausa
- The reed-fringed Laguna de Fuquene north of the valley
Tips for visiting
- The Sunday market is the day the town is most alive
- The road passes Nemocon, which makes a combined salt-mine and dairy-valley day straightforward
- Few places accept cards outside the main square, so cash is needed
- Last buses back towards Bogota leave in the early evening