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The restaurant in the Botanical Garden that will allow you to enjoy dinner in the middle of nature
Located inside the Garden, Quye is a new restaurant where gastronomy and nature merge. The price range is between $20 thousand and $60 thousand

The Bogotá Botanical Garden, officially named José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden in honor of the astronomer and botanist, is one of the most special places in the city, as it is a paradise of nature in the midst of urban chaos and bustle. This garden, which has 20 hectares, is a space dedicated to conservation and environmental education, and is one of the most important in the country, making it a tourist and educational point that both locals and visitors should visit.

The botanical garden of Bogotá is a very complete space, with many activities and attractions to enjoy and even very special places to enjoy a delicious lunch, such as the new 'Quye' restaurant.
This place is designed so that whoever visits it can enjoy a delicious meal or a coffee in the middle of the green areas of the Botanical Garden. In addition, it is a quiet place and has a space designed for coworking with spacious tables and corners with natural light to enhance your creativity.
On the menu you can find several options of pasta, fish, typical preparations, grill, and they even have alternatives for vegetarians. The price range goes from $20 thousand to $60 thousand pesos. It is worth mentioning that in order to enter this place you must pay the entrance fee to the botanical garden.
The botanical garden is located on Calle 63 avenue with Carrera 68. This location is very convenient, as it is close to several points of interest in the city, such as the Gran Estación shopping center, Simón Bolívar park or the El Dorado international airport. , which is only 15 minutes away by taxi. It is also located near the TransMilenio station on 68th Street, 'Avenida Rojas', so it is easily accessible by public transportation.

The Botanical Garden, history and lung of Bogotá
In 1783, José Celestino Mutis began the Royal Botanical Expedition of the New Kingdom of Granada, one of the most important scientific voyages of the 18th century, which lasted 33 years.

More than a century and a half later, the Jesuit priest Enrique Pérez Arbeláez, considered the father of ecology in Colombia and who received the title of doctor 'summa cum laude', the highest degree in biology and mathematics in Germany, returned to Colombia to continue to this work.

His colossal task allowed us to reconstruct the fractured history of botany in the country with the founding in 1955 of what has since been called the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden.

Francisco Sánchez Hurtado, agronomist, who had the fortune of meeting Father Pérez at a congress and joining the entity in 1970, received from the founder the detailed plans of the garden areas and to date has been one of the responsible for developing it.

"I collaborated with him for a year and 8 months, but it was enough time to interpret what a botanical garden was at the level of Bogotá, its importance from the point of teaching, research, recreation and how to project it towards the city," said Sánchez. to the Bogotá Portal.

In that territorial strip are found many of the species that the Wise Mutis found in his time and that gave great value to the Expedition due to their importance, such as the cinchona.

"This was the miraculous plant, it cured everything. Previously the serious illnesses were malaria and fevers. When you go to the Amazon you find that the indigenous people carry a small bottle around their waists that they call the 'toma'. Mutis in his time used it. took to prove that it healed. They call it guaco or curarina," said Sánchez.

The José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden in Bogotá is the only one in the country specialized in the collection and conservation of Andean and paramo species. Its 20 hectares are enriched with scientifically organized living plant collections with native and exotic species. You can see the frailejones, oaks, walnuts, cedars and seven leathers, among others.

Duvan Canal, advisor to the entity, told Portal Bogotá that the garden is one of the few in Latin America that carries out coverage and environmental impact projects such as urban tree planting and agriculture.

It also has a greenhouse system in which visitors can find a representation of lowland plants and warm ecosystems in Colombia, such as Amazonian, Chocoan and desert species.

In the field of research, several stages have been attended to: rescuing species that are in danger of extinction, their conservation and multiplication, in addition to classification from a taxonomic point of view, appropriate uses, their virtues and sustainable management. from the same.

This institution also fulfills a mission of research, teaching and recreation, where from a child to the most specialized professional finds a place to get in touch with nature and thus discover new secrets in it.

Mutis 200 Agenda

During the month of September and until mid-October, in commemoration of the Bicentennial of the death of José Celestino Mutis, the Botanical Garden will carry out different activities such as the exhibitions 'Mutis the Teacher' and "Mutis's Suitcase", from the Museum of Science and Play from the National University, educational proposals that make the life and work of the scientist available to children.

Likewise, the 'Mutis Iconography', a temporary exhibition of photography in giant format of some of the most representative plates of the Botanical Expedition, will be available to the public.

The same photographs will be exhibited after September 14 and for 15 days in different urban stops along Carrera Séptima and Calle 63. This museographic proposal will allow Bogota residents to become familiar with what the Expedition was like.

In October, the process of flora identity by indigenous communities will be shown. All detailed information on the agenda will be found on the entity's page.

Likewise, the Mutis 200 Years National Competition will be valid until March 2009, aimed at undergraduate students of natural sciences who are contributing to the work of the naturalist, for which they can enter the Humboldt Institute website and learn everything related to the issue.


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The Botanical Garden of Bogotá is a particularly pleasant place in a city of around 10 million inhabitants, where the bustle takes over tourists and visitors. The high altitude of the city (2,625 m), considered the third highest in South America, after La Paz and Quito, together with the atmospheric pollution, make the walker who enters the Celestino Mutis feel rescued and at the same time allows you to get to know part of the enormous Colombian diversity.
The origin of the garden is recent, dating back to 1955, thanks to the efforts of Enrique Pérez Arbeláez, Colombian botanist and priest, helped by Teresa Arango Bueno, who dedicated great efforts to collecting seeds from the Andean forests over long and fruitful periods. expeditions. Pérez Arbeláez also published a work of great interest under the title Useful Plants of Colombia. He also developed the Garden's zoning plan, which is still in effect.
The tropicario: encouraging conservation
The 20 hectares of garden house various collections, highlighting the one dedicated to the conservation of endangered species in the Andes region. In addition, it has more than 2,000 taxa of cultivated plants, being specialized in plants from the Andean region. We must emphasize the fact that Colombia is considered the second most biodiverse country on the planet and includes two of the biodiversity hotspots: the tropical Andes and the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena area. The Botanical Garden allows you to take a quick look at the different ecosystems and the most emblematic species of Colombian territory.
One of the most prominent centers of attention in the garden is the area dedicated to plants from tropical or humid climates, with special attention to orchids, one of the most significant plant groups in Colombia. It is also possible to enjoy an area with attractive arborescent specimens of the so-called loggerhead palm (Cyathea caracasana), a fern native to the tropical or subtropical regions of northern South America. The loggerhead palm reaches a height of about 12 meters and is considered a living fossil. It is currently on the verge of extinction since its trunks are appreciated for their resistance and durability and are used to make posts and columns in homes, or even as pots for orchids.
The importance of the tropical section has meant that the tropicarium is currently being remodeled. This new infrastructure will recreate the tropical dry forest, humid forest, areas of the Amazon, Chocó and super-paramo, including full-scale ecosystems, so that visitors can learn more about the environmental values ??and encourage their conservation. In this sense, the Bogotá Botanical Garden has positioned itself as a research and conservation center specialized in high Andean and paramo ecosystems that is also responsible for the comprehensive management of green covers in Bogotá, as well as the development of conservation programs. environmental education to increase social transfer among citizens and their environment. And, all of this, under the responsibility of the district government of Bogotá.
The maloca and the chagra
In botanical gardens you learn not only about plants, but also about the country's landscapes, popular foods and medicines, customs, etc. That is why one of the elements that most surprises visitors is the maloca, which offers a look at the Colombian Amazon. The maloca is the communal house and in the mythical-symbolic world it constitutes the ceremonial and social center: in the maloca wisdom is shared, stories, myths, rites and customs are transmitted, the mother tongue, crafts or the form is taught. of working the chagra (orchard). The chagra, in addition, is the epicenter of the domestication and conservation of medicinal and edible plants, which normally grow close to the maloca itself. The Maloca of the Botanical Garden of Bogotá was built with plant elements by the Uitoto, an ethnic group that was sadly decimated in the exploitation of rubber. The impressive construction, 12 meters in diameter and 8 meters high, has a roof covered with royal palm.
The legacy of Celestino Mutis
But there remains a question that many tourists are curious about: why is the Botanical Garden named after Celestino Mutis? The importance of Mutis in the Colombian context is undoubted, but in the 18th century, Mutis was considered one of the scientific references and the greatest expert on the flora of South America. For this reason, Alexander von Humboldt insisted on making a stop in Bogotá, where Mutis had established his residence, on his South American expedition to share knowledge. Humboldt was impressed by the herbaria and the pictorial work that was being carried out under the tutelage of Mutis.
José Celestino Mutis was the organizer and director of the most famous scientific expedition to the New Kingdom of Granada (now Colombia) which, under the approval of King Carlos III, would last 33 years. This expedition would result in an important herbarium of more than 20,000 species and a collection of 6,000 plates that were sent to the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid. In addition, Mutis is considered one of the promoters of health, since he promoted health measures, as well as a vaccination campaign that saved many lives.
It is logical, therefore, that Mutis appears in the name of the Botanical Garden and that it has inspired many plant names, such as the Mutis flower or carnation (Mutisia clematis), emblem of the Botanical Garden. It is a climbing plant, with very showy flowers and bright red petals, typical of Andean forests at altitudes between 2,300 and 3,200 m. Aside from the beauty of the carnation, it is an exceptional plant because it is a herb from the Compositae family but a climber and with tendrils, something completely atypical in this family.
The walnut tree and the wax palm of Quindío
In the garden you can also see large specimens of Bogotá's flagship tree, the walnut (Junglans neotropica), native to the Colombian mountain ranges. It stands out for its longevity and resistance to contamination and for its great landscape and historical value, and its wood is also highly appreciated in cabinetmaking.

The national tree of Colombia, the Quindío wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) has a reserved space in the garden, where there is a small and elegant grove. These palm trees have a white, cylindrical, smooth trunk covered in wax, furrowed with black rings left by the leaves when they fall. They are native to the three Colombian mountain ranges, especially the departments of Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Quindío, Tolima and Putumayo, where they have become in danger of extinction due to multiple factors, such as deforestation or the use of their leaves in Catholic celebrations of the Palm Sunday, a custom almost completely eradicated. The wax palm grows in high altitude areas, with rainfall exceeding 1,500 mm annually and constitutes habitat for species at risk of extinction such as the Yellow-Eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis).
Returning to the singularities of this space, the strategy of deconcentrating the activities of the botanical garden towards the localities stands out, consolidating a community network of active participation in different projects.
As a curiosity, for all those who love quick searches on the Internet, we must note that the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden in Bogotá has its namesake in the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Park, located in the natural area of ??La Rábida, in the municipality of Palos de the Border (Huelva).
The first version of the Tropicario of the Bogotá Botanical Garden existed since its foundation in 1955 and was conceived by Father Enrique Pérez Arbeláez. This first Tropicario operated until 2015 and sought to expand the exhibition to warm thermal floors in the country. With the aim of renewing the structure of the old Tropicario, a national architectural competition was held in 2013. In this process of structural renovation, we also sought to update its content without forgetting its original essence. Its construction began in 2016 and it was opened to the public in 2020. Its imposing domes up to 20 meters high earned it the world prize at the Pan-American Architecture Biennial of Quito (BAQ) in 2020.
Colombia’s ecosystemic wealth, in the heart of Bogota
We will travel through different parts of Colombia, from the super paramo,  ecosystem in the highest part of our mountains where the rivers that run through the territory are born, to the tropical rainforests which are among the most biodiverse places in the world. We will travel through Andean valleys of Cauca and Magdalena river, until we reach the upper Guajira to learn about the biodiversity of the threatened tropical dry forest.
We will enter into an environment where the close relationship established by human beings with plants to obtain food, medicines and to develop fabrics and constructions is evident. We will finish the tour in a space where we can learn about some plants that are in danger of extinction and are researched, conserved and propagated at the Botanical Garden.
For children and youth audiences it includes the assistance of an environmental educator for groups of 20 people maximum. playful people and activities before and after the tour through the different environments.
For national and international guests guidance of an environmental educator, for groups of 20 people maximum. Guidance is available upon request (English or French).
The José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden as a research center for the conservation of
flora of the country with emphasis on high Andean forest and paramo, generates alliances at the national and
international to strengthen the processes of generation, application and appropriation of knowledge.

Our allies include international and international cooperation organizations such as
the Botanical Gardens, the European Union, universities and research centers that have been
identified as strategic in the ex situ and in situ conservation of our biodiversity
promoting the exchange of knowledge and experiences in search of more and better results.

The actions carried out by the entity at the international level are:

International cooperation projects
International relations
Awards and honours
Strengthening human capital for science through knowledge and training internships
researcher exchange

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