When you visit Bogotá, you will find charming parks, green gardens and amazing natural settings. Here you will discover a magical place, of incomparable beauty, in which harmony is a natural condition, it is the José Celestino Mutis, Botanical Garden.
Located in the town of Engativá, to the west of Bogotá, the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden is a district research center responsible for the integral management of the city's green coverage; Environmental education programs are developed there, and the conservation and maintenance of the living collection of the city's flora is ensured.
With an area of approximately 195,000 m², the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden has in its inventory about 46,645 individuals, 304 families, 469 genera, corresponding to 903 plant species, about 78% are native and 14% are endemic. The Botanical Garden also has a network of circuits of living collections that emulate ecosystems present in the country (especially the high Andean and páramo ecosystems).
The José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden in Bogotá is named after the astronomer and botanist José Celestino Mutis, the first scientist to devote himself to the study of natural sciences in the territory of New Granada. His task was the beginning of a deep and long tradition around the flora and fauna of the country.
"El sabio Mutis", as he was later known, arrived in the country around 1760 as a doctor to Viceroy Pedro Messia de la Cerda. With the support of Viceroy Antonio Caballero y Góngora and the approval of Carlos III, Mutis began in 1783 the Royal Botanical Expedition of the New Kingdom of Granada, a relevant scientific expedition that would last 33 years and in whose, 20 thousand plant species and 7 thousand animals, were cataloged.
Avitourism
At the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden, birdwatching is a great experience. You can see about 50 species such as the endemic rufous picocone (Conirostrum rufum) and other species that live in Bogotá such as the magpie tanager (Cissopis leverianus) and the Baltimore turpial (Icterus galbula). The Garden has 3 platforms suitables for birdwatching and has specialized guides who will give you the best guidance on birdwatching.
Hiking
In the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden you will have a unique experience when hiking. Enjoy entertaining walks, contemplate the flora and fauna, and discover an incomparable natural setting. Hiking through the routes of the Botanical Garden will be an activity that will awaken your spirit as an athlete and your drive as an explorer.
Adjacent to the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden, the Simón Bolívar Metropolitan Park is located, the largest and most important urban park in Bogotá, a setting that you must visit! Without a doubt, a pure nature plan for you to open your senses and enjoy the Bogota environment in all its splendor.
