Lake Guatavita, High-altitude lake in Cundinamarca Department, Colombia.
Lake Guatavita sits at an elevation of 9,843 feet (3,000 meters) above sea level in the Andes mountains, featuring a circular shape formed by underground salt dissolution over millions of years.
Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada reached the lake in 1537 during his expedition searching for gold, bringing European attention to this indigenous sacred site and sparking numerous treasure recovery attempts.
The Muisca people performed ceremonies at Lake Guatavita where their chief, covered in gold dust, would dive into the water from a raft while offering treasures to the goddess of water, giving rise to the El Dorado legend.
Visitors can reach Lake Guatavita from Bogotá in approximately two hours by car, covering about 47 miles (75 kilometers) through scenic countryside routes in the Cundinamarca Department of Colombia.
The lake remains protected as a natural reserve where artifacts of gold and silver ceremonial objects have been discovered at depths reaching 410 feet (125 meters), confirming historical accounts of Muisca ritual offerings.
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