In 2009, the innovative minds of its organizers began planning what would eventually transform into a tradition for Bogota, making the festival’s debut in 2010. By 2014, Estereo Picnic had hit a homerun with the unbelievable attendance of the legendary band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, making Estereo Picnic a musical festival of the likings of Lollapalooza. Throughout the years, international known artists like Doja Cat, The Weeknd, Calvin Harris, The XX, Lana Del Rey, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Smith, Guns N’ Roses, J Balvin and more have made an unforgettable spectacle.

This year, the lineup did not fall short of thrilling. Attending artists included Drake, Billie Eilish, The Chemical Brothers, Tame Impala, Rosalia, Lil Nas X, Blondie, Tove Lo, Sofi Tukker, The 1975… we could go on, but the best way of knowing about it is actually living the unparalleled experience of attending, which is exactly what we did!

How does it work?

This 2023, Estero Picnic took place throughout four fascinating days beginning on Thursday the 23rd of March, up until Sunday the 26th. The “creyentes” were able to decide if they went for one, two or the entire four days. General tickets were sold by stages -upping their prices as the thrill increased- while VIP tickets were sold during just one stage. If you decided on going for just one day, a VIP ticket would cost $1.059.000 COP, which is equivalent to approximately $217 USD. However, if you are in the mood to have the experience of a lifetime and attend the four days, the VIP ticket total $3.181.000 COP, or $653 USD. It’s hard to not fall prey to the allure of the festival’s prices that, even though the Estereo Picnic has nothing to envy from other legendary festivals, are way below the price you’d pay for events such as Coachella or Burning Man.

We decided on going for three days, from Friday to Sunday, and the experience was absolutely fantastic. Not one day was like the other, making the experience constantly exciting and thrilling.

What to eat?

Thanks to the event’s spacious location, besides shockingly talented artists, we also found a gastronomic selection that left nothing to be desired, allowing us to recharge our energies in between concerts. From restaurants to take aways, cocktails and beer bars, Estereo Picnic makes sure no one leaves without enjoying the event to its absolute potential.

The offer was vast, meaning we found a bite at different price points. If you are a true epicurious that finds adventure in dining and quenching your thirst with an exotic drink, just like we love to do, you would be able to do so with a daily budget of around $100 USD. A total budget of $400 USD for food and drinks for the entirety of the four days of festival was more than enough for us to have a royal-worthy experience. Indeed, if you want to go above and beyond and leave your inhibitions behind, you will always find something in this festival’s delicious gastronomic scene.

Where is it and how do I get there?

The festival, which is also referred to as FEP by those who hold it dear to their hearts, takes place in the outskirts of Bogota in the Parque Deportivo, around a 50-minute drive from some of the best hotels the city has to offer. Worry not! Transportation was not a hassle and there are multiple options.

FEP’s organizers offer the option of hiring a transportation service that costs $37,000 COP + a service fee per day, totaling $45,000 COP which is roughly $9 USD. If you are an adventurer that knows going just for one day would leave you wanting more, all you had to do is buy the service for the other days. A “creyente” that wanted to enjoy the entirety of the festival can buy a roundtrip combo that totals $180,000 COP or about $36 USD. Not bad if you want to worry about nothing other than having an absolute blast. These vans, however, were shared with others and picked you up only at pre-established locations, so if you wanted a truly private and direct transportation, do like we did and have Club Swan set it up for you. Having a personal driver definitely made our whole experience hassle-free.

Where should I stay?

The selection of hotels in Bogota is wide, guaranteeing that every traveler has something they like. Usaquen is one of the best areas to stay at in the city, and considering the festival’s location, it doubles as a perfect middle point between FEP and other areas of the city that are worth visiting. Just like in any other city, hotel prices vary, but staying in a good hotel can be done for as low as $560. Since Estereo Picnic began its days early and ends the party late at night, we spent most of our time dancing away at the festival, which made resting in a comfortable and pleasant hotel an absolute must. Though we had an incredible time every day, partying from noon to well past 3AM eventually takes a toll! Getting to our hotel was nothing other than bliss, since we could have a quick bite and snooze until we were ready to get up and start all over again for the next awesome day.

What about flights?

Bogotá boasts the third biggest airport in Latin America, making finding a flight an easy task. Ticket prices depend on where you come from, what airline you prefer, etc. Having that in mind, Bogota is a low-cost destination where we easily found plane tickets between $300 and $500 USD.

So, What are you waiting for?

Overall, Estereo Picnic is a phenomenal experience that is absolutely worth living. Not only did we visit a new country and get to know a new city, but we also met sensational people that infected us with their high spirits and best energy, we enjoyed the most mouth-watering dishes you could find at a music festival, and so much more. All of this with a budget that easily stayed underneath $2.000 USD, even though we decided on giving ourselves the life we deserve, the life we’ve always wanted, and didn’t say “no” to any whim we had whilst reveling in all Estereo Picnic had to offer. What are you waiting for? Once you live the FEP experience, you will find yourself counting the days for next year’s event. In our case, we know for a fact that we have been transformed into “creyentes.”

PS. Now that we’ve been there, done that, we a undoubtedly recommend it to anyone that can give themselves the luxury of having an unbelievably good time.