Colombia is a beautiful country! When you travel in Colombia you can find everything from the Andes, the Caribbean coast, the Amazon jungle, cryptic archaeological ruins to colonial places. This sounds like music to the ears, doesn’t it? Traveling through Colombia is ideal for all types of travelers. We have traveled in Colombia for almost 4 weeks and we visited all places that you see in our Colombia itinerary. We made for each destination an article where we give our personal experiences, we tell you what you can do at a certain destination and nevertheless we tell you which hotels or hostels are the best stays. Are you looking for the perfect Colombia itinerary? Then read this article, enjoy!
Colombia itinerary: how many weeks do you need?
In our opinion, you need at least three weeks to four weeks to travel through Colombia. The distances between destinations are big in Colombia so it is recommended to travel for at least three weeks. If don’t have three weeks you can skip places on our Colombia itinerary. If you have more time we recommend visiting San Agustín, Cali, and Popayan. We didn’t visit these places because of time constraints. Be aware that these places are located in the south of Colombia, which means that you will have extra travel time because it isn’t in the route of the other places on our Colombia itinerary. If you love hiking we recommend the tour Ciudad Perdida. Unfortunately, we were not able to do it, due to time constraints. We decided to visit San Gil instead of hiking Ciudad Perdida. During our trip, we heard good stories about Ciudad Perdida from other travelers.
If you travel to Colombia by plane and you are looking for a car to rent, you can rent it through Rentalcars. We use Rentalcars when we want to travel by car to discover new destinations. They’re easy to use and book with.
How much budget do you need for Colombia?
If you want to know how much budget you need for Colombia and what this Colombia itinerary will cost per day you should read this article: Colombia trip cost.
Travel insurance
World Nomads travel insurance policies offer coverage for more than 150 activities. Get a quote, make a claim, or buy or extend your policy while on the road.
Our favorite places to stay during this Colombia itinerary
During our trip through Colombia, we went looking for nice and special places to sleep. In our opinion, the nice and special accommodations where you stay give your trip an extra dimension. We have managed to find the best accommodations in Colombia and are happy to share this with you. We share two unique tips per destination. In this article, we give you an overview of the best places to stay in Colombia.
Colombia itinerary
We have written an article about each destination that gives you a lot of information and ideas about what to do in a certain place how you get there, where to stay and personal tips. Do you want to know more click on the link to open an article.
Bogota
Bogota is the capital of Colombia and is likely to be the starting location of your Colombia itinerary. Bogota is gradually becoming one of the most popular cities in Latin America. Bogota has a lot to offer in art, fashion, culture, history, and unique experiences. Bogota is located at an altitude of 2640 meters. Because of this Bogota is a nice place to start your travel through Colombia given the temperature. In Bogota, it isn’t that hot as other places in Colombia. If you want to read more about Bogota, read our article about how you have two unforgettable days in Bogota.
Salento
Salento is an authentic village located in the coffee region. From Salento, you can make one of the most beautiful hikes in Colombia, namely the Valle de Cocora hike. During this six-hour hike, you will pass various natural landscapes, you will see many beautiful viewpoints and you will see the tallest palm trees in the world. These palm trees can grow up to 80 meters high. Read our helpful tips about Salento in this article.
Medellin
When you hear Medellin you probably immediately think of Pablo Escobar. The question that usually arises is: “is it safe?” Where we can say with certainty: “YES that is it!”. Medellin has transformed in recent years and is becoming increasingly popular as a result. Medellin is a nice city that will spark your curiosity. The city has something untouchable because of the rich history. There are many fun activities to do in Medellin, such as paragliding or a city tour where you learn about history through a local. A nice day trip from Medellin is the colorful picturesque village of Guatape where you can climb a rock, resulting in an unbelievably beautiful view! Do you want more information? Read our articles about Medellin and Guatape.
Cartagena
Cartagena is Colombia’s most visited place, and shouldn’t be missing in your Colombia itinerary. This city is the gem of the Caribbean coast. The old town surrounded by the stone walls is an open-air museum. You have to experience the Caribbean vibes in this city with your own eyes. Read everything in our travel guide of Cartagena in this article.
Palomino
Palomino is a small village on the Caribbean coast that still has a laid-back atmosphere. This makes it a suitable place to relax and enjoy the Caribbean coast. The white beaches, palm trees, relaxed atmosphere, good dining options, tubing, and the view of the mountain peaks of Sierra Nevada make you not want to miss Palomino! Read our 5 awesome tips for Palomino Colombia here.
Tayrona park
Tayrona park is the most visited national park in Colombia and that is rightly so. In this park, the jungle of Sierra Nevada and the Caribbean coast come together, making for an unforgettable experience. You can alternate beautiful hikes with relaxing on the beach. Tayrona park is very big to see everything in 1 day, therefore it is possible to stay overnight. In our article about Tayrona park, we give you all information you need to know.
Minca
Do you want to hike in the jungle, discover waterfalls and eat good food while enjoying the relaxed vibe of a small growing village then Minca is worth visiting for you and shouldn’t be missing in your Colombia itinerary! We loved Minca because it is slightly cooler here than the rest of the Caribbean coast and the nature in Minca is beautiful. Read our article of Minca for all tips.
Santa Marta / Taganga
Taganga is an old fishing village and together with Santa Marta a suitable place to undertake activities and transport yourself to other destinations. Santa Marta is a nice place to experience the daily life of Colombians on the coast. So you can sit back with your cocktail and enjoy the spectacle of fishermen working all day to bring in their catch in the evening. In the evening you can enjoy the sunset on a rooftop bar and in the evening you can discover the nightlife of a real Colombian fishing village. Curious? Read our tips about Santa Marta.
San Gil
Do you like extreme sports? If you want to challenge yourself and get an adrenaline rush during your holiday, San Gil is worth a visit. San Gil is a village surrounded between mountains and rivers which makes it the perfect place to practice extreme sports. When you are in San Gil you can also visit the most beautiful village in Colombia: Barichara. If you want more information, check out the article about the best 6 things to do in San Gil.
Colombia travel guide
This itinerary will help you create your personalized itinerary. If you want to know more about Colombia in order to prepare yourself well, it is recommended to read a Colombia travel guide. In this travel guide you can read about the best time to travel to Colombia, how safe Colombia is, what items to bring and other useful information.
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