Colombia
Andes, Caribbean and coffee
Link colourful cities, coffee country, Caribbean trails and social hostels while leaving room for the route to surprise you.
Bernard Gagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image licence
The honest overview
Get to know Colombia before fixing the route.
Colombia is famed for its Andean coffee country, Caribbean coastline and cities that have reinvented themselves in a single generation, attracting backpackers, digital nomads and coffee obsessives alike from across the world. Colombia is known for being South America's reliable opening leg for a first continental trip, thanks to its well-worn Gringo Trail route linking Cartagena to Medellín to the coffee region to Bogotá, a hostel network that rivals Southeast Asia's, and a security picture that's changed enough since the peace agreement that most travellers now come away surprised by how straightforward it felt.
Part of the joy of backpacking in Colombia is deciding what deserves more time. Keep space for weather changes, longer travel days and recommendations from people you meet on the road.
Card is widely accepted in cities and mid-range hostels, but small eateries, local buses and colectivos are cash-only, so keep a stock of pesos on you – ATMs (cajeros) are everywhere in the main backpacker cities but scarcer in smaller towns like Salento or Minca.
There's no single fixed route, but Colombia's backpacker trail is one of the most well-defined in South America, and most people end up doing some version of it. The classic run works north to south (or the reverse): Cartagena and Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast, inland to the coffee region around Salento and the Cocora Valley, then on to Medellín, and finishing (or starting) in Bogotá. Along the way, San Gil is the detour of choice for anyone wanting adventure sports, and Tayrona National Park and the Lost City trek both sit just outside Santa Marta.
Season by season
What each season means for your trip
Colombia's weather can change sharply by region and elevation. These are planning patterns, not guarantees.
Drier travel window
The dry season across most of the country, with the Caribbean coast running 24–31°C and Bogotá and the Andes noticeably cooler at 8–20°C. Barranquilla's Carnival falls in February, and this is the busiest and most expensive stretch to book coastal hostels.
Wetter travel conditions
The first rains arrive, heaviest in the Andes and Amazon; the Caribbean coast stays drier for longer. Semana Santa (Easter week) brings solemn street processions nationwide and a spike in domestic travel, so book ahead if you're passing through then.
Drier travel window
A second dry spell in the Andes and coffee region, even though the Caribbean coast keeps its afternoon showers. Caño Cristales, the multicoloured river in Meta department, opens for the season around June and Colombian university holidays fill hostels with local travellers.
Wetter travel conditions
The wettest stretch, especially in the Andes and Pacific coast, with short, heavy afternoon downpours rather than all-day rain. Fewer crowds and the cheapest accommodation prices of the year, if you don't mind carrying a rain jacket everywhere.
Seasonal conditions
Bogotá's chill has caught out more than one backpacker who packed only for the coast.
Check the forecast for the exact region and elevation on your route, then leave room to change outdoor plans when conditions move.
Cost of day to day travel
Build a budget around the route
Colombia is one of the cheapest countries in South America to backpack. On the mainland outside the main coastal cities, £20–25 a day covers a dorm bed, street food or set-menu lunches (menú del día), local buses and the odd free walking tour.
Colombia is one of the cheapest countries in South America to backpack. On the mainland outside the main coastal cities, £20–25 a day covers a dorm bed, street food or set-menu lunches (menú del día), local buses and the odd free walking tour.
Long transfers, specialist tours and headline activities can change the daily total quickly.
Card is widely accepted in cities and mid-range hostels, but small eateries, local buses and colectivos are cash-only, so keep a stock of pesos on you – ATMs (cajeros) are everywhere in the main backpacker cities but scarcer in smaller towns like Salento or Minca.</p></div>
Average the full trip rather than forcing every day into the same number. Keep emergency funds separate from daily spending.
Key backpacker routes
Find the route that feels right for you
There is no single route you need to follow. Let your timeframe, interests and season shape the journey through Colombia.
Start with the natural route Core journey
There's no single fixed route, but Colombia's backpacker trail is one of the most well-defined in South America, and most people end up doing some version of it. The classic run works north to south (or the reverse): Cartagena and Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast, inland to the coffee region around Salento and the Cocora Valley, then on to Medellín, and finishing (or starting) in Bogotá.
Add the region that earns your time Build depth
Along the way, San Gil is the detour of choice for anyone wanting adventure sports, and Tayrona National Park and the Lost City trek both sit just outside Santa Marta. Regional advisories are worth building into your route planning rather than treating as background noise: the western fringes of Valle del Cauca, Cauca, Chocó and Nariño departments, plus areas near the Venezuelan border and the Darién Gap towards Panama, sit under an FCDO "essential travel only" advisory and aren't part of any standard backpacker itinerary anyway.
Keep the order flexible Adapt as you travel
Cali itself, and the rest of the Gringo Trail cities, aren't affected. For those continuing into the wider continent, Medellín and Bogotá both have direct flights south into Peru and Ecuador – there's no overland crossing into Panama, so the Darién Gap is a hard stop for anyone thinking about walking the isthmus.
Main destinations and attractions
Where to spend your days
Pick a connected group and leave room for hostel friendships and changing plans. Colombia rewards depth more than a checklist of stops.
Cartagena. Photo: ChrisGoldNY / flickr, BY-NC 2.0.Cartagena
The walled colonial Old Town is the postcard image of Colombia, all pastel balconies and horse-drawn carriages, with Getsemaní next door offering the same colonial charm at backpacker prices and a livelier street-art scene.
Santa Marta and Tayrona. Photo: Aztlek / flickr, BY-SA 2.0.Santa Marta and Tayrona
Santa Marta itself is a functional, unglamorous base for two of Colombia's biggest draws: Tayrona National Park, where jungle runs straight down to Caribbean beaches, and the multi-day trek to Ciudad Perdida (the Lost City), only accessible via licensed guide.
The Coffee Region (Salento and the Cocora Valley). Photo: mckaysavage / flickr, BY 2.0.The Coffee Region (Salento and the Cocora Valley)
Small-town Salento is the base for hiking the Cocora Valley, home to the wax palm, the world's tallest palm tree species, and for touring working coffee fincas around Filandia and Pereira.
Medellín. Photo: *Iván Erre Jota* / flickr, BY-SA 2.0.Medellín
Once defined by its 1980s and 90s history, Medellín has rebuilt itself around innovation and is now Colombia's digital nomad hub.
Bogotá. Photo: *Iván Erre Jota* / flickr, BY-SA 2.0.Bogotá
Colombia's high-altitude capital sits at over 2,600m, so budget a day to acclimatise before doing much walking. La Candelaria's colonial core, the Gold Museum, and a cable car or funicular up Monserrate for the city views are the essentials; Bogotá's graffiti tours (Bogotá Graffiti Tour is the well-known tip-based option) are a solid way to see the Chapinero and Candelaria street art scene.
Cali. Photo: Oscarbla / flickr, BY-SA 2.0.Cali
Colombia's salsa capital, worth a stop for anyone wanting to properly learn to dance rather than just watch – most hostels run free or cheap salsa classes, and the nightlife here has a different energy to Medellín's.
To get a feel for the cities you're passing through, we'd recommend booking a free, tip-based walking tour – most main cities have one. Our Outpacker chatbot is available to help you plan and build out your itinerary to make the most of your trip.
Getting around
Compare time, comfort and cost
Colombia's size and mountainous terrain make internal flights worth the extra cost on longer hops, while buses cover the rest of the country cheaply if slowly.
Taxi/Rideshare
InDrive and Uber both operate in the main cities and are the safer option over hailing a taxi on the street; agree the fare in the app before the ride starts.
Bus
Long-distance coaches connect the main backpacker stops affordably, but mountain roads can make journeys slower than the map suggests.
Plane
Domestic budget carriers (Avianca, Wingo, EasyFly) make the longer hops – Bogotá to Cartagena or Medellín to Cartagena – cheap enough that they're often worth it purely to save a travel day, especially given how mountainous overland routes are.
Ferry/Boat
Relevant mainly around Cartagena (for the Rosario Islands) and getting into Tayrona or onward to San Andrés and Providencia, which are also reachable by short domestic flight.
Download offline maps, keep key booking details available without data and avoid placing an international departure immediately after a fragile overland transfer.
Culture and events
Events worth knowing about
Colombia's festival calendar draws heavily on Caribbean and Andean traditions, and a couple of these are worth timing a trip around.
A four-day carnival festival, the second-largest in the world after Rio's, with elaborate parades, costumed dance troupes and live cumbia and vallenato bands taking over the city's streets.
A solemn religious festival marking Easter week, with candlelit processions and elaborate wooden floats carried through the streets of towns across the country – Popayán's is the most famous and among the oldest in the Americas.
A flower festival built around Medellín's silleteros, farmers who traditionally carried flowers strapped to wooden frames on their backs, culminating in a parade of elaborate floral arrangements through the city.
One of Latin America's largest free rock festivals, held in Bogotá's Parque Simón Bolívar with a lineup mixing Colombian and international acts.
Confirm the official programme, accommodation pressure and transport changes before committing non-refundable plans.
Colombian food
Discover the flavours that make Colombia memorable
Colombian food doesn't have the global reputation of Thai or Mexican cuisine, but it's hearty, cheap and varies more by region than most first-timers expect.
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Bandeja Paisathe Antioquia region's enormous mixed plate of beans, rice, chorizo, chicharrón, plantain, avocado and a fried egg.Photo: Triangulo del Café / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Arepascorn cakes served plain, grilled or stuffed with cheese; regional versions differ.Photo: Gabriel GM / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Ajiacoa Bogotá speciality, a thick chicken and potato soup made with guascas herb, served with capers, cream and avocado on the side.Photo: Nicola since 1972 / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Empanadasfried or baked pastry parcels, sold everywhere as a snack, usually filled with meat, potato or cheese.Photo: Luz Adriana Villa A. / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Lechonaa Tolima region dish of whole roast pork stuffed with rice, peas and spices, most often found at weekend markets and festivals.Photo: Nicola since 1972 / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Pataconestwice-fried plantain, flattened and crisped, a staple side dish especially on the Caribbean coast.Photo: Luz Adriana Villa A. / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Sancochoa hearty stew of meat, plantain, corn and root vegetables, considered a Sunday family-meal staple across the country.Photo: Nicola since 1972 / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Buñuelosdeep-fried cheese bread balls, a Christmas-season staple that's sold year-round in most cities.Photo: ChrisGoldNY / flickr, BY-NC 2.0
Visible turnover is a useful guide. Explain allergies carefully and carry a translated note when an ingredient could cause a serious reaction.
Hostels
Choose the atmosphere, not just the bed
Colombia's hostel scene has grown fast in the last decade, particularly in Medellín and Cartagena, and standards are generally high.
Mr. Baboon Hostel
Santa Marta, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Black Sheep Hostel Medellin
Medellin, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Bindi
Salento, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Viajero Salento Hostel
Salento, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Socialtel La Candelaria Bogota
Bogota, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Spotty Hostels
Bogota, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Botanico Hostel Bogota
Bogota, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Los Patios Hostel
Cartagena, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Viajero Medellin Hostel
Medellin, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Finca Carpe Diem Ecolodge
Minca, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Bohemia Boutique Hostel
Cali, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Divanga Hostel and Diving
Taganga, ColombiaProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →What you need to pack
Pack for the route, not every possibility
Colombia changes from warm coast to cool Andes. Choose a small set of layers for the regions on your route.
Climate and clothing
A few adaptable layers cover more ground than a separate outfit for every stop.
- Breathable, quick-drying tops
- Warm layer for high-altitude evenings
- Light trousers or shorts
- Sun hat and sunscreen
Rain and terrain
Afternoon showers and hiking days call for practical protection.
- Packable rain shell
- Compact dry bag
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Trail shoes if trekking
Hostels and travel days
Laundry at major backpacker stops lets you keep the bag light.
- Small padlock for lockers
- Type A/B plug adapter
- Power bank
- Reusable water bottle
Activities and health
Pack for booked hikes and seek current advice for your exact route.
- Insect repellent for humid areas
- Basic first-aid kit
- Personal medication
- Any specialist hiking equipment you need
Language
A few Spanish phrases go a long way
Spanish is the official and near-universal language, and English is far less widely spoken outside hostels and tourist-facing businesses than in, say, Southeast Asia, so a handful of Spanish phrases go a long way here.</p></div>
| English | Say it in Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hola | oh-lah |
| Goodbye | Adiós / Chao | ah-dee-ohs / chow |
| Yes / No | Sí (see) / No | no |
| How much? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | kwan-toh kwes-tah |
| How are you? | ¿Cómo estás? | koh-moh es-tahs |
| Please | Por favor | por fah-vor |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Hablas inglés? | ah-blahs een-glehs |
| Help, please | Ayuda, por favor | ah-yoo-dah por fah-vor |
| Where are you from? | ¿De dónde eres? | deh don-deh eh-rehs |
| What is your name? / My name is... | ¿Cómo te llamas? / Me llamo... | koh-moh teh yah-mahs / meh yah-moh |
| Thank you | Gracias | grah-syahs |
| Use the phrases respectfully: Colombian Spanish is generally considered one of the clearest, slowest-paced accents in Latin America, which makes it a solid place to start if you're learning as you travel. | ||
Visa requirements
Check the rule for your passport
Entry rules depend on nationality, journey and length of stay. Confirm the current rule before booking, then check it again shortly before departure.
Check your exact requirements
Use Sherpa to review entry requirements for your passport and journey. Also confirm passport validity, permitted stay, proof of onward travel and any current arrival-form requirements.
Vaccinations
Make the advice fit your route
Vaccination and health advice depends on your route, duration, medical history and activities.
Review current CDC guidance
Read the current CDC Colombia traveller guidance, then discuss personal recommendations with a qualified clinician.
Arrange appropriate travel insurance and keep policy details available offline. Consider the practical risks created by climate, altitude, insects, animals, water activities and road travel on your specific route.
Safety and common scams
Standard caution, specific habits
Colombia's reputation lags a long way behind its reality these days – the main backpacker cities and route (Cartagena, Santa Marta, the coffee region, Medellín, Bogotá, Cali, San Gil) are well-travelled and see millions of visitors a year without major incident, and most people come away pleasantly surprised by how manageable it felt.
Bag and phone snatching
Opportunistic theft is the most common issue, particularly in busy areas of Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena's Getsemaní. Keep phones out of back pockets and bags zipped and in front of you on crowded streets or transport.
"Scopolamine" spiking
Rare but real enough to know about: reports of drinks (or occasionally items handed to you, like a flyer or cigarette) being spiked with a drug that leaves victims disoriented and compliant. Don't accept drinks from strangers or leave your own unattended.
Fake taxi overcharging
Street-hailed taxis without a meter or app booking sometimes quote inflated fares to tourists, especially from airports. Use InDrive or Uber, or agree the fare before getting in if neither is available.
Currency confusion
Colombian peso amounts run into the thousands and tens of thousands, and a moment's hesitation counting notes is enough for some vendors to shortchange tourists. Get familiar with the note denominations early.
Fake police checkpoints
Very occasionally reported, mostly involving someone posing as plainclothes police asking to check your wallet or passport. Real officers won't ask to handle your money – ask to see ID and, if in doubt, suggest going to the nearest police station.
None of it should put you off
Colombia's transformation over the last two decades is real, and the backpacker infrastructure reflects a country that's actively welcoming visitors, not one still finding its feet.
Within the tourist areas, keep an eye out for:
Sources and feedback
Help us keep this guide useful
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