Travel advice for Colombia
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Colombia
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Colombia’s biggest international airport is Bogatá’s Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado (eldorado.aero). Direct services from Europe to Bogotá are offered by Iberia (Madrid and Barcelona), Air France/KLM (Paris), Avianca (Barcelona and Paris) and Lufthansa (Frankfurt). Avianca also operates flights from Madrid to Cali and Medellín.
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11 days / from3395 USD
Magnificent Colombian Highlights
Discover the vibrant beauty of Colombia. From the bustling streets of Bogota to the colorful charm of Cartagena, this trip has it all. Visit the stunning natural wonders of Puerto Narino and explore the vibrant culture of Medellin.
customize ⤍11 days / from2930 USD
Fascination Colombia - Medellin & Cartagena
This beautiful trip has you stay in 2 different centers - Medellin and Cartagena. From there, you will explore Colombia's culture and traditions, including Guatape, an authentic cooking class, horseback riding in nature and much more.
customize ⤍13 days / from2650 USD
Unforgettable Colombia - cities, coffee and islands
Explore three main areas in Colombia - the capital Bogotá with a side trip to Villa de Leyva, a beautiful colonial town. Afterwards, proceed to the Coffee Region and learn more about this important product in the local economy. Your final days are spent by the coast - Cartagena & the islands await.
customize ⤍4 days / from1415 USD
Adventure Trip in and around Medellin
An exhilarating 4-day trip to Medellin and Rio Claro, filled with thrilling adventure activities. Day 1 explores the vibrant streets of Medellin on a city tour. Day 2 takes you to the breathtaking Rio Claro for zip-lining, rafting, and exploring the lush rainforests. Return to Medellin on Day 3.
customize ⤍5 days / from1825 USD
Medellin & Cartagena Medley
Begin in Medellin, where you'll soar through the sky with a thrilling paragliding adventure, taking in panoramic views of the city and surrounding landscapes. Continue to Cartagena, where you'll indulge in a unique experience at the Mud Volcano, followed by exploring the city's colonial charm.
customize ⤍In North America, Air Canada connects Toronto to Bogotá, Lan and American Airlines connect Bogotá with Miami, while Delta links Bogotá with New York, Chicago and Atlanta, and Jet Blue flies to Bogotá from Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. It’s also possible to fly from Miami directly to Santa Marta, Cartagena and Medellín.
In South and Central America, Lan links Bogotá with Lima, Santiago and Quito; Copa offers regular flights from the capital to Panama City, and Tam links the capital to São Paulo. Avianca also flies to Buenos Aires, Caracas, Guayaquil, Lima, Mexico City, Panama City, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago (Chile) and São Paulo.
Frequent bus services cross Colombia’s borders into neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador, though there can be security issues with both borders, so check in advance. Ormeño buses cover several international routes to and from Bogotá, including Quito, Caracas and Lima.
There are three main overland border crossings with Venezuela, the most popular being Cúcuta–San Antonio/San Cristóbal. The Maicao–Maracaibo crossing at Paraguachón is useful if you are travelling directly to or from Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Expreso Brasilia (expresobrasilia.com) operates a coastal bus service between Cartagena, via Barranquilla and Santa Marta, which passes through Maicao in the remote Guajira Peninsula to Maracaibo (1 daily at 7am; 20hr; COP$220,000).
The Panamerican Highway runs south into Ecuador, with the Ipiales–Tulcán crossing being the most popular and straightforward, though slow.
There is no overland crossing between Colombia and Panama due to the presence of drug traffickers, paramilitaries and smugglers, and the threat of kidnapping in the Darién Gap.
From the Amazon region it’s possible to cross to or from Colombia into Manaus, Brazil, and Iquitos, Peru, by taking a riverboat.
From Cartagena, adventurous travellers with plenty of time on their hands can take a sailboat to Puerto Lindo or Colón in Panama via the remote tropical islands of the San Blas archipelago. Trips take four to five days and cost around COP$750,000 per person. Rough seas can make travelling between November and February dangerous.
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Colombia
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 26.04.2021
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