Colombia
Home to rhythm, color, and life, Colombia becons explorers of all types. Despite its four-decade-long civil war and reputation for violence, improved security conditions have led to a sharp increase in tourism. With high biodiversity, Colombia has a thriving gastronomic scene and is a natural draw for travelers to South America.
When to go: Colombia is considered a year round destination, with no real seasons other than rainy or dry. One of the biggest factors in determining climate for a given region is altitude.
Great for…
Family
Adventure
Food & Wine
Culture
Nature
Family
Adventure
Food & Wine
Culture
Nature
Highlights
Bogotá
The capital city of Bogotá was established by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada on August 6, 1538, in what had previously been a castle belonging to the Muisca ruler Bacatá, from whom the city’s name is derived. Bogotá’s population for a long time lagged behind its political clout; even in the 1940s, there were only 300,000 people living there. All of that changed in the second half of the 20th century as a result of industrialization and the civil war, which led to a major migration of peasants from rural regions to the city, making it one of the largest cities in South America with an estimated 11.3 million people.
The city’s historic district, La Candelaria, is teeming with colonial homes that have been brightly painted. It is bounded on the west by Cra 10 and to the east by the mountains. The business sector of Bogotá has office buildings and a number of museums, while North Bogotá—a collective term for the affluent neighborhoods to the north of the center—offers chic retail areas and a variety of eating alternatives to suit most tastes and budgets. Do not leave Bogotá without visiting the Paloquemao Market!
Antioquia
Also affectionately called Tierra Paisa, this mountainous region is most famous for one of Colombia’s most famous exports, coffee. The metropolis of Medelln, which formerly served as Colombia’s murder capital in the early 1990s, has undergone a remarkable transformation to become an alluring cosmopolitan city, is located in the center of paisa country. Nearly all of the charming coffee-growing fincas in the vicinity of the contemporary cities of Manizales and Pereira were founded by paisa homesteaders. A few producers have made their estates accessible to visitors, who may participate in the harvesting process at harvest season. The charming town of Salento is the starting point for some fantastic trekking in the foggy Valle de Cócora, and it is easily reachable from Pereira. The “Coffee Zone,” also known as the Eje Cafetera, is the starting point for trips to Parque Nacional Natural Los Nevados, one of Colombia’s most picturesque national parks.
Cartagena
Unquestionably the most magnificent city in the Caribbean, Cartagena features stunning colonial architecture, fine restaurants, all-night nightlife, and beaches. With many of the city’s vibrant, aged buildings constructed using coral from the nearby reefs, Cartagena figuratively embodies Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
One of the first Spanish settlements in the New World, Cartagena was established in 1533 and functioned as the principal port for the export of the continent’s wealth to Spain. Naturally, English pirates cruising the Caribbean found the city to be a tasty target, and during the sixteenth century, it was subjected to a number of terrible sieges, the most infamous of which was conducted by Sir Francis Drake in 1586, who kept the town captive for more than a hundred days. The Spanish then started building the intricate defenses that are today the city’s trademark. The diversity of Cartagena’s people, the rhythms of its music, its songs, dances, and customs all bear witness to the city’s monopoly on the Caribbean slave trade at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
The majority of the sightseeing is done in Cartagena’s Old City, which is full of history and is quite attractive. The best part of being here is exploring the winding alleyways lined with colonial houses painted in vivid hues with ornate wrought-iron details, bougainvillea cascading from balconies, peddlers attempting to sell you everything from kitsch to horse-drawn carriages passing by.
Amazonas
With its beautiful rainforest, incredible animals, and indigenous people that live deep in the jungle with their customs fully intact, the Amazon basin, which makes up about a third of Colombia and is generally inaccessible to tourists, seems unlike any other region of the nation. The busy jungle town of Leticia, the province’s seat, is only reachable by air and river, so it still has a feeling of isolation but in reality is a crossroads of three nations, where once could enter Brazil or Peru. The stunning 3000-square-kilometer Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu is located about 90 minutes upstream of Leticia and is home to 150 different animal species, including big cats, 500 different kinds of birds, and lots of crocodiles, anacondas, and other reptiles. While parts of the jungle in Peru and Brazil are now fairly well traveled, the jungle in Colombia is still pristine, and Leticia can serve as your starting point for multi-day jungle excursions with just you, your indigenous guide, and indigenous communities that are still largely unexplored by the outside world.
Get Inspired
Classic Colombia with a Twist
We believe that to travel responsibly, a portion of our tour cost should benefit the communities we visit. For this trip, we will donate to Fundación Proyecto de Vida, working to provide non-formal education and preventive protection of children and young people of Bogotá. You can learn more about our commitment to responsible travel in our Responsibility Pledge.