Colombia
Having been off the travel map for almost two decades, Colombia is a land of legends gradually moving back into the spotlight as one of the most exciting new travel destination in South America.
And for very good reason. Boasting palm fringed Caribbean beaches, snow capped Andean mountain peaks, verdant rain forests and national parks, Colombia is truly diverse. From the cosmopolitan metropolis of Bogotá to the cobbled alleys of the colonial towns, here you can indulge in everything from bathing in mud volcanoes to trekking on glaciers or sipping Cuba Libras in a bar in Cartagena.
In terms of facts, Colombia is the only country in South America with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Lying to the south of Panama, it controls the land access between Central and South America. Colombia is surrounded by Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, and Ecuador and Peru to the southwest. It was named in honour of Christopher Columbus, following the Italian version of his name (Cristoforo Colombo), despite Columbus never actually visiting. He did, however, visit Panama on his fourth voyage, which was part of Colombia until 1903.
With so much variation - modern cities, with cafes and nightclubs, jungle walks, archaeological ruins, high-mountain trekking, whale-watching, coffee plantations, horse riding (the list goes on) - there's little wonder the ‘magic realism’ style of Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez emerged from here... there is a dream-like quality to Colombia.
Wild Frontiers offers unique Small Group Adventure Tours and Private Journeys to Colombia.
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What to do in Colombia
Explore Cartagena like a local
Cartagena de Indias
There is no better way to experience and learn about a city than by exploring it in local transport, and therefore seeing it from a local's perspective. This excursion involves taking a tour of Cartagena in a 'chiva', which is a colourful bus typical of the Caribbean coast, to the sound of music. You will cross the modern part of the city towards the colonial town, driving through the narrow streets and along the ancient city walls, accompanied by your guide.
Visit Los Nevados National Park
Coffee Zone
The Los Nevados Nation Park is a landscape of mountain ranges, dormant volcanoes, hot springs, and recent memories of tragic eruptions. The highest range of the three (Nevado del Ruiz, Nevado de Santa Rosa and Nevado Tolima), is del Ruiz which towers at 5,231m and last erupted in 1985, completely destroying one village. An excursion into the National Park will enable you to learn about the climates, flora and fauna in the area, as well as the history of the savage but beautiful landscape. You will also visit the valley of Las Tumbas (Valley of the Tombs), where by walking to the edge of the valley the sounds reverberate around the rock formations until almost returning back to where they originated. You will also be given the opportunity to climb to the glacier lake of Nevado del Ruiz to enjoy stunning views across the mountain ranges and valleys below.
See Monoliths in San Agustin
San Agustin
Centuries before the Spaniards ever dreamed of setting foot in the new world, this area was home to an indigenous people and civilization. Little is known about the people that lived here, but what they left behind in these lush mountains and dramatic canyons still keeps people wondering about this lost civilization today. As many as 500 statues have been discovered in the region left behind by this ancient civilization, and it is worth taking a few hours to stroll around the park. There is a second site further uphill with tombs guarded by more statues and amazing views of the surrounding countryside.
Horse ride in San Agustin
San Agustin
One of the best ways to see the countryside is by horseback, when you can let the horse do the work, giving you time to appreciate the views. This horse-trek will be at a nice steady through the countryside, ending at a local farmhouse, or finca. The finca is offers a great opportunity to experience a bit of rural Colombian life. Along the way you will visit the archaeological sites of El Tablon, La Pelota, La Purital and La Chaquira, as well as El Estrecho - a section of the Rio Magdalena that is only 2 metres wide and has created a narrow gorge to the Caribbean Coast.
Enjoy the Candle Festival
Villa De Leyva
Every December for just two nights, Villa de Leyva comes alight with fantastic firework displays to start the season's festivities. The city streets become a blaze of light with sidewalks, balconies and terraces covered with lit candles. The traditional Noche de las Velitas was created in 1986 for the purpose of attracting tourism, while rescuing the traditions of the Day of the Immaculate Conception; celebrated by the Catholic Church with bonfires, candles and lanterns. This is a fantastic celebration and time to visit Villa de Leyva.
Take a Mud Bath in a Volcano!
Cartagena de Indias
About 50km from Cartagena stands El Totumo, the highest mud volcano in Colombia. The crater is filled with lukewarm mud with a creamy consistency, and contains minerals claimed to have therapeutic properties. After enjoying a mud bath in the crater you can then wash off in the lagoon. This is a fun and unique experience that can be done as a day trip from Cartagena.
Trek the Tayrona National Park
Tayrona National Park
Parque Nacional Tayrona is riddled with historic archaeological remains which are hidden within the jungle, and stretched along a beautiful rugged coast line that stretches 3,000 hectares of the sea and 12,000 hectares in land. The Park is inhabited by deer, monkeys, jaguars, margay cats, armadillos and porcupines plus 180 more species of mammals and 300 species of birds. The oceans boast diversity with its coral reefs and sea life and the rainforest rich in vegetation has more than 770 species of plants. There are plenty of treks you can do within the park of varying lengths and abilities.
Visit the salt Cathedral
Bogota
From Bogota you can take a full day tour to visit Zipaquira and the Salt Cathedral. For some this is a religious monument, others a celebration of engineering or maybe even an artistic masterpiece. For the beauty of its landscapes, the richness of its earth and the hidden jewel beneath the earth's surface, Zipaquira is somewhat of a must see during a stay in Bogota. The subtle lighting pronounces the fourteen Stations of the Cross as you descend in to the mine, each station sculpted by a different artist. At the deepest point of the cathedral, 180 m below the earth's surface, you encounter the nave and the north and south aisles dominated by the 16m high central cross. The illumination and execution of the work is a tribute to modern techniques and years of work from the miners and artists. Around the central square of the town of Zipaquira the colonial buildings still hold their charm footed by brickwork paving and overlooked by the Cathedral Diocesana de San Antonio.
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Where to stay in Colombia
Art Hotel Medellin
Medellin
Medellin's only boutique hotel, this stylish contemporary option is well placed in the centre of Medellin. It has 54...
Casa De La Botica Hotel
Bogota
A charming boutique hotel in the old town of Candelaria, this is a wonderfully restored 400 year old house that has an...
Casa Pestagua Hotel
Cartagena de Indias
A striking boutique hotel situated in the old historic centre, this magnificent Spanish colonial house has been...
La Passion Hotel
Cartagena de Indias
Originally built as a monastery in 1621, the Sofitel Santa Clara Hotel is a deluxe five star option in the heart of...
Park 10 Hotel
Medellin
The Park 10 Hotel boasts a convenient location with modern amenities in every guestroom and superb service. It has 2...
Plazuela De San Agustin Hotel
Villa De Leyva
This charming boutique hotel is well located in the historical town of Villa de Leyva in a former museum house close to...
Posada San Antonio
Villa De Leyva
Wonderfully located behind the cathedral in the historical centre, this intimate boutique lodging is evocative of the...
Sofitel Bogotá Victoria Regia
Bogota
A small, charming boutique hotel in the historic Candelaria district of the city, this is a fine simple option, with...
Hacienda Bambusa
Armenia
The boutique option, Hacienda Bambusa is located in the heart of Quindío, just 20 minutes away from Armenia and...
Sazagua Boutique Hotel
Pereira
Sazagua boutiue hotel is set in the countryside just outside of Pereira. There is a wonderful relaxing feel in the...
Casa India Catalina
Cartagena de Indias
This restored republican building is on an important historic street in Cartagena. It has 16 rooms, each with balcony...
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Suggested Itineraries
How to book a trip
Colombia Travel Guide
Bogota
Founded on 6 August 1538, the capital city is situated on fertile highland plains in the central region of the country. The city preserves its historical and institutional centres (La Candalaria) with narrow streets lined by churches, colonial mansions and republican buildings that house museums, theatres and institutions, giving the city a pleasant Bohemian and cultural ambience. Bogotá is also the cultural capital of Colombia and is home to over 40 museums including the famous Gold Museum housing the largest collection of pre-Hispanic gold in the world.
Coffee Zone
Colombian coffee is the smoothest in the world and is grown on the fertile lands of the Central cordillera where the coffee bushes are interspersed with a wide variety of native species to create beautiful landscapes full of life and colour. Los Nevados National Park, situated in this region, enjoys landscapes of immense solitude amid perpetual snows, frailejones and magical lakes.
Cartagena de Indias
A fairy-tale walled city of romance and sheer beauty (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Cartegena is studded with spectacular architecture, cobbled streets, bastions and leafy plazas, making it one of the hottest spots on the coast. Its strategic location made it a logical choice to use as a port of embarkation for the treasures of the Spanish Crown. Once established by the Spanish in 1533, the city rapidly gained affluence and as it blossomed, it attracted the attention of buccaneers who were interested in the treasures stored there, waiting to be shipped back to Europe. After five major sieges in the 16th century, including an attack by Sir Francis Drake, Cartegena upped its security, building a number of strongholds and fortresses. The increased security lead to successful resistance against invaders and the city went from strength to strength, eventually gaining independence from the Spanish Crown. Although the city has expanded dramatically since its heyday, the old city is virtually unchanged making it a tantalizing place to explore, relax and enjoy the array of lively outdoor cafés and vibrant nightlife
Medellin
Medellin is the country’s second city and enjoys a pleasant spring climate throughout the year. It is an important centre for industry, business and, most notably, textiles, and is regarded as the nations centre for fashion.
Paipa
Located three hours from Bogata, Paipa lies amidst a region famed for its thermal waters. Set in the Chicamocha Valley, the town lies beside the Sochagota Lake, where you can enjoy a range of water based activities. The nearby hydrotherapy centre provides a range of spa treatments including thermal pools, saunas and Turkish baths, whilst visitors to the Vargas swamp can visit the memorial to the 19th century battle for Colombian independence.
Popayan
Renowned for its lovely colonial architecture, the ‘white city’ of Popayan is famed for its culinary delights; so much so that in 2005 it was declared Latin America’s first city of gastronomy by UNESCO. The city’s historic centre is considered one of the most beautiful and best preserved in Latin America and amongst its more interesting attractions are the baroque churches of San Francisco and Santo Domingo and the Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art. The city’s famous cuisine is a rich mix of Spanish and indigenous dishes and its regular annual National Gastronomy Congress is one of the most popular events in the region.
San Agustin
Home to one of South America’s most important archaeological sites, San Agustin is liberally sprinkled with a fascinating collection of free standing pre-Colombian statues that span the 6th to the 14th centuries. Steeped in mystery, it is believed that the statues and ruins represent a mere 10% of what still remains to be discovered, with speculation growing of huge pyramids still buried in the area. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the ruins are spread over an area of 250 square miles and are considered to be amongst the most significant ancient finds anywhere in the Americas.
Santa Marta
Santa Marta boasts the accolade for being the oldest surviving colonial town in Colombia. Established by the Spanish in 1525, it was used as a gateway to the interior of the country and a base for plundering gold from the Tayronas. After numerous attacks from pirates and some bitter battles with the natives, the Spanish relocated their primary port to Cartegena de Indias. Today Santa Marta is an attractive and relaxed seaside town and is a stopover point to reach Tayrona National Park and the fishing village of Taranga.
Tayrona National Park
Situated on the Caribbean coast, where the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (at 5,770m the highest coastal tropical mountain in the world) sinks into the sea and forms bays of indescribable beauty, Tayrona National park is a Colombian gem. The white sandy beaches, mangroves, coral reefs and woods support a staggering array of flora and fauna. Numerous trails in the park offer trekking opportunities, or the chance to snorkel on the coral reefs and relax on the palm fringed shores.
Villa De Leyva
Declared a national monument in 1945, this magical town has been preserved in its entirety and virtually no modern architecture exists, making it one of the finest examples of a traditional colonial settlement anywhere in the Americas. At an altitude of 2140m, it enjoys a healthy, mild climate and relaxed atmosphere, making it a popular weekend break for city dwellers. Each December Villa de Leyva hosts a lively fiesta when neighbouring towns compete against each other with colourful fireworks displays and a street carnival takes place in the narrow cobbled streets. For three days, the city is then dominated by food, drink, music and dance in a fantastic party called La Fiesta de la Luz.
How to book a trip
Colombia Travel Information
Visa Information
UK Passport holders do not require a visa to visit Colombia.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip. Please ensure the passport details we hold for you are correct.
Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa documentation when starting your trip. Country entry regulations can alter daily and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies for any changes.
If you are travelling on a non UK passport please contact your relevant consulate/embassy for the latest visa information.
Insurance:
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours.
You should be aware that many standard insurance policies may not cover you adequately for all aspects of a Wild Frontiers trip and so we strongly recommend that you purchase a suitably designed insurance policy.
One such policy is the "Wild Frontiers" policy underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE " firm reference 202803), which is available to EU residents (which excludes Norway & Switzerland) through our website or via the insurance company direct on 0845 345 3456. Under this policy there are two different levels of cover available.
Standard policy: a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides cover for all Wild Frontiers activities, including trekking up to 6,000m. This policy does not provide cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel.
Elite policy: provides the same comprehensive level of cover as the standard policy. In addition the Elite policy also provides cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel. The policy will not provide cover for any claims arising from or relating to the reasons why the FCO is advising against travel.
If purchasing the Elite policy you also have the option to extend the cover provided by the policy to include cover for claims arising from a terrorist act in an area where the FCO is advising against travel. You can add this cover to your policy when purchasing online or over the telephone.
These policies are only available to those travelling on a Wild Frontiers holiday.
For more information and to purchase your policy online please visit the Insurance section of our website.
The cover is underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE), and is arranged by Travel & General Insurance Service Limited. Both companies are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Wild Frontiers Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Travel & General Insurance Company plc, details of which can be found at the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk.
To contact them please visit their website at www.travel-general.com or call 0845 408 0583.
Health and Vaccinations:
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Colombia though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. We recommend protection against Yellow Fever but that you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
We also recommend:
• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• You inform us of any pre-existing medical conditions or medication.
To be on the safe side you can also check on www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
