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Long neglected by travellers from all over the world because of the civil war that poisoned the country for some 50 years, Colombia has regained all its glory since peace with FARC was ratified. It is time today to take a trip to Colombia with a tour guide to discover a Latin American destination with many cultural and natural assets at the crossroads between South and Central America. From the snow-covered Andean peaks to the ochre sandy beaches of the Pacific coast where travellers can watch whales, from the lush Amazon rainforest where some indigenous peoples still live out of time to the fabulous monolith of the Piedra del Peñol, from the colonial architecture of Cartagena de Indias or the villages of Villa de Leyva and Barichara to the lost pre-Columbian city (Ciudad perdida) erected in the heart of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia is a real treasure box. Hikers will trek in the huge national parks of Tayrona, El Cocuy or Los Nevados. Adventurers will discover the exceptional fauna and flora of the Amazon or visit pre-Columbian archaeological sites. Fans of thrills will choose San Gil, the Colombian capital of extreme sports. Lazy lovers will opt for the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean coast of Colombia and the coral islands of the Rosary Archipelago, while coffee lovers will enjoy a cup under their sombrero in the many fincas (plantations) of the "Coffee Triangle", south of Medellín and towards Cali. Bogota, with its candelaria and its many museums, also has many assets and is an interesting stopover during your trip to Colombia

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What to visit Colombia?

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Bogotá Santa Marta Pijao Mocoa

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Bogotá Cartagena De Indias Medellín Cali Santa Marta Villa De Leyva Armenia Manizales

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Bogotá Cartagena De Indias Medellín Cali Barranquilla Manizales Salento Villa De Leyva

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When to go to Colombia?

The best time to go to Colombia is the dry season (December-March) even if the rainy season (April-May and October-November, depending on the region) is not to be avoided absolutely either because it does not rain all day except in the Amazon and on the Pacific coast. Three periods correspond to the high tourist season (temporada alta): mid-December to mid-January (school holidays), Semana santa (Holy Week, mid-April) and to a lesser extent, mid-June to late July (school holidays).

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Weather all year round

We are not talking about winter and summer in Colombia but about the dry and wet seasons because the level of precipitation varies much more during the year than temperatures. Of course, the weather changes depending on the region and altitude. The Amazon and the Caribbean region have a humid tropical climate, the Guajira a desert climate and the Andean region suffers from sometimes freezing temperatures.

Bogotá

Jan.: 9°C; 19°C

Feb.: 9°C; 20°C

Mar.: 10°C; 19°C

Apr.: 11°C; 19°C

May: 11°C; 19°C

June: 11°C; 18°C

July: 10°C; 18°C

Aug.: 10°C; 18°C

Sept.: 9°C; 19°C

Oct.: 10°C; 19°C

Nov.: 10°C; 19°C

Dec.: 9°C; 19°C

Budget

Everything is much more expensive at Christmas and during Holy Week, around mid-April. The rest of the year, the rates are more accessible.
The Colombian currency is the peso but the American dollar is also accepted (you will be given back the currency in peso).
In restaurants (except the most popular ones), it is customary to leave 10% of the amount of the bill to the waiter as a tip ("propina" in Spanish)

Procedures

No visa is required for a stay of less than 90 days in Colombia, a passport still valid for 6 months is sufficient. A 90-day extension is possible once on site, by going to the immigration offices. If you are transiting the United States both ways, remember to make an official ESTA request on the Internet at least 72 hours before your flight.

Health

You may be asked for a yellow fever vaccination certificate when entering the country if you arrive from certain destinations such as Brazil for example. In the mountains, you should be wary of altitude sickness. The best prevention is not to climb too high, too fast, and to drink plenty of water. In the forest, it is common to be bitten by insects, some of which transmit skin diseases (leishmaniasis, flea-chips, etc.) that can be revealed on the way back. Insect bites are easily infected in tropical environments and care should be taken to avoid small bites.

Avoid tap water, which is not often drinkable in Colombia.

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How to go to Colombia? Our advice & tips

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Colombia has many incoming agencies (tour operators present in the country) able to organise all or part of your stay (booking accommodation, domestic flights, guides...), or to plan and manage guided tours, activities and excursions on site. They have the best contacts throughout the country and the necessary insurance.

Discover our selection of travel agencies for this destination

There are direct flights to Colombia, particularly to the capital Bogota. Note that the price variation depends on the company borrowed, but especially on the time required to book. To obtain attractive rates, it is essential to do so well in advance. Remember to buy your tickets a few months before departure!

If the bus is the most common way to travel through Colombia with a terminal in each city, the plane remains the safest way to travel from one end of the immense national territory to the other when you look at road mortality statistics... There are many and frequent air links.

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