Colombia, thanks to its location near the equator, two different oceans and an extreme topography, has to offer a variety of different destinations, which, together with various cultural traditions, make up the quintessence of the subcontinent.
From the legendary port city of Cartagena on the Caribbean coast to the enigmatic statues of San Agustín or the shaft tombs of the Tierradentro culture in the mountainous south, from the white sandy beaches of the Tayrona National Park against the majestic backdrop of the world’s highest coastal mountains to the literarily immortalized river port of Mompox on the River Magdalena.
The classic trekking tours will take you deep into the jungle of the Sierra Madre de Santa Marta to Ciudad Perdida or to the snow-covered peaks of the Andes in the Cocuy National Park.
Whale watchers find good conditions off Colombia’s Pacific coast between July and October, and ( wealthy) divers are drawn to Providencia, San Andrés’ little, more beautiful sister, far out in the Caribbean Sea.
Among the country’s major cities, Medellín, which has undergone a true metamorphosis in recent decades from a notorious drug centre to a modern metropolis, is worth a visit in addition to the capital Bogotá.
Many travel routes in Colombia focus on the so-called coffee zone in the centre of the country, which is not only due to the harmony of the beautiful landscape, but also to Colombia’s geography.
The two mighty mountain cordilleras, which cross the country from north to south, complicate classic round trips.
Thanks to affordable and reliable domestic flights, more exotic destinations can also be combined to interesting itineraries that convey contrasting impressions of a fascinating country.