Colombia, a land of adventure, is a country where the landscapes are breathtaking, the colors are more vivid than elsewhere, a country where all travelers find their happiness. It is a country where people share, where they are happy, warm, where music and dance give rhythm to everyday life and at night the party is longer.
As you may have understood, I am convinced that Colombia deserves its place among the most beautiful countries in the world, as much for its many destinations, each more beautiful than the other, as for its rich culture, its traditions, its fascinating history and for the friendliness of Colombians.
Let me convince you. I take you to 10 wonderful and unmissable destinations in Colombia:
Tayrona Park
Hike through Tayrona Park, this Caribbean treasure trove of biodiversity where monkeys and rare species of birds are common. Walk its steep paths through the jungle and you will discover upon reaching the top, an exceptional panorama of the crystal clear Caribbean waters, and the cabanas of Ecohabs perched on the mountain, overlooking the sea.
But the adventure doesn’t end there. You can continue the hike along the beach, pause from time to time to bathe in this water that seems to be heated, and then reach the Cabo San Juan where you can spend the night in a hammock or tent. This paradisiacal place, yet particularly secluded from the world, is an ideal place to meet and share this interlude with strangers from all over the world.
This Nature Park is probably the most beautiful place I’ve had the chance to visit in my life.
The desert of Guajira
At the northernmost point of Colombia are Punta Gallinas, and at the tip of the Guajira Peninsula, the Cabo de la Vela. A particularly off-the-beaten-path and deserted region where you will be welcomed by the Wayúu community, one of the few indigenous cultures still living their ancestral traditions. This community has a unique artisanal know-how, and its products such as bags, and colorful hand-woven hammocks are highly coveted in the world, and unfortunately quite often illegally reproduced.
Between sand dunes and rocky cliffs, the desert of Guajira meets the Caribbean Sea. An unbelievable scenery that is worth a 4×4 excursion!
The Coffee Region
The Coffee Region is without a doubt the most important destination in Colombia if you want to discover the roots of the Colombian culture in which coffee plays a very important role.
In this coffee triangle, drawn by the 3 cities of Manizales, Armenia and Pereira, you will be able to stay in a coffee producing hacienda, learn everything there is to know about coffee, from its harvest to the tasting. But, whether you like coffee or not,the Eje Cafetero has much more to offer… By Jeep Willis, horseback or on foot, you must explore the Cocora Valley where the huge wax palms grow and admire the breathtaking landscape. You will especially enjoy visiting the quiet and colorful village of Salento, where you can taste the specialties of the region.
Rediscover the scenery of the Coffee Region in this article from Figaro Magazine: In Colombia, on the road to green gold.
Santander
A stay in Santander should enchant the most adventurous among you! In San Gil and its surroundings, you will have the opportunity to practice all the extreme sports in the world. Make your dreams come true and overcome your fears by accepting the challenge: rafting, paragliding, great zip line, bungee jumping … By living this extreme experience you will discover new exceptional landscapes of Colombia. Don’t miss passing by Barichara, a small colonial village recognized as the most beautiful in the country. Will the more curious dare to taste this very strange specialty of the department: the Hormiga Culona, or “big-ass ant”?
Cartagena and its Islands
Who hasn’t dreamed of a vacation in the Caribbean sun? Cartagena and the Caribbean islands are definitely must-see destinations in Colombia. Discover the charms of Cartagena, the jewel of the Caribbean, visit the lively alleys of the historic center, watch the sunset from the city walls and go dancing the Champeta in a bar in the Getsemani neighborhood.
A stay on one of the Caribbean’s paradise islands is a total change of scenery, and will make you forget all your worries. San Andres, Providencia, the Rosario or San Bernardo Islands… For different budgets and different desires, you will find your paradise.
The Lost City
The Lost City is a sacred archaeological site in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. During the trek through the jungle of the Sierra Nevada, in search of the Lost City, you will be accompanied by an indigenous Kogi guide, a specialist of the area, who will share with you his knowledge of the history of the Lost City and the traditions of his community.
The desert of Tatacoa and San Agustin
In Colombia, love shines under the stars of the Tatacoa Desert. Located away from the pollution of the cities, the place is ideal for constellation watching and camping in the middle of the desert. During the day, don’t leave your guide behind, you might get lost in the vastness of the gray or red earth desert, dotted with large cacti.
Visiting San Agustín, you will follow in the footsteps of pre-Columbian civilizations of the past. More than 500 gigantic stone statues and deities dotting the landscape tell us the story of forgotten cultures that saw in them a link between deities, the dead and the living.
Around San Agustin, go on an ecological hike in a fascinating setting and enjoy the ideal temperatures. You will discover coffee and sugar cane crops. It will take you about 30 minutes to walk to the Salto de Bordones, a waterfall of exceptional beauty.
The Amazon region
Another adventure awaits you! The Amazon rainforest, shared by 9 Latin American countries, is a haven of biodiversity. Upon arrival in Leticia, you can choose to visit the heart of the jungle with its many mysteries, or meet monkeys of many species on the monkey island. In the waters of the Amazon, the largest river in the world after the Nile, you can admire pink dolphins or fish for piranhas. Tempting, isn’t it?
Finally, in the immensity of the Amazonian forest, go to meet the indigenous communities, who will be delighted to make you discover their culinary specialities as original as delicious.
Caño Cristales
The torrent of Caño Cristales, adorned with a palette of incredible colors, yellow, green, red, black and blue, is a wonderful attraction of La Macarena National Natural Park. Its colors come from the aquatic plants growing on the rocks at the bottom of the water. While discovering this incredible site, you will also have the chance to admire a particularly diversified fauna and flora, the occasion to appreciate the numerous natural wealth of Colombia.
El Chocó
The Chocó region is an extraordinary destination, where nature is magnificent and particularly untouched. You will live a unique experience, on the cultural and human level! Ecotourism enthusiasts and adventurers, go for a walk or a horseback ride on the paradisiacal beaches of Bahia Solano or in the luxuriant vegetation of the natural parks, or go to admire the humpback whales in the Pacific.
To rediscover the unmissable corners of El Chocó, read or re-read our blog post: El Chocó, an excursion off the beaten track.
If after reading this article you don’t feel like traveling to Colombia, then I don’t understand… The difficulty will be to choose, there is not a corner of the country that is not worth a visit.
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