Itinerary to visit Colombia in 3 weeks (map and stages)

Colombia is a country that offers a unique travel experience. Located in South America, it is bordered by the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea, offering a wide variety of landscapes.

Yes, but then which itinerary should you choose for a 3-week tour in Colombia?

To be able to define it, I had to choose the points of interest, the places "to absolutely visit" and estimate the transport times between each site. Thus, I defined an itinerary of a little more than 3 weeks that I detail below step by step.

But I had to eliminate the “Amazon forest” part because it was too complicated to organize logistically and especially because some places still seem very risky and dangerous.

Indeed, even if the security situation has improved a lot in recent years, there are still some places that remain risky when organizing a tour yourself. See the Areas to avoid in Colombia.

So, I preferred to skip this part of Colombia to be able to enjoy longer the other regions and cities that I really want to discover.

My itinerary to visit Colombia in 3 weeks

Before flying to Colombia, it is important to plan your trip carefully.

Here is my itinerary for a 3-week trip to Colombia + seaside extension which allows you to visit the most beautiful tourist sites in this country:

• 1  Arrival in Bogota and check-in at the hotel.
• 2 City tour of Bogota (See details below).
• 3 Transportation from Bogota to the Tatacoa Desert.
• 4 visit the TATACOA DESERT.
• 5 Transportation from Tatacoa Desert to Armenia with overnight in Armenia.
• 6 Transportation from Armenia to SALENTO – Guest-house installation and discovery of the premises.
• 7 Visit to the coffee region (Salento – Finca de café – Filandia).
• 8 Visit of the Cocora Valley
• 9 Road transportation from Salento to Medellin
• 10 Visit ofEl Penol and Guatape
• 11 Visit to Medellin from historic center and commune 13 with French-speaking guide.
• 12 Flight to Santa Marta + hotel check-in.
• 13 to 16 visit the TAYRONA PARK + CIANAGA GRANDE OF MAGDALENA
• 17 Transportation from Santa Marta to MINCA - Trekking in the heart of the mountains, along the rivers. Visit the coffee and cocoa finca, a Kogui house with explanations on the therapeutic uses of coca.
• 18 Hiking around Minca
• 19 Road transport from Minca to Cartagena
• 20 Visit of CARTHAGEN OF INDIA
• 21 Discovery CARTHAGENE AREAS
• 22 Transportation from Cartagena to Mucura Island + hotel check-in.
• 23 MUCURA ISLAND - Beach and idleness
• 24 MUCURA ISLAND – Beach and relaxation
• 25 Return transport to Cartagena
• 26 Return flight to France

Google maps of my 3 week itinerary in Colombia

To give you an idea of ​​the distances to be covered, here is the map of my circuit going from the south to the north of Colombia in 3 weeks:

Detail of the 21 days of visit to Colombia

Days 1 and 2: Visit of Bogota

• Start your day by taking the cable car or funicular up to the Monserrate Sanctuary, which offers panoramic views of the city. Spend about 1 hour at the top.

• Hop off and head to the historic La Candelaria neighborhood. Stroll through the colorful streets lined with colonial houses and admire the graffiti. See free tour Street Art Bogota

• Visit the Botero Museum, which houses an impressive collection of works by Fernando Botero and other artists. Allow 1 hour for the visit.
• Head to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a magnificent neo-Gothic cathedral.
• Have lunch in Plaza Bolívar, Bogota's main square, surrounded by historic buildings like the National Capitol of Colombia and the Palace of Justice.
• Then head to the Plazoleta de Rosario where you will discover the statue of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quezada, the founder of Bogota.
• Next, you will visit the Gold Museum, which features an exceptional collection of pre-Columbian gold objects. Allow 1 hour for the visit.
• Stroll through the trendy La Macarena neighborhood, known for its art galleries, designer boutiques and hip restaurants.
• End your day at the National Museum of Colombia, housed in a former prison. Learn about Colombian history and culture through its archaeological and artistic collections.

Well located accommodation in safe neighborhoods in bogota : Hotel Saint Simon

Days 3 to 5: Tatacoa Desert

To visit the Tatacoa Desert in Colombia, here are the main steps to follow:

Getting to Neiva, the capital of the department of Huila. From Neiva, reach Villavieja by bus or private transport.

From Villavieja, there are several options to reach the desert:

• Tuk-tuk: 20 pesos for 000 people, 2-minute ride
• motorcycle taxi
• On foot: approximately 1 hour walk

Once in the desert, you can visit:

• The Red Desert (El Cuzco) – Allow 2 hours for the visit (Free entry)
• The Grey Desert (Los Hoyos) – Allow 1 hours for the visit (free entry) with the possibility of swimming in a pool at the entrance.

Well located accommodation for visiting the Tatacoa Desert: Colonial Hotel

Days 5 to 9: Coffee region

• Salento and Coffee Culture: Arrival and visit of Salento, a charming picturesque town in the heart of the coffee region – Visit of a finca (coffee plantation) to discover the coffee production process.
• Filandia: Visit Filandia, a village with colorful facades
• Cocora Valley: Hike in the Cocora Valley, famous for its giant wax palms, observing the unique flora and fauna of this region.

Well located accommodation in Salento for visiting the Coffee region: Hotel Jerico

Days 9 to 12: Medellin and its surroundings

• Salento – Medellin route: Departure from Salento by Flota Occidental bus at 08:00 – Arrival in Medellin (Terminal del Norte) at 14:00 + Check-in at the hotel and rest
• Excursion to El Peñol and Guatapé: Early morning departure for Guatapé (2h drive from Medellin) + Visit to the Piedra del Peñol (740 steps, entrance 25 COP) and exploration of the colorful village of Guatapé
• Guided tour of Medellin: Tour of the historic center with a French-speaking guide (Plaza Botero and its sculptures, Carabobo pedestrian street, Bolivar Park, Antioquia Museum (works by Fernando Botero) + Visit of Comuna 13 in the afternoon.

Well located accommodation in safe neighborhood in medellin : Poblado Manila Hotel

Days 12 to 19: Sierra Nevada

Flight from Medellin to Santa Marta.

• Visit the historic old town of Santa Marta.
• Visit Tayrona National Park for its beautiful beaches and biodiversity.
• Day trip to the Cienaga Grande de Magdalena.
• Journey to Minca in the heart of the Sierra Nevada.
• Visit to an organic cocoa finca on the heights of the village.
• Hike to Pozo Azul and Marinka waterfalls.

Well located accommodation for visiting Santa Marta: Hotel Park and in Minca: Minca Glamping

Days 19 to 21: Cartagena de Indias

• Taxi route from Minca to Cartagena (approx. 5h) for 800 COP. Visit the historic center of Cartagena (Torre del Reloj, Plaza de los Coches, Plaza Santo Domingo, Catedral Santa Catalina, Palace of the Inquisition and walk on the walls at sunset.
• The next day, explore the colorful Getsemani neighborhood, the church and convent of Santo Domingo and Cerro de la Popa to enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Cheap and well-located accommodation for visiting Cartagena: Casa de la Trinidad Hotel

Mucura Island (option for a few more days)

Choose the Mucura Island to end my tour in Colombia was an excellent idea for several reasons:

• Paradise setting: Mucura offers white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of an exceptional transparent blue, creating an idyllic environment to relax.
• Tranquility: The island is still preserved from mass tourism, especially outside the high season, allowing visitors to enjoy a calm and authentic atmosphere.
• Relaxing activities: The stay passes gently between swimming, lazing around and walks, ideal for resting after an intense trip.
• Unique experiences: Possibility of swimming among phosphorescent plankton at night, a magical and unforgettable experience.
• Local gastronomy: Enjoy freshly caught seafood, such as lobsters, prepared simply but deliciously.
• Spectacular Sunsets: The island offers magnificent sunset views, perfect to end the day.
• Total disconnection: Absence of shops and city, allowing a real break with the outside world.

Accommodation facing the most beautiful beach in Mucura: Hotel Mucura club hotel

What transport for this tour in Colombia?

First of all, the plane of course. This is the most expensive part of the trip!

Total: 1 Euros (round trip flight + 227 domestic flights). I flew with LUFTHANSA from Toulouse via Frankfurt to Bogotá. For the return, I flew from Cartagena to Bogotá then Frankfurt and Toulouse. A Medellín-Santa Marta flight is included in this price.

Then, I estimated on GOOGLE MAPS the distances and transport times between the different sites and stages of my itinerary. Many journeys are quite long (between 7 and 10 hours of driving). The most economical solution is the bus.

But given the bus travel times with the many stops, delays, discomfort? I preferred to plan (but only for certain long journeys) a private driver (see quote below). It was the best compromise!

Find a guide for part of my tour in Colombia

To visit cities known to be dangerous (Bogota and Medellin), I preferred to use the services of a French-speaking guide. (see my article LOCAL GUIDE IN COLOMBIA).

The guide and private driver services only apply for 12 days out of 25. All I had to do was organize the visits and transportation for the other 13 days.

Services with local agency

Here are the only parts for which I used the services of a local travel agency:

• DAY 2 : 9:30 a.m. Visit of the historic center of Bogota, La Candelaria with a French-speaking guide. Visit of the Botero Museum in the morning. Lunch then continuation of the visit of La Candelaria before going to the Monserrate viewpoint (instead of the Gold Museum closed on Mondays).
• DAY 3 : Journey Bogota – Tatacoa (Villavieja), between 6h and 7h of transport depending on the traffic leaving Bogota.
• DAY 5 : Villavieja – Armenia journey (approximately 6 hours of transport).
• DAY 7 : Private vehicle and French-speaking guide for the visit of the sites of the Cocora valley, the village of Salento and Filandia.   
• DAY 8 : Private vehicle and French-speaking guide in the morning.
• DAY 9 : Salento – Medellin journey approximately 6h30 transport.
• DAY 10 : Penol de Guatapé excursion with French-speaking guide/driver specializing in the region (private transport). Approximately 4 hours round trip for Medellin - Guatapé.
• DAY 11 : Departure in the morning for a visit to the historic center of Medellin and the commune 13 with French-speaking guide.  
• DAY 17 : Departure with your French-speaking guide. Trekking along rivers and in the heart of magnificent mountains. Visit to a coffee and cocoa finca, visit to a Kogui house with explanation of the therapeutic uses of coca.  
• DAY 19 : Minca – Cartagena route.
• DAY 22 : Departure at 9am from the port of Cartagena (center) to the hotel in Mucura (2 hours by boat).
• DAY 25 : Departure to mucura around 10am. Return to the port of Cartagena center around 11am.

Budget for my 3 week trip to Colombia

For this 3-week trip to Colombia, here is the budget to plan for two people:

• Hosting : If you opt for cheap hotels, you can expect to pay around €40 per night for two people. For 24 nights, this is around €960.
• Transport : Transport by private driver will be more expensive than public transport. Estimate around €100 per day of travel (7 days of transport in my itinerary) or €700.
• Food : Expect to pay around €20 per day per person for meals, eating in small local restaurants or street stalls. For 25 days, that's €1000 for two people.
• Activities and visits : Plan on around €15 per day per person for entrance fees to sites and activities. For 25 days, this represents €750 for two people.
• Domestic flights: The Medellin – Santa Marta flight will cost around €100 per person, or €200 for two.

We arrive at a total budget of around €3 for two people, or a little over €610 per person.

This budget does not include international flights to and from Colombia as prices may vary depending on the season, departure city and departure and return dates.

My impressions of this circuit in Colombia

Back in France, you will find below my general impressions of my 3-week tour in Colombia.

• Extreme kindness of Colombians who are always benevolent and selfless. They are generous and have their hearts on their hands; They know how to make their country endearing.
• Very varied and wild landscapes with unspoiled nature (lots of flowers and birds). Mass tourism is almost non-existent on certain sites (outside the Caribbean zone);
• Bright colors everywhere: on houses, on clothes, on buses ...
• Very pronounced musical and festive culture: we hear salsa everywhere and all the time (from breakfast to bedtime, including buses and taxis!);
• No insecurity except in the big cities where you simply have to avoid certain areas of Bogota or Medellin, especially at night.

If you want to follow the steps of my circuit, go to the link: Arrival in Bogota - D1 to discover our 1st day and continue by following day by day!