Colombia 🇨🇴
Hi!
We are Sinéad and Hugh and recently travelled/ backpacked around the world for 180 days and this is our recommended route through Colombia.
Colombia is one of the most culturally vibrant countries we have ever been to! Every village, town or city you visit is full of colour, art, music and dance. We highly highly recommend adding this incredible country to your bucketlist! 💃🏼🎨🎶🕺🏽
We want this blog to be short and to the point, only highlighting the essential information we needed during our trip, especially those tips that helped us stick to our budget!
However, as we went along, we put a daily 60 second vlog up to give a better flavour of what we got up to – if you want to check it out!
Costa Rica was Day 41-55 on our Instagram and TikTok!
Helpful Facts about Colombia
Population: ~53m (27th)
GDP: ~ $386bn USD (36th)
Average Net Monthly Salary: ~ $375 USD (82nd)
Main Spoken Language: Spanish
How to Say:
- Hello – Hola
- Please – Por favor
- Thank You – Gracias
Currency: Colombian Peso ($1 USD ~ 4000$ Pesos)
Money Situation: Cash is King. Card accepted in lots of touristy spots but I would always carry some cash! Lots of ATMs around but can experience queues. Most ATMs charge a fee of $3-$6 but we found that the Banco Caja Social ATMs did not charge a fee. However this does depend on your card type it seems!
Fun Facts: Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries on the plant with ~10% of the world’s flora and fauna species!
Personal Observations: While Colombia has a reputation in some parts of the world as quite a dangerous country, it has transformed in the last decade and we felt completely safe everywhere we went! In 1992 & 1993 Medillín was declared the most dangerous city in the world but in recent years it has been completely rejuvenated and is now the safest city in Colombia, packed full of culture & colour!
Average Costs in Colombia for Backpackers
Average Costs in Costa Rica per day per person:
🛏️ Accommodation: €17 – we stayed in private en suite rooms and these rooms were split between 2
🥘 Food & Drink: €16 – we cooked in where possible as eating out was a bit on the expensive side
🚌 Transport: €8 – see itinerary below for our route
🤿 Activities: €10* – this can vary hugely and does include paragliding in Guatepé!
💶 Total: €51
Total Cost for 15 days per person: €748
Budgeting:
Budgeting for any trip can be complex, especially if it is a long one with many destinations, countries and different costs of living!
We created and used a Travel Budget Tracker which we used for our full 180 day trip and helped us stay below budget!
You can download it here and will get a easy-to-follow Youtube tutorial on how its used!
Top tips we found to keep the costs down:
- Accommodation: Don’t just use Hostelworld but also look at Booking, Agoda and Revolut stays to find the best deals! Always, always, always study the reviews as well – but be aware that someone else’s ‘okay’ could be your ‘great’! (As was the case many times during our backpacking trip!)
- Food & Drink: Try to get breakfast included with your accommodation where possible and eat the local food!
- Transport: Booking in person in stations was cheaper for us 99% of the time but sometimes you still cant beat the convenience of busbud!
- Activities: These vary greatly from place to place so just make sure you have budgeted enough for your personal desires as these are one of the reasons that make travelling so special in our opinion!
Itinerary for Colombia
Day 1-4:
Cartagena
A stunningly beautiful old town that is packed full of art and colour everywhere you look! Do be prepared for the heat but don’t let that stop you getting out and about to explore all the wonderful streets, cafes and restaurants 🎨🖌️🌮
How to get to from Panama to Cartagena:
As detailed in our Panama post – we highly highly recommend doing the amazing 5 day sailing adventure crossing from San Blas to Cartegena!
Day 5-6:
Santa Marta
This seaside town is worth at least an overnight stop to take in the promenade, restaurants and the nightlife scene! 🪩🥘🍤
How to get from Cartagena to Santa Marta:
Book a bus online for the ~5 hour trip. It will cost anywhere between $15-$30 depending on the type, time of day and year!
Day 7-9:
Minca
What. A. Beautiful. Place. Get Minca into your Colombia itinerary whatever you do! Nestled high in the the northern jungle mountains it is the perfect place to get a few days of relaxation in the most peaceful and serene of locations. There are some stunning accommodation options, excellent food spots and some great day activity tours! We would highly recommend @mincajunglejoe and their coffee, chocolate and biodiversity day tour! 🍫 ☕️🦜
How to get from Santa Marta to Minca:
There is a bus from the station in Santa Marta but if staying near the promenade you will need to take a taxi to the station. For this reason we got a taxi all of the way as the journey is a short 40 minutes.
Day 10-11:
Guatapé
Take the 750+ steps at sunset to the top of El Peñol for the spectacular views over the whole of Guatapé – you will not be disappointed! While the man-made lake is the highlight, the town of Guatapé and so much colour and charm you’ll find it hard to leave. The are some wonderful cafes and eateries too, we would highly recommend checking out @guatacrep while in town! 🥞🌯🍨
How to get to Guatapé from Minca:
The option we took, as it was most efficient, was an hour flight from Santa Marta to Medellín and an Uber from there as the airport is on the East side of Medellín, closest to Guatapé. There are a bunch of ‘slower’ alternatives that include a ~16 hour bus from Minca to Mellellín followed by a 2 hour bus from there to Guatapé. This option is cheaper but adds a lot of time!
Day 12-15:
Medellín
Medellín’s storied history and rejuvenation is nothing short of extraordinary and a walking tour to learn all about it is a must when here! Each neighbourhood is vastly different and offers eye opening experiences for travellers. Comuna 13 is the most vibrant and colourful of them all and truly worth the visit! 🚝🇨🇴🚠
How to get from Guatepé to Medellín:
Get the bus from Guatapé to Terminal del Norte in Medeillín for ~$5. From there you can hop on the metro and go to any neighbour you want!
Stay, Eat & Do in Colombia for Backpackers
Cartagena
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Cartagena
- Hotel Casa Agustina in the Old Town. Great location and excellent rooms but slightly above our usual backpacker budget of 40$ a night for a private ensuite room.
- Hostal 1811 is a more budget friendly option for backpackers and an equally perfect location in the Old Town. No breakfast on offer though.
- Casa Noir Our recommended choice in the beautifully colourful area of Getsemani which centres on Holy Trinity Square which often has live music, dancing and some great food options!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Cartagena
- Di Silvio Trattoria – Italian! But Excellent.
- Restaurante Candé – more on the expensive side but an incredible experience of excellent Colombian food, live music and dancing!
- Café San Alberto Cartagena – a coffee experience! Every type of coffee you want, made in front of you. As well as some delicious cakes!
🧗♀️ Do: What to do in Cartagena
- Walk the old town walls to get some sea views
- Stroll around the beautiful colonial streets and pop into one of the many cafés
- Explore the neighbourhood of Getsemani with its amazing colours and beautiful artwork
- Enjoy the nightlife – Cartagena is buzzing almost every night!
Santa Marta
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Santa Marta
- The Blue House Hostel pool, breakfast, location & value – what more do you need!
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Santa Marta
- El Mexican Santa Marta – mexican, value, vibe
- Gnam Gelato Italiano – excellent gelato
- Restaurante LamArt – cute, colourful and tasty!
🤿 Do: What to Do in Santa Marta
Walk the promenade at sunset
- Take in the nightlife in one of the many hopping bars and clubs!
- If not going to Minca overnight, take a day trip!
Minca
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Minca
- Jungle Joes Ecolodge views views and more views! Set high in the mountains of Minca looking down the valley over Santa Marta and the coast. Still within walking distance of Minca town!
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Minca
- The Lazy Cat – centre of town
- Taco y Chela Minca – tacos!
- Amora Cocina Saludable – lovely lunch spot
🧗♀️ Do: What to Do in Minca
- Do a biodiversity tour
- Do a cacao & coffee tour
- Walk to a nearby waterfall
- Sunrise yoga in the mountains
- Relax and take in the views – go slow!
Guatapé
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Guatapé
- Casa Pastora is a small, family run hostel with only 4/5 rooms. It is ideal for an easy stay that is good value!
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Guatapé
- Guatacrep – highly highly recommend for excellent savoury and sweet crepes!
- Montano – next door to Guatcrep, a lovely place for brunch
- Gaia Veggie Restobar – veggie option with fantastic flavours!
🧗♀️ Do: What to Do in Guatapé
- Get out the lake by boat
- Walk around the pretty colourful streets of the town and stop for a local coffee
- Go paragliding!
- Hike the ~750 steps up El Penol for the most spectacular view of your life over all of Guatapé!
Medellín
🛏️ Stay: Where to Stay in Medellín
- International Hostel Medellin in El Poblado (THE area to stay in) is an excellent value choice with a decent breakfast and walking distance to many restaurants and the metro
- We don’t want to recommend anywhere we haven’t been to ourselves so check out Booking, Agoda and Revolut Stays for all other levels of accommodation and the best deals!
- Check out Hostelworld for hostels but be aware that you can often find the same place directly online or through Booking or Agoda for a better price!
🥙 Eat: Where to Eat in Medellín
- Pizzeria Olivia Manila – excellent Italian
- Philly Steaks – great quick service
- Bao Bei Cocina Asiática Contemporánea – unreal bao buns, make a reservation as this place books out!
🧗♀️ Do: What to Do in Medellín
- Visit Comuna 13. We cannot stress this enough. Just go!
- Take a walking tour of the centre to learn about the incredible history of Medellín
- Go on the cables cars
- Soak up the El Poblado nightlife
- Take a ride on the metro and look out at the incredible views of the Comunas in the hills!
Add our Colombia Google Map!
We pinned all of crucial locations as went along – including hostels, hotels, bus stops, restaurants, cafés and must-see sights!
Feel free to save our Google Map for Colombia if you wish!