Colombia is a mega diverse country, which means it has a lot to offer in terms of places to visit, landscapes to see and activities to do. At Tripidea, we are aware that there are multiple opportunities to visit the country in different ways. There is the possibility of resort-type tourism in the Colombian Caribbean, there are many mountains with and without snow for trekking and mountain sports, there are many villages and small fields for rural ecotourism as well as the main cities where we can participate in the nightlife offered by Bogotá and Medellín for example.
When we envisioned this trip, the main idea was to offer the most variety that Colombia has to offer: from the cosmopolitan cities, which have already been catalogued as the best to live in and where the nightlife is spectacular, to the fields where the sun is the alarm clock and you only hear the birds singing, from the beach to the mountains, from prejudice to the wonder of knowing a country and experiencing the true reality for yourself.
The size of the country therefore requires, for nationals and foreigners, to travel by plane between cities, since even though the highways are good, a trip from Medellín to Bogotá, for example, by car would take 14 hours and by plane it is only 45 minutes. This helps us to avoid extra fatigue and gives us the possibility to enjoy each place a little more.
For The Tripidea, the trip itinerary is balanced and provides what we think people should remember on a trip to Colombia: nature, mountains, beaches, cities, joy, coffee, flowers... history and understanding.
No, you don't need a visa. European Union countries are exempt from a visa to enter the country, you only need a passport valid for 6 months, counting from the date of return (departure from Colombia) and with at least two empty pages for the migration stamps.To date, entry to the country requires the completion of the Check Mig online migration form.
The stay will be made in hotels and local accommodation, when possible, which offer all the necessary basic amenities and which are in areas where the use of the sites is greater. For solo travellers or with friends, the rooms will be twins (with two separate beds) or triple (when requested to do so in advance), for couple travellers, the rooms will be double; all rooms with private bathroom.
For the itineraries we have planned, we will use a little bit of everything: planes for internal flights, taxis, private vans, buses and small transport within the cities, Willys in the villages and horses for the ascent to the sightseeing places in Valle del Cocora.
Colombia has gone through several phases of violence, nowadays it is a more open country and these situations of violence are no longer so common. It's important to be smart and avoid situations that could put us at risk, as the Colombians say "don't give papaya". With the help and guidance of our guides everything will go well.
The trip through Colombia is a balanced trip, there will be times when the pace will be faster and other times when the pace will be slower. You will have moments to rest and freedom to discover for yourself, as well as there will be times when we have to follow schedules and the guide instructions.
Once you make your travel reservation, you will receive the travel program with all the information you need to comfortably enjoy Colombia. Bear in mind that for 14 days in Colombia, a 50 litre backpack (approximately 10-12 kg) and a backpack as a personal item will be sufficient.
In the country, meat, chicken and fish are the basis of the daily diet depending on the location. In the cities there is variety for vegetarians/vegans. The restaurants where we will have lunch are all vegan-friendly. Arepas, empanadas and buñuelos are everywhere! The food is not usually spicy unless you want it (you can order ají for the empanadas for example).
We suggest that you book a Traveller's Consultation approximately one (1) month before your trip, healthcare professionals will be able to give you the best recommendations in this regard.
We advise using Revolut as a debit/credit card in Colombia due to the low fees they charge for payments/withdrawals. We also advise you to try to buy COP in your country of departure or upon arrival to exchange EUR/USD for COP. All bank cards work well and almost everywhere in the cities they receive card payments, there are also many ATM's around, service and fees will only depend on your banks. For villages and secondary cities, you need to bring cash. As for values, an average of €15 per day is spent on food, and for personal expenses this depends on each traveller.
There is a 6 hour difference between Portugal and Colombia in summer and 5 hours in winter.
The electrical current is 120V and the outlet is American.
There is internet connection in most of the country, although in mountainous or beach areas the speed decreases.
