I spent 3 weeks in Colombia: Here’s how it went…
Welcome to this Colombia Itinerary that I designed for one of my latest trips!
If you are in the planning stages of your backpacking trip to Colombia and still looking for ideas, this page will hopefully be somewhat of a guiding star – perfect for you.
Just think, bustling beaches, breathtaking mountains and endearing towns…
In fact, this 3 week Colombia itinerary should equip you the know-how and travel tools necessary to see some of the most tourist friendly destinations the country has to offer.
3 weeks in Colombia Itinerary
Even though I’ve already traveled to most of Colombia’s favorite tourist destinations, I like to return to them, too, so for this, just know I’ve kept things relatively simple.
This Itinerary is designed off the back of our original backpacking Colombia guide which makes up part of our mammoth backpacking South America guide (I’ll link to it later).
It is also worth noting that both George and I have done separate trips to Colombia that coincidently include the majority of the destinations on this page.
I recently did some solo travel in Colombia and have noted a bunch of the new places I visited (in the Antioquía region), especially for this, so you can choose to extend your trip.
To keep things as simple, though, let’s get right into it! Then you can begin to work out your own route whilst learning how I like to travel around Colombia with my backpack.
🇨🇴 Colombia itinerary:
- 1. Cartagena
- 2. Santa Marta
- 3. Medellin
- 4. Bogota
As you may already know, Colombia is a real melting pot of culture, and if this is the first country in the region that you visit, then you will have the warmest introduction here.
With it’s sizzling climate, pool parties, and picturesque beaches; Colombia has lots to offer. Remember to click on each location (where I place a link) to learn more.
Also, before I forget… now might be a good time to work on your Spanish. Check out this little book that I recommend to backpackers visiting the region for their first time.
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Colombia Itinerary (3 weeks)
Now I have introduced the 4 main cities I visited, let’s get into planning your 3 weeks in Colombia so you can begin to work out how you’ll spend your time here.
My suggestions below are not overly ambitious, so you will have time to feel like you are connecting with each region. Especially if you use domestic flights as a way to navigate the country. I highly reccommend that you use flight to cross between regions.
For transpanrency, I flew into El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá…
Bogotá
Duration: (3 Days) > Time: Day count: 1
On arrival to the capital, check into a hostel in La Candalaria and spend some time hiking to the nearby Monserrate, then check out the Gold museum.
If you’re into the nightscene, there are plenty of great nightlife options in Bogotá, too, such as Latino Power (Colombian music) and Baum (EDM).
A great, off-the-beaten-path day trip from Bogota can be taken to the nearby town of Zipaquirá, where there is a Cathedral made entirely out of salt, which was built into the depths of a mountain.
It is surreal and can be reached with this private tour or with independent travel from Bogotá. A must for anyone traveling in South America.
Aim to go beneath the surface while here. As you work through this itinerary you’ll learn that Bogota and Cartagena are two of the most tourist-heavy places to visit.
🏁 Stops for your Bogota Itinerary:
- Stop #1: La Candalaria
- Stop #2: Museo Botero
- Stop #3: Monserrate
- Stop #4: Gold Museum
- Stop #5: Graffti Tour
When it comes to foods and other daily activities, I suggest you follow this 3 days in Bogota itinerary for more specific things to do that will help you plan your time effectively.
Salento
Duration: (2 Days) > Days on Road: 4
The next morning you’ll head to the bus station. With such a short but sufficient time to connect yourself with the amazing country, Salento is a cultural gem stuck in a time warp with which you can navigate without going too far off the beaten track.
Whether it’s doing one of the many coffee tours, or hiking to those giraffe-like palm trees, you’ll have no trouble with spending a night or two in this rural-valley heaven.
There are no direct buses to Salento from Bogota but you can get a bus to Armenia or Pereira and take a connecting bus from there (expect around a 7 hour journey).
Medellín
Duration: (4 Days) Days on Road: 7
Medellín es una chimba! You can arrive by catching a flight transfer direct from Bogotá, or by crossing from Panama by boat and taking the bus from Necoclí (although you will arrive in Capurganá first, then you will need to take a 11 hour bus to Medellín).
See this guide to 3 days in Medellin as it will help you out dearly.
In the city itself, you’ll want to take a cable car (on the outskirts of the city) up to Arví Park, where you will be surrounded by nature and incredible views of the city.
You can also take a day trip to the colorful town of Guatapé from Medellin, which has beautiful buildings and murals dotted on every street you encounter.
On the way back, you check out Piedra de Peñol! A massive rock that has no business being in that part of the region! Climb up it to get some amazing views of the surrounding region. You can even do a tour like this one as in some cases it can save you time.
Santa Marta
Duration: (4 Days) Days on Road: 16
Your next stop after Medellin on this 3 week Colombia itinerary will take you to Santa Marta, the Caribbean paradise.
Arriving in Santa Marta from Medellin will take you around 20 hours by bus, or you can hop on one of the many Avianca flights that leave daily (highly reccommended).
For me, Santa is my favorite base outside Medellin to start new adventures in off-the-beaten-track places such as La Guajira which many travelers don’t make it to.
Base yourself here for a few days, sit back enjoy the street food on offer and then head on over to the nearby Tayrona National Park for the most lush jungles and beaches.
Also, one of the things to do in Santa Marta is check out nearby Taganga. If you’re into diving, this is perfect and offers calmer and more local fishing village vibes.
🏁 Stops for your Santa Marta Itinerary:
- Stop #1: Parque de los novios
- Stop #2: Taganga
- Stop #3: Tayrona Park
- Stop #4: Palomino
- Stop #5: Minca
Cartagena
Duration: (2 Days) Days on Road: 16
Arriving in Cartagena, you’ll instantly feel a new level of heat humidity! Given its unique and strategic location, there is a different vibe in the air to that of Santa Marta.
Jump in a taxi from outside the airport and within 5–7 minutes you’ll arrive in the old town, which has everything you need to get started on your adventure. If you arrive by a shuttle transer you’ll be able to walk from the dropoff point.
On this blog, both George and I have covered in more detail the journey on how to get from Santa Marta to Cartagena, so remember ti check out that guide for more tips.
With some of Colombia’s best beaches and cultural attractions within walking distance, you can enjoy Cartagena and the surrounding neighborhoods such as Getsemaní on foot.
I suggest doing this shared walking tour to get yourself fully aquainted with the city.
🏁 Stops for your Cartagena Itinerary:
- 1. Cartagena
- 2. Santa Marta
- 3. Medellin
- 4. Bogota
3 weeks in Colombia Itinerary
We have now come to the end of this Colombia itinerary!
So, if you’ll be backpacking Colombia soon, this guide has covered some of the best tourist attractions in the country. Not to mention given you an insight into what to expect.
As well as knowing some of the best places to visit, you have some useful links to help you do further research. When it comes to safety, if you follow this itinerary step-by-step and stick to the regular travel and transport routes, safety should not be a problem.
Despite the long trips between regions, which can include some very long and windy roads, once you learn how to get around Colombia you should find it a breeeze!
With some proper planning you’ll have a magnificent trip here, please be sure to use caution when carrying around your belongings and where you park them.
If you want to see the full guide we wrote for this continent, you’re free to read our backpacking South America for more inspiration on each specific country.
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
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