The ultimate 2 weeks itinerary in Colombia

Welcome to our ultimate 2 weeks itinerary in Colombia! If this is your first time in Colombia, check out this article covering important things you need to know before starting to plan your trip. Now that you’ve done your research, let’s dive into it! This post is more of a schedule summary. We want you to get your itinerary done without reading all those unnecessary long cheesy descriptions. We will write some further articles to include ALL details about each and every stop in our adventure through Colombia!

Day 1-2: Bogota

Accommodation: Hotel Maceo 55 – Colonial Inn (40€/2p/2nights)

Day 1: Explore El Chapinero neighbourhood. Get a first taste of Colombia enjoying the lively streets, full of salsa music and empanadas.

Day 2: Take a free walking tour and start getting acquainted with the history and culture of Bogota. We chose this one from Beyond Colombia. Spend some time in Plaza Bolivar and its surroundings. For lunch, try some authentic dishes for at one of the restaurants nearby. Wander through the streets of “La Candelaria”. Marvel at the artsy Graffitti painted walls before taking a stroll on Calle 7 where all merchants and street performers gather. At night, sip a drink and have dinner at the famous “Andres Carne de Res” in a loud salsa and merengue atmosphere.

Day 3-4: Salento

Accommodation: Hospedaje La Masia Salento (20€/2p/1night)

Day 3: After an early flight to Armenia, take a short bus ride to discover the beautiful and colorful town of Salento. Capture the picturesque houses and porches from every possible angle. After that, climb the stairs to the viewpoint to see the village from above. Save your afternoon for a traditional coffee tour at Finca El Ocaso.

Day 4: Have a fresh start to the day. Grab breakfast to fuel your energy and get ready for one of the most epic trails of your life. Cocora Valley looks so out of this world thanks to its astonishing wax plam trees! The tallest palm tree species in the world is also one of Colombia’s national symbols. Rest your dead bodies on a night bus towards Medellin after this awesome hike.

Days 5-7: Medellin

Accommodation: Sites Hotel (140€/2p/3nights)

Day 5: As big fans of the Narcos series, we wanted to dedicate our first day here to the famous Pablo Escobar tour and learning the insights of the Colombian drugs cartels. But as we got to Colombia, we got it quickly: locals don’t like to talk about Pablo Escobar. No marketing on his story, T-shirts with his name, nothing. They don’t use his memory for tourism at all. His image is still associated with the pain he caused to the Colombian people. We chose to take another free walking tour to Communa 13. What used to be the second most dangerous place on earth is now the biggest graffiti art gallery in the world. Our guide, Esteban, told us about the armed conflicts in Medellin, where the city got its looks from and lots of other cool facts about the inhabitants’ lives.

Day 6: Make a day trip to Guatape and Piedra del Penol. Climb 740 steep stairs for an interesting perspective of the lagoon. Afterwards, head to another instagrammable collection of colourful cobble-stoned streets in Guatape.

Day 7: Explore more of Medellin. Escape the bustling, chaotic city and take a metrocable trip to Parque Arvi. Dress up for the evening and enjoy the crazy nightlife in the countless salsa and raggaeton bars around Parque Lleras. Finally say goodbye to your lightjacket and hello to your swimming suits! Your 2 weeks itinerary in Colombia is not complete without a week of hot temperatures and beach activities.

Days 8-9: Tayrona National Park

Accomodation: Tyrona Tented Lodge (60€/2p/1night)

Day 8: Another flight at dawn, this time up north to Santa Marta. Bear the struggle commuting to Costeno beach where your accommodation will be located. Spend a well-deserved full day in untouched nature at Tayrona National Park.

Day 9: Take your time to chill at the beach until lunch. Then find your way back to Santa Marta to hop on a bus towards the next destination, Cartagena de Indias.

(Well, I have to admit, the title is deceiving. Two months ahead our visit we found out that the park was going to be closed during the entire month of February. They do that not only to reduce the stress of the ecosystem but also to leave the indigenous people space and intimacy to do their rituals. That’s why we were unable to visit the park, but we nevertheless had a great time at Costeno Beach. Should you have the opportunity, don’t miss it!)

Days 10-11: Cartagena de Indias

Accommodation: Hotel Casa Baluarte (85€/2p/3nights)

Day 10: Get lost on the hippie streets of Getsemani, and explore the charming “centro historico”. Take millions of photos and watch the touristy “palenqueras”. Head to San Felipe castle in the afternoon for great views over the city and take some time to enjoy the sunset. Later, have a cheap, but delicious cocktail of your choice right on the street and look for a vintage salsa bar to show-off your moves.

Day 11: Take a walk to Bocagrande, the city’s new, sky-scrapers packed neighbourhood (and the so-called Miami of Colombia) and spend a few hours at the beach. Get to the most popular sunset place in Cartagena, Cafe del Mar, for a drink with a view.

(Also possible: Daytrip to Isla Baru and Playa Blanca)

Days 12-15: San Andres

Accommodation: Ataraxy Hotel Boutique (201€/2p/3nights)

Day 12: Land in San Andres and spend the day swimming and getting a tan at Spratt Bight Beach. Don’t forget your sunscreen.

Day 13: Day trip to the dreamy Johnny Cay island. More like a half day because on the island everything opens late and closes early. Boat transfer included.

Day 14: Rent a buggy and explore the island on your own. Go snorkeling at West View and discover the other two main beaches of San Andres: Rocky Cay and San Luis.

Day 15: Catch your flight back to Bogota. If your layover allows it, take the cable car up to Montserrate and say goodbye to Colombia while watching the sun setting over its huge capital city from above. Try not to get depressed while heading back home. The only good thing when holidays are ending is that you can start planning the next!

Budget

These are our recommendations for the ultimate 2 weeks itinerary in Colombia. Overall, the whole trip made us spend around 1500€ each. Not bad at all for a 16-day holidays, I reckon. On top of all it has to offer, Colombia stays a budget-friendly destination!

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