Picture this: a morning walk among the wax palms of the Cocora Valley, the tallest palms in the world rising out of the mist. A few days later you're following a coffee farmer between the rows, then sipping a cup you watched go from cherry to roast, and before the trip is over you're strolling Cartagena's old city walls as the Caribbean light turns gold. That's Colombia. It's roughly the size of Texas and California combined, and it holds two coastlines, three ranges of the Andes, coffee country, colonial towns and some of the liveliest cities in South America. The trick is matching your bases to your days: one for five days, three for nine or eleven.
These three Colombia itineraries come straight from trips we plan for our clients, with the same routes and pacing. Borrow them as they are, or use them as a jumping-off point. Either way, Colombia has a way of calling you back.
Colombia itineraries at a glance
| Trip length | Route | Best for | Sample trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days | 4 nights in Cartagena, with a private boat day to the islands | A first taste of Colombia, a long weekend, a Caribbean escape | Built to order |
| 9 days | Medellín, Guatapé and Jardín, all within Antioquia | Coffee lovers, food and culture fans, travelers who like road trips | Cities & Mountain Towns of Antioquia |
| 11 days | 3 nights in Bogotá, 4 in the Coffee Triangle, 3 in Cartagena | First-timers who want it all, couples, honeymoons | Andes, Coffee & the Caribbean |
5 days in Colombia: Cartagena and the islands
Five days is just right for Cartagena on its own. Four nights inside the walled city give you time for its history, its food and a day out on the Caribbean, with every evening free to wander the plazas once the heat breaks.
Day 1: Welcome to Cartagena. Touch down on Colombia's Caribbean coast, where the air is warm and salt-heavy even after dark. A private transfer brings you into the historic center. Take a first walk beneath the old city walls, past vendors selling fruit and arepas.
Day 2: The old city in context. Spend the day with a private guide in the old city and the streets of Getsemaní. You'll see the fortifications built to hold off pirates and foreign navies, and hear how trade, colonization and Afro-Caribbean culture shaped this port, and why the two neighborhoods tell different parts of the same story.
Day 3: Markets & the everyday Caribbean. Visit a local market and a few neighborhood food spots with your guide, tasting ceviche de camarón or a fresh coconut lemonade straight off a cart. Keep the afternoon open for a gallery, a shady courtyard or the hotel pool.
Day 4: A day on the water. Head out on a private boat to clear Caribbean water for swimming and a relaxed lunch on one of the nearby islands. Return to Cartagena before sunset for one last evening on the old city walls as the light turns gold.
Day 5: Farewell to Cartagena. A private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight home, with time for one last coffee before you go.
Insider's tip: Craving more beach time? Swap a city night for a night or two on the islands. The Rosario Islands are about 45 minutes to an hour from Cartagena by boat, depending on the boat and the island. Our guide to the best beaches in Colombia compares Barú, the Rosario Islands, Tayrona and more.
9 days in Colombia: Medellín and the mountain towns of Antioquia
Nine days lets you go deep into one region. This route stays within Antioquia, trading internal flights for scenic road journeys: Medellín first, then the reservoir country and painted towns to the east, then south to Jardín for coffee farms, mountain views and one of Colombia's best-preserved plazas. It follows our Cities & Mountain Towns of Antioquia itinerary, from $2,875 per person.
Day 1: Welcome to Medellín. Arrive in Medellín, set in the Aburrá Valley and ringed by green mountains. A private transfer brings you to your hotel, and the evening is yours to take in the view across the valley.
Day 2: Medellín past & present. Explore with a local guide to see how Medellín rebuilt itself: the cable cars and outdoor escalators that connect hillside neighborhoods with the rest of the city, and the public libraries and parks built as part of that same effort. It's an honest, inspiring look at how far the city has come.
Day 3: Markets, makers & a free afternoon. Visit a neighborhood market and a small workshop or gallery with your guide. Spend the afternoon at the Jardín Botánico, a museum or two, or over a long lunch somewhere good.
Day 4: East into the mountains. Travel east through Antioquia's green highlands to Guatapé, famous for its zócalos, the carved and painted panels that run along the base of nearly every building. Spend the afternoon walking the waterfront streets and admiring the details on each façade.
Day 5: Water, stone & small-town life. Spend the day around the reservoir with your guide at an easy pace, stopping at viewpoints over the flooded valley and lingering in the small communities along the shore.
Day 6: Coffee country between towns. Head south through rural Antioquia with a stop at a working coffee farm, where you'll walk the rows and see how the crop grows on these hillsides. Then continue on to Jardín, watching the landscape shift as you go.
Day 7: Jardín on foot. Explore Jardín with a local guide: the central plaza, the bright balconies lining the streets around it, and the willys, the town's old Jeeps still used as shared taxis, parked in rows off the square. Leave plenty of time for a café table and people-watching.
Day 8: The hills beyond town. Take a guided walk through the coffee farms and forest edges above Jardín. It's one of the best areas in Colombia for Andean birdlife, including the endangered yellow-eared parrot, so keep your eyes up.
Day 9: Farewell to Colombia. Travel back to Medellín for your flight home, with one more look at the green hills you've spent the past few days exploring.
11 days in Colombia: Bogotá, the Coffee Triangle and Cartagena
Eleven days brings together Colombia's three big personalities: the capital high in the Andes, the green hills of coffee country and the Caribbean heat of Cartagena. Short domestic flights link each region, so the pace stays easy. This route follows our Andes, Coffee & the Caribbean itinerary, from $4,425 per person.
Day 1: Welcome to Bogotá. Land in Colombia's capital, ringed by green mountains and wrapped in cool, clear light. A private driver takes you to your hotel. Keep the afternoon easy with a stroll nearby and an early dinner while you adjust to the altitude.
Day 2: The historic center. Walk the colonial streets of La Candelaria with a private guide, stopping at the Museo Botero, where Fernando Botero's rounded, oversized figures fill room after room. Continue to the Museo del Oro, where thousands of pre-Hispanic gold pieces trace Colombia's history back long before the Spanish arrived.
Day 3: Markets & mountain views. Head to a local market with your guide, where stalls piled with lulo, uchuva and dozens of potato varieties show how highland ingredients become everyday Colombian cooking. In the afternoon, wander a gallery, settle into a café, or ride the cable car up Monserrate for a view over the city, weather permitting.
Day 4: Into coffee country. A short flight west brings you to steep green hills quilted with coffee farms, stands of guadua bamboo and small towns painted in cheerful colors. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace.
Day 5: From cherry to cup. Spend the day on a working coffee farm with the family who runs it. Walk the rows, see how altitude and shade change the way the cherries ripen, and follow the beans through picking, washing, drying and roasting. By the time you taste your own cup, you'll know exactly what you're drinking.
Day 6: Cocora Valley & Salento. Walk into the Cocora Valley, where the world's tallest wax palms rise out of the cloud forest, some close to 200 feet tall. Then head to Salento, a small town of brightly painted balconies and craft workshops, for an afternoon around the central plaza.
Day 7: Villages, gardens & time to linger. Explore another small town nearby or a private garden set into the hills with your guide. Let the afternoon slow down with the pool, a spa treatment or a long lunch back at the hotel.
Day 8: To the Caribbean. Fly to Cartagena and step into warm Caribbean air, a lovely shift after the cool mountain mornings. Settle in inside the walled city, then head out in the late afternoon, when the heat eases and the plazas fill with people again.
Day 9: Cartagena beyond the postcard. Walk the old city and Getsemaní with a private guide who knows the deeper story. You'll hear how trade, colonization, forced migration and Afro-Caribbean culture shaped this port, and why the two neighborhoods tell different parts of the same story.
Day 10: A day on the water. Board a private boat to clear Caribbean water for swimming and a relaxed lunch on one of the nearby islands. Return before sunset for one last evening on the old city walls as the light turns gold.
Day 11: Farewell to Colombia. A private transfer takes you to the airport for your flight home, with time for one last coffee before you go.
Drawn to river towns and wild coast? Colonial Rivers & Wild Caribbean Shores starts in Cartagena, then travels inland to Mompox for silver and gold filigree workshops and a boat ride through the birdlife of the Magdalena River. It finishes in the Sierra Nevada foothills, where forest trails lead to the beaches of the Tayrona coast. Ten days, from $3,525 per person.
How to choose your trip length
- 5 days: a long weekend, or a week off with travel days on either end. Four nights in Cartagena cover the old city, its food and a day on the islands.
- 9 days: you'd love to know one region well, with road journeys in place of flights, coffee farms and colorful mountain towns.
- 11 days: it's your first trip and you want the capital, coffee country and the Caribbean coast. It's a favorite with our couples and honeymooners.
Whichever you choose, give each base at least two nights, three if you can. Looking for hotel ideas? See our guide to where to stay in Colombia. Dreaming of sand between your toes? Here are the best beaches in Colombia, on both coasts.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need in Colombia?
Ten to eleven days is ideal for a first trip that takes in Bogotá, the Coffee Triangle and Cartagena. Five days suits Cartagena on its own, and nine days lets you explore one region, such as Antioquia, in depth.
What's the best time of year to visit Colombia?
December through March is the driest, sunniest stretch across much of the country, and July and August are another lovely window, especially in the Andes. Colombia sits close to the equator, so temperatures follow altitude more than season: Bogotá is cool all year, coffee country is mild, and Cartagena is hot and humid. Our guide to the best time to visit Colombia has the details month by month.
Do you need domestic flights in Colombia?
For a route that combines Bogotá, coffee country and the Caribbean coast, yes. Short domestic flights link each region and keep your travel days easy. If you prefer the road, our Antioquia itinerary links Medellín, Guatapé and Jardín by private transfer.
How high is Bogotá?
Bogotá sits at about 8,660 feet, so we keep your first afternoon light, with an early dinner and plenty of water. Coffee country sits lower, and Cartagena is at sea level, so starting in Bogotá and finishing on the coast lets the trip get warmer and easier as it goes.
How much does a Colombia itinerary cost?
Our sample Colombia itineraries run from $2,875 per person for nine days in Antioquia to $4,425 per person for eleven days across Bogotá, the Coffee Triangle and Cartagena. International flights aren't included.
Can you plan our Colombia trip for us?
We'd love to! It all starts with a free call. Tell us when you're thinking of going, who's coming along and what gets you excited, and we'll talk through which regions fit, how many nights to spend in each and the best time of year for your dates. You'll come away with a clear picture of your trip, plus a few ideas you hadn't thought of yet. Book your free call.
About the author
Adrienne Aragon is the founder of Osaviva Travel. She is a Certified Belize Specialist through the Belize Tourism Board and a Costa Rica and Mexico Specialist through Travel Agent Academy, and she plans custom honeymoons, family trips and group journeys across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Colombia.
Plan your Colombia itinerary
These routes are just the beginning. Book a free call and we'll talk through your dates, your travel style and the best route for you, with answers to all those "is it worth it?" questions along the way. Or browse our Colombia trips for more inspiration. See you in Colombia!
