Colombia

Exploring Colombia

We haven’t logged a full Team USA training trip to Colombia yet, but we wanted this page live with genuinely useful information while our destination guides are still in progress. Colombia has come a long way as a destination over the past couple of decades, and it now offers everything from colonial old towns and coffee country to Caribbean beaches and Amazon rainforest, all within one country. It’s a place that rewards travelers who look beyond the headlines of years past. A little research on your specific route goes a long way toward a smooth trip.

Colombia uses the Colombian peso, and cards are accepted in most cities, though cash is still useful for smaller towns, taxis, and markets. Spanish is the official language, and English is limited outside of major tourist areas like Cartagena and parts of Medellin, so a translation app or a few basic phrases are genuinely helpful. Tipping around 10% is appreciated at restaurants and is sometimes already included in the bill as a service charge, which is worth checking before adding extra. Standard city safety precautions apply, especially at night and around bus terminals, but the security situation in Colombia’s major tourist areas has improved substantially over the past twenty years.

Cartagena’s walled colonial old town is one of Colombia’s most photographed spots, with colorful balconies and a Caribbean coastline nearby. Medellin has transformed itself in recent decades and now draws visitors with its cable cars, spring-like climate, and nearby coffee region day trips. Bogota, the capital, sits high in the Andes at over 8,000 feet, so it’s worth taking it easy on your first day or two while you adjust to the altitude.

The Caribbean coast beyond Cartagena includes laid-back beach towns like Santa Marta, which serves as a gateway to Tayrona National Park’s jungle-backed beaches and the Lost City trek. On the Pacific side, the country offers whale watching near Nuqui during migration season, though this coast sees far fewer visitors and requires more advance planning to reach. If you have limited time, most travelers do better picking two regions — for example Cartagena and Medellin, or Bogota and the coffee region — rather than trying to string together the whole country.

Colombia’s coffee region, known as the Eje Cafetero, is a good stop if you want to see working farms and learn about the process from bean to cup, and it pairs well with a few days in Medellin. Weather varies by elevation more than by season near the equator, so pack for both warm coastal days and cooler mountain evenings depending on your route. Tap water is generally safe in major cities like Bogota and Medellin, though bottled water is a safer bet in smaller towns and rural areas.

Domestic flights are often faster and more comfortable than long bus rides between Colombia’s major regions, especially between the coast and the interior. Before you travel, check the U.S. State Department’s country-specific guidance at travel.state.gov for up-to-date entry requirements and safety information, since recommendations can vary significantly by region within Colombia.

Have you traveled to Colombia, or are you planning a trip soon? We’d love to hear your recommendations and questions in the comments below — this page will keep growing as our own Colombia stories come in.

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