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Home / Travel Guides

Backpacking Colombia: Travel Guide

Travel Guides Last Updated · Mar 9th, 2025 · Daniel James

Every South America backpacking route should include Colombia, and some people even say Colombia is the real heart of Latin America.

Think quaint cobblestone towns, crystalline waters, indigenous cultures and some of the most epic landscapes that your eyes will have seen.

This backpacking guide is designed to assist you in planning a trip to Colombia, as well as give you some practical Colombia travel tips.


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Content in this guide:

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  • Backpacking Colombia
  • Colombia Typical Costs and Budget
  • Places in Colombia I Visited
  • But is Colombia actually safe?
  • Backpacking Colombia

Backpacking Colombia

I usually travel to Colombia every year, so this is a living guide that I will update before, during, and after my most recent trips to Colombia.

backpacking colombia

If you’re in a rush, know that traveling to Colombia for just two weeks is little time, especially if you want to get to know the country well.

I fine-tune my Colombia itinerary four weeks at a time, as I find one month is a good amount of time to be able to see and do more.

Be sure to take a look at this list I created to get a better idea of the cities, towns and communities that I have visited while backpacking Colombia.

Map of Colombia

Below, I’ve added an interactive Colombia map for you to navigate to the individual places in this backpacking Colombia guide.

When flying into Colombia from the USA or Europe, I suggest you start in Bogotá or even Medellín to get an overview of the country.

Aim to check the weather in different regions to work out the best time to go to Colombia so you can decide what to pack for your trip before arriving.

love riohacha sign
Me at the Love Riohacha letero in Northern Colombia

Depending on your route and onward plans, if you’re backpacking Colombia, it may make more sense to start on the Caribbean coast.

If you’re traveling from the USA and you have one week in Colombia you can enjoy many places by spending time in a region that suits you.

Colombia Typical Costs and Budget

palenqueras colombia
Palenqueras in Cartagena

Cost Breakdown:
🇺🇸 1USD — 🇨🇴 4,255COP
My daily budget:
Up to 200KCOP
Suggested budget:
100K-150KCOP/$25-35US

Is it possible to travel to Colombia on a budget? Most certainly! Even the most frugal travelers will find it very easy to keep costs down here.

Most travelers quickly realize that the cost of living in Colombia is relatively low compared to North America, and can even save money while here.

See these quick tips below to give you an idea of what to expect!

Colombia: Dan's Travel Basics
🛏️ Lodgings: Depending on where you stay, expect to pay anything from $9 for hostels, homestays or private accommodation. I like to use Airbnb, but I also do homestays when in Colombia to be able to have a local experience.
🍽️ Dining: Food is diverse in Colombia but monotonous. If you like street food, you’re in luck! It’s a cheap place to eat. To obtain the most authentic Colombian food, expect to pay anything from 10,000 COP.
🚌 Transport: Transport in Colombia is reliable, and you’ll find all modes of transport. It can work out cheaper and quicker to take a plane and expect to pay anything from $30-100 USD. From Bogotá to Medellín, or even from Medellín to Cartagena, I recommend you fly.
🎟️ Activities: Entrance fees, rentals, classes, and food tours add up, expect to pay from $5USD for entrance to historical or natural attractions. Entry to Tayrona Park is $15USD, and the Gold Museum in Bogotá costs 1 USD per person.

Places in Colombia I Visited

Below, you’ll see I’m standing at the world-famous Valle de Cocora, a must-see place in Colombia, close to Salento after completing a relaxing hike.

visiting cocora valley colombia
After a long day’s hike around Cocora Valley

Want to connect with nature but not so keen on the heat? I recommend that you add the coffee triangle to your list of places to go in Colombia.

📍 Here is a list of places that I have visited in Colombia so far:

  • Bogotá
  • Medellín
  • Cartagena
  • Santa Marta
  • Minca
  • Taganga
  • Capurgana
  • Riohacha
  • Eje Cafetero
  • San Andrés

On this blog, the city that I have written about most from my travels in Colombia is Medellín since is it the place I have spent the most time.

But is Colombia actually safe?

Yes, it can be! I used to get people asking me to tell them the best place to visit in Colombia, or asking questions like is Colombia safe to travel to?

colombia backpacking itinerary
Street Vendor in Santa Fe de Antioquia

If you search around the internet, you’ll find many Colombian travel itineraries with places to visit that are safe for you to travel to.

My first ever time in Colombia was in the middle of my Spanish learning journey after my Central America backpacking trip. During this time I was staying with families and visiting different parts of the country.

When it comes to safety, knowing how to communicate with locals in Colombia is imperative! Also, it is one of the reasons I have shared these Spanish conversation tips to help first timers who are not native speakers.

Will you Travel to Colombia soon?

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Backpacking Colombia

In this Colombia backpacking guide, we’ve looked at some travel basics you’ll need before embarking on your trip and what to expect.

By reading more city and regional articles on this blog, you’ll get more specific information needed for the best tourist attractions in Colombia

Also, remember to check out this list of Colombia travel guides for more tips, tricks, and ideas on where to go in this amazing country.

📌 Like this guide? Click to Pin it…

backpacking colombia
backpacking in colombia
Did I miss something? Got tips, tricks & advice we can learn from?

👉🏽 Did you enjoy this guide? Feel free to buy me a coffee to say thanks!

Filed Under: Travel Guides Tagged With: Colombia, South America

Daniel James

Helping thousands of people worldwide with independent travel in Latin America. Layer Culture means to dig deeper into the ideas, customs, and behaviour of a group of people.

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  1. Backpacking Through South America - How to get yourself started says:
    September 14, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    […] in south america will require $1000. This is a good rule of thumb. If you’re in Bolivia or Colombia you’ll survive on much less as a backpacker but in countries like Uruguay and Argentina or […]

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    October 18, 2018 at 9:10 am

    […] has become one of the exotic destinations for those in Latin America. Feel free to check the tips for backpacking in Colombia here for details! […]

  3. ilive4travel - The Lost City Trek Colombia (Ciudad Perdida Trek)ilive4travel says:
    December 19, 2018 at 11:59 am

    […] do there and as I love hiking, I decided I had to find time to fit this hike in, the Lost City Trek Colombia.  Instead of staying in Santa Marta I stayed in a little fishing village nearby called Taganga and […]

  4. Best countries for food around the world says:
    January 22, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    […] Check out Daniel’s post on Backpacking Colombia […]

  5. 29 Incredible Waterfalls In North America & South America For Your Bucket List says:
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    […] you’re backpacking in Colombia and looking for one of the less visited waterfalls don’t miss out on La Ventiadora in San […]

  6. The Ultimate List of the Best Places to visit in Colombia says:
    February 9, 2019 at 10:01 am

    […] to the public and great little experience to have in Buga. Over the years I have done a lot of backpacking through Colombia and here in Buga, there are many 17th and 18th century buildings to see that really make this cute […]

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    […] you have done any traveling in Colombia, you’ll know that the Arepa makes up part of daily life for […]

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