Colombia: Ideal Travel Itinerary For 3 Weeks

Twenty years ago people would have looked at you like you were crazy if you said you were going to travel to Colombia. The dark past still haunts the citizens and image of the country today, but a lot has changed the last few years. Even though there still is violence, corruption and criminality in the country, the tourist trail has become much safer. The figures don’t lie: tourism has grown over 260% since 2002. And for that we should be very grateful, because Colombia is above all a beautiful and diverse country waiting to be explored. From megacities to jungles, from glaciers to deserts, from coffee plantations to Caribbean islands, Colombia has it all. To help you out with so much choice, I share my ideal Colombia travel itinerary for 3 weeks with you.

Day 1 – 3: Bogotá

Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is a great place to settle down and get used to the new environment you find yourself in. Due to the altitude it’s not too hot and the climate is really enjoyable. The city has a beautiful old city center, La Candelaria, filled with shops, historic churches and cathedrals, graffiti art, museums and typical Colombian houses tucked away in small streets.

Every Sunday morning all the main roads are closed in the city, so people can go out on the streets by bike. This is, by the way, also the best moment to enjoy one of Bogotá’s famous bike tours and learn more about the city and the Colombian way of life.

The hills around Bogotá offer great hiking and biking opportunities, and from there you can enjoy marvelous views of the city. In the Northern part of the city, Zona Rosa, you find large shopping malls, fancy restaurants, clubs and pubs. A perfect place to end your day.

How long to stay in Bogotá

Arriving on the first day, take it easy and settle down. In the following two days you have plenty of time to visit the main highlights of the city. For instance, I managed to see La Candelaria, Mount Montserrate, Museo del Oro, the Botero museum, do a bike tour, went to a market, played some Tejo, and ended both my days in Zona Rosa.

If you want to do multiple tours or see more museums in the city itself, you should opt for an extra day. Also schedule some extra time if you want to do one of the day trips from Bogotá, such as visiting the Chicaque Natural Park, the Zipaquira salt cathedral or Villa de Leyva.

Day 4 – 5: Salento & Valle de Cocora

From Bogotá, I took a plane to Pereiro in the morning and grabbed a taxi to Salento from there. However, there are many different routes you can take. Therefore I wrote a complete guide on how to get from Bogotá to Salento!

Salento is a small, colorful village amidst the green valleys of the coffee region. The most popular day trip from Salento goes to Valle de Cocora, a valley with the tallest palm trees in the entire world. These palms can grow up to 60 meters in height. The valley is breathtakingly beautiful and it was one of the highlights of my trip to Colombia. Definitely a not to miss visit. Read my detailed guide about hiking the Valle de Cocora if you want to know more.

How long to stay in Salento

After arriving in Salento, I used the rest of the afternoon to explore the village and played some Tejo with some beers in the evening. The next day I took one of the Jeeps from the main square to Valle de Cocora. That is to say two days is plenty of time to see both Salento and Valle de Cocora. If you have a bit more time, you can also visit a coffee finca in the area. However, I decided to end my trip to Colombia on a coffee finca near Minca. Therefore I skipped it in Salento.

Day 6 – 9: Medellín & Guatapé

A direct bus from Salento brought me to Medellín. You can book buses from Salento to Medellin on Bookaway. Although not a very beautiful city, it is without doubt an interesting one. Medellín transformed from the murder capital of the world in the 90’s to the most innovative city of the world in 2013. The firm grip of the narcos, paramilitaries, gangs and guerillas has loosened in recent years, leaving room for development.

Comuna 13, for example, transformed from one of the most violent barrios controlled by the FARC to a beautiful neighborhood filled with street art. However, the recent past of the city still haunts the people in it and Pablo Escobar is considered he-who-must-not-be-named. Most of the citizens of Medellín suffered greatly at his hands, and as a result don’t like you to go sightseeing to places linked to Escobar.

Luckily, there are plenty of other things to see in the city. Go to the chaotic city center to see the Botero sculptures at Plaza Botero, for example. Or do a walking tour with Real City Tours to learn all the things that are left unsaid about Medellín’s past. And don’t forget to enjoy the amazing gastronomy in one of the many restaurants in Zona Rosa.

When you’ve seen enough of Medellín, take a bus out of town to the most colorful village of Colombia: Guatapé. Near the village there is a rock waiting to be climbed, El Peñón de Guatapé, with stunning views of the surrounding lakes as a reward.

How long to stay in Medellín

Two days in Medellín should be enough to enjoy the highlights of the city, which gives you one day to take the two hour bus ride to El Peñón and Guatapé itself. Get out at El Peñón and after you’ve climbed the steps take a tuk tuk to Guatapé.

Day 10 – 14: Providencia island

Let me start by saying that it is hard and expensive to get to Providencia island, but worth the effort. It lies far off the northern coast of Colombia, near Nicaragua, and has no direct connection to the mainland. Consequently, it involves at least two flights or one flight and a rough ferry ride to get there. For the latter, you can buy tickets here. I took a flight from Medellín to San Andres island, and got into the rickety 20 seater plane a couple of hours later that brought me to Providencia. The rough trip ensures that the island isn’t too crowded, and you’ll share the lovely beaches with only a few fellow travelers. 

Once you set foot on the small Caribbean island you know that you’ve arrived in paradise. The local rastafari speak their own English-creole language, stemming from the British colonial and slave trade history. The colonizers weren’t the only ones interested in Providencia, as the infamous pirate Henry Morgan set up his base on the island. According to rumors he left his treasure well-hidden on Providencia, and it is yet to be found.

During the day you can explore the island on a motorbike, hike to the top of the mountainous interior, try to spot some turtles while snorkeling, or go diving and see the many sharks in the reefs around the island. In the evening you settle down at one of the few beach bars. The locals play reggae music and light up a fire on the beach. Your cocktail is served in a coconut and the plate you ordered with fresh fish and lobster is as big as your whole table. Sounds decent, right?  

How long to stay in Providencia

I stayed for five days in Providencia, leaving the fifth day in the afternoon. But to be fair, you can spend as long as you like here. Time seems to stop, one day blends into the next, and the worry-free island life takes hold of you. That is to say decide for yourself how long you want to stay, although I wouldn’t stay less than four days as it isn’t very easy to get to.

Day 15 – 18: Cartagena

I took two flights from Providencia to get to Cartagena, and the contrast couldn’t be bigger. Cartagena is an assault on your senses. Heat, smells, beauty, chaos, wealth, poverty. The allure and colors of Cartagena’s Old Town are unrivaled. So it’s listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site for good reason, and expect loads of other tourists on this well-trodden path.

However, outside of Old Town the cruise ship crowds quickly fade. Skip the five star hotels and casinos in Bocagrande, but go to the outskirts of the city to take it easy and enjoy Colombian life. Walk in quiet, colorful alleys in Getsemaní, drink a coffee in a local bar and match the pace of the sloths in Parque del Centenario.

Go even further out of town to the huge and bustling Bazurto market, to take in the chaos and smells of the real Colombia. Often described as being “for adventurous souls only”, it’s a world away from the touristy and polished city center. At night, enjoy yourself in amazing restaurants, funky bars and vibrant clubs.

How long to stay in Cartagena

Four days allowed me to celebrate New Year’s in Cartagena, to see the major sights and visit some less touristy areas. But two to three days should actually be sufficient without celebrating New Year’s. Take some extra time, though, if you want to do a boat trip to the Rosario islands, spend a day at Playa Blanca or take a mud bath in Volcan del Totumo.  

Day 19 – 20: Tayrona National Park

The route from Cartagena to Tayrona national park is a busy one, and plenty of minibuses are waiting to take you. Tayrona is THE postcard image of Colombia: golden sand beaches, blue water, palm trees, jungle, wildlife. It’s a beautiful park with stunning nature, but in high season its beauty can get lost in the crowds. I was there in the first week of January, for instance, which apparently is one of the busiest weeks of the year. If I imagine it without the people, though, it’s gorgeous. And locals told me if you go a couple of weeks later than I did, it’s a lot more quiet.

The most popular hike in the park leads from the main entrance to Cabo San Juan beach, where you can spend the night. Most of the visitors stop their hike here, spend a day at the beach and go the same route back in the afternoon. But I tried something else. From Cabo San Juan I started hiking towards El Pueblo and a different entrance and exit to the park. A route that takes you into the jungle away from the beaches. Everyone else stayed on the beach so I was alone. In ten minutes I saw more wildlife than in the two hour hike to Cabo San Juan beach.

How long to stay in Tayrona

Don’t do what everyone else does here, take a different route. The beauty of Tayrona doesn’t lie in the most popular hike. but it is reserved for those who take a different path. You can hike to Cabo San Juan and spend the night there, and continue your hike to El Pueblo the next day. This allows you to see most of the park and spend some time at the beach. An alternative is to hike the whole circle in one day, but then you’re looking at a full day of hiking and not a lot of beach time.

Day 21 – 23: Minca

From Tayrona I took a bus to Santa Marta, and transferred to another bus headed for Minca. You can book buses or direct minivans at Bookaway. Minca latter is a loud town in the Sierra Nevada mountains and lacks charm. Where I stayed near Minca, however, was the perfect ending of my trip. I slept in a coffee and cacao farm, El Paraiso de Tuki, on a hill overlooking Minca. It isn’t easy to get to (it involves a very steep hill on the back of a mototaxi and a hike through the coffee plantation), but definitely worth it.

Spend your days reading books and sipping coffee or hot chocolate, while enjoying the view of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Laugh at Tuki the toucan who continuously steals food from the kitchen, or your sunglasses if you don’t keep an eye on him. Go hiking to nearby waterfalls and make it back in time for one of the most beautiful sunsets on this earth. After the sun sets, stars pop out one by one until the whole sky is covered with them. If you want some peace and quiet, this is where you want to be.

How long to stay in Minca

Three days is enough to relax at the farm and explore the area, but if you want to read some more books don’t hesitate to stay longer.

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Do you have questions about the Colombia itinerary for 3 weeks or any suggestions? Please let me know below in the comments. Before booking your trip, make sure to check out my article on how to find the cheapest flight out there.