One Month Colombia Itinerary for Solo Travelers

One Month Colombia Itinerary

When most people come to Bogota, they usually stay in the Downtown area. Dare I say, that is not the best place to be, as it can get a bit sketchy, as some locals had warned me. When you are in Bogota, stay in the Zona Rosa area, where you can have access to the great parties Bogota has to offer.

On your first day, from Zona Rosa, take an Uber to downtown and check out the Plaza de Bolívar square and the colonial part of the city at the foot of the hill.

Visit the Botero Museum, one of the happiest museums I have ever been to, featuring a collection of Botero’s best work. On top of that, it is free.

Once you are done, be sure to go up Monserrate and watch as the sun sets behind the horizon and the city lights light up. This is possibly one of my favorite places in Bogotá.

If you are there on a Tuesday night, be sure to drop by Vintrash bar near Zona Rosa and get to know Colombians and learn some Spanish at their weekly Gringo Tuesday event.

If you’re there on a Sunday, during the day, take an Uber and go to the Usaquén Flea Market. Every Sunday, the locals come out and gather at this market, indulging themselves in the sun, street performances, and all the cool hipster items they can buy there.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

For more info about Bogota, check out:11 Unique Things to Do Bogota, Colombia

Getting From Bogota to Santa Marta

After spending a few days in Bogota, it’s time to go to the tropical north, and a good place to start is Santa Marta. To get there, I highly recommend you fly with VivaColombia. They are a low-cost airline in the region, and a flight from Bogota to Santa Marta shouldn’t cost much.

Once you arrive in Santa Marta, there will be a public bus waiting for you to go to the city center. From the airport, it shouldn’t take more than half an hour to get to the center, where you can easily walk to your accommodation.

Santa Marta (1 night)

From Bogota, take a flight and fly to Santa Marta. From the airport, take a public bus to the city center and stay there for a night before heading elsewhere. There isn’t much to see in Santa Marta itself, but the surrounding area has a lot to offer. From Santa Marta, you can explore Tayrona National Park, Minca, or even embark on the famous Lost City trek.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From Santa Marta to Tayrona National Park

From Santa Marta, you can take a local bus to Tayrona National Park and hike for about an hour or two to reach the campground.

To get the bus to Tayrona, you will have to go to Santa Marta’s Central Market and take a local bus to Palomino. Then, you can get off at El Zaino and walk into Tayrona National Park.

The bus should cost around 10,000 COP, and the entrance fee to the national park should be around 61,500 COP (15 USD, which is quite expensive in my opinion).

Tayrona National Park (1 night)

The next day in Santa Marta, go on a 2-day hike and camping trip to Tayrona National Park, a beautiful green space located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, right by the northern coast of Colombia and it is best known for its beautiful crystal clear water and incredible beach, a great place to relax in.

You can either camp at one of the many tents here or you can sleep in a hammock right by the beach. They built a makeshift open-air pavilion with hundreds of hammocks just for this.

There is also a restaurant where you can order food, but the line can get pretty long at dinner time, so be sure to plan ahead and get in line before that happens.

Spend the night at the camp here and make your way back to Santa Marta the next day as we continue our journey across the northern coast of Colombia. Personally, it was a little too crowded for me, but the scenery was nice and the hike was not too difficult. A good place to get acquainted with the rich nature here.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From Santa Marta to Minca

To get from Santa Marta to Minca, you will have to get a collectivo from the collectivo stop by the Central Market (be sure to confirm the location with your accommodation before you go to Minca, as the bus stop might switch around).

The collectivo should cost around 8000 COP and take about one hour to arrive in Minca.

Minca (1 night)

From the hot and humid Santa Marta, visiting Minca is going to be a breath of fresh air for you. Located in the coffee region of the north, Minca offers you a great chance to see the beautiful mountains of northern Colombia on a motorbike, taste some of the finest coffee in the country, and find solitude in the middle of the mountain as you relax on the giant hammock at Sierra Minca Hostel.

When you arrive in the town, you will see a motorcycle stand where you can hire them to show you around. Most of the things are quite far apart, so I highly recommend getting a motorbike.

First, visit Finca Victoria coffee farm and get a dose of their finest coffee while learning about how the farm operates. Be fascinated by the fact that some of their equipment is from 1892 and the smart ways in which they operate without the use of electricity.

Once you are done, tell your moto-taxi driver to take you to the Los Pinos viewpoint, stop for a photo, and then head to Sierra Minca Hostel.

Spend a night there and enjoy nature while capturing cool photos with the iconic hammocks they have on-site. The next day, head back to Santa Marta for another night, and start planning your epic trip to the Lost City of Colombia!

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From Santa Marta to The Lost City

To get to the Lost City, you will have to go on a tour. There are tours that range from 3-6 days, which will take you through the jungles of the Andes to find the Lost City.

Book a Tour to the Lost City

I was unable to do the trek due to my workload and timing, but I have met many people who enjoyed hiking the trek to the lost city. To get there, you will have to first book a tour. The area is not very accessible, so it is going to take you 4 days to do the trek and since not many people have the time to do it, you might have to go with a private tour which will set you back around 600 USD.

It will be significantly cheaper if you join a group tour, but it is not so easy to find. It is best that you spend the first day in Santa Marta and look around for a tour agency to help organize this for you. The tour will provide you with places to sleep, usually hammocks, and food, with a guide to navigate the deep jungle of the Andes to the forgotten lost city. Beware of insects and mosquitoes, as the north of Colombia can be quite tropical and the insects love that.

For more information about trekking the Lost City in Colombia, be sure to check out: The Lost City Trek, Colombia: All You Need to Know.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From Santa Marta to Cartagena

After you are back in Santa Marta, you can spend one more night there before going to our next destination, Cartagena. To get from Santa Marta to Cartagena, you can take an early bus from the Santa Marta bus terminal to Cartagena. The trip should take no more than 5 hours, and it should cost you about 30,000 COP. You can find the bus schedule online here.

Cartagena (2 nights)

The next day, you can take an early bus to Cartagena. The trip should not take more than 6 hours. Cartagena is a colorful colonial city on the northern coast of Colombia. It is possibly one of the most photogenic colonial towns in Colombia, hence the number of tourists you will find here. Despite it being a bit crowded, the old town and its colorful colonial buildings are definitely worth seeing.

You can also experience a wonderful sunset from the top of Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas fortress, located just a few minutes drive away from the center. It is a wonderful colonial fortress with a stunning view of the city and a ton of history you can learn about.

Not gonna lie, after spending a few days in Santa Marta and Tayrona National Park, it was great for me to get back to a lively city like Cartagena. The street is full of colors with people coming out in droves, street food carts everywhere, and street performers entertaining passersby. It was a breath of fresh air, and you are going to enjoy it.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From Cartagena to Medellin

To get from Cartagena to Medellin, you can find flights as low as 39 USD on Expedia, and it will save you 15 hours of a very long bus ride. If you prefer taking an overnight bus, you can find the bus schedule online here.<

Medellin (5 nights)

Medellin has quite a lot to offer in terms of hiking and culture. As some of you may know, Medellin was the stage for the drug lord Pablo Escobar and his reign of terror. So, in order to understand the history of the city and where it came from, going on a Pablo Escobar tour might help you understand the truth about the conflict a little bit more.

You can also do another coffee tour in Medellin that gives you access to private properties on the hills around the city and see what sustainable living is all about. I went to one of the coffee farms and was fascinated by how they were able to grow almost everything they needed, together with coffee, on the same farm.

If you are there on a Tuesday or Saturday night, you can hop over to Dancefree Workshop to learn a free Colombian salsa dance lesson from energetic and professional instructors. You can also ask to dance with anyone you want. The best way to learn is by asking a Colombian there to teach you as you stumble your way through the dance floor. They love to help out struggling foreigners.

Parque Arví offers a great nature hike, complete with guides and facilities. This one is a little more tamed, and I would suggest you go with the free guide they provide since it is quite difficult to figure out your way around the thick forest of the park.

Within reach, there is a hike called Tres Cruzes, and you can complete it in an hour. From the top, you can enjoy a nice view of the city and the mountains that surround it.

If you have an extra day, be sure to go to Guatape for a day trip to one of the most photogenic places in the area. Take a bus from the terminal to El Peñol and climb up the La Piedra meteorite, a 10-story-high rock that fell to Earth millions of years ago. The view from up there is nothing short of extraordinary. See the photos above if you don’t believe me.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

For more information:Top 10 Things To Do In Medellin

Getting From Medellin to Salento

You can get a direct bus from Medellin’s Terminal Del Sur bus station to Salento via Flota Occidental Bus Company. The trip should take about 7 hours and cost around 47,000 COP per person. To book a bus ticket online or check the schedule, you can do it here.

Salento (2 nights)

Salento is where the adventure is at. Spend a full day hiking around the Cocora Valley, where all the tall palm trees are. Get up to Finca Acaime for a nice, warm coffee break, and witness the hummingbirds up close.

From the finca, hike down and around the valley to complete the loop. The cool part of the valley, where you can see all the tall palm trees up close, is at the end, so be patient.

To get to Cocora Valley, you have to be in the city center early in the morning, around 8 am, and get a jeep there. The jeep runs quite often, but the earlier you go, the less crowded it will be. You can follow my complete travel guide below:

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

For more info about Salento:The Ultimate Hiking Guide To Valle Del Cocora (Cocora Valley)

Getting From Salento to Popayan

To get from Salento to Popayan, you will have to go to the Salento bus terminal and get a bus to Cali as early as possible. Then, you will have to get another bus from Cali to Popayan.

The entire trip will take about 6-7 hours, depending on how long you will have to wait for the bus from Cali to Popayan. There are several buses running from Cali to Popayan, so you should not have to wait very long. It should cost you around $20 for the entire trip. You can find the bus schedule online here.<

Popayan (3 nights)

After a rather relaxing itinerary, it is time for a real adventure. Near Popayan, there is a volcano called Purace, where you can visit via public transportation and a local guide will take you to the top and back.

To get there, you will have to take a bus at 5AM from Popayan Terminal and tell the driver to drop you off at Purace (Termales de San Juan) to the trailhead by 8AM before starting an 8-hour epic hike to the summit of the volcano and back.

The trail takes you through a private property, so you are going to need a local guide to guide you to the top. You should be able to hire a guide from Purace Registration Office, as well as get breakfast in case you haven’t packed any for the ride.

The trail is long and rugged, and the wind is unbearably strong, so be sure you pack enough layers for the hike. I was hiking in shorts but I had a fleece and an outer shell jacket. Long pants would be much better, in retrospect so don’t be like me! The view from the trail is nothing short of spectacular.

I did not have the best weather on the summit, but at least I have this dog to celebrate my success with me 😆. He followed us all the way from the office to the summit! A real hero, I’d say!

After the first day of hiking the volcano, rest up and take a walk around the white colonial town of Popayan for a day. The city is quite charming, with white-washed colonial buildings scattered across the city, so be sure to spend some time and explore while you are here.

Getting From Popayan to San Agustin

To get from Popayan to San Agustin, you have to get on a collectivo from Popayan Bus Terminal, and it will take you to San Agustin through one of the bumpiest roads ever. This part will not be the highlight of your trip, but once you arrive in San Agustin, it will make it all worthwhile. I promise you. The journey takes around 5-6 long hours and should cost about 35,000 COP. You can find the bus schedule online here.

San Agustin (2 nights)

San Agustin is a gateway town to one of the many Pre-Columbian historical sites that can only be found in this region. The city is a great place for you to dive deep into the rich history of the indigenous people here with plenty of ancient stone statues scattered around many archaeological sites.

Parque Arqueologico is one such site, and I highly recommend taking a tour to see the others. Since San Agustin is a small town in the middle of nowhere, transportation is hard to come by. By taking a full-day tour, you eliminate the trouble of getting from one place to another and back.

The day tour usually includes a visit to a sugar cane factory and several stunning waterfalls in the area, some of which are located on private properties. You should be able to organize a shared group tour from your accommodation in San Agustin or you can book a private tour here.

From San Agustin, you have to make your way back to Popayan and take an afternoon bus to Pasto, our last stop before crossing the border into Ecuador.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

Getting From San Agustin to Pasto

From San Agustin, you have to make your way back to Popayan again (I’m afraid) and take an afternoon bus to Pasto, our last stop before we cross the border to Ecuador.

You should be able to take any bus from Popayan to Pasto, as there is no difference between the bus companies. Get the one with the schedule that works best for you. The Popayan to Pasto journey takes around 5-6 hours, which is 10-12 hours in total when combined with another journey. So, I highly recommend you start from San Agustin as early as you can. You can find the bus schedule online here.

Pasto (1 night)

Since the ride from San Agustin to Pasto can be horrid, it is important to stop in Pasto so you can wake up early in the morning and make your way to the border of Ecuador. You probably are wondering why I’m taking you to the border town between Colombia and Ecuador instead of going straight to Quito, right? Well, here’s why.

Right at the border, there is a cathedral built on the side of a mountain called Las Lajas. The cathedral is amazing and photogenically located in between 2 cliffs and it is definitely worth a visit if you are planning to cross the land border to Ecuador. I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t plan to cross the border as it is quite far south from all the other attractions in Colombia.

Take a morning bus from Pasto Bus Terminal to Ipiales, and from Ipiales, you can find plenty of taxis to take you to Las Lajas. Walk around the cathedral for a bit, and when you are ready to depart, get another taxi and tell them to drop you off at the border. Then, cross the border to Ecuador and head to Quito.

If you are looking for more activities to do here, be sure to check out some of the available tours and day trips.

First time in South America? Check out:20 Best Places to Visit in South America

Why Visit Colombia?

Colombia is a country that lacks big attractions to draw in tourists like its neighbors, Ecuador (Galapagos), and Peru (Machu Picchu). However, the country compensates for that with its crazy fun dance culture, amazing selection of coffee, and a great many hidden gems for travelers like you to discover. From the suspiciously tall palm trees in Salento to the beautiful coastal colonial town of Cartagena, one month is a perfect amount of time to get to understand the country and maybe learn some salsa in the process.

When to Visit Colombia?

The months with the highest number of tourists are from December to February, but Colombia covers a wide range of climates – from the hot and humid coast of the north to the mountainous, often wet Andes region. So, if you plan to travel the whole country, you will very likely experience all of these climates. That said, I think the best time to visit Colombia is during the shoulder season right before the high season. This way, the weather is more or less stable, and the cost of traveling is still relatively cheap compared to the high season.

How to Get to Colombia?

The best way to get here is to fly into Bogota. There are several flights from the US and Europe that go directly to Bogota. I would recommend you browse through Skyscanner or Expedia to find a cheap flight from where you live to Bogota that best fits your itinerary.

How To Get Around Colombia?

Tourist buses offer the most comfortable and safest way to get around the country. Although the road condition in Colombia is not the best and gets worse as you travel south, you can opt for a cheap domestic flight instead.

VivaColombia offers a cheap way for you to skip a 20-hour bus ride without breaking the bank, although they are often delayed and not the best service you can get.

In big cities like Medellin or Bogota, the safest and fastest way to travel around is by Uber. It is reliable and relatively cheap, more so than getting a taxi. In Medellin, the sky train is also a viable option.

Which tourist SIM card is best for Colombia?

Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Colombia without having to switch out your physical SIM card.

Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you’ll be good to go. If your phone doesn’t support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Colombia:

Internet in Colombia is actually very fast, especially in big cities like Bogota or Medellin. I bought a SIM card from Claro and got myself a 2GB 30-day plan that cost me 46,000 COP. The coverage was very good around the country, except maybe in San Agustin. All in all, I highly recommend Claro. For more information, visit this page.

Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It’s FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

What to Pack for Colombia?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Colombia:

Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.

Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.

Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi’s jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.

Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).

Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It’s lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.

Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker’s towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.

Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.

Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.

Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It’s a total game-changer.

Universal Adapter: You’ll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.

Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.

Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It’s large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it’s stylish as hell!

Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can’t go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.

Looking for a more comprehensive packing list for South America? Check out:What to Pack For South America: The Essential Packing List

Further Reading for Colombia

I hope you found this Colombia travel guide useful. If you are looking for something to read that will help you plan your Colombia trip even further, be sure to check out the articles below.

Looking for a complete backpacking guide to the entire South American continent? Here is the ultimate 6-month Backpacking Itinerary for South America.

First time in South America? Check out the 20 Best Places to Visit in South America.
Packing for a trip to visit South America can be extremely daunting. Here’s a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for South America.
Bogota is an awesome capital city to start your Colombia journey if you know where to go. Here’s an 11 Unique Things to Do Bogota, Colombia.
Medellin is also another fun city to visit, full of great food, salsa dancing workshops, and more. Here’s a complete travel guide on things to do in Medellin.
Salento is home to one of the most unique places in the world, Valle del Cocora. It is an amazing place to go hiking around these tall wax palm trees. Here’s a complete hiking guide to Cocora Valley and Salento.
Looking for something less wordy to inspire you to visit Colombia? Check out 23 photos that will inspire you to visit Colombia.
You can also watch my Colombia travel video here: Colombia is Dangerous? Travel Video.
To see all articles about Colombia, visit the Colombia Travel Guide page.
Not sure where to go next? How about visiting Ecuador and experiencing all its wildlife in the Amazon or the Galapagos? Check out my Ecuador Travel Guide page for more information about traveling in Ecuador.
Looking for more travel guides for South America? You can find more on my South America Travel Guide page.
For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.