Colombia Travel Report — Cartagena, Medellín & Coffee Region Tips

A week in Colombia: Bogotá with Plaza de Bolívar, the Gold Museum (just under €3, as of November 2022), and Cerro de Monserrate, plus Cartagena with its old town and Playa Blanca. My highlight was the Aviario Nacional (€7). Below you'll find a suggested itinerary for three to four weeks including Medellín, Jardín, and the Coffee Region, as well as a sample budget.

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Colombia Route: Connecting Cartagena, Medellín and the Coffee Region

The Colombia route begins in Cartagena or Medellín. Three to four weeks are allotted for the Colombian leg of the journey; the stops are in this order: Cartagena, Medellín, Jardín, Bogotá, and the coffee region. Those focusing on the three highlights mentioned here can start on the Caribbean coast in Cartagena, then include Medellín, and subsequently continue via Jardín towards the coffee region. Jardín is a coffee town located three hours from Medellín. This route thus combines the Caribbean coast, a major city, and coffee cultivation without repeating the experiences already described in Cartagena.

Cartagena as the starting point of the Colombia route

Cartagena is a suitable starting point for longer itineraries as well as a base for exploring further along the Caribbean coast. As a guideline, flights from Cartagena to Bogotá are available from €30 each way. There is also a colectivo (shared taxi) service from Cartagena to Barranquilla. The journey costs approximately €3 and takes about two hours. Those staying overnight in Cartagena can find hostel dorm rooms at the higher end of the nationally typical price range of €8 to €15 per night. Meals in tourist restaurants in the old town cost between €10 and €20. All prices mentioned are approximate, subject to change, and should be checked before traveling.

Medellín in Colombia Travelogue

In Medellín, you can easily combine your city trip with the metro and the Metrocable cable cars to the Comunas (districts). A metro ride costs approximately €0.60. El Poblado and Laureles are good neighborhoods for apartments; modern apartments start at €25 per night. A 20-minute ride costs between €2 and €3. A day trip is also possible: From Medellín, you can travel to Guatapé and El Peñol rock. The bus costs €3, and the entrance fee to the rock is €4; there are 740 steps to the top. Prices are subject to change and should be checked before your trip.

Jardín is another stop on the route towards the Coffee Region. It's important to know that Jardín is not the same as the entire Zona Cafetera, but rather a coffee town and a possible destination for a day trip from Medellín. This helps keep the planning clear: Medellín is the urban part of the journey, Jardín a subsequent stop, and the Coffee Region can be explored in more detail later.

Coffee Region and Salento on the Colombia Route

Salento is considered a tourist hub in the coffee region. The surrounding fincas and the Los Nevados National Park are the real highlights. A tour of a local finca showcases the production process from tree to cup. As a guideline, prices for a coffee farm tour with tasting in Salento range from less than €15 to €15. These two price ranges should not be combined to create a single, fixed price. They are subject to change and should be checked before traveling.

There's also a specific guideline for getting to or from Salento: The colectivo between Salento and Pereira costs €1.50 and takes 45 minutes. Those incorporating the coffee region into their itinerary can use this connection as a reference point. However, no precise time estimate is given for Salento or the fincas.

Colombia travel costs: Budget as a guide

Good to know: The following travel costs are not currently verified, as no date is available for the prices. They serve only as guidelines, are subject to change, and should be checked before traveling. The example calculation documents 6 weeks in Colombia. The total costs amount to approximately 3,100 euros, including flights, 42 nights' accommodation, meals, and 5 domestic flights. This equates to an average of 60 euros per day.

Travel budget for accommodation and food in Colombia

A daily budget of €30 to €45 is recommended for backpackers, and €60 to €90 for travelers seeking more comfort. The accommodation mix consists of 50% hostels, 30% Airbnb rentals, and 20% hotels. The total cost for 42 nights is approximately €1,100, averaging €26 per night.

• As a guideline: A bed in a hostel dorm with 4 to 8 beds costs 8 to 15 euros per night.
• A private room in a hostel typically costs between 20 and 35 euros per night.
• For a boutique hotel, 40 to 80 euros per night is a guideline.
• A Menú del Día costs 2 to 3 euros; on the coast, the guideline price is 1.50 to 2 euros.
• The food budget for 6 weeks is approximately 580 euros, or 14 euros per day.

The figures also illustrate why your personal travel style is important. The total amount shown is not a general price guarantee. It represents a mix of different types of accommodation, meals, activities, and five domestic flights. Therefore, for your own budgeting, it's better to use the individual items rather than simply taking the total amount as is. All prices are subject to change and should be checked before your trip.

Colombia Travel Report: Safety and Practical Planning

Good to know: The tourist areas in Cartagena, Medellín, and Bogotá are considered well-monitored. However, the usual precautions are still recommended: avoid wearing conspicuous jewelry, don't openly hold your mobile phone in crowds, and don't walk at night; use Uber instead. In Medellín, avoid walking alone through the Comunas at night. Cartagena's Old Town and Medellín's El Poblado are considered safe tourist hotspots; unfamiliar neighborhoods should be avoided at night and when alone.

Practical tips for Cartagena, Medellín and the Coffee Region

• Tip: Insist on the taxi meter when using a taxi; especially at the airport and in Cartagena, avoid rides without a taximeter.
• Good to know: Small restaurants and colectivos don't accept cards, so it's advisable to bring some cash.
• For Colombia, RedBus can be used to book buses online. Booking directly at the terminal is often cheaper, but popular buses can quickly become fully booked.
• In Cartagena, July and August, as well as December and January, are considered peak season; hostels and tours can then sometimes cost twice as much.

I develop content for Tourism Boards that provides a well-informed overview of Colombia, its routes, and travel stories. Information about editorial productions and collaborations can be found on the page for collaboration.

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