We decided our last stop in Colombia would be the small city of Manizales. The new bus terminal is conveniently located right next to a new metrocable station (another cablecar similar to the one we rode in Medellin) that heads up to the town center. This is quite unique, as usually the town or city [...]
Standing at an altitude of 5,300 m (approx 17,400 ft), the Volcano Nevado del Ruiz is truly a magnificent sight. Covered in snow and glaciers, this volcano – the highest in Colombia – can be climbed in a day, up to an altitude of 5,125 m. We booked a tour to hike Nevado from our [...]
There are two ways to get to Medellin, Colombia from the capital city of Bogota; 1) a quick 50 minute flight or 2) a grueling 10-hour bus ride through windy mountain roads. This huge time disparity is perfect illustration of just how mountainous Colombia is – while the straight-line distance between the two cities is [...]
A 5am bus is never really fun, but somehow we got up, packed and headed out into the darkness for our three hour trip to Bogota. With a population of nearly 9 million, this capital city ranks up there with the world’s largest, including our own New York City (10 million). We hadn’t been in [...]
Just a few hours north of Bogota, the colonial town of Villa de Leyva provides a relaxing getaway in a quaint setting that is like a step back in time. Strict planning laws have outlawed all modern structures, leaving a perfectly preserved town of 4,000 inhabitants with beautiful Spanish colonial balconies, red tile roofs, churches, [...]
San Gil is quickly becoming Colombia’s hottest backpacker destination due to its proximity to many adventure sports and the beautiful nature that can be explored in the area. After Bucaramanga, we boarded a bus that winded through the stunning mountains of the Chichamocha Canyon. We saw the new teléferico (cablecar) there that stretches 6.3km/3.9miles and [...]
After the colonial city Cartagena, we decided to head to the Carribean coast of Colombia since it is said to have great beaches. We waffled between visiting Santa Marta and Taganga because we had heard good things about both. We got off the bus in Taganga, a small fishing town that has become a backpackers’ [...]
While only half ready to say goodbye to Central America, we headed to the airport for our quick flight over the border. Erik got us and our new friend Michele who we met at the hostel into the very “unbackpacker” lounge for some pre-flight beverages and snacks. Knowing that our flight from Panama City to [...]
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Colombia by the Numbers
We had heard a lot of good things about Colombia before setting off on our trip and it was certainly high on our list of expectations. Luckily, it did not disappoint. Highlights from our first country in South America included colorful Cartagena, bustling Bogota, the mountains of Manizales, and spectacular San Gil. After four months [...]