Colombia Cycling Tour

You will be met on arrival at El Nuevo Dorado International Airport, Bogotá (BOG) by your Tour Leader and taken to our centrally-located hotel.

Depending on arrival times and after preparing the bikes, the remainder of the day will be set aside for an exploration of the city.

Bogotá, sitting at 2,625 metres above sea level and surrounded by towering Andean peaks, is a progressive and bustling city and well worth a visit. The city boasts 58 museums and over 70 art galleries and amongst the highlights are The National Museum of Colombia and The Gold Museum, with its 35,000 pieces of Tumbaga Gold.

If time allows, a visit to La Candelaria, the historic cobbled centre is highly recommended. We will enjoy an evening meal together in one of the city’s many fine restaurants and after the pre-tour briefing we will retire and rest up in anticipation of the adventure ahead.

Today is all about acclimatisation and is one of the easier days of the tour, though not completely without challenges and there are occasional small mountains to negotiate.

Our route takes us along an old road connecting local fincas.  Our first climb is only 4km but it is steeper than the average Colombian climb and might feel tough as we’re still acclimatising.

From the summit we descend into Subachoque and even though we’re not far from the capital we’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of rural Colombia. From here it’s on to Facatativá where we will stop for lunch.

After lunch, we arrive at another small incline before we get our first experience of real Colombian-style descent. 30km of downhill joy will take us to our final challenge of the day, a minor climb with a tough 2km stretch. After reaching the summit we find ourselves in a land seemingly left behind by time, where traditional life carries on without interruption from traffic and other aspects of modern life.

Finally, we arrive in the small town of Vianí.

We depart Vianí much as we arrived, climbing out of town and into some of the most breathtaking scenery we’ll encounter on the entire tour. Yesterday, the lack of human presence and activity surprised us, but today we’ll be even more amazed by the profound sense of solitude, especially in the early stages.

After a few kilometers of climbing, the landscape unfolds, revealing stunning views of the majestic Rio Magdalena, Colombia’s most significant river. The road seems to drop away, offering such awe-inspiring vistas that we have to concentrate to keep our eyes on the path ahead. However, we must stay focused, as we’ll be descending for over 40 km before eventually reaching the Magdalena plains.

We’ll stop for lunch near the riverbank and spend the afternoon riding along gently rolling, tree-lined roads through a region known for its rice and cotton plantations.

The final 50 km or so involve a gradual ascent, leading us to our charming rural retreat just outside Mariquita, nestled on the first slopes of the Central Cordillera.

Today, we take on the infamous Alto de Letras, one of Colombia’s so-called Mythical Mountains. This mountain pass, one of the highest in the country, is also reputed to be the longest climb in the world, stretching 52 miles. The road ascends from just over 400 meters to nearly 3,700 meters.

With just a few kilometers to warm up before the road begins to steepen, we’ll start at a gentle pace, conserving energy for when we reach the thin air further up. But don’t worry—most of the climb features a manageable gradient, with plenty of opportunities to rest as the road gradually winds upwards. Additionally, we’ll have arrangements in place for those who feel they can’t complete the entire climb, allowing them to bypass some of the more challenging sections.

Despite the difficulties Letras presents, the ride is truly spectacular. The mountain will offer many surprises and rewards, and if the weather cooperates, the views will be absolutely breathtaking. A 25-kilometer descent from the summit will bring us to Manizales, a bustling town in the heart of one of Colombia’s main coffee-growing regions.

Today’s stage will offer some respite and an opportunity to recover as the route we take mixes gentle climbs, descents and stretches on the flat.

We head into a region considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the Zona Cafetera. We reach La Pintada, “the painted one”, a bustling town on the bank of Rio Cauca nestled at the foot of the Cordillera Central. It sits amidst lush vegetation and is named after its brightly coloured buildings and beautiful setting.

The town is a popular retreat for hard-working city folk and at weekends and holiday periods bursts into life as the population  swells with partying, music-loving Paisas.

One final short climb takes us to our hotel overlooking the Cauca Valley.

Today’s stage is relatively short but by no means easy! Luckily the lovely countryside we’ll be cycling through should keep our minds off the occasional steep ascents.

We’ll start by dropping down through La Pintada and alongside the River Cauca for around 20km, where we’ll cross over and leave the river behind as we begin a challenging series of climbs. Your effort will be rewarded with incredible view of landscapes and communities untouched by tourism.

On arrival in Amaga, we will enjoy a well-earned lunch while the bikes are loaded into the vehicle. We’ll finish the journey today in the support bus in order to avoid riding in heavy traffic.

The next two evenings will be spent in Medellin, the ‘City of Eternal Spring‘.

Medellin is located in the Aburrá valley and is surrounded by huge mountains. But it is also an exciting city with many attractions and much to do, so to allow us to make the most of the city and to soak up some local culture and atmosphere and to leave us with enough energy to enjoy some nightlife, the ride today is both optional and quite short.

Your Tour Leaders will discuss all of the options with you, both on and off the bikes, and you will be free to choose. Anyone wishing to relax completely today can opt out entirely but we expect that most will join us for a morning ride and return for to the city for the afternoon

Today, we’re back on our bikes and heading once more into the hills! The Andes still have some surprises for us, and the Cordillera has one final  challenge as we ride upwards to cloud-covered summits.

After navigating the busy streets of Medellín, we’ll begin the last major ascent of our tour, climbing to just under 2,600 meters. We quickly leave the city behind and find ourselves on quiet rural roads, where we can relax and soak in the views as we pass through numerous small villages and towns en route to Santa Rosa de Osos, an interesting but overlooked mountain community.

We’re high above sea level and still have lots of thrilling downhills to look forward to.

Colombia’s ever-changing landscape has still more surprises for us.  The day starts with a climb to 2,450 meters, but overall, we’re definitely heading downhill!

We’ll cycle past Yarumal, the last significant town in the mountains, before beginning our descent.

Just beyond the summit, we’ll pass through several tiny communities where hundreds of Colombia’s displaced people, many of whom, despite obvious poverty and challenging conditions, take pride in their modest homes.

Today also brings a major shift in climate as we leave behind the cool, crisp air of the hills and descend into Colombia’s warm Caribbean flatlands. It’s a day of contrasts and hidden gems of astonishing beauty, as we journey from the highest points in the Cordillera to the lowest points on the coastal plains.

Once we reach the small town of Tarazá, we’ll load the bikes into the vehicles and transfer to our hotel in the city of Montería.

With the big mountains now behind us—both literally and figuratively—the pace of our journey will shift dramatically from here on. Montería is a major city, so to avoid cycling through heavy traffic, we’ll transfer to Ciénaga de Oro in the suburbs.

Today’s ride is relatively long, but the route is much flatter than we’ve experienced so far. For the most part, we’ll ride on very quiet roads through a region that, while not a top tourist destination, is nonetheless diverse and rich in culture.

Our goal is to reach our destination on the Caribbean coast in time for lunch. Afterward, there will be time to explore the town. What this little seaside towns lacks in elegance, it more than makes up for in energy and character, and it’s hard not to be charmed by its unique appeal.

It’s our last day on the bikes, and it’s a long, hot one, so we’ll make an early start to cover some distance before the sun gets too hot.

Today’s ride is divided into two stages, with a short transfer after lunch to break up the journey and help us bypass a particularly hot, flat section with a strong headwind.

Our first stage is a 95 kilometers stretch, beginning with nearly 25 kilometers of smooth tarmac and if we’re lucky, we will be accompanies by a Caribbean breeze will accompany us as we ride to our lunch stop. Here we’ll get the bikes into the vehicle for the transfer.

Afterward, we’ll saddle up for the 25-kilometer home straight, riding together along the coast to the stunning,  beautifully preserved colonial city of Cartagena.

We’ll head straight to the ancient city walls to enjoy a well-deserved drink overlooking the ocean. We’ll then make our way to our hotel in the old town centre, where we’ll spend our final evening together.

After a relaxed breakfast in Cartagena,  we transfer from the city centre to the airport for our  flight back to Bogotá, where the tour ends.

Note: We always do our best to stick to this itinerary but please be aware that we can’t guarantee to follow this schedule exactly. Very occasionally events that are out of our control mean we have to make some changes.

Colombia is the country that has everything you could need from a South America holiday.

Diverse people and landscapes make this a country rich in wildlife, landscapes and culture.

Hikers can choose to trek to glaciers on snow-capped peaks, or through steamy forest to hidden ruins, or to unique Paramó plains.

Cyclists can pedal over and around the Andean peaks that dominate, and adventure seekers can try anything from paragliding to canyoning.

Beach lovers can enjoy surfing and relaxing with a Colombian twist, or head to islands for a more Caribbean vibe.

Prefer wildlife? Try the pacific coast and its whales and turtles, or perhaps the Amazon and its diverse flora and fauna.

The cities are cosmopolitan and cultured, replete with incredible museums with enormous collections.

Colombia is divided into five main geographical regions: Pacific, Llanos, Amazon, Caribbean and Andes.

The Andes dominate and have three main branches, all running roughly from south to north.

The Cordillera Occidental lies furthest to the west, running parallel to the Pacific coast; Furthest east lies The Cordillera Oriental running almost to the whole length of the country and incorporating Bogota; and in between these two, is the Cordillera Central.

Less than 3% of the population live in two lowland areas that comprise more than half of Colombia’s overall size.

The first lies to the east of the Andes called Llanos and is a savannah, and forms a part of the Orinoco river basin.

The second is Colombia’s steamy Amazon rainforest, which lies to the far south east of the country and covers almost one third of the entire country.

In the north is the hot and humid Caribbean coast, characterised by beautiful beaches and turquoise seas as well as fertile and low-lying plains and La Guarija Desert.

Colombia lays claim to two small islands, close to Nicaragua, called San Andres and Providencia, and islands in the Pacific and these are known as the insular area.

The narrow Pacific coastal lowlands are densely covered with vegetation, with very few people living here.

Colombia has warm to hot average temperatures all year round.

Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, for example, averages around 325 days of sunshine a year, even during its ‘winter’.

There are, however, two rainy and dry seasons that Colombians call summer and winter.

The severity and length of these seasons also depends on where you are in the country – the coast has slightly more severe and longer dry seasons than the Andean region, for example.

Dry season

Dec-March and July-early Sept.

On the coast the rainfall stays low during the whole of September.

Wet Season

April to June and October to early December.

Much depends on where you are in the country. Up in the mountains one of the great attractions of Colombia is the fact that within half and hour of travel, either losing or gaining altitude, you can emerge in a totally different climate, substantially hotter and drier, or colder and more humid, depending on where you are.

On mountain treks the temperature will decrease around 6°C for every 1,000 metre (3,300 feet) increase in altitude.

In the Paramo, temperatures average around 5ºC and drop below freezing at nighttime.

Again, variations depend on geography.

Good kit is vital for every trip.

Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high performance outdoor gear.

Overview

We provide everything except a bike, personal equipment and clothing. If you are taking your own bike it should preferably be a road bike or, alternatively, a mountain bike fitted with slick tyres.

Although we will be taking things at a relatively leisurely pace, the route is mountainous and challenging, therefore we recommend that you have either a triple or compact chainset or a 27 bottom sprocket to ease the climbing.

Please contact us if you are unsure whether your bike will be suitable.

During the day hopefully it will be generally sunny enough for shorts and T-shirts though having a fleece and rain gear handy is advisable. It can and will get cold, especially in the evenings so bring a warm fleece jacket, a good waterproof and some warm clothes including thermal underwear, gloves, scarf and woolly hat as well as one set of smarter clothes for cities.

Below is a more detailed guide.

Detailed kit list – clothing

• Cycle gloves and helmet.
• Medium weight parka or a down jacket.
• Waterproof jacket and trousers. The jacket needs to be water proof and roomy. Side-zip pants are recommended.
• 2-3 long-sleeve shirts – no cotton
• 2-3 short-sleeve cycle shirts – no cotton
• 2 pair of hiking trousers- cotton or synthetic material (no jeans)
• 1 fleece or sweat trousers (for cold evenings)
• 2-3 pairs shorts.
• 2-3 pairs padded cycling shorts.
• Long thermals – synthetic or wool – light to medium weight top & bottoms.
• 2-3 mid-weight (wool or synthetic) socks.
• 2-3 liner socks if needed
• Athletic-type socks, several pairs, city use
• Running/tennis shoes or sandals are very comfortable when you are off the bike.
• 1 lightweight wool sweater or windproof fleece
• 1 wool or synthetic warm hat for evenings.
• Cycling hat.
• Sunglasses with UV filter.
• Bandanna – to protect neck from strong sun.

Biking

• Bike bag/box (if bringing own bike).
• Large holdall/rucksack (80-90 litres) for main luggage.
• Small daypack (25-20 litres).
• Water bottles / camel-bak.
• SPDs pedals / shoes / toe clips.
• Basic repair kit: pump, spare inner tubes and brake pads (we provide a general toolkit on all trips, but please bring any specialist spare parts for your bike with you i.e spokes etc.)

Personal

• Personal first-aid kit to include: painkillers, plasters (band-aids), moleskin, anti-biotic cream, general antibiotics (ask your GP), after-bite (tiger balm), anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication.
• Insect repellent.
• Towel & wash-kit.
• Wet Wipes/antiseptic hand-wash cream.
• Sunscreen (factor 30+) and lip salve.
• Head-lamp (plus spare bulb and batteries).
• Penknife.
• Travel alarm clock.
• Plastic bags – ‘Zip-loc’ & tough bin liners.
• Camera and film / memory cards (take at least twice the amount you think you will need!).
• Book, e-book, mp3 player/ipod or other to help pass the time.
• Binoculars.
• Spanish/English phrasebook.
• Extra snacks i.e. cereal bars or favourite chocolate bars.

Miscellaneous others

• Money belt.
• Passport.
• U.S. dollars cash, mixed-denomination notes, undamaged and unmarked.
• ATM cash/credit card.
• Any inoculation certificates.
• Personal & medical insurance certificates.
• Presents e.g. Postcards from home.
• Comfortable clothes for travel, smart clothes for night life.

Andean Trails has 25 years of experience of putting together the best South America holidays.

We pay a fee to the CAA for every licensable passenger we book since we hold an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking.

We also offer ATOL (Civil Aviation Authority) protected holidays to give our customers peace of mind when booking and travelling.

When you buy an ATOL protected air holiday package from Andean Trails Ltd you will receive a Confirmation Invoice from us confirming your arrangements and your protection under our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 6275.

You can read more about ATOL, who is covered and what protections you have if not ATOL-covered, on our ATOL page.

What is ATOL?

The CAA’s ATOL scheme offers protection to your money and your holiday if you book with us. Not everybody is covered (see ‘Who is covered?’ for more), as you must purchase an ‘air package holiday’ with Andean Trails to be protected.

And  ‘air package holiday’ is defined as including a flight and some ground services (hotel, transfer, trek etc). This is also known as an ‘ATOL-protected holiday’.

Who is covered?

To be covered by ATOL, you must book a flight and some ground services with us and be from the UK. If you are from the UK and only book ground services and no flights, you are not covered by ATOL (see below for more on how non-ATOL clients are covered).

If you are outside the UK and buy flights with us, you will be ATOL protected IF any of the flights booked with Andean Trails touches/stops in the UK at any point during your holiday package booked with us.

If you buy your flights elsewhere, please check with that agent if you are ATOL protected. Be careful with online flight purchases and make sure you know what protection you have, if any, before paying for flights.

Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL scheme. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking.

For land only holidays not involving any air travel, in accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992”, all UK passengers booking with Andean Trails Ltd. are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all money paid to us, arising from cancellation or curtailment of travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Andean Trails.

I’m not ATOL covered, what protection do I have?

If you are not ATOL covered, any payments you make to us go to a Trust account.

We can only access this money once your tour has been completed, meaning that if anything happens to Andean Trails Limited while you are on holiday, then your money is secure and you can either complete the trip or be able to make it home.

If you pay for your holiday with a credit card, some offer payment protection – please check with your cardholder.

You also should have cancellation protection written into your insurance (which we recommend you have at the time of booking) in case you need to cancel.