Looking to make your Next Stop a week in Colombia? It's a place I've always wanted to go and its gotten more and more trendy over the last 10 years. We decided to spend a week in Colombia and cover the north east coastal region from Cartagena, Santa Marta, Minca to Tayrona National Park.
Want to copy our 7 day, week long Colombian road trip around Cartagena? Read more for all the details on how to travel around this part of Colombia or jump down here to specific cities.
LOCATIONS COVERED IN THIS COLOMBIA GUIDE:
FLIGHTS
To start our week in Colombia, we flew into Cartagena and left out of Santa Marta - both stopped in Bogota for a short layover. With our car rental (more details on that later) it was the best way to avoid backtracking to Cartagena and in the end we didn't mind the brief layovers.
ARRIVING IN CARTAGENA:
The airport is just a 20 minute drive to the city center of Cartagena and should cost around COP 15,400 or $3.50. The taxi will charge a flat rate based on where you are staying. When you exit the terminal, look for the electronic machines located on the right. Enter your hotel address and the machine will issue a ticket with the price.
WHERE TO STAY IN CARTAGENA:
Most visitors will stay in either the old city of Cartagena or a trendy neighborhood called Getsemani. The two are located next to each other and you really can't choose a wrong location. It's a relatively small area so you'll be within a 10 minute walk of most places.
We stayed at Getsemani Cartagena Hotel for just $75/night - located in Getsmani (clearly!) but right on the edge of the Old City at calle de la media luna #29. It was a great location and we were easily able to explore from here. The hotel itself is nice and offers a free breakfast. I found our room to be on the smaller side and unfortunately our balcony overlooked a very busy intersection and a sort of industrial area. I would give it a 7.5/10.
WHAT TO DO IN CARTAGENA:
DAY 1 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA Spend your first day exploring the Old City - this area is filled with the colorful colonial style buildings you've seen online. It's a very walkable area and ultimately you should just explore.
We stopped for a coffee at Libertario Coffee Roasters before heading to the Plaza del los Coches, the entrance to the old city. Near here you can stop and browse the vendors handmade candies at the Portal de Los Dulces. You'll be in the middle of the colonial buildings now and its easy to get lost in the narrow streets. Make sure to make a stop at the famous La Gorda Gertrudis sculpture in the Plaza Santo Domingo. When you need a break from the humidity head to the Zenu Museum. The relatively small museum is free and filled with information on gold in the region and artifacts from indigenous tribes. Once you've seen enough, shop for souvenirs at Las Bóvedas Market.
Getsemani was my favorite area of Cartagena and it does have a slightly different feeling than the old city. If you're looking to have some fun - this is the place to be. It's a cute area in the day the check out if you're into street art. Carrera 11 in particular is filled. Don't miss going here at night though when it gets busy. The main place to be is Plaza de la Trinidad. You can watch street performers, listen to music and buy dinner at one of the many food carts. Buy a to-go drink from one of the nearby stalls or grab a beer from a vendor. This is a place for locals and tourists to just hang.
When you want a change of scenery, check out Carrera 10. The entire street is lined with little bars with outside seating. It's a great place to people watch and relax. If you're lucky Michael Jackson will make an appearance and do his iconic dances.
EATING IN CARTAGENA:
Food and alcohol is cheap in Colombia - and I mean CHEAP. Expect to pay just 15,000COP or $3 for a cocktail. You should make sure to try arepas while here as it's one of the most iconic Colombian foods. I recommend Colombitalia Arepas located at #30-101 a, Carrera. 10. Also look for pan de queso aka cheese bread at the appropriately named El Pandequeso. We found credit cards to be accepted in most places, but you'll of course need cash for street food.
Without a doubt our favorite meal in Cartagena was at El Arsenal, The Rum Box. Make a reservation online to ensure you get in. You are treated to a free sample of rum when you sit down and they conclude the meal with chocolate samples, which are made in house. We enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered and I really don't think you can make a bad choice here.
DAY TRIPS FROM CARTAGENA:
DAY 2 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA To be honest, Cartagena and its Old City were much smaller than we expected. We had a nice couple hours walking around but we were stumped as to how to fill a second day here. Our solution: A day trip to the Rosario Islands
If like us you are heading to the Rosario Islands for just a day trip, I would highly recommended walking over to Cartagena's port located here to buy your ticket package. The tellers at these windows can walk you through the various options and you'll be buying directly from the Rosario Island vendors (vs random people on the street). There are probably 4-5 different options and it's hard to say how different these are from one another. We opted for the Eco Hotel Luxury Resort's VIP package which came with a day bed, lunch and unlimited drinks for $85.
Day of you'll will meet back at the port at the gate designated during your booking. I can't remember the exact arrival time but what I will say is GO EARLIER. All of the tours leave from the same location at the same time. As you make your way through, you will be filtering to a separate lines for your specific booking. Now this is what's important - the earlier you go, the earlier you will leave. The first people get on the first boat. The second batch the next one. If you arrive on time (like us) you're going to end up sitting here for a while. We left approximately an hour after the first boat left (read an hour less beach time), which also meant that we got a cabana way in the back, one that you couldn't even see the water from.
So look I don't regret that we did this day trip - and other companies might be better but our day was just like - fine. You're going to wait in line for drinks every single time, which made it feel like our relaxation time was limited. Our boat had to go back earlier because of the tides which also trimmed off a few hours. But it's nice, pretty water, all totally fine just extremely touristy and like the guided tours I've normally always avoided doing.
You'll get back around 4:30 which is the perfect time to go home for a nap and a shower before dinner.
DRIVING TO SANTA MARTA
DAY 3 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA It's time to hit the road. We were ready to leave Cartagena and excited to be on our own schedule with our own transportation. We rented a car directly through Alamo's website and paid around $200 for 5 days. Pick up is at the Cartagena airport and we decided to return it later on in Santa Marta's neighborhood, Rodadero. The check out was easy and we had no issues.
Many of you may be wondering though - is it safe to drive in Colombia?
I will say if you are not a confident driver, driving in Colombia is not for you. The cities are very congested and the hundreds of scooters on any given road do not care about cutting you off or swerving in and out of traffic. You definitely need to stick up for yourself and just go for it! All of this being said, we found the roads to be in great condition and never once felt uncomfortable or unsafe. We were warned when checking out at Alamo that Colombia has a lot of speed cameras on the highways. Something to watch for - but if you stick to the speed limit you should be fine.
WHAT TO DO IN BETWEEN CARTAGENA AND SANTA MARTA:
Stop number one of your drive has to be at Volcan del Totumo located just 50 minutes from Cartagena. It's a geo thermal land form filled to the brim with volcanic mud that you "swim in."
WHAT TO WEAR/BRING TO VOLCAN DEL TOTUMO:
So I've seen it googled and it seems everyone wants to know - can you go into Volcan de Tutomo nude?! As far as I know - no. I didn't ask overtly but with the amount of people around - this is including children - I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing so. You'll also be moved around the mud and massaged by local men (when I was there at least) sooo keep that swimming suit on. Plan to bring:
Swimming suit - if you have an older one this is definitely the day for it. The mud did rinse off but I wouldn't risk a new suit
Sandals - you could in theory go with out but its all gravel roads around here so it likely wouldn't be the most pleasant. We wore our sandals up and the man who took our pictures carried them down to the lake for us
Towel - to dry off afterwards
Cash - read more below, but FYI you'll be tipping lots!
Water - is available at the local shops but you'll pay a premium
As you arrive to Volcan del Totumo you will be directed by a local on where to park. This little town is set up around the volcano so be prepared with cash because you're going to have to tip every step of the way. It's part of the fun and the locals here are clearly very poor so we didn't mind too much. It sounds like a lot but keep in mind that 10,000 is approximately $2 USD.
First you'll be invited to park at someone's house - this later will be where you can shower off, use the bathroom or change. They also have drinks and snacks to purchase should you like. We tipped our guy 10,000 COP. Next, you'll be approached by someone who will offer to take your picture during the mud bath. Of course we wanted pictures so that was a yes too! We paid 5,000 to him. They also charge you to enter the volcano, 10,000 per person.
Up top, enjoy the view while you wait for your turn and get ready to go in! It's definitely intense taking that first plunge but just relax into it. You'll get a little mud massage, time to lounge in it and tons of pictures. You will later no surprise, tip your masseuse who somehow got washed off extremely quickly in order to get this tip. Once done, you climb back down the stairs and head directly into the nearby lake to rinse off. We were followed by a lady who "helped" us wash off. She was quite aggressive scrubbing us and I wish we would have told her we didn't need help. We gave her 5,000 too. You'll then shower off with clean water back near your car before setting off again. The tipping was sort of annoying but I would highly recommended stopping, its an experience I won't forget and the picture are just...incredible.
Drive an hour further before stopping in Barranquilla. We had a great lunch here at Narcobollo. It felt really traditional and we had sancocho with a plate of roasted meat. The area we had lunch in was really nice, felt super safe and comfortable but I'd read that great place to walk around was Paseo de Bolivar near Plaza San Nicholas. Once we got here though, it felt completely different and we did not feel safe stopping. I'm sure there are lot of nice parts but we ended up just continuing on eager to get to Santa Marta.
You'll drive through a crazy, barren landscape with ocean on one side and swamps on the other. The wind is intense here and your car will be sprayed with ocean water. Two hours later you'll reach Santa Marta.
WHERE TO STAY IN SANTA MARTA:
We chose to base ourself in the Old City of Santa Marta, located between Avenida del Ferrocarrill and Calle 22. There are tons of hotels in this area, all of which are shockingly cheap. We ended up going with this AirBnB for just $60. Located on Calle 19, which we didn't realize until later, is a pedestrian street filled with bars and restaurants. The other big street is Carrera 3. Their intersection at Parque de los Novios is always busy. I would stay near here but not here directly due to the noise (like the airbnb we found).
WHERE TO EAT IN SANTA MARTA:
We were surprised by the number of bars and restaurant in this area of the city. People come here to eat and drink and its an overall safe, fun vibe with everyone just enjoying themselves.
We ate and/or enjoyed drinks at these restaurants:
Mi Oficina - this has some iffy reviews on google, but we sat outside and loved the environment right on the street
Caribbean Team - offers a great view of the sunset from their rooftop. They also make all their own beers
WHAT TO DO IN SANTA MARTA:
This may not be a popular opinion but there really isn't much to do in Santa Marta, unless you're realllllly into partying. We tried to walk around some but besides the bars/restaurants, its all just a very normal city. It's a great place to base yourself from though which is why you should continue reading on....
DAY TRIPS FROM SANTA MARTA: MINCA
DAY 4 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA Just a 30 min drive away is the tiny mountain side town of Minca. Set in the middle of the jungle, this town provides easy access to several fun activities for the day.
After the drive, start by parking your car here (see left). There may be other options but it seemed limited and this was the only parking lot we saw. I believe we paid just 5,000 for 5 hours.
Our next stop for this day trip to Minca - the Marinka Waterfalls. You can get here one of two ways, 1. by taking an hour long hike from town or 2. by hiring a motorbike to take you up. The entrance to walk is actually quite close to the parking lot. We decided to motorbike our way up and walk back down. The motorbikes are easy to find at the center of the town and I believe we paid 20,000 for the two of us. Hold on tight for the way up and ask for a helmet if you feel more comfortable. They drive exactly like they do on the streets, fast and daring.
At the top, follow the path upward for another 10 minutes before reaching the entrance to the Marinka Waterfalls and pay 10,000 per person to enter. From here chose from three falls - to the right you'll end up at the top of falls. Here its shallow but you can really dunk yourself under the falls if you like. Back track or head left to swim in a larger pool in the middle of the falls. It was fun, but keep in mind that its cold!
Back down in Minca, we stopped for lunch at Restaurant Marhaba. Was not expecting Lebanese food in the middle of Colombia but when in Rome!
After lunch, we were running late to our next stop - a coffee tour at La Candelaria Coffee Farm. Because of this, we hopped back on motorbikes for this longer ride up. Google maps is somewhat confusing so FYI its not possible to drive up.
You can message them on WhatsApp to double check tour times but it seems like they offer a coffee or cacao tour at every hour. Our coffee tour was around 30 minutes long. They walk you through the entire process from picking to drying and ends with roasting the beans and a final cup of coffee. Super informative and they let us try the chocolate too - a souvenir we bought to bring back.
DAY TRIPS FROM SANTA MARTA: TAGANGA
DAY 5 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA Taganga is super close to Santa Marta - so we headed over just for the afternoon. This tiny fishing village has a slower, chiller vibe, completely different from Santa Marta or Cartagena. Just 15 minutes away, make a stop at the look out point here for a stunning view of the village below.
We found a parking lot at the dot to the left on Calle 11 for 5,000 COP.
Head along the Taganga beach to admire the many fishing boats. This stretch has a bunch of little bars and restaurants and even more guides hoping to take you out on their boats. It was overcast the day we were there so we opted against a trip to Playa Grande or to go out fishing with one of them.
Instead we camped out seaside at Casita del Mar to enjoy a few beers and lunch.
There isn't much to do in Taganga but its also super chill. Kick back and relax along the beach, have a beer, watch the sunset. It's a nice change of pace from all the walking and touristing you've been doing.
HOW TO GET TO TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK:
DAYS 6 & 7 OF YOUR WEEK IN COLOMBIA We were long overdue for beach time and thrilled to be finally heading to Tayrona National Park. A lot of people seem to take the bus here but of course we had the car so driving over was as easy as being in the car for an hour. You're going to read a lot about how early you need to get there, how thoroughly they search your baggage, how difficult it is to get in - but we figured out a hack - stay overnight in the park. A hotel booking guarantees you entrance, at any time during the day so the park quota is not a factor either.
There are two entrances to the park but most people will enter through the main one - Zaino located here. Double check the hours but as of now its open from 7am to noon, we arrived around 10:00am. One person will stay in the car to wait in the car line, while the other goes through the park entrance line to buy ticket, insurance and car permits. The park pass costs $12 a person and you'll need to bring your passport. Because you are driving in and staying overnight, they do not search your car - meaning that wine we hid under the seat was unnecessary ha! If you're simply going in for the day, your baggage will be searched. Liquor and plastic bags are not allowed in. Once you have all your paperwork, you simply drive through.
WHERE TO STAY IN TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK:
You're going to have a few options, depending on how adventurous you are.
For the most adventurous, you can camp. The camping sites actually looked quite nice when we walked by and staying at Cabo San Juan del Guia looks incredible (although this is just one of the multiple locations you can camp at). You can book either a tent or a hammock. One con is that the Cabo San Juan del Guia camp site is only reachable by foot, meaning you'll be walking with your luggage for 2 hours. The pros include not walking back and forth if you're staying multiple days and of course the cost.
For the lesser adventurous (that's me!), there are a few hotel options IN Tayrona National Park. As I mentioned, this guarantees entrance. The cost was relatively low and what we picked was super nice. Plus AC!
When I saw it on booking, I was immediately sold. Tiny Houses Unique Tayrona is just adorable and it cost us just 310,300 COP, thats $66 for the night with breakfast.
They are currently building more "chalets" but for now we were the only ones! Exciting yet thrilling to be alone in the jungle...at night.
You eat breakfast at a nearby hotel (5 minute walk) where you can also eat dinner if you pre request it.
There were so many pros to staying here and I highly recommend it. One consideration though is that you will walk back and forth a lot. We walked to Cabo San Juan on the first day and then alllll the way back to Piscina the next. The campers avoid this.
One note, the location on google maps is very misleading. The driveway is located closer to here. Look for the tiny road on your left, there are signs for two other hotels there but not Tiny Houses.
WHAT TO BRING TO TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK:
Sunscreen, sunscreen and more sunscreen
Bug spray
Water
Food - we brought sandwiches to have for lunch but up to you!
A towel to lay on at the beach
Hat
Waterproof shoes or shoes you don't care about getting wet/muddy
Backpack
WHERE TO EAT FOR 2 DAYS IN TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK:
There are a handful of small restaurants inside Tayrona National Park, they seem to be primarily focused around Piscina and Cabo San Juan. It's an easy stop for lunch if you're hanging on those beaches or just walking by and a great option for dinner should you be staying in those areas. Prices seemed to be reasonable.
We had prepared, not totally sure of the food situation prior, and brought in groceries to make sandwiches to carry with us.
HOW TO GET AROUND TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK:
Surprise you will be walking!
Use this handy guide courtesy of tomplannytrip.com
One thing, we didn't necessarily know was that you can drive all the way down to Canaveral and park there. Definitely do this, you'll save a lot of time.
It is possible to get around on horseback, we didn't do it but you'll see the horses directly after the parking lot at Canaveral.
The trail is super clear and there are a few directional signs with walking distances to help. The first 15 minutes starts off with a climb - don't worry though, after this its quite easy.
Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys! We saw them 3 times through out our time here.
A view of Arricefes on the way in.
You can't swim at all of the beach here due to heavy tides. A guide here
Castilletes (longest, calm beach)
Arrecifes (no swimming)
Cabo San Juan de la Guía (iconic view, popular, can swim)
La Piscina (small but great for swimming)
Nudist Beach (can swim, can be nude)
We've almost made it to La Piscina, a look at the calm waters on the way in.
La Piscina is a great place for a stop if you need one and the first place you'll come across food and drinks to purchase. Make sure you have cash. We brought in sandwiches and snacks so carrying in is of course an option as well. La Piscina actually consists of two beaches, the first Piscina 1 and later Piscina 2 located approximately 8 minutes further. In my opinion Piscina 2 is much nicer and it's worth the extra walk.
Continue on to Cabo San Juan del Guia for an ever better view. The trail does get quite muddy here and there are some streams you cross that its pretty hard not to get your feet wet in. It's all part of the adventure in my opinion, but you can always switch into flip flops for this part.
2 hours later - YOU FINALLY MADE IT!! The pay off is incredible and its definitely worth the walk. There are more food vendors here as well should you need something.
You can continue even further to the nudist beach but we were pooped at this point and opted to stay put.
INDIGENOUS OF TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK
You can find better sources of information about the indigenous tribes that live to this day within Tayrona National Park - but what I'll say is this: you should be aware that there are native people that live here. That means don't leave your garbage on the beach. It means if you see someone, please leave them alone. For years, it was possible to visit their village and see more about their life by walking in land towards Pueblito. That experience is now off limits due to bad behavior by other tourists.
On your second day in Tayrona National Park, you could choose to turn in land on this path - but as I've said Pueblito is closed so I'm not sure you'll see much more than you've already seen along the coast.
Instead opt for more relaxation by heading towards the beach that caught your fancy day 1. We picked Piscina Beach 2 (just slightly past the main beach) and did not regret our choice.
BACK TO REALITY AND RODADERO:
Your week in Colombia is almost over. We left Tayrona National Park in late afternoon and the gates close at 4 so make sure you're out by then. We returned our car at the Alamo in Rodadero, Santa Marta and stayed near by at Blu Hotel by Tamaca. We had a super early flight which is why we did this but it is possible return at the airport as well. You'll be right in the mix of things staying here. It's a similar experience to Old Town, Santa Marta with a very going out vibe that seems a bit more local and authentic. If you see a food truck selling stuffed arepas, this is where you need to eat. It was located on Calle 6 and what originally was supposed to be a snack turned into dinner when we went back 20 minutes later in search of more!
Your week in Colombia now complete, its time to return to your home country and start planning the next adventure.