Getting There

By Air:
Colombia offers optimal air connections with Europe, North and South America. Avianca offers connections with Madrid and Barcelona, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Caracas, Panama, Quito, Guayaquil, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. Iberia offers connections via Madrid and Air France via Paris.

Additionally, American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Delta fly from their respective hubs in the USA. Aerolíneas Argentinas, Varig and Lan Chile, Lan Perú and Taca fly from South America and Copa Airlines and Mexicana de Aviación from Central America.

Useful Contacts:
Air France

Phone: +57. 1. 326.6030

Calle 72 con Carrera 10-07, Piso 11, Oficina 1103, Bogotá

http://www.airfrance.com.co

 

Avianca

Phone: +57. 1. 487.8799

Calle 26 con Carrera 92-30, Bogotá

www.avianca.com

 

American Airlines

Phone: +57. 1. 439.8006

Calle 7 con Carrera 26-20, Bogotá

www.aa.com/espanol

 

Copa Airlines

Phone: +57. 1. 623.1566

Carrera 9 con Calle 99-02, Edif. City Bank, Bogotá

www.copaair.com

 

Iberia

Phone: +57. 1. 610.5066

Calle 85 con Carrera 20-10, Bogotá

By Land:
Colombia has road connections with Venezuela and Ecuador. From Venezuela, entrance is possible to Cúcuta from San Antonio del Táchira and to Macao from Maracaibo. The least popular entry points are Puerto Carreño, Colombia and Puerto Páez or Puerto Ayacucho in Venezuela. Ecuador is connected from Tulcán to Ipiales in Colombia through the Carretera Panamericana.

 

It is possible to reach Colombia from Brazil via Leticia through crossings of the Tabatinga river. There are also boats from Manaos (about four days) and Iquitos in Perú.

 

By Sea:
There are no maritime connections for passengers, only connections between Colón, Panama and Cartagena for cargo.

 

Documents and Visas
To enter Colombia, you need a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays up to 90 days but is required for longer stays and must be requested in the respective Colombian consulate. It is also possible to request a 30 day extension from the DAS (Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad).

 

Currency and Exchange Rates
The unit of Colombian currency is the peso colombiano. In the market, there are 1.000 pesos coins.

 

The official exchange rate is 1.816 pesos per US Dollar (April 2008). We recommend changing only in authorized money exchange offices or “casas de cambio”, in banks and hotels and never on the street where expert swindlers see tourists as easy prey.

 

Traveler’s checks are rarely used as it is difficult to change them outside of Bogotá. The most convenient brand to use is American Express, but they need to be changed in a bank and these have limited bank hours. Major credit cards are widely accepted in most important tourist destinations where Visa and Master Card can also be used in cash machines or “cajeros automáticos” to draw cash.

 

Airport Taxes and Park Fees
An airport tax of US$ 30 is currently levied on flights departing from Bogotá and of US$ 42 for flights departing from Cartagena.

 

Immunization
Most immunizations are not necessary to travel to Colombia. We nevertheless recommend asking your physician or a specialized center for more detailed information. For those traveling to the southern Amazon, Tayrona, Amacayacu and Gorgona National Parks, a vaccination for yellow fever is compulsory as the disease is endemic in some areas, as well as for passengers continuing to Brazil.

Time
All of Colombia is on the same time zone, five hours behind Greenwich Mean. The difference increases by one hour over the summer.

Electricity

All of Colombia uses 110 volt electricity with US type flat two pin plugs. It is best to bring an adapter.

 

Climate
Colombia is located near the Equator which allows for relatively minor climate variations over the year. Temperatures vary according to altitude creating different climate zones.

 

Warm: temperatures above 24°C in altitudes lower than 1.000 meters,  which comprises 80 % of the territory.

Tempered: temperatures between 17°C and 24°C above 1.000 and 2.000 meters.

Cold: temperatures between 12°C and 17°C above 2.000 and 3.000 meters.

Páramo (altiplano): temperatures below12°C with altitudes above 3.000 meters.

 

Altitudes also generate differences in temperature between day and night. Clearly, as the altitude increases, so does the difference in climate. There are no variations in the low lands where days and nights are warm.

 

Colombia experiences two seasons: the “dry” season or summer and the “rainy” season or winter. The length of the seasons and the amount of rain vary according to the regions. The Andes, for instance, have two dry and two rainy seasons a year. The main dry season stretches from December to March and July and August are rainy as well. The Llanos have a dry season from December to March and are rainy over the rest of the year. There is no uniform climate in the Amazon which is quite rainy all year round.

 

Official Holidays
New Year’s Eve | January 1

Boxing Day | January 6

Saint Joseph | March 19

Easter | March or April in Mompox and Popayán

Declaration of Independence | April 19

Labor Day | May 1

The Ascension | May

Corpus Christi | May/June

Sacred Heart | June

Saint Peter and Saint Paul | June 29

Independence Day | July 20

Battle of Boyacá | August 7

The Assumption of Our Lady | August 15

Columbus Day | October 12

All Saints | November 1

Independence of Cartagena | November 11

Immaculate Conception | December 8

Christmas | December 25

 

Colombia is prolific in carnivals, festivals and popular celebrations, all rich in tradition and culture. Main celebrations are:

 

Carnaval de Blancos y Negros | Beginning of January in Pasto

Feria de Manizales | January in Manizales

Barranquilla Carnival | February or March in Barranquilla

International Film Festival | March or April in Cartagena

Ibero American Theatre Festival | March or April in Bogotá

Easter | March or April in Mompox

Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata | April in Valledupar

Flower Fair | August in Medellín

National Beauty Contest | November in Cartagena

Cali Fair | December in Cali

Internal Transportation

El Dorado Airport (Bogotá) is the main international hub and has connections to the most important tourist areas and cities. Most frequent air routes are Cartagena, San Andrés, Santa Marta, Riohacha, Cúcuta, Monteira, Medellín, Cali, Pasto, Neiva, Pereira, Armenia, Valledupar and Leticia. Main domestic airlines are Avianca, Aerorepública, Satena, Aires, Saerca and Ada.

Colombia has an extensive internal road network which is relatively safe and in good condition. Nevertheless, in some areas, air transport is preferable. Numerous bus connections between the various cities offer night routes.

Embassies in Bogotá

 

British Embassy

Phone: +57.1.317.6690/317.6310

Carrera 9 con Calle 76-49

britain@cable.net.co

 

Embassy of France

Phone: +57.1.618.2033

Carrera 11 con Calle 93-12

amfrabog@cable.net.co

 

Embassy of Italy

Phone: +57.1.218.6680/218.7206

Calle 93B con Carrera 9-92

ambitbog@internet.co

 

Embassy of Spain

Phone: +57.1.622.0090

Calle 92 con Carrera 12-68

 

Swiss Embassy

Phone: +57.1.349.7230

Carrera 9 con Calle 74, No 08, Edif. Profinanzas