CNN Travel has highlighted 13 activities to do in Colombia depending on each traveler’s interests. Each one of these activities takes place in a different part of the country, with its unique landscape, food and culture.
Here are the Top 5 activities you shouldn’t miss:
Discover the stunning Coffee Cultural Landscape
The Wax Palm Trees of the Coffee Cultural Landscape are the tallest in the world.
1. Visit the coffee plantations at the Coffee Cultural Landscape and stop by the most popular little towns of this region: Salento, Quimbaya, Calarcá, among others. The Coffee Cultural Landscape, as its name describes, is a lush landscape full of coffee plantations. Coffee experts guide visitors through the fields and the process of coffee growing and enjoying, from the bean to the preparation and taste of a perfect cup of coffee.
Visit Múcura Island and discover the bioluminescent planktons
Gaze the different shades of blue you can find in Múcura Island.
2. Visit Múcura Island, also known as “Colombia’s gem” in the Caribbean Sea, where travelers can swim with bioluminescent plankton. Experience taking a nighttime dip among the coastal mangroves and watch as the black water lights up with millions of green-blue plankton. Múcura Island is located nearly 2 hours into the Caribbean Sea by boat from Cartagena. This island makes up part of the 10 islands of the San Bernardo’s Archipelago, which has been part of the National Natural Park Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo since 1996.
You might also be interested: Traveling alone: Colombia’s top destinations for solo travel.
Don't miss the humpback whales’ migrations in the Colombian Pacific Coast
The humpback whales’ migration is one of the most beautiful events of nature you can experience.
3. Every year, during June until November, the Colombian Pacific Coast is privileged to host humpback whales’ migrations. This stunning show, is visible in some municipalities of this region such as Nuquí, Juanchaco and Ladrilleros, or near the Gulf of Tribugá in the Chocó Region. These areas are the perfect locations to catch a glimpse of the humpback whales and their newborn calves, since the waters are warm enough and free of strong currents.
Find “Lost City” in Santa Marta and adventure into the wild
“Ciudad Perdida” is one of the most sacred indigenous places in Colombia.
4. “Lost City”, in Spanish “Ciudad Perdida”, is one of the most iconic and ancient places in Santa Marta, Colombia. This is a magical trekking adventure into the wild, an intense two or three days’ trek will guide you through waterfalls, springs and rivers on your way to the sacred place of the indigenous Tayrona tribes. These beautiful ruins are full of relics and ancient carvings; visitors can be regaled with ancestral tales before heading back to start their descent. It’s also believed to have been founded some 650 years before Machu Picchu. Most of the tours are led by indigenous Kogui guides.
Discover: 5 perfect places in Colombia to connect with nature.
Experience the ultimate stargazing experience in the Tatacoa Desert
Follow the path of the stars in the Tatacoa Desert.
5. The Tatacoa Desert, in the central Colombian department of Huila, is a popular draw for travelers who visit the country for the surreal landscapes, incredible stargazing, and sense of isolation that this zone provides. Tatacoa desert is the best place to experience a true stargazing activity; it all happens in the astronomy observatory in the heart of the desert. Experienced guides will give you all the information about the stars, constellations and other important facts while under the stars. The best time to visit this observatory, in the Tatacoa Desert, is when it’s time for a new moon, which can maximize the stargazing experience.
