Best Time to Visit Colombia
Do you want to know when is the best time to visit Colombia? What is the best season to enjoy your travels? What is the rainy season in Colombia, and when can you expect a dry period? Let's find out. Feel free to plan your Colombia adventure with our travel guide.
When is the best time to visit Colombia? That's a question almost every traveler search first when planning a trip to this wonderful South American country. We get it.
No one wants to spend several days locked up in a hotel room because of the pouring rain.
And even though weather is always unpredictable, based on the historical data, it is quite possible to tell what season is the best to travel to Colombia. It, of course, also depends on your itinerary and the activities you prefer to do.
What should you know before you decide on one particular season?
There are a few things you should know about Colombia before you go. First of all, Colombia is a vast and diverse country.
In translation, it means that due to elevation and topography, Colombia has many microclimates that can affect your travels.
You'll never get the same weather in the jungle, the city of Medellin, and cloud forest on the very same day. Also, as Colombia is a tropical country very near to the equator, temperatures are quite constant.
It is possible to say it is warm throughout the year.
However, you should definitely pack warmer clothes such as a windproof jacket, waterproof jacket, fleece jacket, and hiking trousers, especially if you plan on enjoying the great outdoors in the mountains.
On the other hand, we can say with certainty that Colombia has two distinct seasons, dry and rainy, that periodically repeat twice in one year. Both seasons have advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage of a dry season is pretty clear. Blue skies and sunny days.
The disadvantage? Most of the travelers decide on this option, and prices soar.
Obviously, the rainy season brings rain, but it is important to say that it does not rain for the entire day in many of Colombia's regions.
You should rather expect afternoon showers, which should not affect your travels that much. Plus, you might enjoy less crowded top attractions.
If we should talk for ourselves, if life on the road taught us something, it would be the fact that the best season to travel is usually the shoulder season. It is the time when the majority of tourists leave, prices are lower, but the weather is still enjoyable.
But without any further ado, we want to share with you our thoughts on the best time to visit Colombia in this travel guide, season by season.
Hopefully, this blog post will help you plan your trip, and you decide on the season that will work the best for you.
I, Lucie, can be often crazy when planning the best time to visit a destination.
I can even revamp the whole travel itinerary (looking at you Jordan) only because of the unpromising weather forecast, but there's one important thing we should realize.
One important thing I keep reminding myself. Nature is nature, and we should be able to enjoy our trip when the sun shines, and when it rains cats and dogs.
Travel is, after all, about experiencing something new.
WHEN TO GO
In case you cannot imagine visiting Colombia without doing a few one or multi-day hikes, consider the main season, December to February, then the short dry season July and August, but we would also eye on March, April, or September.
If you want to spend your time mostly on the Caribbean Coast and beaches, visit anytime, except for September to November.
In our opinion, the weather will always be good for exploring colonial towns and the large cities.
Amazon is quite unpredictable, but you won't make a mistake when you plan your trip between July and March.
This is, in short, what you can expect from the seasons in Colombia. Keep on reading to get more detailed information.
Hopefully, this blog post will help you a bit to narrow down your choices. Feel free to let us know your experience of visiting Colombia at different times of the year in the comment section below.
DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY
Well, if you are looking for the best time to travel to Colombia, it is generally known that the months of December, January, and February, are the high season.
Simply put, December to February is the dry season in most regions of the country, and if you want to increase your chances for rainless days and sunny skies, this should be your first option.
Nothing is, of course, black and white, though.
The high season often attracts crowds - both local and international travelers, moreover, prices are often higher, and you should carefully plan your Colombia itinerary.
We would also recommend you book your accommodation in advance, same as tours if you plan on taking a few of them, especially if you want to save money.
If you want to do many hikes in the national parks, then the high season will offer you the most stable conditions.
Colonial towns will be quite hot in this period; Cartagena is extremely hot and humid (and very crowded), weather in Santa Marta won’t be any better.
On the other hand, Amazon, at this time of the year, is hit or miss. It can be dry, but it also can rain in the afternoons.
Tayrona National Park used to be closed in the past between the end of January and mid-February for restoration and maintenance of the trails, so always confirm the up-to-date information with local authorities.
MARCH AND APRIL
We would say that March and April is the shoulder season in Colombia. Of course, except for the Holy Week alias Semana Santa.
In other words, Easter is extremely busy time in Colombia regardless of the weather forecast.
It is one of the biggest celebrations in the country, that really often lasts the whole week, and in case you happen to be in Colombia during this time, plan your moves carefully.
When it comes to the weather, the chance of rain in March and April slightly increases, but it is nothing we would worry about. Rather the opposite.
During this time, you might enjoy weather that is still perfect for traveling, especially if you want to see most the country has to offer, mixed with lower crowds and reasonable prices.
Amazon and the Pacific Coast are at this time rainier than the rest of the country.
At the end of April, rainfall can pick up a bit, so make sure you pack a rain poncho.
MAY AND JUNE
These two months is officially the wet season in Colombia. It is the first rainy season of the year. Prices drop, and it is the best time for backpackers who want to travel as cheaply as possible.
What can you expect from traveling in Colombia in May and June?
The weather can be a bit unpredictable, which might be better for long term travelers than vacationers with a limited time for exploring the country.
In general, these two months usually bring sunny and clear mornings, abrupt afternoon rains, followed by bright skies.
It might be a bit difficult time for exploring the Andes, but on the other hand, it is a great time for the Caribbean Coast that is not that much affected by this short rainy season.
Moreover, you can always visit places such as Villa de Leyva regardless of the weather.
Also, the Pacific is at its best for watching humpback whales.
On top of that, the best season for the most famous river in Colombia, Cano Cristales, starts. The colorful river is at its best till November.
It rains more in Amazon, which can be seen as an advantage because you'll be able to get deeper into the jungle.
JULY AND AUGUST
July and August are two months we have the biggest experience with, as it is the time when we traveled around Colombia. We have opted for this season for several reasons.
First of all, these two months still guarantee very pleasant temperatures in the whole country.
Second of all, it is a short dry period between two rainy seasons, and we saw it as an opportunity to have it all - nice weather, not that many travelers around, and reasonable prices.
As we knew how diverse Colombia is, we hoped for conditions that would allow us to do everything; relax on the beaches and hike in the mountains.
We would say it worked out.
Sure, some places such as Manizales, San Agustin, and Jardin can sometimes be cloudy as they are set in the hills, but we had a lot of sunshine too.
You can check out our Colombia section on this travel blog and get inspired by the photos taken in July and August.
It is not only a perfect time for exploring towns such as Salento, but the whole area of Zona Cafetera has a magical atmosphere. Especially Cocora Valley in the clouds will be an unforgettable experience.
Places such as Los Nevados National Park or overall, the mountains can be cloudy and misty, but it is, on the other hand, very atmospheric.
The Caribbean Coast, often represented by Tayrona National Park, is great to visit, although temperatures are often too hot.
Bogota and Medellin are pleasant, even though the capital city can be a bit gloomy, but it is mostly because of the high elevation.
If you want to visit Amazon Rainforest, this is actually the best time of the year. Admittedly, we did not go to Amazon in Colombia but spent a week in the Peruvian jungle instead.
Based on our experience, this environment is wonderful any time of the year.
Being said that, dry and wet seasons in the jungle are two completely different worlds. Make sure to do some research on this topic before you go.
It was quite hard to pack for traveling in Colombia during this time as we needed a bit of everything, from swimsuit to silk liner to keep us warm in the mountains, but it was well worth it.
SEPTEMBER
The month of September is hard to place. Some people classify it as part of the short dry season; some people think it is a foretaste of the upcoming rainy season.
We would liken it to April and if you are looking to travel to Colombia in the shoulder season, consider September seriously.
Mornings should bring sunshine, and the chance of rain increases in the afternoon. Nights are a bit cooler; you might even need a down jacket to feel comfortable.
The rainy season starts on the Caribbean Coast, which is other than that, mostly dry for the rest of the year.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER
The rainy season is the least popular time for visiting Colombia. As we've already mentioned, the country is an all-year-round destination.
Still, if you will opt to travel between the end of September and the end of November, you should pack waterproof gear, such as this waterproof dry bag or dry sacks to keep our valuables safe.
But even this period has advantages.
First of all, you won't meet that many travelers and your experience will be, thanks to it, more authentic. Other than that, the prices drop to their annual minimum.
Last but not least, it does not rain all the time. It often rains in the afternoon, but even periods of several days of blue skies are known.
Surprisingly, this wet season is much drier than the first rainy season in the south of Colombia, that includes top destinations such as Popayan, San Agustin, or Tatacoa Desert.
On the other hand, the Caribbean Coast experiences the only true rainy season of the year, and we would not revolve the entire itinerary around relaxing on the beach.
It is also better to avoid the Pacific Coast, but you can plan a trip to the Amazon instead.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
