Between the Pacific and the Caribbean
Colombia is the only South American country to border on two oceans: the Pacific, on its west coast, and the Atlantic, on its north coast. The Pacific coastline (1,448 km between Panama and Ecuador) is isolated and wild, while the Atlantic coastline (1,760 km between Panama and Venezuela) is much more populated and touristy, with major cities such as Barranquilla and Cartagena. The Pacific coasts are difficult to access, and little frequented by tourists, with the exception of Bahía Solano and Nuquí, two coastal villages in the department of Chocó, which delight travellers wishing to admire wild landscapes while discovering Afro-Colombian cultures. Buenaventura, a four-hour drive west of Cali, is the country's largest cargo port. This coastline still holds many little-known natural wonders. Unfortunately, part of the region is still in the hands of armed groups who exploit gold mines in the middle of the jungle, or transport drug shipments by sea... The sunnier Caribbean coast is also an exciting part of the country, rich in history and popular culture. The Barranquilla carnival is one of the most revealing expressions of Caribbean society. Beyond its colonial jewels (Cartagena, Mompox), the river, desert and mountain landscapes of the hinterland enchant the traveller.
Far away islands
When talking about the Caribbean region, in addition to the emblematic white-sand islands south of Cartagena, such as the Rosario Islands and the San Bernardo archipelago, we often forget that Colombia has a lost archipelago 700 km northwest of its mainland coast. Here, we're closer to Nicaragua (240 km away) than to Colombia, which has led to a number of sovereignty disputes over the maritime space around these islands. The archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina can be reached by plane from Bogotá or Cartagena. San Andrés, an island with no real relief, is dedicated to mass tourism. Providencia and Santa Catalina, located on the third largest barrier reef in the world, are more hilly and have a very authentic island culture. Hurricane Iota in November 2020 took its toll on the smaller islands, but the resilient population is now back on their feet, welcoming back diving and postcard-perfect beaches.
Colombia also has some wild islands on the Pacific side. The island of Malpelo (540 km from the coast) and the island of Gorgona (56 km from the coast) are very isolated, but those with a sizeable budget who want to dive among spectacular marine life will feel at the end of the world!
Three mountain ranges and isolated massifs
The Andes cordillera ends its journey in northern Colombia. It has already crossed Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. In the department of Nariño, at the "Node de los Pastos", the Andes divide into three ranges: Cordillera Occidental, Cordillera Central and Cordillera Oriental. This Andean region is home to a multitude of ecosystems that have evolved with altitude. The páramo biotope, between the limit of high altitude forests and eternal snow (between 3,100 and 4,500 m), is characteristic of Colombia, which boasts almost half of the world's páramos, including the largest, the Páramo de Sumapaz, located 30 km south of Bogotá. This soggy, high-altitude steppe is the country's main water reserve. If you're not afraid of altitude or humidity, this is a real ecosystem to discover. Some páramos are quite easy to access, with marked trails. These include Los Nevados National Park, Chingaza National Park (near Bogotá) and Páramo de Ocetá (near Monguí). Here, hikers can admire the famous frailejón, an endemic plant of which there are some fifty species. Still in this Andean region, but at lower thermal levels, we find fertile, well-watered land and densely populated areas. This is where the country's largest metropolitan areas are located: Bogotá (11 million inhabitants) in the Cordillera Oriental, Medellín (4 million) in the Cordillera Central, and Cali (3.2 million) in the Cordillera Occidental. The Cordillera Oriental branches off towards Venezuela and ends up in the Guajira at the Sierra de Perijá. The Cordillera Central and Cordillera Occidental also sink into the north of the country, disappearing in the departments of Bolívar and Antioquia. Some of the peaks are very high, with glaciers and eternal snow(los nevados). Pico Cristóbal Colón (5,700 m), in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, is considered Colombia's highest peak. You can also enjoy superb treks in the Los Nevados National Park, with its six volcanoes over 4,500 m high, or in the remote Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, dominated by Ritacuba Blanco at 5,330 m.
Outside the Andean region, a number of mountain ranges stand out. In the Caribbean region, these include los Montes de María, la Serranía del Baudó, la Serranía del Darién, la Serranía de los Saltos and la Serranía de Macuira, and of course the extraordinary Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, considered the highest coastal mountain system in the world: just 42 km from the Caribbean Sea lie the country's two highest peaks, Cristóbal Colón (5,775 m) and Simón Bolívar (5,774 m). To admire the snow-capped peaks from the beach, you need to get there early, at dawn, before the humidity makes them disappear into the clouds for the rest of the day.. The eastern plains of the Orinoco (Llanos) are home to other massifs outside the Andes cordillera, such as the Sierra de la Macarena and the Serranía de Chiribiquete, with their spectacular tepuys, steep-cliffed sandstone plateaus emerging from unspoilt rainforest. Located at the confluence of the Orinoco, Amazon, Guyanas and northern Andes, these formations, estimated to be over 1.7 billion years old, are among the oldest in the world.
Majestic rivers
From these high mountains flow hundreds of rivers and streams that dot the land. Colombia is one of the world's richest countries in terms of water resources. The rios (rivers) have carved deep valleys between the cordilleras. Such is the case of the Río Magdalena, which crosses the country from south to north. It rises near San Agustín (Huila), and continues its course between the Central and Eastern Cordilleras, flowing into the Caribbean Sea at Bocas de Ceniza, near Barranquilla. It is Colombia's longest river (1,528 km) and a national emblem. As Colombians like to tell it, this is where progress arrived in the country: from the port of Barranquilla, ships loaded with modern goods sailed up the river into the interior of the country. In addition to the rivers, the country boasts countless lakes and lagoons. The Laguna de Tota (Boyacá) is the country's largest natural lake. Lake Calima, north of Cali, was created by a dam. Very windy, it's a must-see spot for kitesurfing and other water sports. Lagoons, such as the famous Laguna de Guatavita, are mostly formed at altitudes above 3,000 m. They are to be distinguished from ciénagas, which are formed in marshy lowlands, such as the enormous Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta (50,000 km²).
The Orinoco Basin and the Amazon
The Llanos and the Amazon account for around 70% of the national territory. The Amazon (42% of Colombian territory), the lungs of the planet, shares its rivers and forests with Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. This treasure trove is easily accessible from Leticia, capital of the Amazonas department, a two-hour flight from Bogotá. The Orinoco region(Los Llanos), which extends into Venezuela, is made up of vast plains spread across the departments of Arauca, Casanare, Meta and Vichada. This Colombian "Far East" is home to large farms dedicated to livestock farming, as well as vast natural areas, such as the Sierra de la Macarena and its natural sites of unsuspected beauty: canyons, waterfalls, caves and thousand-year-old cave paintings (Serranía de Chiribiquete National Park).
An earth that rumbles
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Colombia is home to numerous volcanoes, some of which are active, such as Puracé, Nevado del Huila, Nevado del Ruiz, Nevado del Tolima, Galeras and Santa Isabel. Access to some of them may be prohibited if there is a risk of eruption. This has been the case since 2012 for Nevado del Ruiz (5,320 m), accessible only up to 4,200 m. This volcano was responsible for the country's worst natural disaster: the Tragedia de Armero. After 160 years of dormancy, the volcano awoke on November 13, 1985. The eruption caused the snow to melt, transforming it into gigantic flows of mud, ash and rock. These lahars buried more than 25,000 inhabitants of the town of Armero and the surrounding area. You may remember the terrible images of Omayra Sanchez, a little girl with big black eyes, dying for three days in front of helpless rescuers... Earthquakes(terremotos) can also be felt for a few seconds. Rarely do they cause major damage, but some have left their mark on history, such as the one on January 25, 1999 in the coffee region. Measuring 6 on the Richter scale, it destroyed three-quarters of the city of Armenia, leaving over 1,200 people dead or missing.
