Day Trips in Colombia: 10 Picked and Priced

1.Guatapé Day Trip & Boat to Pablo Escobar’s Estate

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 365 reviews · 10h 30m · from $64Our pick

From El Poblado, ride a colorful bilingual tour bus to Guatapé, climb or photograph El Peñol, cruise the reservoir, and visit Hacienda La Manuela by boat. Guides such as Mario, César, Naomi, and Sebastián are praised for lively explanations. Optional ATVs, jet skis, paintball, and an overnight return make this a flexible but very long day.

“A day filled with great places, much information and lots of laughter. Thanks to our amazing guide Juanito!”

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2.Minca Coffee, Cocoa, & Waterfall Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 102 reviews · from $78

Travel from Santa Marta to Minca for a guided day of mountain walking, Colombian coffee, cocoa, river pools, and lunch at a bamboo restaurant. English and Spanish guides such as Tony, Gustavo, and Sadam explain local nature and food production. Expect steep sections, bugs, a one-hour drive, and about nine hours away from the coast.

“great experience. next time I'd try and spend longer in minca. our guide was lovely and informative. highly recommend”

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3.Neiva: Guided Day Trip to the Tatacoa Desert with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 76 reviews · 1 day · from $129

Travel from Neiva or Villavieja with guides such as Juan, Serafin, Camilo, or Natan. Walk Tatacoa’s red and gray desert trails, visit the Magdalena River, eat a local lunch, swim in a desert pool, watch the sunset, and view planets through telescopes. The long day is active, hot, and especially rewarding for first-time visitors.

“Our trip to the Tatacoa desert was amazing. Our guide Juan was very knowledgeable and was very patient and flexible, allowing us to decide how much time we spent at each place and taking lots of photos for us. We were very glad we went with a guide as it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to navigate the two deserts without one and a lot of the areas are private property, with the owners being known to our guides. The food was delicious and the swimming pool in the middle of the desert was a lovely break from the heat. Seeing the sunset over the desert and watching…”

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4.Rosario Island and Mangroves Private Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 73 reviews · 9 hours · from $244

Spend nine flexible hours with a private guide such as Luis, Sofia, or Valentina, traveling from Cartagena to Barú and the Rosario Islands. Eat breakfast and Caribbean lunch in a local home, cruise mangroves, snorkel at coral reefs, relax on a beach, and learn about village life away from the big tour boats.

“What a great day tour! Valentina was an amazing tour guide- so friendly and accommodating. We learned so much about the history of Cartagena and the islands. You can tell she really loves what she does! And Luis is a wonderful tour coordinator! He’s so responsive via WhatsApp as soon as we booked the tour and even said hello to us when he saw us on the island. Highly recommended. Will definitely refer some family and friends who visit Cartagena.”

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5.Baru Island & Playa Tranquila Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 67 reviews · 8 hours · from $26Best value

Spend eight hours traveling from Cartagena to Barú Island, then walking to Playa Tranquila for swimming, sun, views, and a typical lunch of fish or chicken, coconut rice, patacón, and salad. Hotel pickup is offered in several beach districts, with English and Spanish assistance advertised. Chairs, tents, drinks, and snorkeling cost extra.

“PÉSIMO, es fraude, la descripción dice que vas a playa tranquila, te llevan y abandonan en playa blanca que es una playa pública llena de ambulantes, cobran por todo muy caro, una tumbona €20 un zumo €15, preguntas a la guía en el bus si se puede pagar con tarjeta y te dice si pero cobran un 7% estando en el chiringuito donde te abandonan literal ( la guía desaparece y no la vuelves a ver el resto del día) al momento de pagar te dicen que cobran con tarjeta con comisión del 20% extra NO RECOMENDABLE la peor experiencia en mi vida, pérdida de tiempo y dinero, es una…”

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6.Playa Blanca Full-Day Trip from Cartagena

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 48 reviews · from $63

Leave Cartagena by air-conditioned vehicle, pass Manga, Bosque, Mamonal, and the Campo Elias Teran Bridge, then spend the day on Baru’s Playa Blanca. Your bilingual guide, typical lunch, bottled water, and fruit are included. Pickup is available from selected hotels and central meeting points.

“The staff was on time for pick up, very informative and polite. The provided cooked lunch was prepared well and was delicious. It's definitely worth the money.”

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7.Dream Hammocks, Zipline, & Waterfall Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 9 hours · from $205Top rated

Escape Medellín for a private, nine-hour adventure with bilingual guides such as Fabián or Diego. Fly across 1,400 meters of zipline, rest in hammocks 150 meters above the ground, and hike to the base of 100-meter El Salto del Buey. Hotel pickup, transport, insurance, and gear are included, but lunch is extra.

“This was a once in a lifetime experience! While we found it was worth every penny, we thought lunch could have been provided. The hammocks and standing in front of the majestic powerful El Salto de Buey waterfall was perfection. Our guide, Fabian, was a darling through and through, from the drive to and back to our hotel. Do yourself a favour and book this experience.”

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8.Guatape and El Penol Rock Day Trip with Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 42 reviews · 11 hours · from $43

Travel from Medellín to Guatapé by tourist bus for a full day of colorful streets, reservoir views, local meals, and the 740-step climb up El Peñol Rock. Spanish-speaking guides lead the outing, with bilingual help available on request. The day may include Alto del Chocho and the Casa al Revés, though entry fees are extra.

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9.La Candelaria, Mount Monserrate and Museo del Oro in One Day in Bogota

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $160

Start with skip-the-line access to Mount Monserrate, then explore Bogotá’s old center, La Concordia market, Plaza Bolívar, and the Gold Museum with a private guide and driver. Guides such as Diego, Lina, Rafael, and Santiago are praised for clear English, local insight, and flexible pacing. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for groups of up to five.

“What a fantastic- must do tour of Bogota. Lena sp? was amazing and went out of her way to customize the tour per our interests while making sure we stayed on track for the scheduled visits. She was just a wealth of local info- and a lot of fun to be with!. Ask her to take you to the restaurant for hot chocolate with cheese!!!!!!”

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10.Family Day Trip – Private Boat Charter To The Rosario Islands

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Set out from Cartagena’s Sibarita del Mar on an eight-hour private boat charter for up to 10 people. A bilingual guide takes you around the Rosario Islands and Barú, with time for swimming, snorkeling, beach stops, drinks, and lunch. Ice, water, and snorkeling equipment are included, but lunch and taxes cost extra.

“A fantastic and enjoyable experience! Our tour guide was exceptional. Ensured we were comfortable and tailored the tour to suit our tastes. Showed us the islands, shared interesting facts and took us to great spots for snorkeling, swimming and lunch.”

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