Los Nevados National Park lies in the heart of the country at the apex of the central Andes in Colombia’s Coffee Region. Within its borders there are some eight volcanoes, some extinct and collapsed, others very active such as the historically deadly Nevado del Ruiz or Kumanday (Sleeping Lion). Three have rapidly disappearing glaciers due … Continued

Located in the south west of Colombia, Cali is nestled at the base of the western Andes range close to Farallones National Park in the immense Cauca Valley, an area dominated by sugar cane crops which stretch some 50km to the south and 200km northwards. Founded by Sebastian Belalcázar in 1536 (one of Pizarro’s lieutenants … Continued

Located in the eastern slope of the Central Andes, Rio Claro protects a 650ha remnant of what was once a great forest that extended across the Magdalena Valley, into which the Claro River drains. This humid tropical lowland forest is one of Colombia’s most important spots for endemism as many species of bird, plant, amphibian … Continued

The Colombian Coffee Region (renamed the UNESCO Coffee Cultural Landscape) has to be one of Colombia’s most enticing and visually stunning locations. Spanning the three departments (states) of Caldas, Risaralda and Quindio – each with sizeable cities namely Manizales, Pereira and Armenia respectively – the Eje Cafetero (coffee zone) is a collection of rolling mountains … Continued

Chingaza National Park is just 50km from Colombia’s capital. Bogotanos have a special relationship with the park since it’s the capital’s main water source. Chingaza is one of the larger Andean national parks at 76,600ha and was created to protect a large and very important area of paramo, lakes and Andean forest that extends from … Continued

Considered the world’s largest necropolis (a cemetery with elaborate tombs and monuments), San Agustin’s Archaeological Parks are located in Huila department, in the south of Colombia, in the municipalities of San Agustín and Isnos. It contains the largest collection of pre-Colombian religious monuments and megalithic sculptures in Latin America and was also declared a World … Continued

Medellín is one of the most visually impressive modern cities in Colombia. Its pleasant climate results from temperatures which average around 22ºC all year and explains why Medellín is called The City of Eternal Spring. Surrounded by mountains, Medellín and the region of Antioquia, of which Medellin is the capital, has developed a particular culture, … Continued

Rio Blanco Reserve is legendary in Neotropical birding circles. It is considered one of the best birding sites in the world, with over 350 species recorded in the 4,000ha property. The reserve protects the Blanco River watershed and its forests which range from sub-tropical and high-Andean forest through to sub-páramo and páramo habitat in its … Continued

At 2,600 metres above sea level and bordered to the east by the imposing Cerros Orientales (eastern hills), Bogotá is the largest city in Colombia and its national capital. With average temperatures of 17ºC throughout the year, the city provides a pleasant temperate climate for its multicultural population of eight million derived from every region … Continued

Part of the Colombian Coffee Region, the Cocora Valley is one of Colombia’s most iconic landscapes. The valley divides into two then disappears into the cloud forests above, pockmarked by the tallest wax palms in the world (Colombia’s highly endangered national tree) some of which are 60m tall. The Cocora Valley was created some 5,000 … Continued

Caño Cristales is the local name for Colombia’s famous River of Seven Colours, an ancient waterbed that runs through one of the world’s most ancient rock formations, the Sierra de La Macarena. A pre-Cambrian range that dates back some 1.8 billion years, around seven times the age of the Andes, the vast length of time … Continued

Otun Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, located in the mid Otun River basin, has been a reference point for sustainable tourism in Colombia for many years and won various international awards. Their development of nature-focused tourism, managed and delivered by the local community, has set a benchmark that many communities in Colombia have chosen to … Continued