so, i recently posted a thread on peru and bolivia...and it now turns out we are going to be adding colombia to our itinerary.

my friend's cousin is getting married in Bogota at the beginning of may, so we figured that colombia should definately be a stop. We're planning to fly into Bogota around the 24th of april, the wedding is on the 2, and then make our way to peru in time to be somewhere to fully appreciate cinqo de mayo.

which leaves the question, what do we do in colombia for a week?? I have honestly never really even considered going to colombia, and therefore know practically nothing about the country, aside from some basic geographical knowledge. as well..there isn't the same wealth of information out there on colombia as there is for some other south american countries.

my questions are:
- what should we do in colombia for a week?? what are must sees, we would rather be time-efficient and not spend a whole day on a bus, but if we must, we must!
- how would you suggest getting to peru?? all of the flights i've been looking at are around 240 to lima, that's expensive!! we are interested in the north of peru, but because of time constraints(3 countries in just over a month) we might have to bypass it and fly directly to cusco(if this can even be done?).
- thoughts on flying to leticia and then taking a boat up the river to iquitos peru?? dangerous, takes too much time? i think it's upriver so i'm pretty sure we're looking at 14 hrs, but it seems like it would be a pretty amazing experience.

any tips about colombia would be greatly appreciated.

The only experience I have in Colombia is in Cartagena de Indias, both inside and outside of the walled city. Inside is picturesque, colorful, colonial, safe, much more expensive etc. Outside it's more nitty gritty, and not something you necessarily have to see. Bogotá is supposed to have a great nightlife and dining scene, but like I said, I haven't been there. At the time I went most wealthy locals would fly rather than taking the bus between Bogotá and Cartagena, but I don't have details about the specific problems or the frequency with which they occur. People swear by Sta. Marta (further along the coast), and the trek to la ciudad perdida, but I do not know either personally, and it sounds like the trek is too long for your time constraints.

Can you elaborate on why you want to be in Perú for the cinco de mayo? I know that the 1 de mayo is a celebration (labor day) all around Latin America, but am only familiar with cinco de mayo as a Mexican holiday. But hey, it's probably true that I don't know everything.

I hope you have a great trip and can report back on where you went and how it worked out. Personally, to cover such a giant amount of space from Colombia to Cuzco, I'd be looking at that plane ride to Lima as money well-spent, but everyone has their own agenda!

Eileen

http://www.bearshapedsphere.blogspot.com

hmmmm, well, i might just be crazy about the cinquo de mayo thing. the only reason i have this stuck in my head is bc when i was talking to a friend about the fact thaat i was going to south america, he was excited that i'd be there for it...he could well have been mistaken. i'll look more into that. thanks for the heads up.

thanks for the info!! i think we're probably going to have to fly into peru.

cheers!
Andrea

There's not a lot of tourist attractions within one day by bus from Bogota other than Villa de Leyva. One option would be to fly somewhere else in Colombia, but it sounds like you are on a tight budget. Maybe it would be better to just spend a few days around Bogota for the wedding, then fly to Peru. 3 countries in one months is very ambitious, so even if you can save a few days, it will be worthwhile.

1 week is not nearly enough time for colombia I'm afraid, however if you're just staying around the Bogotá area I would definitely recommend a visit to Andres Carne de Res. It is a huge restaurant/niteclub/family restaurant (on sundays) and is best experienced on a friday/saturday evening and night (which i didnt) or on a sunday afternoon (which I did). This is about 40 - 60 minutes outside Bogota and would be best getting there by taxi. Zona rosa and zona t all have good places to eat and drink and there are also nice places to eat around and drink around parque 91. These areas are all very close to each other. A trip up to Monserrate by cable car is a must as you (hopefully depending on weather) get a great view of bogotá, as is a visit to Bolivar Plaza and the old town in the centre of Bogota. There are also plenty of museums to keep you busy there for the week. it is just a shame that you do not have time to visit Colombia's northern carribbean coast such as Cartagena and Taganga/parque tayrona.

I spent a week in Bogota, but it was a little too much for what there is to see. The Gold Museum, and cable car (if you can get a clear day) are ideal. It might be fun to try a salsa lesson and then go out Friday or Saturday night to Zona Rosa and see how the locals shake their moneymakers. Colombians seem to have dancing in their blood.

If you can, fly to Medellin. It´s only 25 minutes in the air, and it is a much more beautiful, tropical setting to spend a couple of days. The bus is 10 hours or more each way, without delays. Avianca multiple flights daily, and their fairly cheap for the amount of time and energy you save.

I can´t seem to leave Medellin! Check out my blogs in the signature if you want to see some photos of Bogota and Medellin, and get some ideas for your visit.

If you are in and around bogota, you should consider heading to Zipaquira which has a fantastic "Salt Cathedral" which is housed in a disused Salt mine - truly one of the highlights of the country. From there, you can take a bus over to Guatavita which is home to the legend of "El Dorado" and who's lake housed many of the artefacts that can be found in Bogota's Gold Museum.

Enjoy!

Tony

If you're adventurous, try catching a flight from Bogota to Leticia, and from there going upriver by boat to Iquitos in North Peru.

Why so little time in Colombia though?

one week in Colombia is not enough. But if that's all you have, then you will make the most out of it. If you really have to stay in Bogotá, you might want to try the Party at Andres Carne de Res, which is located about 12km off the north exit. This place has one amazing party and the food is great. My advice would be to get there before eight p.m. for dinner. This is because before this hour, you don't pay any cover. After you have eaten, then just wait. At around 11pm the place will start getting crowded and you will have a great party time.
The Salt Cathedral is also a must, you should go there. The Museums that we have in Bogotá surely will keep you busy. You must also try Monserrate, a Cathedral located at aprpoximately 2100m above sea level. you can get a fantastic view of the city there. I must say that the Hot Tamales up there with hot chocolate are fantastic. but beware, everyone can get intestinal problems when changing cultures. It just happens, hehehe.
There are other good places you must visit: Chía (the city of the sun) Located 12 Km north of Bogota. There´s a place there called "La Magola". There, you will be able to find wonderful typical Bogota treats.
Zona Rosa: great traditional Party Place. It´s a must, but it is not the only thing to visit.
PArk 93: there are several nice party places there. Restaurants are good too.
I could keep on going. Let me know what you need and I´ll help you.

Paul