Best Time to Visit Colombia

Visiting Colombia in Spring: March, April, and May

From December to March, Colombia experiences the driest weather, with less frequent rainfall, making it the best time of the year to visit. However, thanks to its geographic location on the Equator, Colombia experiences consistent warm temperatures throughout the year, making every season a good season for travel. Even if a couple of rain showers hit throughout the day, the weather will soon be clear, blue skies will come out, and the warm temperature will remain consistent.

Note: In this article, for easy reference, we refer to the seasons by their northern hemisphere name and with the exception of the Amazon, Colombia is north of the Equator. However, the seasons are not really comparable to those in North America and there is not a huge amount of seasonal variation other than some difference in amounts of rainfall.

Spring in Colombia (March – May)

Easter is a time of often colorful processions in Colombia. Some places can be a little busy with Colombians traveling around the country. Away from Easter, spring is a fairly quiet time to visit and as good a time as any if you don’t mind some rain during the trip.

Colombia Weather in the Spring

Typically, in the Andes, including Bogota and the Coffee Country, Easter is one of the rainier times of the year. On the Caribbean Coast, rainfall increases a little later than in the Andes – from May onwards. Wetter weather on the coast doesn’t make a whole lot of difference when out exploring as the temperature is warm and a sharp shower is not a bad thing to break the heat. At higher altitudes, such as in Bogotá or Villa de Leyva, it can feel chilly on a rainy day. In the Coffee Country, this is also one of the wetter times of year though temperatures are pleasant at around 26C / 79F by day.

Best Things to Do in Colombia during Spring

Spring is a good time to head to some of the warm parts of Colombia. This is a nice time to be on the Caribbean Coast, for example, Cartagena, Tayrona National Park, and the islands of San Andres and Providencia.

In the Coffee Country, coffee is harvested year-round and this is a pleasant time to visit traditional towns such as Salento.

For traditional Easter processions, the colonial town of Mompox is the place to go. The town is a few hours by road and ferry (the town is on an island of the River Magdalena) from Cartagena. Book well in advance.

Take a trip to the desert peninsula of La Guajira in the far north of Colombia. Stay a few nights in simple accommodation run by the indigenous Wayuu people and explore the area on a 4×4 tour.

Visiting Colombia in the Summer: June, July, and August

Summer in Colombia (June – August)

June to August are some of the best months of the year to visit Colombia. It is one of the driest times of year and there are a number of interesting festivals. Prices of flights to Colombia might be a bit higher at this time than at some times of year, but prices once in the country are generally not higher and aside from special festivals, it is actually not that busy despite being an excellent time to travel.

Colombia Weather in the Summer

The weather is good at this time! Every region of Colombia experiences some of their driest weather in the summer months, though in most areas that by no means rules out the rain. For the Andes, in particular, this is the best time of year to visit.

Best Things to Do in Colombia during Summer

Take a trip to the colonial town of Villa de Leyva a few hours from Bogota in Colombia’s mountainous center. If traveling in August catch the Festival of Kites in the town. Other colonial towns in the Andes are great to visit from June to August too including Barichara.

Medellin’s world-famous Flower Festival takes place in August and the streets fill with colorful floral celebrations making for the perfect excuse to plan a visit.

The Pacific Coast of Colombia is one of the wettest places on earth and as a result is extremely lush and full of life. This is the time to go if you want to go whale watching.

Much of the country’s highlights can be found near the water, like Tayrona National Park. Famed for its palm-shaded coves and coastal lagoons, the park’s natural beauty is a highlight of South America. In the nearby UNESCO heritage port town Cartagena, one of the simple pleasures is strolling the small cobblestone streets. Once the parading ground of 14th-century settlers and wealthy traders, the main squares and quaint alleys of the town are remarkably preserved, perfect for some relaxed exploring of Colombia’s most important cultural landmarks.