Hi there, We’re planning a month-long (or longer) trip to Colombia next February. We’re thinking of getting around by bus or taxi. For part of the trip, we’ve decided to start in Bogotá, then head to Villa de Leyva, then Barichara and the Chicamocha Canyon, and finally arrive in Bucaramanga to catch a flight to Medellín. If bus routes aren’t available, is it easy to find taxis in the villages or at hotels? Thanks for your tips!

Hi everyone, Back on the forum after a long absence.

For those who’ve had their large suitcases shrink-wrapped at Bogota Airport: - Is it useful and secure? - If so, do you know the cost per trolley bag (122 L)? - After checking in luggage, if customs or others want to inspect it, what happens?

We’ve been waiting to hear stories on this confusing topic!

Thanks for your feedback. Best, Rapp

Hi everyone, I know arachnophobes will get why I’m asking this: is it reasonable to hope to travel for a month in this country without running into a tarantula? And a follow-up question—since I’m traveling with a friend who’s terrified of seeing a snake—do you often come across reptiles? Thanks in advance for your answers!

Hi everyone! So happy to be back on this forum—it’s packed with such useful info! 🙂 My husband and I are planning a 2.5-week self-drive trip to Colombia at the end of the year, including some domestic flights. My first question is: is it possible, easy, and safe to do a road trip in Colombia?

Below is our draft itinerary (with questions at each stop):

29/11: France → Colombia. Overnight in Bogotá. 30/11: Exploring Bogotá: La Candelaria and Montserrate. 01/12: Gold Museum (closed on Mondays). Drive to Zipaquirá (1.5 hrs) to visit the Salt Cathedral. Then drive to Villa de Leyva (3 hrs). Explore the town. Overnight in Villa de Leyva. 02/12: Return to Bogotá via Laguna de Guatavita (5 hrs). Is it worth the detour? Overnight in Bogotá. 03/12: Flight to Pereira. Drive to Salento. Overnight in Salento. 04/12: Cocora Valley (hike among the wax palms) followed by a drive around the area. Are there any waterfalls or other sights nearby? 05/12: Visit a coffee finca—any recommendations? Then explore the surroundings: Filandia, Manizales, waterfalls? Hot springs? Which ones? 06/12: Flight to Medellín. 07/12: Exploring Medellín: Centro, Plaza Botero, Comuna 13. How do you visit Comuna 13? Is it easy to get around Medellín? Metro? Buses? 08/12: Drive to Guatapé (2 hrs). Visit the town, stroll around the lake, then El Peñol. Overnight in Guatapé. 09/12: Return to Medellín. 10/12: Flight to Santa Marta. Drive to a hotel near Tayrona Park. 11/12: Tayrona—El Zaino entrance. 12/12: Tayrona—Palangana entrance, then Bahia Concha and Santa Marta. What do you think? 13/12: Drive to Minca (45 mins). Can we reach the village by car? Pozo Azul and Marinka waterfalls. Overnight in Minca (or back in Tayrona?). 14/12: Drive to Puerto Nao (5 hrs). Stop in Ciénaga on the way + boat tour in Nueva Venecia and/or Buena Vista? Not enough time? Overnight in Puerto Nao. 15/12: Exploring Cartagena: Centro, Getsemaní, the walls + La Boquilla if we have time. 16/12: La Boquilla (is it really worth it?) if we didn’t have time yesterday, then back to the beach. 17/12: Return to France.

So, what do you think? Is this doable, or should we tweak it? Thanks in advance for your invaluable feedback and tips! 🙂

Hi everyone! I’m heading to Colombia in January 2026 and have a few questions. In Salento, which is better to do—Cocora Valley or Carbonera Valley? After that, I want to fly from Medellín to Rincón del Mar. Is there an airport in Tolú? I can’t find any info. Thanks in advance, and *buen viajé* to all! Kristian

I visited Colombia in January 2016 and I’m heading back from August 6th to 17th with the same airline to see how things have changed. Starting August 18th, I’ll continue with independent exploration. I prefer slow travel and enjoying places at my own pace. Any tips—especially for getting around or must-see spots—are welcome!

Thu Aug 06. Fly Montreal to Bogotá 20:55-04:05+1 Air Canada Fri Aug 07. Bogotá Sat Aug 08. Bogotá Sun Aug 09. Bogotá Mon Aug 10. Fly Bogotá to Medellín Tue Aug 11. Medellín - Explore Guatapé Wed Aug 12. Comuna 8 & Hill of Values - PM Fly to Pereira Thu Aug 13. Montenegro Fri Aug 14. Salento - Cocora Valley Sat Aug 15. Fly to Cartagena Sun Aug 16. Explore Cartagena Mon Aug 17. Explore Cartagena Tue Aug 18. Fly Cartagena to Cali 12:20-14:55 Latam Wed Aug 19. Cali Thu Aug 20. Cali Fri Aug 21. Cali Sat Aug 22. Bus Cali to Popayán 09:00-13:00 Sun Aug 23. Popayán Mon Aug 24. Popayán Tue Aug 25. Popayán - Day trip to Silvia (Market Day) Wed Aug 26. Overland Popayán to Tierradentro by public transportation 4h, 100km Thu Aug 27. Tierradentro Fri Aug 28. Tierradentro Sat Aug 29. Overland Tierradentro to Garzón via La Plata Sun Aug 30. Bus Garzón to San Agustín 10:30-13:00 Mon Aug 31. San Agustín Tue Sep 01. San Agustín Wed Sep 02. San Agustín Thu Sep 03. San Agustín Fri Sep 04. Overland San Agustín to Tatacoa Desert via Neiva Sat Sep 05. Tatacoa Desert Sun Sep 06. Fly to Bogotá via Neiva 16:00-17:00 Latam Mon Sep 07. Bogotá Tue Sep 08. Fly Bogotá to Montreal 09:00-16:30 Air Canada

Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last posted!

First time in South America for me, my wife, and our 7-year-old son. I’ve put together this itinerary and would love to hear your thoughts:

Bogotá 28/07 – 30/07: Arrival. Which neighborhood and outings would you recommend? Flight to

2 Filandia 30/07 – 03/08: (255 €). Waterfalls and horseback riding, Cocora Valley, Hiking, Nearby villages. Flight to 3 Tayrona 03/08 – 07/08: Hotel La Casablanca

Hike with Tierra Nevada and the Kogui village (any feedback?). Return by inner tube for the little one. Short night hike. Second hike to La Piscina, etc., return by 🐎.

4 Cartagena 07/08 – 10/08: Air-conditioned bus. Staying in Getsemaní? Mangroves & the Castle, exploring the city.

5 Bogotá 10/08 – 12/08

Feel free to share your feedback! Have a great day!

Seb

Hi everyone, here’s a little trip report from San José del Guaviare, in the Guaviare department of Colombia.

First, the journey: an overnight bus from Bogotá. The bus terminal is a 20-minute taxi ride from the airport (30,000 COP). The bus company that goes down to San José is Flota Macarena, located in sector 2 of the terminal. The bus terminal is big, with plenty of places to eat and lots of little shops. The bus seats are pretty small but manageable—comfortable enough. We left at 10:30 PM and arrived around 7:00 AM the next morning.

First thing to note: the center of San José, right by the river, is really dirty, noisy, and not very pleasant. We stayed at Hotel Malecon, by the river, where the Malecon promenade is supposed to be the nice spot to walk along the river. Well, no—it’s completely abandoned, with trash everywhere. The hotel itself is in what we nicknamed the "scrap metal district," since that’s pretty much all you see—scrap yards and garages. Not exactly pleasant and kind of sketchy at first glance. A room with AC and a balcony at Hotel Malecon costs 120,000 COP per night. For one night, it was fine since we hadn’t booked anything in advance. After that, we moved to an Airbnb in the neighborhood with the soccer stadium—a really nice and quiet area. The little tip here is that there’s a pool behind the stadium—8,000 COP to swim, and there’s a bar right across the street. Honestly, it’s great to have a place to cool off because it was *really* hot in San José.

Now, let’s talk about the main attraction here: the natural sites. We visited Puerta de Orión (free entry, but the guide—mandatory—costs 10,000 COP per person), the natural pools (15,000 COP entry), Balneario La Lindosa (5,000 COP to swim), and Las Delicias waterfall (10,000 COP)—that last one was our favorite. The sites are really cool, and I’d definitely recommend visiting them. It’s pure nature out there.

For accommodations, a lot of places are located outside San José, near the tourist sites. At first, we wanted to stay out there, but without a car, it’s a real hassle. So if you’re not driving, stick to San José.

Getting to all these sites by taxi costs around 30,000 COP one way, except for Las Delicias waterfall, which is farther away—70,000 COP one way. Taxis within the urban area of San José cost 6,000 COP. The bus from San José to Villavicencio with Flota Macarena costs 78,000 COP and takes between 5 and 6 hours.

To wrap up, our 5 days in San José were really great. We were pleasantly surprised by how friendly the people there are—it really stands out.

So if you’re looking for a spot that’s still off the mass-tourism radar, come here! It’s nice, and there are plenty of other sites we didn’t get to see.

Hi there, I’m planning a trip to Colombia this summer. I’ve been reading a lot about safety in Colombia—everything and its opposite. For those of you who know Colombia, currently, would you say it’s a country where you can travel safely? I don’t plan on going to narco or paramilitary zones. What about the political situation? I’m traveling as a couple, without any tour organization. I just signed up and I’m still figuring out how this forum works—I didn’t know where to look for answers. Thanks.

Hi everyone, I’d love to explore Colombia next winter and, of course, I’m really keen to discover the country’s natural wonders. However, I know that despite impressive progress, there are still security issues in Colombia, and that remote mountainous forest areas were once favored by guerrillas and drug traffickers as hideouts. I assume things are different now. I’m well aware that big cities like Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena require extra vigilance, but that seems pretty normal in itself.

But I’d like to know if it’s possible—and safe enough—to rent a car and explore the national parks and nature reserves on my own, without a guide (such as Parque Nacional Natural Chingaza, Parque Nacional Natural Páramo de Iguaque, Parque Nacional Natural Serranía de los Yariguíes, Pico Cristóbal Colón, etc.).

Of course, I’m also aware of the dangerous wildlife (pumas, jaguars, snakes, spiders, crocs, etc.), but that’s another story.

Thanks for your replies! :-)

Hello, We’re arriving at Rio Galeão on October 10th at 4:40 PM. We’ve booked a hotel near Ipanema. I’ve seen there are several options to get to Ipanema—bus plus metro, taxis—but I haven’t found any shuttle bus. Could you tell me if one exists and, if so, where to catch it at the airport? Thanks in advance

hi there I’m thinking of heading to northeastern Brazil in January or February—I don’t really have a choice with the dates. Apparently, it rains a lot during that time. Is it really a big issue for traveling? Are these tropical downpours—heavy but brief—or more of a continuous rain? I’m especially curious about the stops in Lençóis, Atins, and Parnaíba. For Lençóis, I know the lagoons are almost empty at this time of year. I’ll also be passing through São Luís, Jericoacoara, Fortaleza, Olinda/Recife, and Salvador da Bahia, and before heading back to Europe, I’ll visit the Iguaçu Falls. What do you think? Thanks in advance for your reply. Best regards

IMPORTANT NOTICE for those planning to take a bus to another city, state, or destination from Salvador!

Starting January 20, 2026, the intercity bus station Rodoviária is changing its address! The Rodoviária is leaving the Iguatemi area and will now be located in ÁGUAS CLARAS (about twenty kilometers from downtown Salvador).

A brand-new station (the most modern in Brazil) has just been set up there, accessible by car/taxi/Uber/metro. Allow for much more transfer time (especially during rush hours), so leave early if you're heading to Chapada Diamantina or other Brazilian cities by bus.

Remember, there are also private transfers (even French-speaking ones) that can take you directly from your hotel in Salvador to your hotel in Chapada. Sure, it’ll be more expensive, but you’ll save on transfer time and comfort.

Tropical greetings from Salvador,

@ivanbahiaguide

Loyal member of the French-Speaking Brazil Forums for over 15 years already 😊 🇧🇷

Hello, I’m currently in Belém (Brazil) and I’m planning to take a boat to Manaus (I’ll first go to Santarém in 3 days). I’d love to get some info and contacts in Manaus for hiking, canoe trips, and more. Thanks a bunch!

Hi there, we’ll have 15 days total, which means 13 days of travel on the ground. We’re planning to visit Brazil during the second half of July. I’m not naive enough to think we can see a huge chunk of Brazil in such a short time, so I’m focusing on a specific area to make it relaxed and enjoyable.

We’re flying out of Madrid. I was thinking of spending 3 or 4 days in Rio, 3 days in Iguazu (I initially thought one day would be enough, but I’ve read it’s highly recommended to visit the Argentine side as well), 3 or 4 days on Ilha Grande, and 3 days in Paraty. I’m not entirely sure about Ilha Grande in July, but I’m looking for a place to unwind and enjoy the sea (if the water’s good then).

I’ve noticed a lot of people fly into Madrid and return from São Paulo (or vice versa). What’s the advantage of that? It doesn’t seem problematic (based on Google Maps, though I’m no expert) to navigate from Rio. Is there a more efficient order for visits to minimize travel time?

As you can tell, I’m just starting to plan, but I’ll need to book the international flights soon. I’ll probably have more questions for those of you who are patient enough to help! ;)

Thanks!!

Hi there, I’m not really into architecture, but I’ve always wanted to visit Brasília to see what a modern city built from scratch looks like, and I thought not many people lived there. After doing some research, I realize the city is actually quite crowded. As I’m planning my trip to Brazil, people keep telling me not to go, that I’ll be disappointed and it’s a waste of time.

For those of you who’ve been to Brasília, what do you think? Thanks for your replies. Anne

Hi everyone,

I’d love to get your thoughts on the itinerary we’re planning for this summer (August) with our three older teens. We’ve booked our round-trip flight from Lyon to Rio. Originally, we were thinking of heading down to Paraty / Ilha Grande... but after checking, the water temperature seems a bit too cool, so we’d prefer to go to Bahia state for a bit more warmth. Our interests: discovering the people and cities, enjoying the beach and relaxation, a few short hikes, etc.

What do you think of this itinerary? Too much time lost in transit?

Day Stop J1 Flight J2 Early morning arrival in Rio J3 Rio J4 Rio J5 Rio J6 Flight to Foz do Iguaçu J7 Foz do Iguaçu J8 Foz do Iguaçu J9 Flight to Salvador J10 Salvador J11 Salvador J12 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J13 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J14 Ilha de Tinharé: Morro de São Paulo J15 Ilha de Boipeba J16 Ilha de Boipeba J17 Ilha de Boipeba J18 Ilha de Boipeba to Salvador J19 Salvador to Rio J20 Flight J21 Arrival in France Thanks so much for your help!!!! Flo

Hi everyone,

I’d love to see jaguars in the wild in Brazil. I’ve heard it’s possible in the Pantanal. Do you know any local agencies that offer this kind of excursion, or can we go on our own? I’d also like to get an idea of the price, since French tour operators charge a fortune. Could you share any tips or your own experiences? Thanks in advance!

Hi there, I’m planning a road trip in a rental car in Paraguay. During this trip, I’d also like to cross the border to visit Iguazu Falls (both the Argentine and Brazilian sides), which are just a few kilometers from the Paraguayan border. The issue is that rental car agencies don’t allow crossing borders. So my question is: is it easy, possible, and safe to leave the rental car for 2 or 3 days in Paraguay and cross the border from Ciudad del Este? What’s the best way to get around (bus, taxi)? Thanks for your help

Hello, We're a family with three boys aged 8 to 14, and we'll be in Brazil next April. We land at GRU around 4 PM on a Saturday and want to head straight to Paraty. I've seen several options:

Private taxi: Do you have any contacts for private drivers or companies that could transport all five of us directly from the airport and that I can book in advance? I’ve already reached out to a few, but the rates are really high.

Uber: I tested the app from France, but it doesn’t offer vehicles for 5 people (Uber XL). Is that the case locally too, or is it because I’m testing from France?

99app: I couldn’t install the app from France to test it.

Bus: Take a bus from the bus station, either directly in the evening (departures around 9 PM and 10:30 PM—7-hour trip) or the next morning. This isn’t my preferred option because I’d either have to take a late bus right after we arrive (and I’m not sure how safe the area is at night, based on what I’ve read) or book a hotel to go the next morning and lose a night.

Thanks for your help.

Hi, We’re considering a discovery trip to Brazil in summer 2025 for a maximum of 3 weeks, transport included. Since the must-see sites are very far apart, we’ve selected the ones that seemed the most spectacular and have little or no equivalent elsewhere in the world. Here’s what we’re thinking: Outbound: 1 day Paris → São Paulo Iguaçu: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via São Paulo or Rio and São Luís Lençóis National Park: 3 days Transfer: 1 day via São Luís Salvador de Bahia: 2 days Transfer: 1 day via Rio Rio: 4 days Return: 1 day What do you think? I was thinking of adding a stop that’s easily accessible without flying from one of the places above. Ilha Grande? Tinharé Island? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance for your tips! Virginie

Hi there, I’ll be in Brazil from December 10th to the end of February. I’ve sketched out a rough itinerary but I’m not sure how to arrange it—considering the climate, year-end holidays, and Carnival. Basically, I’m thinking of the Amazon, the Northeast coast with Lençóis Maranhenses National Park (but skipping Chapada Diamantina), Ouro Preto, Paraty, and Ilha Grande—but no Rio visit. Is this doable in 3 months? Which direction should I take for this itinerary? Thanks in advance!

Hi there! I’m putting together my itinerary for Brazil, looking for beautiful natural spots with wildlife, flora, and great hikes... I’ve come across the Cananeia / Super Agui / Ilha do Mel region and the PETAR / Intervales / Alto Ribeira area. Has anyone here been to these places? If so, do you have any recommendations for accommodations and activities? Thanks in advance! Best, Olivier 🌍

Hi there, We’re spending 3 weeks in Brazil, arriving in São Paulo—a couple plus a teen—and we’ll have a rental car. We especially love nature: hiking, wildlife watching, birds, etc. We’re planning to wrap up with a week around Paraty and Ilha Grande. We’re not really into visiting big cities like São Paulo or Rio unless you think we’d be missing out big time.

So we’ve got 2 weeks to explore the south/southwest region of São Paulo. What do you recommend? National parks? Off-the-beaten-path nature spots? Iguazu Falls?

Thanks in advance for all your tips!

Hi everyone,

We’re making a family dream come true: spending a month in Brazil from July 19 to August 20. We’ll land in Rio and spend 6 days there (we’ve finalized a home exchange for a lovely apartment in the Copacabana neighborhood). After that, we’re heading to Minas Gerais by rental car for 11 days (Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, and the Inhotim Institute), then the Costa Verde, and finally 2 days in São Paulo.

We’ll be traveling with our three kids, ages 17, 14, and 9, who are real travelers and good hikers. Goes hand in hand, right? 😄

For now, we’ve planned to visit Ilha Grande (4 days) and then Paraty and its surroundings (3 days). What do you think? Ilha Grande appealed to us for its hikes and beaches, but couldn’t we do that along Paraty’s coast? I’ve read mixed reviews about Ilha Grande...

Thanks for your tips, opinions, and anything else! !

Hi, I’m heading to Brazil soon and wanted to know the price of drinks in restaurants/hotels—like wine, beers, or cocktails—just to budget. Also, is there any risk with ice cubes? Thanks!

Hello, We’re planning our first trip to Brazil from October 10 to November 7, 2025. We’re a couple traveling with light backpacks using local transport. Here’s our planned route: Arrival in Rio de Janeiro, 5 days, Tiradentes, Ouro Preto, Belo Horizonte, 7 days, Flight from Belo Horizonte to Recife, Recife, Olinda, 4 days, Maceió, Penedo, 3 days, Aracaju, 3 days, Salvador de Bahia and surrounding areas, 5 days Departure from Salvador de Bahia to Paris

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can share!

Of course, everything is flexible except for our arrival in Rio and departure from Salvador de Bahia.

Could you also recommend a neighborhood to stay in Rio? Alod

Hi there,

We’re planning a 10-day road trip from Recife to Natal by car with our two kids (9 and 11). We’ll start by spending 2 days exploring Recife and Olinda, and finish with a few days in Pipa.

We’d love any suggestions for things to see, activities, or places to stay. Thanks!

https://frenchiesinamerica.travel.blog/

Hi there!

I’m heading to Morro de São Paulo in the first half of September.

I’ll spend a day in Bahia and then take the fast ferry to Morro from the Terminal Turístico Náutico. I’ve heard this ferry can be canceled depending on sea conditions. Locals from Bahia, can you tell me if cancellations are common in early September or if it’s usually not a big deal?

After Morro, I’ll spend a few days in Boipeba.

My question is about the return trip to Bahia to catch my flight home.

Is it better to go back through Morro to take the ferry in the opposite direction, or can I leave directly from Boipeba to Bahia?

I want to avoid long trips and bus rides.

If there’s no way around a road trip, I could take a taxi, Uber, or something similar.

Obrigado pela ajuda for helping me optimize my route: Bahia → Morro / Boipeba → Bahia! :)

Hello, How good it feels to be back on this forum!!!!

Today, we started looking into traveling in April 2026, either to Chile or Argentina. It’s our first trip to South America. I’ve only been to French Guiana once, about ten years ago, for the space center. In recent years, we’ve usually gone to Asia during the spring holidays.

Based on the flight tickets I’ve found, two arrival and departure options are available: - Arriving in Buenos Aires and departing from Salvador de Bahia. - Arriving in Santiago, Chile, and still departing from Salvador de Bahia.

We’re considering flying business class on the outbound flight so we arrive a bit more rested. The travel class might influence our choice between itinerary A or B.

We’d like to spend two days at Iguazu Falls (both the Argentine and Brazilian sides), which explains the departure from Brazil.

Initially, we thought about arriving in Buenos Aires and staying in Argentina before heading to Iguazu. However, the itinerary forces us to go back through Buenos Aires.

We love nature. The El Calafate region seems to offer beautiful, easily accessible landscapes. Maybe there’s another area we should prioritize.

Here are two itineraries—what do you think? I know it’s short, but we can’t add any more days. We’ll have to make it work.

Option A: D1(Sat): Flight from France to Buenos Aires – arrival at 9:55 PM. D2(Sun): Visit Buenos Aires D3(Mon): Visit Buenos Aires. D4(Tue): Flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate – 3.5-hour flight – arrival around midday. D4(Tue) – until D11(Tue) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D11(Tue): Flight to Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

This itinerary forces us to pass through Buenos Aires twice.

Option B: D0(Fri): Flight from France to Santiago, Chile – departure at 11:20 PM from CDG. D1(Sat): Arrival at 7:45 AM in Santiago, Chile – hotel + city visit. D2(Sun): Visit Santiago, Chile D3(Mon): Departure for Puerto Natales, Punta Arenas, or El Calafate – to be decided. There’s about a 3-hour flight. We need to check the drop-off fees if we pick up the car in Chile and return it in Argentina – see ADEL RENT A CAR. D3(Mon) – until D10(Mon) – visit the El Calafate region: El Calafate / 121km / El Chaltén / 12km / Mount Fitz Roy / 4km / Cerro Torre Mountain / 132km / Perito Moreno Glacier / 57km / El Calafate. D10(Mon): 3.5-hour flight + visit Buenos Aires. D11(Tue): Visit Buenos Aires D12(Wed): Morning flight to Iguazu (Argentine side) – flight at 6:40 AM or 8:10 AM – 2-hour flight. D13(Thu): Half-day on the Brazilian side – flight around 7:00 PM to Salvador de Bahia. D14(Fri): Visit Salvador de Bahia (downtown) D15(Sat): Morning visit + midday departure for the airport – flight at 5:45 PM from Salvador de Bahia D16(Sun): Arrival in France.

The end of the itinerary is the same. This option avoids passing through Buenos Aires twice. Thanks for your feedback.