Bonjour à tous,
Si cela peut aider certains dans l’élaboration de leur voyage, voici un ci-dessous un descriptif de mon voyage que je viens de faire du 19 novembre au 10 décembre.
j’ai mentionné quelques prix (sachant que la haute saison démarre vers la 2eme semaine de décembre, vous aurez peut-être quelques hausses de tarifs comme à Tayrona si vous y allez après).
19 nov, arrivée Bogota vers 14h30, sorti avec bagages et passeport vers 15h30, je suis allé directement à la gare des bus (taxi 20 000 cop) pour prendre un bus vers Tunja (22 000cop). Attention de Bogota vers Tunja il y a des grands minibus de 20 places environ qui vont s’arreter tout le long de la route (+45min environ comme j’ai subit) et d’autres bus plus grand, plus confort et plus rapide. (souvent on prend au hasard car differentes compagnies). Arrivée vers 19H30 à Tunja j’étais invité en couchsurfing.
2eme jour, petit tour en ville à Tunja (rien d’exceptionnel à voir, un petit tour sur la place…) puis nous sommes allées en voiture à Villa de Leyva (45 à 60min de route) pour y passer quelques heures. Petite ville sympa avec sa place, son église… Cela peut être bien d’y passer une nuit comme font beaucoup de touristes.
3eme jour, bus de Tunja vers San Gil le matin (40 000cop) (si vous dormez à Villa de Leyva, vous serez obligé de prendre 2 bus, le 1er étant pour revenir à Tunja).
San Gil, pas grand-chose à faire dans la ville, c’est plutôt un camp de base pour les excursions aux alentour.
4eme jour, bus vers Barrichara (1h, 5200cop), visite de la petite ville puis rando vers Guane (3h environ, facile car plat et descente sur un sentier dans la nature), retour en bus de Guane à San Gil (7 000 cop).
5eme jour, rafting le matin sur rio suarez (170 000cop, tres bonne activité, bonnes sensations). Le soir départ en bus de nuit vers Santa Marta, 70 000cop, de 19H à 8h du matin
6eme jour, arrivée le matin vers 8h à Santa Marta, plongée sous-marine l’après-midi (la visibilité et l’intérêt est moyen, mais le prix est correct, 200 000 cop les 2 plongées, 13H à 16h30)
7eme jour, depart pour le parc Tayrona en bus (1h, 6 000cop), entrée du parc calabrazo comme peu le font (53 000 + 3 000 cop par jour dans le parc pour leur assurance obligatoire) = cela commence par une grosse montée environ 1H30/2h jusqu’à pueblito (malheureusement fermé en ce moment) puis 1H30 de descente vers la plage naturiste et à coté cabo san juan. Malgré les avis qui disaient plage surchargée, beaucoup de bruit, j’ai trouvé cela tout a fait bien, pas de nuisances particulières, les prix de la restauration sont correctes (20 à 30 000 cop le plat). Nuit en hamac 40 000 cop.
8eme jour, fin de rando du parc vers l’entrée Zaino, quasi tout plat, environ 2H30/3h. tres fréquenté. (le sentier de la vieille est beaucoup plus nature et moins fréquenté, mais il faut aimer marcher car plus dur). Bus vers palomino (1h, 6 000cop).
9eme jour, rien de spécial à Palomino, ville en plein développement, rues en terre donc un peu sale, l’activité principale est de descendre une rivière calme sur une grosse bouée pendant 1H30/2h (pas testé). Bus vers santa marta (2H, 10 000cop)
10 eme jour, le matin bus vers cartagene (44 000cop) et visite de la ville, château san felipe (25 000cop)
11eme jour, free guided tour et tranquille dans la ville (je n’ai pas voulu faire une journée plage car j’ai entendu des avis mitigés = plages jolies, parfois surchargés et vendeurs trop insistants),
12eme jour, bus vers l’aeroport (2 400cop)et avion vers Medellin puis taxi vers le centre.
13eme jour, free guided tour de la comuna 13, visite du centre-ville et de la colline cerro nutibara.
14eme jour, excursion rocher (18 000 cop) et guatape, environ 2H à l’aller puis au retour (15 000 cop par trajet)
15eme jour, bus vers jardin (29 000 cop), et petite rando dans l’après-midi
16eme jour, rando cueva del esplanador avec la cascade (soit le faire sans guide environ 6H de marche au total, soit pour 55 000cop avec un guide, aller et retour en jeep et entrée cascade incluse) ou bien taxi 20 000 à partager + entree cascade 20 000 + le retour, soit 3h à pied ou bien encore un taxi
17eme jour, journée bus vers salento (20 000 + 32 000 cop)(bus de jardin à riosciuto 8h à 11H30 puis vers salento de 12H15 à 16H30/17H environ)
18eme jour, rando cocoroa, transport en jeep depuis la place (3500 ou 4000cop je ne sais plus, par personne par trajet, 20min environ), puis rando (il faut payer 2 taxes de passage, environ 3 000 cop par entrée) (je conseille d’aller au bout du chemin et de ne pas prendre le 1er portail bleu afin de démarrer plus loin par la vallée des palmiers afin de bénéficier d’une meilleure visibilité sur les palmiers car cela se couvre vite donc la boucle en commençant par la colline puis redescente par la foret. On m’avait dit 4h ou 5H, j’ai mis 2H50 au total (je n’ai pas fait la rallonge de la maison du colibri car beaucoup de personnes n’y trouvent rien de spécial). Ensuite l’après-midi, je suis allé voir une maison production de café, tour guidée d’une heure (20 000 cop), prendre une jeep aussi depuis la place (3 000 par trajet par personne)
19eme jour, excursion en VTT (170 000cop), départ à 8H fin vers 14H, on met les vélos à l’arrière de la jeep, la jeep nous monte en haut et on fait uniquement de la descente donc rien de bien compliqué. Il y a un extra avec le parcours extrême possible pour 50 000 de plus et le niveau de difficulté augmente sensiblement.
20eme jour, bus vers pereira 1H (8 000cop) + taxi ou uber de pereira a bus a l’aéroport (10 000 cop), puis avion vers bogota, puis uber vers le centre. Visite de la ville l’après-midi musée de l’or, églises…
21eme jour colline de monserrate, prendre téléphérique 21000cop aller-retour, on peut faire le sentier à pied le dimanche, mais déconseillé en semaine (mauvaise fréquentation) puis visite du reste du centre-ville avec musée botero….
mon avis
Tunja, rien de spécial, ville assez grande
Villa de Leyva, petite ville sympa à voir 1 jour maxi
San Gil, rien de special, camp de base idéal pour 2 nuits (un jour Barrichara Guane et un jour activité sportive rafting ou parapente…)
Santa Marta, rien de special
Tayrona, rando sympa et tres belle plage
Palomino, petite ville calme, rien de special
Cartagene, j’ai bien aimé la vieille ville meme si il y a trop de vendeurs qui viennent vers nous
Medellin, tour à la comuna 13 sympa, centre-ville bof
Guatape, tres joli comme excursion
Jardin, petite ville sympa et nombreuses rando à faire, excursion cheval possible
Salento, petite ville sympa et rando à faire, visite de ferme café, cheval ou vtt possibile….
Bogota, grande ville donc un peu moyen, colline monserrate à faire avec jolie vue, musée de l’or et botero sympa
au niveau de la durée dans chaque ville, sur 3 semaines, c’était parfait pour moi, ni trop ni pas assez
belle météo, souvent soleil, forte chaleur entre santa marta et cartagene, seulement ½ journée de pluie à salento puis bogota
Bonjour,
Je regarde à aller au Brésil et on voudrait faire Rio-Salvador-Recife en voiture avec des arrêts entre ces villes.
Louer une voiture au Brésil vaut t'il le coup pour faire ce trajet ? Le prix du carburant est bon marché ? Conduire au Brésil est comme ici ou dangereux ?
Merci
Merci
hi,
We’re planning a trip to Brazil in March 2026, just the two of us, for 10 days without using an agency. Rio, the falls, and Bahia too. How can we get around there? Train? Car rental? Plane? Are the roads easy to drive on? Is Rio safe to explore on our own? We’d love any travel journals with ideas for places to see, as well as books to help us plan the whole trip. Thanks in advance for all your tips! See you soon, cheers
We’re planning a trip to Brazil in March 2026, just the two of us, for 10 days without using an agency. Rio, the falls, and Bahia too. How can we get around there? Train? Car rental? Plane? Are the roads easy to drive on? Is Rio safe to explore on our own? We’d love any travel journals with ideas for places to see, as well as books to help us plan the whole trip. Thanks in advance for all your tips! See you soon, cheers
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! :)
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! :)
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Brazil in October and decided to go through an agency to organize our itinerary. I asked two agencies to put together a circuit with transfers, hotels, organized visits, and one domestic flight. I don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese. 6 nights in Rio 3 nights on Ilha Grande 3 nights in Paraty Domestic flight to Salvador for 3 nights 3 nights in Morro de São Paulo 1 night in Salvador before flying back to France. For this itinerary, I’m going with Tourlane, but I’m still waiting on the second quote from Comptoir des Voyages. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the itinerary and especially on these agencies—thanks for any feedback! 😊
I’m planning a trip to Brazil in October and decided to go through an agency to organize our itinerary. I asked two agencies to put together a circuit with transfers, hotels, organized visits, and one domestic flight. I don’t speak Spanish or Portuguese. 6 nights in Rio 3 nights on Ilha Grande 3 nights in Paraty Domestic flight to Salvador for 3 nights 3 nights in Morro de São Paulo 1 night in Salvador before flying back to France. For this itinerary, I’m going with Tourlane, but I’m still waiting on the second quote from Comptoir des Voyages. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the itinerary and especially on these agencies—thanks for any feedback! 😊
Hi everyone,
I’m planning my trip to Brazil in March 2025 (finally!) and I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ilha Grande and Paraty. We’ll be arriving from Rio and departing from Paraty (heading to São Paulo). How can we best organize these transfers—can we book the different transports on the spot? How much time is ideal to stay in these two places to enjoy them without doing long hikes? Do you have an estimated budget? Thanks for your feedback! Dominique
I’m planning my trip to Brazil in March 2025 (finally!) and I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ilha Grande and Paraty. We’ll be arriving from Rio and departing from Paraty (heading to São Paulo). How can we best organize these transfers—can we book the different transports on the spot? How much time is ideal to stay in these two places to enjoy them without doing long hikes? Do you have an estimated budget? Thanks for your feedback! Dominique
Hi everyone,
Next April, I’m planning a trip (the 1st) to Brazil. I’ll have 12 days there (not counting the 13th day for the return). I’ll arrive on 22/04 in the early evening in Rio de Janeiro. The return flight is from São Paulo on 04/05 in the afternoon. I know 12 days is very little for such a big country, which is why I’ll focus on a relatively small area: the southeast (though "small" is relative!). I’ve started mapping out the main stops for my trip, which would be: - Rio de Janeiro: 4 to 5 days? - Ilha Grande and maybe Paraty: 2 to 3 days - Iguazu Falls: Brazilian and Argentinian sides: 2 days - São Paulo: 1 to 2 days
What do you think? Is this reasonable? There are about 250/260 km between Rio and Paraty. I’d like to make the trip by rental car. What do you think? A car is definitely much more practical and faster than the bus. 12/13 days is short—I can’t afford to lose too much time in transit. To get to Ilha Grande, I understand there’s a ferry that shuttles between the mainland and the island. From which city can you take the ferry? Mangaratiba? Conceição de Jacareí? Angra dos Reis? If I arrive by rental car, where can I park it? I think cars are banned on the island, right? That’s where I’m at with my planning. So many questions! 😕 A big thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my post and shares their valuable tips! 🙂
Next April, I’m planning a trip (the 1st) to Brazil. I’ll have 12 days there (not counting the 13th day for the return). I’ll arrive on 22/04 in the early evening in Rio de Janeiro. The return flight is from São Paulo on 04/05 in the afternoon. I know 12 days is very little for such a big country, which is why I’ll focus on a relatively small area: the southeast (though "small" is relative!). I’ve started mapping out the main stops for my trip, which would be: - Rio de Janeiro: 4 to 5 days? - Ilha Grande and maybe Paraty: 2 to 3 days - Iguazu Falls: Brazilian and Argentinian sides: 2 days - São Paulo: 1 to 2 days
What do you think? Is this reasonable? There are about 250/260 km between Rio and Paraty. I’d like to make the trip by rental car. What do you think? A car is definitely much more practical and faster than the bus. 12/13 days is short—I can’t afford to lose too much time in transit. To get to Ilha Grande, I understand there’s a ferry that shuttles between the mainland and the island. From which city can you take the ferry? Mangaratiba? Conceição de Jacareí? Angra dos Reis? If I arrive by rental car, where can I park it? I think cars are banned on the island, right? That’s where I’m at with my planning. So many questions! 😕 A big thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my post and shares their valuable tips! 🙂
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
Bonjour à tous,
Nous partons (2 adultes, enfants 13 et 10 ans) une bonne quinzaine de jours au Brésil en février 2020. Nous arrivons à Salvador de Bahia mi-février et nous souhaitons rester une dizaine de jours dans les environs. Après ce séjour dans cette région, nous repartirons de Salvador vers Sao Paulo ou Rio.
L'idée est de pouvoir faire Salvador (2 jours), Chapada (4 jours) et Boipeba (3 jours). Mais dans quel ordre afin de minimiser les temps de transports entre les différents sites ?
Est-il possible de se rendre directement de Boipeba vers le parc de chapada ? Quels sont les tarifs des taxis privés ?
Merci à tous pour votre aide Tempestada
Nous partons (2 adultes, enfants 13 et 10 ans) une bonne quinzaine de jours au Brésil en février 2020. Nous arrivons à Salvador de Bahia mi-février et nous souhaitons rester une dizaine de jours dans les environs. Après ce séjour dans cette région, nous repartirons de Salvador vers Sao Paulo ou Rio.
L'idée est de pouvoir faire Salvador (2 jours), Chapada (4 jours) et Boipeba (3 jours). Mais dans quel ordre afin de minimiser les temps de transports entre les différents sites ?
Est-il possible de se rendre directement de Boipeba vers le parc de chapada ? Quels sont les tarifs des taxis privés ?
Merci à tous pour votre aide Tempestada
Hello,
We’re thinking about our next destination for June 2026, and northern Brazil seems like a great option for that time of year.
We were considering a 15-day trip from Fortaleza to São Luís (or the other way around), but I’m worried it might not offer enough variety in terms of sights and landscapes. We were thinking of doing a trek in Lençóis Park, visiting Jericoacoara, the Parnaíba Delta, etc.).
The other option would be to take a domestic flight and add the Salvador de Bahia region and Chapada Diamantina, but that would require about 3 weeks.
Do you think exploring the coast between Fortaleza and São Luís is enough for a trip if we don’t kitesurf? Or is it better to combine this part of the country with another region (Salvador? The Amazon?)?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Have a great day
We’re thinking about our next destination for June 2026, and northern Brazil seems like a great option for that time of year.
We were considering a 15-day trip from Fortaleza to São Luís (or the other way around), but I’m worried it might not offer enough variety in terms of sights and landscapes. We were thinking of doing a trek in Lençóis Park, visiting Jericoacoara, the Parnaíba Delta, etc.).
The other option would be to take a domestic flight and add the Salvador de Bahia region and Chapada Diamantina, but that would require about 3 weeks.
Do you think exploring the coast between Fortaleza and São Luís is enough for a trip if we don’t kitesurf? Or is it better to combine this part of the country with another region (Salvador? The Amazon?)?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Have a great day
Bonjour! Combien de jours me conseillez-vous de séjourner à Medellin qui est notre point d'arrivée en Colombie? Au départ de cette ville, nous aimerions visiter Guatapé, Jardin, Jericho...Est-il préférable de faire l'aller-retour le même jour ou d'y passer une nuitée? Merci pour vos tuyaux
Ah oui, encore une petite chose... est-ce préférable de louer une voiture ou d'effectuer les déplacements avec un taxi privé??
Bonjour
J’ai prévu un circuit un peu ambitieux pour cet été en août.
Pour gagner en temps mais surtout en fatigue dans un programme assez chargé, je prévois à certaines étapes de me déplacer en taxi, par exemple, de Jardin à Santa Rosa. Mais, si sur le papier ça fonctionne, est ce que dans la réalité je vais trouver ces taxis sans difficulté ?
J’ai une idée des tarifs estimés sur le site Rio mais est ce que c’est fiable ?
Merci pour votre aide
Bonjour à tous,
J'ai une question pour un futur voyage....Au vue de la situation actuelle ce n'est pas pour tout de suite mais ça me laisse du temps pour préparer.
Voici une partie de mon étape mais je n'arrive pas à savoir (mis à part les distances) combien de temps rester dans chaque endroit.
Tous les conseils sont les bienvenus.
merci


J'ai une question pour un futur voyage....Au vue de la situation actuelle ce n'est pas pour tout de suite mais ça me laisse du temps pour préparer.
Voici une partie de mon étape mais je n'arrive pas à savoir (mis à part les distances) combien de temps rester dans chaque endroit.
Tous les conseils sont les bienvenus.
merci


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.
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.
I’ve seen some info about this route, but not nearly enough, so I thought I’d share what I did for anyone interested.
Cayenne - Saint-Georges: From Cayenne’s bus station, the TIG No. 8 bus goes to Saint-Georges. It’s a minibus run by a contractor you can call ahead to reserve a seat. I managed to get a spot the same day. It was parked on the other side of the river, across from the main bus stops. Price: 40 €, departures at 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, and 3 PM except Sundays, depending on driver availability.
Saint-Georges - Oiapoque: Once in Saint-Georges, cross the river by canoe for 10 €. The canoe made a first stop on the opposite bank, then a second in the center of Oiapoque. To enter Brazil, you’ll need to get your passport stamped. This can be done at the federal police station, less than 1 km from the dock, heading into Oiapoque.
Oiapoque - Macapá: From Oiapoque, there are buses or taxis. Not knowing when the next bus would come, I didn’t want to wait, so I went back to the dock and took a 4x4, a kind of shared taxi, for 250 reals. I left around 4 PM and arrived at 2 AM in Macapá. If I had to do it again, I’d take the bus—apparently, it has reclining seats and travels overnight to arrive the next morning.
Macapá - Santana You need to get to Santana to take the ferry to Belém—tricky on a Sunday... After waiting for a bus that was taking forever, I took a *carretera pirata* (unofficial taxi) on the advice of a local Brazilian. It took me to Santana for 10 reals (vs. 5 for the bus). The ride takes about 15 minutes from Macapá to Santana’s port. You can do this the same morning.
Santana - Belém I bought tickets directly at the port when I arrived from one of the many agencies. I slept in a no-frills little hotel right by the port, run by a charming elderly couple, and boarded the next day at 9 AM. You’ll need a hammock to sleep if you’re not taking a cabin. The fare is 250 reals—it’s listed as 300, but they gave me a "discount" without me even asking. The trip takes 24 hours to Belém. There’s a small snack bar for those who didn’t have time to pack food.
Article on the topic (in French): https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/guyane/macapa-belem-au-fil-de-l-amazone-1302076.html
Hope this helps someone avoid some of the hassle I went through!
Cayenne - Saint-Georges: From Cayenne’s bus station, the TIG No. 8 bus goes to Saint-Georges. It’s a minibus run by a contractor you can call ahead to reserve a seat. I managed to get a spot the same day. It was parked on the other side of the river, across from the main bus stops. Price: 40 €, departures at 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, and 3 PM except Sundays, depending on driver availability.
Saint-Georges - Oiapoque: Once in Saint-Georges, cross the river by canoe for 10 €. The canoe made a first stop on the opposite bank, then a second in the center of Oiapoque. To enter Brazil, you’ll need to get your passport stamped. This can be done at the federal police station, less than 1 km from the dock, heading into Oiapoque.
Oiapoque - Macapá: From Oiapoque, there are buses or taxis. Not knowing when the next bus would come, I didn’t want to wait, so I went back to the dock and took a 4x4, a kind of shared taxi, for 250 reals. I left around 4 PM and arrived at 2 AM in Macapá. If I had to do it again, I’d take the bus—apparently, it has reclining seats and travels overnight to arrive the next morning.
Macapá - Santana You need to get to Santana to take the ferry to Belém—tricky on a Sunday... After waiting for a bus that was taking forever, I took a *carretera pirata* (unofficial taxi) on the advice of a local Brazilian. It took me to Santana for 10 reals (vs. 5 for the bus). The ride takes about 15 minutes from Macapá to Santana’s port. You can do this the same morning.
Santana - Belém I bought tickets directly at the port when I arrived from one of the many agencies. I slept in a no-frills little hotel right by the port, run by a charming elderly couple, and boarded the next day at 9 AM. You’ll need a hammock to sleep if you’re not taking a cabin. The fare is 250 reals—it’s listed as 300, but they gave me a "discount" without me even asking. The trip takes 24 hours to Belém. There’s a small snack bar for those who didn’t have time to pack food.
Article on the topic (in French): https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/guyane/macapa-belem-au-fil-de-l-amazone-1302076.html
Hope this helps someone avoid some of the hassle I went through!
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.
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 everyone,
We’re a group of 3 friends traveling from Salvador de Bahia to Belém in November for a month. To plan our route, I’d love some tips on the must-see spots. We’ll be traveling by bus and are mostly looking for nature, as well as pretty towns and villages.
Your advice will help us avoid missing too many great places. Thanks in advance to all of you!
Thierry
Bonjour à tous,
je vais avoir une journée de libre le 8 décembre prochain, pour aller à Sao-polo, depuis Santos
où je logerai. Est-ce judicieux pour un temps si court de faire ce déplacement, si oui, quoi voir
absolument ?
merci d'avance. jean-paul
Bonsoir,
Après réflexion sur notre itinéraire de 15 jours en Colombie, nous pensons faire Bogota Medellin Carthagène et San Andres pour le côté balnéaire.
Nous prendrons des vols intérieurs. L’itinéraire nous paraît chargé ?
Merci de votre avis
Bonsoir,
Je pars en Colombie dans 2 semaines et ce pour 6 semaines. Pas encore une idée trop claire de mon itinéraire, pas trop envie de programmer mais tout de même pour les bus :
Y a t'il des trajets à éviter de nuit ? Que ce soit pour des raisons de sécurité ou autre ? Je sais que je suis assez sensible au mal des transports donc les petites routes de montagne la nuit j'aimerais bien éviter si possible ... Les grands axes classiques pas de problème j'imagine ?
Enfin avez-vous des compagnies à me recommander ou au contraire d'autres qu'il faut mieux éviter ?
Gracias!
Je pars en Colombie dans 2 semaines et ce pour 6 semaines. Pas encore une idée trop claire de mon itinéraire, pas trop envie de programmer mais tout de même pour les bus :
Y a t'il des trajets à éviter de nuit ? Que ce soit pour des raisons de sécurité ou autre ? Je sais que je suis assez sensible au mal des transports donc les petites routes de montagne la nuit j'aimerais bien éviter si possible ... Les grands axes classiques pas de problème j'imagine ?
Enfin avez-vous des compagnies à me recommander ou au contraire d'autres qu'il faut mieux éviter ?
Gracias!
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!
Bonjour
SVP je veux avoir des informations sur le trajet de Paz jusqu'au brésil j'aimerai le faire des les jours qui viennent mais je ne sais pas comment ça se passe et le prix aussi SVP aider moi avec toutes les informations je suis ouvert à toutes les informations
Merci d'avance
Hi there, I just wanted to warn those who want to reach the beaches of Tayrona Park by lancha.
If you're not a fan of thrills or prone to seasickness, opt for the car instead.
We did this 40-minute lancha trip to Playa Cristal, with rough seas and huge waves that nearly capsized the boat several times.
And we arrived at Playa Cristal completely soaked—though that wasn’t too bad, really...
Anyway, the beaches and the park are amazing.
Anyway, the beaches and the park are amazing.
Hi, I’d love some recommendations for reliable car rental companies for about 7 days, to drive from Buzios to Ilha Grande. Thanks!
Bonsoir,
J'aimerai avoir un avis sur cet itinéraire prévu en février 2020 :
dimanche 9/02 arrivée 7H00 le matin visite RIO lundi10/02Visite de RIO mardi 11/02 Départ pour Salvador en avion 8 h 40 arrivée 10 h 45 mercredi 12/02 Visite de Salvador bus de nuit pour Lencois jeudi 3/02 Chapada Diamantina treck 3 jours vendredi 14/02 Chapada Diamantina samedi 15/02 Chapada Diamantina dimanche 16/02 Chapada Diamantina bus de nuit vers Salvador arrivée 4h30 lundi 17/02 retour à RIO en avion 6 h 20 Salvador arrivée + 2h00 à Rio ensuite bus pour Abraao +Ferry mardi 18/02 Ilha Grande mercredi 19/02 Ilha Grande jeudi 20/02 Paraty vendredi 21/02 Paraty samedi 22/02 Paraty dimanche 23/02 retour Paris à 16h30 de Rio (14h30 aéroport)
Je m'interroge le trajet qui commence le dimanche 16 /02 à 23h30 à Lencois et qui se termine le lendemain soir à Ilha Grande ; est il possible d'arriver par le bus le matin vers 4h30 et de prendre un avion à 6h30 ....à Salvador ?
Je vous remercie de votre aide et de vos remarques. Falbala
dimanche 9/02 arrivée 7H00 le matin visite RIO lundi10/02Visite de RIO mardi 11/02 Départ pour Salvador en avion 8 h 40 arrivée 10 h 45 mercredi 12/02 Visite de Salvador bus de nuit pour Lencois jeudi 3/02 Chapada Diamantina treck 3 jours vendredi 14/02 Chapada Diamantina samedi 15/02 Chapada Diamantina dimanche 16/02 Chapada Diamantina bus de nuit vers Salvador arrivée 4h30 lundi 17/02 retour à RIO en avion 6 h 20 Salvador arrivée + 2h00 à Rio ensuite bus pour Abraao +Ferry mardi 18/02 Ilha Grande mercredi 19/02 Ilha Grande jeudi 20/02 Paraty vendredi 21/02 Paraty samedi 22/02 Paraty dimanche 23/02 retour Paris à 16h30 de Rio (14h30 aéroport)
Je m'interroge le trajet qui commence le dimanche 16 /02 à 23h30 à Lencois et qui se termine le lendemain soir à Ilha Grande ; est il possible d'arriver par le bus le matin vers 4h30 et de prendre un avion à 6h30 ....à Salvador ?
Je vous remercie de votre aide et de vos remarques. Falbala
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/
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,
I read on a blog that for long overnight trips, there’s a "cama" category and even "cama VIP". I’m planning a Santa Marta/Bucaramanga route, but I can’t find this option on the bus company websites. Has anyone already done this route, and under what conditions? Thanks for your feedback!
Bonjour,
Nous partons 3 semaines en Colombie fin janvier.
Nous sommes en train de finir l'itinéraire mais il reste encore quelques détail important à régler. J1-2 Bogota 2j J3 Vol vers Medelin matinal, visite guidée comuna 13 ->Avez vous des guides à conseiller svp? J 4-5Le lendemain bus pour Salento, long trajet donc le lendemain, visite des plantation de café --> avez vous des conseilles pour visite ou balade à cheval J-6 Retour en bus sur Medelin, soirée à Medelin J7-J8 vol ver Carthagène, visite de carthagène J9-10-11-12 Ile Rosario 2j et Ile Mucura 2j -->est il possible d'aller d'isla grande à ile Mucura en bateau, budget? j13 Vol vers Santa Marta, J 14 bus pour le parc tayrona, visite et baignade 1j--> Un hotel dans une ville à l'entrée du parc et une journée pour aller se baigner sur piscina est ce suffisant ou prevoir plus? J 15-16-17-18-19j vol Santa Marta->San Andres -->Providencia, -->encore envi de trainer à la plage profiter d'un endroit paradisiaque et un peu de plongée, -->avez vous des conseilles pour hébergement bungalow au bord de l'eau?
Si les connaisseurs de la Colombie peuvent me dire si cet iteneraire est cohérent et si vous avez des réponses pour les parties à trou je suis preneur!!
Merci bcp
Nous partons 3 semaines en Colombie fin janvier.
Nous sommes en train de finir l'itinéraire mais il reste encore quelques détail important à régler. J1-2 Bogota 2j J3 Vol vers Medelin matinal, visite guidée comuna 13 ->Avez vous des guides à conseiller svp? J 4-5Le lendemain bus pour Salento, long trajet donc le lendemain, visite des plantation de café --> avez vous des conseilles pour visite ou balade à cheval J-6 Retour en bus sur Medelin, soirée à Medelin J7-J8 vol ver Carthagène, visite de carthagène J9-10-11-12 Ile Rosario 2j et Ile Mucura 2j -->est il possible d'aller d'isla grande à ile Mucura en bateau, budget? j13 Vol vers Santa Marta, J 14 bus pour le parc tayrona, visite et baignade 1j--> Un hotel dans une ville à l'entrée du parc et une journée pour aller se baigner sur piscina est ce suffisant ou prevoir plus? J 15-16-17-18-19j vol Santa Marta->San Andres -->Providencia, -->encore envi de trainer à la plage profiter d'un endroit paradisiaque et un peu de plongée, -->avez vous des conseilles pour hébergement bungalow au bord de l'eau?
Si les connaisseurs de la Colombie peuvent me dire si cet iteneraire est cohérent et si vous avez des réponses pour les parties à trou je suis preneur!!
Merci bcp
Hello,
We’re spending 3 weeks in Rio between February 20 and March 15, 2027, to visit our son and daughter-in-law. We’re thinking of one or two "escapes" from Rio—3-day trips to get away from the city (so not too far, max 3–4 hours by car or bus). We’re all ears for suggestions! We love beautiful nature and authentic experiences, not so much the touristy spots... even though those spots are often in beautiful places, we’d rather avoid them.
Thanks for your insights!
Catherine
We’re just back from a 2-week tour of the Northeast; we booked our flight tickets ourselves and landed in Fortaleza. From there, we used an agency to handle our circuit all the way to São Luís. It was an incredible adventure—flawless organization, no hiccups, and landscapes that felt like another planet. We rarely use agencies, but we don’t regret it at all. Given all the 4x4s, buggies, and boats we took, it would’ve been impossible to do it on our own, at least for the full route we covered. Our wishes were respected, the accommodations matched our requests, and we had a fantastic French-speaking guide for the last 5 days. If you’d like more details, just ask!











