Trip readiness checklist for Colombia
Colombia is courtesy set to music. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for Colombia: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistEntry rules for a US passport
Up to 90 days visa-free, extendable to 180 in a calendar year
Up to 90 days visa-free, extendable to 180 in a calendar year.
- US passport valid at least 6 months beyond arrival (recommended)
- The Check-Mig immigration form, submitted online between 72 and 1 hour before your flight, on the way in and the way out
- Proof of onward or return travel — a booking on your phone is enough
Source: U.S. Department of State, checked September 14, 2026. Other passports get their own answer in the app. Confirm at the official source before you book.
What to pack
Colombia ranges from Caribbean heat to cool Andean cities — 'eternal spring' depends entirely on altitude. Pack layers, light fabrics, and keep valuables low-key in the cities.
Layers for altitude swings
Bogotá is cool and high; Cartagena is hot and humid. Pack for both if you're crossing the country.
Light, breathable clothing
Coastal and lowland areas are hot and humid most of the year.
A low-key day bag
Keep phones and valuables discreet in cities; 'no dar papaya' (don't make yourself a target) is local wisdom.
Sun and insect protection
Strong sun and mosquitoes in lowland and coastal regions.
When to go
Near the equator there's no true summer/winter — it's dry vs wet seasons (drier Dec–Mar and Jul–Aug). Peak travel is the December holidays and Easter; shoulder months are quieter and cheaper.
Money & getting around
Colombia uses the peso (COP), with lots of zeros — count carefully. Cash is needed for small vendors and rural areas; cards work in cities. Tipping is modest — a 10% 'propina' is often added (you can decline). Use registered taxis or apps.
Local quirks worth knowing
Colombia is courtesy set to music. Learn one local proverb — 'no dar papaya' — and you've absorbed both the etiquette and the street smarts.
'No dar papaya'
Don't give papaya — meaning don't make yourself an easy target. Phone away on the street, no flashy jewelry, taxis by app at night. Local wisdom, compressed.
A tinto is coffee, not wine
The tiny sweet black coffee sold everywhere for pennies. Order one; it's the national handshake.
Bogotá is high
2,640m — expect breathlessness on day one and pace the aguardiente accordingly.
Dancing is participation, not performance
If salsa breaks out (it will), a game attempt beats polite refusal every time. Nobody's judging your footwork; they're judging your enthusiasm.
A week in Colombia, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in Colombia, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
Five weeks out, a week in Bogota. Three gaps.
- 1.
The Check-Mig form
Colombia's entry guide says the Check-Mig form goes in online between 72 hours and 1 hour before your flight, both directions. Set a reminder for the 17th and again before your flight home on the 27th.
- 2.
Layers for Andean cool
Bogota sits high enough that "eternal spring" means cool and damp, not warm, and October falls outside the drier months. Your bag is still empty, so build it around a light jacket, long trousers and something rainproof rather than resort clothes.
- 3.
Pesos for small vendors
Cards work in Colombian cities but cash is needed for small vendors, and the peso has a lot of zeros to miscount. Plan how you'll withdraw on arrival and keep the day's cash low-key — no dar papaya.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for Colombia with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for Colombia — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for Colombia — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full Colombia checklist
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