Sara and John say...

Colombia’s climate is hot and tropical, right?
Well, in some parts of the country, the weather is indeed steamy. But the country does not have a uniform warm climate. Much of the western part of Colombia is mountainous and so, much cooler.

The year has two clearly identifiable rainy and dry seasons. The rainy seasons typically come in April-May and October-November; and the dry seasons in December-January and July-August.

The main cities of Bogota, Medellín and Cali all rest in the more mountainous ‘Andean’ zone. Bogotá is cool with daytime temperatures typically in the high teens Celsius. Cali is warmer; and Medellín - the “city of eternal spring” - is often in the high 20s.

The Caribbean coastal lowlands in the northeast experience high temperatures and humidity year-round. Cartagena, sees an average high of near 30C for most of the year. And to the east of Cartagena, Barranquillais is even hotter.
The Pacific coast in the northwest of Colombia also has a hot, tropical climate, but rainfall is higher. In fact, this is one of the wettest places in the world!
The plains of the Orinoco are typically drier and windy with large fluctuations in temperature and one long rainy season from May to October. In contrast, the Amazon region sees plenty more rain through the year, and mist is common in the jungle!

So you get the idea! While heat and humidity are commonplace, you’ll need to dress for variety to get the best out of this exotic country.

Quick facts about

Colombia