Road closures may significantly reduce access to public transportation and airports and may disrupt travel both within and between cities. Several cities have seen vandalism, looting, and destruction. Demonstrations have resulted in fatalities and injuries across the country. Violent crime, such as homicide, assault, and armed robbery, is common. Organized criminal activities, such as extortion, robbery, and kidnapping for ransom, are widespread.
While the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FARC terrorist group, some dissident groups refuse to demobilize. Read the country information page.
The U. Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas. The CDC's latest guidance on international travel for vaccinated people can be found here. You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein.
If you wish to remain on travel. Cancel GO. Illegal armed groups and criminal gangs are active in all of the departments where coca is cultivated, processed or transported, as well as in many cities. If you travel to remote areas, travel with recognised tour operators, and make arrangements for your security throughout your visit.
You should also seek up-to-date advice from the local authorities before each stage of your journey. Mobile and internet connection in rural areas is often limited. Illegal armed groups are active and involved in the drugs trade throughout the department and particularly near the border with Panama. The archaeological park at San Agustin is located in the department of Huila.
You should exercise caution when taking public transport in Colombia. Do not hail taxis on the street. There have been reports of express kidnappings, assaults and robberies in unlicensed taxis. Use licensed telephone or internet-based taxi services whenever possible or book through your hotel. Many restaurants in Colombia will book a taxi for you. Authorised taxi booths are present in El Dorado and most airports in Colombia.
There have been several recent incidents of armed robberies on buses. Avoid displaying valuable items like laptops, cameras and mobile phones. Avoid travelling on your own or at night, especially at border crossings or areas where there are few other people around.
When travelling to remote areas it may be safer to travel with others or take part in a tour with a reputable company. More information is available from the Colombian Ministry of Transport. Driving standards are poor and traffic accidents are common. Avoid driving at night, which can be particularly hazardous.
The risk of violence and kidnapping is higher in some rural areas, and there is a risk of being caught in roadblocks set up by illegal armed groups.
Main roads are generally safe during daylight hours. You should not use any of the Colombia-Venezuelan land crossings. Avoid crossing between Panama and Colombia by land. To cross by land between Colombia and Ecuador, you should only use the crossing on the Pan-American Highway, at Ipiales.
See Entry requirements. Colombia is affected by land mines and unexploded ordnance. Mined areas are often unmarked. Be vigilant when visiting remote areas or travelling off the main roads.
Inside banks, pay special attention when withdrawing money from ATMs and be wary of criminals posing as bank employees and offering help — a common robbery tactic. If you can, leave your money and valuables somewhere safe before walking the streets. Armed holdups in the cities can occur even in some more upmarket suburbs.
If you are accosted by robbers, it is best to give them what they are after, but try to play it cool and don't rush to hand them all your valuables at once — they may well be satisfied with just your decoy wad. Don't try to escape or struggle — your chances are slim, and people have been murdered for pocket change. Don't count on any help from passersby. Cocaine and marijuana are cheap and widely available in Colombia's major cities.
Purchasing and consuming drugs, however, is not a good idea. Many Colombians find Colombian drug tourism very offensive, especially in smaller towns. It's important to note the majority of Colombians don't consume drugs and many believe the foreign drug trade is responsible for Colombia's decades of violent conflict. So, asking after drugs, or openly using drugs, could land you in a lot of trouble note: it's illegal to buy or sell drugs in any quantity.
The hallucinogenic drug, derived from various rainforest plants and used by Colombia's indigenous peoples in ceremonies for centuries, causes purging and vomiting alongside incredibly strong hallucinations. In a year-old British backpacker died near Putumayo while trying the drug, and we strongly recommend that you avoid it.
Sometimes you may be offered drugs on the street, in a bar or at a club, but never accept these offers. The vendors may well be setting you up for the police, or their accomplices will follow you and stop you later, show you false police documents and threaten you with jail unless you pay them off.
There have been reports of drugs being planted on travelers, so keep your eyes open. Always refuse if a stranger at an airport asks you to take their luggage on board as part of your luggage allowance. Burundanga is a drug obtained from a species of tree widespread in Colombia and is used by thieves to render a victim unconscious. It can be put into sweets, cigarettes, chewing gum, spirits, beer — virtually any kind of food or drink — and it doesn't have any noticeable taste or odor.
The main effect after a 'normal' dose is the loss of will, even though you remain conscious. The thief can then ask you to hand over your valuables and you will obey without resistance. Cases of rape under the effect of burundanga are known. Other effects are loss of memory and sleepiness, which can last from a few hours to several days. An overdose can be fatal. While the Colombian military is highly trustworthy and the federal police have a decent reputation, local cops have more of a mixed reputation.
They don't get paid a lot of money, and incidents of bribery and bullying of tourists have been reported. Always carry a photocopy of your passport with you, including your entry stamp you're more likely to avoid trouble if you keep your papers in order , and never carry drugs of any kind, either on the street or when traveling.
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