As you know, the notoriety - at times tenacious, than good .Colombia in the mass consciousness now primarily causes associations with the "Colombian white", and only then (and then not everyone) will recall that there seems to be a whole bunch of natural attractions, ancient and still poorly studied Indian cities, as well as luxury coastal resorts .But those who have already traveled to Colombia remember about something else .About Cartagena with its colonial facades and small courtyards, eclectic and contrasting Bogota, the fashionable beach resort of Santa Marta .And, of course, about the Andes with their boundless possibilities for ecotourism .
The capital is Bogotá.
Arriving in this country, you should definitely visit at least the most interesting of its many national parks.
Tour Bogota + Cartagena - from 62 900 rubles per person + flight
"Discover Colombia" - from 162 900 rubles per person + flight
Special offers from hotels and airlines.
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Expedition to a lost city: our experience is
The most-most in Colombia. Unpublished Colombia: a miracle river, a miracle cathedral, whales, salsa, coffee, tribes, gold of forgotten cities
Colombia combined with the Easter Island and the Caribbean
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How to get to Colombia
There is no direct flight to Colombia from Russia and the CIS countries. You can use the flights of European airlines with docking in the cities of Europe. For example, Air France (via Paris) or Iberia (via Madrid). The duration of the flight without taking into account the docking is 16-17 hours.
Search airfares to Colombia
Visa to Colombia
Citizens of Russia to enter Colombia visa is not required if the period of stay in the country does not exceed 90 days. CIS citizens receive a visa at the Consulate of Colombia in Moscow.
Customs
Import and export of national and foreign currencies is not limited. The amount of more than 10 000 USD or its equivalent in another currency must be declared.
Persons aged 18 years and over are allowed duty-free import of 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 50 g of tobacco, 2 bottles of strong alcoholic beverages, and perfumery - within personal needs.
It is forbidden to import vegetables, plants or materials of plant origin, meat and meat products, firearms and ammunition (necessary permission from local police authorities), as well as items and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value.
The export of drugs and narcotic substances, skins and stuffed animals, objects and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value is prohibited. When exporting products made of wool and leather, jewelry, local souvenirs, jewelry and emeralds, it is necessary to present a receipt from the store where these products were purchased, as well as the export mark (for emeralds and jewelry made of gold or platinum).
Useful phone numbers are
Embassy of Colombia in Moscow: st. Burdenko, 20; tel .: (499) 248-30-17, 248-30-84; website
Embassy of Russia in Bogota: Carrera 4, 75-02, Apartado Aereo 90600; tel .: (1) 212-18-81, 212-55-60; website
Unified Rescue Service: 119 or 112, police: 156, fire service: 119, first aid: 132
Safety of tourists in Colombia
The security situation in the country is quite complicated. Colombia has for many years been kept by the sad "record" of the country with the highest number of kidnappings in the world. On the other hand, many foreigners live in the country without fear for their lives. The fact is that most local partisan groups kidnap people for political and economic reasons, so there is no use for kidnapping foreigners.
But still to ensure personal safety when traveling around the country, it is recommended not to leave the city (especially at night), and also not to travel around the country on evening or night buses. When traveling around the city in the evening it is better to use the services of officially licensed taxis. In addition, people's places and street demonstrations should be avoided.
All sorts of narcotic drugs are distributed throughout the country, so it is necessary to avoid "gifts" from strangers in the form of drinks or cigarettes at any cost: they can be stuffed with narcotic substances or "Borrachero", a sedative drug often used to lull the victim to rob.
Finally - a few words about the natural dangers of Colombia waiting for tourists .The climate in the country is quite hot, and solar radiation, especially in the mountains, is very intense .Therefore, it is necessary to use sunscreen, wear hats and light cotton clothing .Fans of the underwater world should remember that in the waters off the coast of the country are found several species of sharks and many poisonous sea creatures..When swimming is better to use wet suits, and before entering the sea on the "wild" beach always wear special shoes .
The climate of Colombia is
Most of the country is dominated by the equatorial and subequatorial climate with slight fluctuations in temperature throughout the year. In the highlands of the Cordillera, the climate is mountainous, in the foothills - close to the tropical (on the western slopes) and equatorial.
The average monthly air temperature in low-lying areas and on the ocean coast is about +29 ° C almost all year round, in mountainous areas (at altitudes of 2000-3000 m) - from +13 to +16 ° C, higher in the slopes of the Cordillera - about +12 ° C in the summer months (from May to August), the rest of the time from +16 to +9 ° C.
In winter, Bogota is warm enough (the temperature in January is about +20 ° C, at night it can drop to +11 ° C) and dry. In summer (from March to October) it is relatively cool (+16 ° C) and rainy. At the end of summer in the surrounding mountains frosts are frequent, and in August - hurricane winds.
The water temperature on the coast of the Caribbean Sea is from +20 to +26 ° C all year round. The Pacific coast is a little cooler - the average water temperature there is from +18 to +25 ° C depending on the region.
Actual information: weather forecast for major resorts in Colombia for the coming days.
| High mountain lake |
| National Capitol, Bogotá |
| Tayrona National Park - $ |
Beaches
The ocean waters (especially the Pacific coast) are very restless - there are strong currents and quite a few turbulence zones. Therefore, choose places for swimming should be carefully. Also near the shores of Colombia are strong tidal currents. At low tide formed gently sloping zones with a bunch of shells, algae and just debris. In the Caribbean, tidal bands are usually quite narrow (from 0, 5 to 4-5 m), but on the Pacific coast they can reach 10-40 m wide.
Colombia hotels - $
In the country there are hotels of different levels, for almost every taste. It is best to choose from hotels that are members of the official Colombian Hotel Association (COTELCO, it uses an appraisal system similar to European "stars"). As a rule, in hotels there are two tariffs for accommodation: "European" (from May to November) and "American" (from December to April, higher by 25-30%).
The voltage in the electrical network is 110 V, 60 Hz. Sockets are usually American type with two pins, in large hotels there are also 240- or 220-volt sockets.
Book a hotel in Columbia at the best price
Banks and exchange offices in Colombia
You can exchange currency at numerous exchange offices, at the airport, banks, hotels, shops and transport agencies. In most places, a commission is charged - usually 4% of the transaction amount. The exchange rate in hotels usually slightly differs from banking, and in exchange offices, as a rule, coincides with it. In many places, USD is accepted for payment, but it is more profitable to pay with local money. When you exchange, you must have a passport with you!
Banks of Bogota usually work from Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 15:00. In other cities of the country - from Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 11:30 and from 14:00 to 16:00, Fridays - from 8:00 to 16:30.
Credit cards of major payment systems are accepted in the capital and large tourist centers, in the province of "credit cards" are practically useless. Traveler checks can be cashed in the offices of the capital Banco de la Republica (a photocopy of the passport is usually required), it is difficult to use travel checks outside Bogota. It is recommended to take checks with you in USD.
Shopping and shopping
Colombia holds a leading position in Latin America for the extraction of gold and silver. In addition, this country is the world's largest exporter of emeralds. Accordingly, "for a long memory" from Colombia, you can bring products made of gold and silver with emeralds.
In addition, very interesting souvenirs "in Colombian" - the symbols of the oldest tamako, nariño and maya, as well as various ritual masks, folk musical instruments, things from clay. Still from the country bring quality textiles and fragrant Colombian coffee.
Cuisines and restaurants in Colombia
The national cuisine of Colombia still preserves the culinary traditions of the peoples who lived here before the foot of the man who gave the country its current name stepped onto the continent. To them, of course, the "admixtures" of European immigrants and immigrants from the Asian continent are mixed. As in most neighboring countries, legumes and maize (maize), rice, potatoes, as well as a variety of vegetables and spices, are often used here, often used in the most unimaginable combinations with meat and seafood.
It is worth trying: "Ahiko" (soup with chicken, potatoes and vegetables, popular in Bogotá), tortilla pancakes "arep", "arros-coco-coco" (rice cooked in coconut oil, delicacy on the coast), "bandeha-picea "(A dish of ground beef, sausages, beans, rice, bananas and avocados), stewed seafood" casuela de maricos. "
A traditional drink in the country is hot chocolate. Rum, beer, reed vodka "agauriende" and "refresco" are also common - various fruit waters.
Entertainment, sightseeing and sightseeing in Colombia
The business card of the Caribbean coast is the vast plains, often swamped and overgrown with light forests, as well as the ancient volcanic laccolith of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (5794 m). There, on the coast, are the most fashionable beach resorts - Santa Marta and Cartagena, as well as the "resort islands" of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
The Andes mountain system in the territory of Colombia is divided into three parallel mountain chains of the Cordillera, forming extremely diverse natural conditions. There are snow-capped mountain peaks, and green valleys, and dense forests, and high-altitude steppes. Another treasure of the Andes - a great many monuments of the ancient Indian civilizations, many of which are still very poorly studied.
The colonial city of Gatavit (50 km from Bogota) is famous for its ancient ritual center and the sacred lake of the Muscovite Indians. Bucaramanga is at the same time one of the most historic and one of the most modern cities in Colombia. Because of the large number of parks and scenic surroundings, it is often called La Ciudad Bonita, "Cute City."
Popayan is one of Colombia's most beautiful and well-preserved colonial cities, founded in the late 16th century. There are many churches there: the Iglesia de San Francisco, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, the church and convent of San Agustin, the Iglesia de La Hermitage and others, as well as several interesting museums: the Museum of Colonial Art, Museum of Religious Art, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the poet Guillermo Valencia, Museum of Natural History.
Kali is the third largest city in Colombia, located in the southwestern part of the chain of the Western Cordillera, at an altitude of 995 meters above sea level..Its attractions include Iglesia de La Merced Church (the oldest in Cali), Iglesia de San Antonio Church, Plaza de Toros de Canaberalejo (the site of traditional corrida), as well as numerous museums ±$ The .In the vicinity of the city you can see the Monumento de las Tres-Krusas Monument, one of the most beautiful colonial houses in the country, the Casas Gordas Hacienda, the Farralones de Cali National Park and the Reserba-Natural-Ato Biejo Reserve, as well as numerous old haciendas sugar barons, in which small museums are now open .
Leticia is the main tourist center in the eastern regions of Colombia. It is a small town on the shores of the Amazon, not far from the border with Brazil and Peru. The main local attraction is the "Isle of the Apes" of Isla de Los Mikos, on which more than a thousand of these restless animals live comfortably.
Events in Colombia
Colombians have much in common with other Hispanic nations in Latin America and Spain itself. In big cities, bullfighting is extremely popular, and, in addition, local residents are ardent admirers of all kinds of folk shows, especially bright and noisy costumed carnivals.
The most interesting events are the Coconut Coronation Ceremony in San Andres and the National Beauty Competition in Cartagena (November), the Kali Fair in the same city (beginning of December and the end of January), the Pasto carnival (January), the Barranquilla Carnival (February), the Cartagena Film Festival (February-March), the International Caribbean Music Festival and the Latin American Theater Festival in Cartagena (March), the Colombia-Tour (March-April) cycling race.
Colombia photo (18)