Weather
Colombia's proximity to the equator means its temperature varies little throughout the year. The temperature does change with altitude, creating various climatic zones from hot lowlands to freezing Andean peaks, so you can experience completely different climates within a couple of hours of travel.
As a general rule, the temperature falls about 6°C with every 1000m increase in altitude. If the average temperature at sea level is 30°C, it will be around 24°C at 1000m, 18°C at 2000m and 12°C at 3000m.
The altitude also affects the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. The higher the altitude, the greater the difference. Consequently, in the highlands there can be warm days but freezing nights, while in the lowlands days and nights are almost equally hot.
Colombia has two seasons: dry or verano (literally 'summer') and wet or invierno (winter). The pattern of seasons varies in different parts of the country, and has been greatly affected over recent years by El Niño and La Niña.
As a rough guideline only, in the Andean region there are two dry and two rainy seasons per year. The main dry season falls between December and March, with a shorter and less dry period between July and August. This general pattern has wide variations throughout the Andean zone.
The weather in Los Llanos has a more definite pattern: there is one dry season, between December and March, while the rest of the year is wet. The Amazon doesn't have a uniform climate but, in general, is quite wet year-round.
When to go
The most pleasant time to visit Colombia is in the dry season, between December and March or in July and August. This is particularly true if you plan on hiking. The dry season also gives visitors a better chance to savor local cultural events because many festivals and fiestas take place during these periods.
Apart from the weather, you may also consider Colombian holiday periods. There are basically three high seasons when Colombians rush to travel: from late December to mid-January, during Semana Santa (Holy Week; March or April), and from mid-June to mid-July. Also take note of three-day weekends, which send a rush of urban dwellers to rural getaways (eg Villa de Leyva), and regional celebrations (eg Baranquilla de Carnaval). During these periods transport gets more crowded, hotels tend to fill up faster and prices in holiday destinations may rise. If you travel at this time, you will have to plan your trip a little ahead and do more legwork to find a place to stay, but you'll also enjoy more contact with traveling Colombians, who will be in a relaxed, holiday spirit.
