Colombia: When to Go

The most pleasant time to visit Colombia is in the dry season, between December and March or July and August, particularly if you plan on hiking. It also gives visitors a better chance to savor local cultural events, as many festivals and fiestas take place during these times.

Apart from the weather, you might 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, when urban dwellers rush to rural getaways, such as Villa de Leyva; and regional celebrations, such as Carnaval in Barranquilla. During these periods transport gets more crowded, hotels tend to fill up faster and prices may rise, so you'll have to pre-plan your trip and do more legwork to find somewhere to stay. But you'll also enjoy more contact with traveling Colombians, whose relaxed, holiday spirit is infectious.

Weather

Colombia's proximity to the equator means its temperature varies little throughout the year. However, the temperature does change with altitude, which creates various climatic zones ranging from hot lowlands to freezing Andean peaks - you can experience completely different climates within just a couple of hours of travel. As a general rule, the temperature falls about 6ºC (43ºF) with every 1000m (3281ft) increase in altitude.

Colombia has two seasons: verano or la sequia (summer, or dry), and invierno or temproada de lluvia (winter, or wet). 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. For example, 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 varies 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 it's wet. The Amazon doesn't have a uniform climate but is generally quite wet year-round.