Colombia is a huge fantastic motorcycle perfect country. The roads are endlessly curvy and scenic and the tarmac on the main roads are mostly in good conditions.
Here you will find some of the most beautiful and dramatic scenery in South America and routes will lead you across Andean peaks and descending into warm tropical valleys, across deserts and through old colonial villages. It is finally, after decades of civil war, safe enough to travel in most areas of the country. The left-wing guerilla have been seriously weakened and the right-wing paramilitary are being disarmed. Colombian military and police are taking good care of cities and roads all over the country and tourism are booming.
The options are many. You can visit two oceans - the pacific and the Caribbean, historic sites and cities, the Andes mountain range, the amazon jungle, coffee and sugarcane plantations, volcano's, beaches, lakes, Indian ruins and lost ancient cities and finally the Colombians people are possibly the friendliest, most helpful you`ll ever meet.
The Discover Colombia tour is a one week adventure tour that is personalized in consideration to your wishes and riding skills. You can choose between riding the lighter, yet strong, Kawasaki KLR650 or the full blown enduro tourer, the Aprilia ETV1000 for this epic adventure. In addition our support truck can tag along to carry non-biker passengers and luggage.
Trip Highlights
- Cali to Salento - After breakfast and a short introduction briefing in Cali, we saddling up and ride through the Cauca Valley stopping to see a sugarcane plantation, before starting our climb up into the coffee zone. We pass by Armenia before reaching our destination for the night in the beautiful little traditional coffee making village of Salento.
- Salento to Medellin - Its a technical but extremely scenic ride with many curves from the morning making our way up over a 2500 meter pass before we do a dramatic descend down to Colombia’s second largest city Medellin. Medellin is a trendy modern city that offers everything a tourists could want. It would be a shame not to take a look at the night life and restaurants around El Poblado and depending on our arrival time we’ll go on a Medellin city tour in the new metro system that connects to two cable cars for an awesome view of the city. We’ll also try and make time to see the fat people sculptures of Boltero.
- Medellin to Ibague - We start early to make the long ride from Medellin to Ibague in one day. Ibague is a crossroad city between Bogota and Cali and situated between Medellin and the south east. So after a well deserved shower and dinner we’ll chill out or take a quick look at this busy transit hub before we hit the beds.
- Ibague to Villa Vieja - Villa Vieja is the next destination and the Tatacoa desert across the Rio Magdalena. Its a spectacular landscape and in stark contrast to the lush vegetation which covers the rest of the region. Rippled, rusty colored slopes, cacti up to 7 meters tall and bizarre rock formations sticking out of the red soil. At El Cuzco there’s a observatory and after dark they’ll let us check out the clearest starriest sky.
- Villa Vieja to San Agustin - San Agustin being Colombia’s most famous archaeological sight, it is home to ancient tombs, burial sights and over 500 interesting and bizarre stone figures of varying size and its a must see on our southern Colombia round trip. The road leading to the small village of San Agustin is part dirt and pot holes and can be quite demanding. We spend the afternoon in the archaeological park.
- San Agustin to Popyan - Its about 5-6 hours of dirt and partly paved roads between lush valleys and scenic mountains. Roads might have been washed partly away by rain and depending on the weather there might be a river or two to cross. But we well take it easy and make our way to Popayan in one piece. A city that used to be the colonial capital of Grand Colombia, covering Southern Colombia and Ecuador, Popayan is still a colonial style city which nickname is The White City, because of the many well preserved colonial buildings – all painted white.
- Popayan to Cali - On the last day of riding its a beautiful curvy road that flattens out upon entering the Cauca Valley once again. Its only a couple of hours ride before we’re back in Cali, the salsa capital of South America. Cali is the third largest city in Colombia and possibly the secret adventure sports capital of Colombia. Everything from paragliding, jet skies, go-cart racing, horse back riding, rafting, canoeing, ATV tours or kite surfing can be arranged, but most people come to dance salsa and meet some of the most beautiful women in the world. We end our fantastic journey in the afternoon and return the bikes and finish paper works before its time for some farewell beer!