Camping in Colombia

By Thomas Bacon

If interested in camping in Colombia it is advisable to contact local tourist authorities for information on camp sites or suitable areas to put up your tent or park your camper van. Camping, especially if unplanned, can be dangerous as it generally takes place away from safer urban centers. However, as the security situation improves and Colombia's tourism industry grows, the popularity and number of camping opportunities is expanding.

Although the number of campsites is growing throughout the country, they are rarely signposted from main roads and can often be difficult to find. In no instance should you camp on private land without permission. This is not only illegal but extremely dangerous. You should always ask permission to camp on someone's land but only do so when assured of the area's security.

A few free sites can be found throughout the country and others go from as little as $1 per person per night. Some national parks also offer the opportunity to camp and are generally safer than non-supervised camping. Hostels are increasingly catching on to the popularity of camping for budget travelers and nature lovers and are offering camping opportunities in their grounds.

NOTE: White gas (gasolina blanca) is now virtually impossible to obtain in Colombia. There is only one or two places in Bogotá where it can be bought, one place in Bucaramanga. Campers now have to use gasolina roja (i.e. regular gasoline) in their campstoves. Therefore, if one is going to use a campstove in Colombia, it must be a multi-fuel equipped to use regular petro.