The notorious reputation of Colombia's mountains and jungles as the province of terrorists, armed revolutionaries, paramilitaries, drug cartels, and even ordinary kidnappers and thieves makes the very idea of venturing beyond Colombia's cities brave and/or foolish.  While it is true that a decades-long civil war indeed had made many of Colombia's rural areas dangerous, a surprisingly high portion of Colombia's breathtaking mountains and sierras are safely accessible.

The most popular destination point for foreign hiking enthusiasts, who make up 80% of its visitors, is the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain in the world. Its most famous attraction the pre-Colombian Ciudad Perdida, or Lost City, a secret to the western world until 1975. Located halfway up the mountain at 1,000 meters on the northern side, facing the Caribbean, it can only be reached on foot, and only through the agency TurCol, who make agreements with the paramilitaries and with indigenous communities to permit tour groups to visit the famous archaeological site. The entire journey takes about three days to walk up, and two days to return. TurCol also provides mules, food, and hammocks, all at a cost of about $300. The risk of dangerous confrontations is about less than five percent, but there is a greater risk of malaria, so travelers are advised to bring repellent during the day, and wear long-sleeved shirts at night.  The degree of humidity is also very, and visitors to the Sierra de Santa Marta during the rainy season – which runs from April to June, and later from October to December – have nicknamed it "the Green Hell."

On the southwestern side of the pyramid-like Santa Marta lies the town Valledupar, from which many intrepid trekkers being their hike up to Santa Marta's peak, passing through various indigenous villages along the way.

Parque Tayrona, in the coastal foothills of Sierra de Santa Marta, is notable not only for its beaches, but for some pleasant hiking opportunities in the region, not to mention a local museum.

Further south, along the northeastern border with Venezuela, the Cordillera Oriental is notable for the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, and its Parque Nacional de Cocuy. At a 5,000 meter altitude, getting there can take up to ten days of hiking leading to a multitude of snow-covered peaks. This region is well-guarded by the Colombian army, with no reported guerilla activity.  Continuing south along the Venezuelan border, the village of Puerto Inirida offers rock-climbing opportunities and as well as jungle trails.

Heading inland, the capital city of Bogotá is surrounded by mountains that offer many safe one, two, and three-day hikes, as do the cities of Medillin and Manizles, both of which border Parque Nevados, ranging anywhere from four to eight hours a day, and guides are generally available for $20 a day.
The Parque Arqueológico San Agustín at the lower end of Huila province is one of the rich repositories of pre-Colombian culture, and it even includes its own zoo, but it is also a starting point for many hikes and treks outside the park area. The level of risk here is higher; about a 30% chance of an encounter with a guerilla or criminal, but the well-patrolled park itself is completely safe. Professional guides can not only take you through the park, but to the source of the Rio Magdalena, a large river which stretches nearly the length of Colombia itself. The latter is a four-to-five day walking trip.

On the southern Pacific coast, Gorgona Island, which for fifty years served as a penal colony, offers both the pleasures associated with an island, as well as many hiking paths.  Boats going to Gorgona routinely depart from the port city of Buenaventura.