Colombia has shed its old reputation as a place to avoid and is now one of the most vibrant and exciting backpacker destinations in the world. The country offers lively nightlife, Caribbean beaches, lush jungles, and epic adventure opportunities. With such diversity, packing for Colombia can be a challenge—but this guide will walk you through a comprehensive plan step by step.
The Ultimate Colombia Packing List
Our list makes packing for Colombia easy. Here’s what to bring.
Best Backpack for Colombia: Nomatic Travel Bag
Before you figure out what to pack, you need a great backpack. Our top recommendation for all types of travelers is the Nomatic Travel Bag. It’s smartly designed to offer plenty of packing space in a carry-on size, with built-in pockets for shoes, water bottle, electronics, underwear, and socks. There’s also an RFID-safe pocket and cord management. You can carry it as a backpack or duffel, and the innovative strap system with detachable sternum strap adds comfort. The black, waterproof material is sleek and durable. Most of our staff swear by this backpack.
Best Suitcase for Colombia: Nomatic Carry-On Pro
If backpacks aren’t your thing, the Nomatic Carry-On Pro is a great alternative. This suitcase is ultra-durable, sleek, and includes a tech compartment for your laptop and electronics. Nomatic is an industry leader in travel gear, and the Carry-On Pro reflects that with quality build and functionality. If you can travel carry-on only, you can take advantage of cheap domestic flights within Colombia.
Check out our best carry-on backpacks for more options.
Best Camera for Colombia: GoPro Hero9 Black
Most smartphones now have stunning cameras, but if you want next-level photos and video beyond selfies, I recommend an action camera like the GoPro Hero9 Black. It delivers pro-quality video and gives you different angles and shooting speeds for photos, including selfie mode. Think of it as a long-term investment for capturing epic shots well beyond this trip. If you want something cheaper for video, check out these GoPro alternatives.
Best SIM for Colombia – HolaFly eSim
Colombia has good 4G and 5G coverage, taxi apps, and food delivery apps. The bad news is your native SIM card won’t work, so you can’t access these services until you fix that. You could waste time queuing at phone shops for a local SIM, or simply install an eSim before you leave home. Just visit the HolaFly site, choose the Colombia package, download it, and you’re online the moment you land. eSims are easier to set up and better for the environment than plastic SIMs. The downside is that not all phones are eSim-ready.
Wandrd Packing Cubes
Packing Cubes for Colombia – Wandrd Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are little compression cubes that let you neatly pack clothes and stay organized. They allow you to pack more and keep everything tidy. For a long time, I thought they were a superfluous indulgence, but I was wrong. Now I never travel without a few. These from WANDRD are great quality and excellent value.
Packing for Colombia Checklist: Personal Gear
Colombia’s climate varies by region. Bogota can be rainy and cold, Medellin is generally pleasant, and the Caribbean coast has the full range of tropical weather from exhausting heat to flood rains. Also, try not to dress like a tourist and blend in as much as possible. It’s not easy, but it reduces your chances of being targeted by criminals. Factor all of this in when deciding what to wear in Colombia.
Good Shoes – Salomon X Ultra 3 Low Aero
Your trip to Colombia will likely involve a lot of walking, especially if you visit the national parks. Cities are big and hilly, mountain villages are perfect for hiking, and the famous Lost City 4-day trek is not to be missed. I admit that most hiking shoes aren’t the most attractive, but they are comfortable and provide good ankle support for long days of walking. Your body will already be suffering from all those beers and aguardientes. Colombia’s countryside is lush and beautiful and best explored on foot. So get your walking shoes on! Check out the women’s Salomon X Ultra 3 Low Aero.
I appreciate the trim fit of the Beta SL Hybrid…
Good Rain Jacket – Arcteryx Beta AR
Did you know that over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered in water? And that water got there because it rains a lot on planet earth! Colombia is lush and green, so it gets a lot of rain. Bogota stays rainy all year round, and other regions have full wet seasons, so be prepared. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong gear. Don’t let a bit (or a lot) of rain ruin your trip—make sure you have top-notch rain gear. This is our pick from the many rain jackets we’ve tried. It’s reliable, stylish, and looks good in the mountains or in city bars.
Travel Insurance from World Nomads
Planner/Travel Journal
Keeping a journal is one of the best things to do when traveling. It’s great for digital nomads and organized backpackers alike and can be used as a planner or a dream diary—whatever you want! Keep track of your goals, travels, and precious memories, especially the ones you don’t want to share online. This one is bound in beautiful leather, so it looks good and will withstand life on the road.
Daypack for Colombia – Osprey Daylite Plus
If you plan on hiking or taking day trips, bring a daypack. They’re great for carrying water, hats, gloves, and sandwiches for lunch. We love Osprey products, and this daypack is our personal pick. The Osprey Daylite Plus has a mesh-covered panel to keep your back cool by minimizing contact with the pack and allowing air to flow. Check out our full review of the Osprey Daylite Plus for more details. You can also attach it to other Osprey packs if you want more capacity and just one piece of luggage—but reviews on this feature are mixed. Your packing for Colombia is not complete without a good daypack!
Best Sunglasses for Colombia – Abaco Polarized Sunglasses
A reliable pair of sunglasses is undoubtedly a Colombia packing essential. Our favorites are Abaco Polarized Sunglasses because they deliver on quality and style. They’re built tough with triple-layer scratch-resistant lenses and trademarked Adventure-proof Frame Material. You can customize them with your choice of lens and frame colors to reflect your style.
Best of the Rest – Colombia Checklist
So what else is there? Let’s look at some other cool stuff to bring to Colombia.
Hanging Toiletry Bag
A hanging toiletry bag is another backpacker favorite for staying organized. It’s extremely helpful to have all your accessories neatly gathered in one bag that you can hang for easy access, especially when counter space isn’t plentiful. A well-organized bag is worth having whether you’re camping or hanging it on a hook—it helps to have quick access to all your stuff. Historically, I’ve been the guy who has his stuff all over the bathroom, so getting one of these really changed the toiletry game for me. Plus, they’re not too expensive. A no-brainer essential. This one by Nomatic is possibly the best toiletry bag on the market. It’s made from water-resistant, wipe-cleanable material that guarantees longevity and offers excellent organizational capabilities. It also comes with a hang-up hook so you can hang it over the shower head or your hostel bed.
A Proper Travel Towel (Gotta Stay Dry!)
Towels are essential backpacking gear because many hostels don’t provide them, or if they do, they may not be very clean. However, don’t bring a ‘normal’ towel—they’re big, take up loads of room, and take ages to dry. Travel pros use microfiber dry towels that roll up into tiny, space-saving proportions and dry unbelievably quickly. They’re not as comforting as a cotton towel, but it’s a trade-off travelers need to make. A good microfiber travel towel is essential travel gear on any ultimate backpacking gear list.
Swimwear
From Caribbean beaches to hostel pools to natural springs, Colombia will present you with many opportunities to get into your swimwear. During your trip, you’ll notice that local women are very dedicated to making sure their swimwear is, erm, “sufficiently filled out,” and the nation’s plastic surgeons are kept quite busy. Try not to stare too much is all I’m saying…
Travel First Aid Kit
You don’t need to tote around half a pharmacy, but a well-stocked first aid kit should be in all our backpacks. Stuff happens on the road, and it’s inconvenient and embarrassing when you can’t manage small situations like a cut finger or a hangover migraine. You can tuck this lifesaver away in a forgotten pocket—and it’ll be there when you need it. Tip: Add a few bits and pieces to the first aid kit after you purchase it, like extra headache medicine, any personal meds you need (like allergy pills), whatever you take to calm your stomach, and a few more plasters.
Suncream: Thinksport Safe SPF 50+
By now, all of us are as pasty as the driven snow from sheltering in place for the last six months. Am I right? This means we are even more vulnerable than usual to the sun’s fierce rays. Packing sunscreen for Colombia may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be amazed how many sun-burned cocktail-toting people you see wandering around. Thinksport Safe SPF 50+ sunscreen gives strong sun protection in a non-oily formula that’s free of gluten, parabens, phthalates, and biologically harmful chemicals.
Money Belt – By Pacsafe
As we said, Colombia can be dicey and tourists are targeted. If you are robbed, thieves will empty your pockets and take your wallet. Therefore, hiding some cash in a money belt is a wise move. It’s always a good idea to use a money belt to hide your cash just in case something goes wrong.
The Basic Stuff to Pack for Colombia
On top of the essential items listed above, here is an additional suggested checklist of what to pack for a trip to Colombia:
- 1–2 pairs of comfortable pants/jeans
- 1–2 pairs of shorts (summer/late spring)
- A few pairs of socks
- (Sexy) underwear x 2/3
- Ladies: a few dresses, pants, outfits, or desired lady apparel for a night on the town. Whatever makes you comfy!
- Dudes: a few collared shirts or something halfway decent for a night on the town. Whatever makes you comfy!
- Smartphone with a good camera for photos if you are not bringing an actual camera
- Portable power bank for charging your phone on the go
- Phone charger
- Amazon Kindle for reading by the pool
- Copy of your passport just in case
- Cash (not too much, there are ATM machines everywhere)
- Packable towel
Final Thoughts on What to Pack for Colombia
And there it is, amigos—your complete Colombia survival guide. With this, you have everything you need to know about what to pack for Colombia. As you continue trip prepping, remember that you have a top-21 needs packing list to refer back to with tips on what to wear in Colombia and how to pack for different regional conditions. Plus, you have packing recommendations for women and men—including what NOT to pack for Colombia. Just focus on where you plan to go, what you plan to do, and pack smart. Less is more! Follow our main tips, and you’ll be ready for anything magical Colombia throws your way! We wish you safe and happy travels!
