Camping Places in Colombia

Navy Museum Car Park, Cartagena (N10 25.273 W75 33.162)

Large car park where we parked for a night. Cost:  Col 23k. From approx 8pm until 1pm next day. The spaces in the car park itself are quite short but there is room for bigger vehicles by the entrance. 24hr Security.

There is also a secure car park by the convention centre which is bigger. However this was closed due the Summit of the Americas while we were there.

Playa Veneto (N10 57.052 W75 01.726)

Long sand Beach. Parking on beach in front of row of Palapas. Absolutely deserted during the week. There are restaurants which I assume are open at the weekend but were closed. Free. Porta-toilets are available.

Casa Grande (N11 16.692 W73 51.909)

Relaxed beach camping with power, flush toilets and cold showers. Palapas available. Large area available for camping – however sand gets deep towards front. This is right next to Tayrona NP but not in Park. Small restaurant and bar on site. Empty during week and slightly busier at weekends but not too bad. Relatively expensive at COP 25,000 per night.

Terpel Petrol Station, Pelaya (N08 40.814 W 73 39.505)

Petrol stations just outside a small town. Quiet over night. No Facilities. Free.

Parque National de Chicamocha (N6 47.366 W73 00.255)

Free Parking overnight. Power available from toilet block at end of car park. Check with police that its ok. Great view down into gorge from parking. Very quiet for night although car park is brightly lit.

El Candado, San Gil (N6 34.223 W73 06.484)

C20,000 per night camping. Water, power (from socket by gate), showers (cold) and nice toilets. Big swimming pool – cool but very refreshing. Owner is father of owner of Casa Grande on coast – very welcoming. Turn from road is not that obvious but is opposite petrol station about 5km South of town – up the hill. Pass over narrow bridge, through mock castle gateway (high clearance – we made it underneath with an inch or two to spare) and down dirt track to Candado.  The left turn between the gateway and the bridge on the way out is tight, may not be possible for vehicles much longer than us (25 feet).

Camping San Jorge, Villa de Leyva (N5 38.915 W73 31.133)

C11k per person per night. Water (tap on main building) and Electricity (sockets in small camping palapa) available. Hot showers + flush toilets (very clean). Friendly host and lovely dogs. We were the only people there during the week but a few tent campers turned up for the weekend. You have to drive down a rough stony track to get there and the turn from the main road is N5 38.915 W73 31.133. No height restrictions and large gravel car park for turning around.

Terpel Station, Outside Tunja (N5 29.499 W73 24.185)

Terpel Station. Free. Good clean toilets in small shop. Free.

Alternative for Tunja: Unicentro Mall (N5 32.810 W73 20.830)

Carrefour supermarket plus a number of fairly upscale shops. Could spend night in street outside. Parking for larger vehicles not in car park but quiet street next to centre. Free WIFI in mall.

Secure Parking next to Portal 80 Mall, Bogota  (N4 42.725 W74 06.533)

Secure Parking next to Portal 80 Mall (excellent mall with free wifi). COP 23k per 24 hours. Transmilenio end of line is just next to mall – can take bus from here straight to Av. Jimenez for La Candelaria region.

Terpel Petrol Station, Fresno (N5 09.290 W75 01.916)

Overnight stop. It was late and we didn’t have much choice. Attendant asked for COP 10k for night. Quiet overnight. Very small area and we just managed to squeeze in at back.

Outside Termales de Santa Rosa (N4 50.579 W75 33.349)

Outside entrance to Santa Rosa Thermals. Large gravel parking area. Fine to spend night here. Free. No facilities.

There are two sets of thermals inside the gate. The Baleanero is just inside the gate. We went to the hotel which is a bit more upscale(N4 50.269 W75 32.928). Entry is COP 23,000 per person. Several hot pools with waterfalls running into the pools. Bar, cafe and posh restaurant.  No overnight parking at hotel or baleanero. Free WIFI.

Hebron Restaurant/Hotel, Valle de Cocora (N4 38.189 W75 29.322)

COP 12,000 per night. Access to shower and toilet. No Hot water. There is a level area outside the main building to park on.  They only let us stay one night as they were hosting a cycling event the next day but said usually it wouldn’t have been a problem for us to stay longer.  We moved across the road.

Los Palmas Restaurant and Eco-Hotel, Valle de Cocora (N4 38.216 W75 29.333)

Cold Shower, toilets (good ones in restaurant and less good ones in camping area) bar and restaurant. Power is available from outside sockets by coffee shop. 8000 COP per person per night. The restaurant is really good, they serve some fantastic trout and the owner is very friendly. Parking is in the large parking lot of the camping area.  Very quiet overnight.

Regional Parque El Vinculo, just South of Buga (N3 50.096 W76 17.869)

Very expensive at COP50,000. Access road is unpaved and narrow with low overhanging trees. Not recommended for vehicles of our size due to 1 tight turn on hill and low trees (although they are nicely pruned since our visit!).  Site is on top of hill with water and electricity. There is a small kitchen for your use – just a sink really. Toilets with cold showers. OK view of valley but not worth 50,000!.

Petromil, El Hogar (N2 42.505 W76 32.410)

Petrol station with big area for parking. Showers and toilets. Small garage, restaurant and convenience store. Free.

Parqueo Popayan, next to bus station (N2 27.078 W76 36.553)

No Toilets but there is an Exito five minutes walk away for free toilets or pay toilets in bus terminal  1 minute away. Hand car washing available (very thorough) and a small mechanic shop in corner. COP 7000 for 24 hours. Town is about 15 minutes walk.

Hostal Hacienda Anacoana (N1 53.986 W76 16.867)

Parking on driveway of beautiful hotel in lovely grounds. Toilets. Power with long lead from outside rooms. Water from laundry room – we didn’t fill because it had funny colour. Restaurant for nice meals. Hot shower available on request. Cost: 15,000 COP per night. Hotel can also arrange horse riding in surrounding area.

Alto de Los Idolos (N1 55.010 W76 14.594)

Camping on grassy area outside archaeological site. Ask guard to use toilets in the site –they shouldn’t be locked. There is 24 hour security at the site.  Free.

You could also camp outside the main Parque Arquelogico but it is difficult to get flat. (N1 53.216 W76 17.695)

Restaurant El Sabor del Campo (N1 08.150 W77 02.280)

No facilities other than Restaurant – not even sure they had toilets. Free. We had a really cheap but tasty meal of soup here – 50c each.   There was more food available (she served a huge lovely looking plate of trout to a customer but after 11.5 hours driving that day we were almost too tired to eat).

Terpel,Iles –  4km North of Ipiales (N0 59.297 W77 28.302)

Petrol station. Large parking area at one end. Restaurant (good meal of trout here – pretty cheap) and toilets available. Free.

Hotel Mayasquer (N0 48.978 W77 39.513)

15,000 COP for overnight camping. extra 15,000 COP to use room for hot shower.  WIFI free. Water available from tap next to hotel entrance. There is also a restaurant here. The hotel is about 500m from the border.  Parking is on level concrete out front.