Rent a car in Colombia: our ultimate travel guide

Car rental is a mode of transport that invites you to a different way of travelling, and brings a freedom that the bus doesn’t allow.

Driving in Colombia is a bit of a different sport from Europe, for example, but once you understand the basics of Colombian driving, there’s nothing to stop you from hitting the road.

Renting a car in Colombia is a mode of transport that’s becoming increasingly popular with the boom in Colombian tourism.

So, are you ready for a road trip in Colombia?

Rent a car in Colombia ?

ROAD TRIP IN COLOMBIA

The development of car rental in Colombia is fairly recent compared with Europe. This is due to the country’s troubled past, a time when crossing the country in a vehicle was unthinkable. Today, however, the situation is quite different, and it’s perfectly possible to rent a car for a road trip in Colombia.

The main roads between the country’s most accessible regions are safe . Of course, you’ll need to take into account some of Colombia’s special features when planning your road trip, which we’ll explain below.

But we’ve just returned from a 10-day road trip between Bogota and Santa Marta, and we can confirm that it’s well worth it!

Lower fares

Prices are still pretty expensive if you put them in the context of a developing country like Colombia. Prices are almost identical to what we find in Europe. Once again, this is due to recent development, but prices are tending to fall as demand grows.

Car rental should take off with theincrease in the number of foreigntourists visiting the country, who are often interested in this form of travel.

As here, it’s cheaper to rent a car with pick-up and drop-off in the same city.

Some agencies offer pick-up and drop-off in two different cities. While this can be a great way to continue your itinerary, it’s important to bear in mind that you’ll be charged extra per km, which quickly adds up to a higher rental price.

Great freedom

The main positive aspect of traveling by car, and one that motivates most of those who swear by this mode of transport: FREEDOM.

On our trip from Bogotá to Santa Marta, we enjoyed stopping whenever we felt like it, here to eat an arepa, there to admire the scenery… put on your music, open the windows and enjoy the country in a certain way.

The advantage of the car is obvious, and every road trip enthusiast knows it!

Of course, in Colombia this freedom has to be put into perspective, as it’s still advisable to be vigilant and not to venture anywhere without first checking out the areas to be avoided.

Ready for adventure? Now’s the time to take the plunge and book your car rental!

Rent for the whole holiday or just a few days?

Some of you may be wondering whether it’s worth renting a car for the entire duration of your trip to Colombia, or whether it’s better to rent a car for a few days, discover a region and repeat the operation.

You have the answer!

We chose to rent a car for a few days as part of our travel itinerary.

From our point of view, the most important thing to bear in mind is that driving in Colombia is not necessarily a relaxing experience: the distances are long, the roads are sometimes poorly maintained, and in the Andean region that crosses the whole country, the roads are very winding.

We also advise you to choose a loop to avoid having to pay the cost of returning the car to another city. You can rent a car to explore a particular region, even if you have to repeat the operation several times during your trip.

Still, some people prefer to take their car and map out their Colombian road trip itinerary from A to Z! Both options are defensible.

Before you rent a car in Colombia

Renting a car travel guide

The first thing to do before renting a car in Colombia is of course to read our post on driving in Colombia! You’ll find all the information you need on the “highway code”, compulsory documents, Colombian driving habits, and our advice on how to avoid the pitfalls.

What to look out for before renting a car in Colombia

Check rental conditions

As elsewhere, we strongly advise you to read all the rental conditions of the agency you use:

• Minimum driverage (often over 23)
• Documents required(passport, driving license, international driving license, etc.)
• Mileage allowance (limited or unlimited) and price per additional km
• Insurance: take the MAXIMUM protection! We can assure you that a chip on the vehicle can happen very quickly in Colombia!
• Price of second driver
• Deductible
• Deposit (normally not debited, we were only given a paper imprint of our credit card)
• Tinted windows: many vehicles in Colombia have tinted windows to prevent theft, but this is regulated, and if your rental car has tinted windows, you’ll need to ask for a certificate at the time of rental, which you can hand over to the police during a check.

Pick up your vehicle as soon as possible

We advise you to reserve your vehicle as early as possible in the day, so that you have a choice when you arrive at the rental agency. If you reserve your vehicle late in the day, you run the risk of not having the type of vehicle you reserved.

Required documents for driving in Colombia

Check that you have all the documents you need to drive in Colombia:

• Rental contract (provided by the rental agency)
• SOAT car insurance (provided by the rental agency)
• Revision Tecnico Mecanica, the car’s technical inspection (provided by the rental agency)
• Valid passport (over 6 months old) with entry stamp
• Valid national driving license
• Tinted window paper (if your car has tinted windows)

What type of car to choose

When it comes to choosing a vehicle, you might think: I’ll take the cheapest! And when you’re on a tight budget, that’s what you tend to do… While that’s a perfectly acceptable idea on European or North American roads, it’s a bad idea when it comes to Colombian roads..

As you know, half the country is made up of high mountains, so there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself on very twisty mountain roads. Moreover, the Colombian road network is in rather poor condition, due to climatic conditions and lack of investment. Potholes are very common, and the secondary network is made up of dirt tracks, stones and holes.

Our advice

A compact car is for us the minimum to consider for the driver’s comfort. We rented a simple Dacia Logan, with “total full comprehensive all-risks” insurance, and it went well.

We had a few bumps, but nothing serious, and the warranty covered any damage.

Avoid small, uncomfortable city cars if you’re planning long distances. A Renault Sandero or a Logan fits all the need and go almost everywhere. It’s the most popular car you’ll find in Colombia and at a good price. Off course, if you can afford it, the ideal is to rent a 4×4 vehicle such as a Renault Duster.

Average price of a car rental in Colombia

It’s hard to give an average price, as it will depend on the agency you rent your car from. It will also depend on the type of vehicle you choose – a city car, a touring car, a 4×4 or a van – and on the insurance options you add to your rental contract.

What’s certain is that most car rental agencies in Colombia offer very basic insurance coverage as part of their basic price. These are optional extras, and we strongly advise you to take out maximum coverage to avoid any surprises should anything happen to you or the car.

Examples of car rental rates in Colombia

CAR RENTAL FOR ONE DAY

• Town car (Spark type) : between $70 and $100 USD per day with full coverage.
• Family car (Logan type) : between $85 and $130 USD per day with full protection.
• SUV (Duster type) : between $135 and $170 USD per day with full protection.

CAR RENTAL FOR 8 DAYS

• Town car (Spark type) : between $235 and $400 USD per week with full protection.
• Family (Logan type) : between $300 and $500 USD per week with full protection.
• SUV (Duster type) : between $600 and $700 USD per week with full protection.

Book a rental car

HOW TO RENT A CAR IN COLOMBIA

There are two ways to rent a car in Colombia:

Book locally

Put on your best Spanish and go directly to a local agency. Just be aware that rates are sometimes more expensive in agencies than online rates, and that if you book at the last minute, there’s always the risk of no availability.

In any case, we advise you to rent your car from a reputable agency (Localiza, Avis, Europcar, Budget) and to avoid smaller rental companies.

Book online

From our point of view, the easiest way is to use an online booking platform, such as Rental Cars. This is often where you’ll find the best prices.

Rental Cars includes the following offers:

• Localiza: the most widespread agency in the country, with a presence in 13 Colombian cities
• Avis: branches in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Pereira, Barranquilla
• Budget: branches in Bogota, Medellín, Cali, Cartagena
• Europcar: branches in Bogota, Medellín
• Other small, unknown Colombian agencies.

Deposit and credit card type

CAR RENTAL FOR A TRIP TO COLOMBIA

Whether you book your rental car online or directly at the agency, when you collect the vehicle, you’ll be asked to provide a bank imprint for the deposit. The deposit is compulsory and will be requested by all car rental companies.

But there are a few important things you need to know beforehand to avoid unpleasant surprises that could ruin part of your vacation… not least the eternal question of the type of payment card accepted for depositing a deposit.

Deposit for car rental in Colombia

The VISA or Mastercard deposit is a “bank imprint” of an amount often close to $1.000 USD, but which will not actually be debited from your account.

So before you leave, we advise you to call your banker and ask him or her to raise your weekly limit for the duration of your trip, so you don’t end up stranded.

When you pick up your car, try to have at least $1.000 USD available on your weekly credit limit, to be on the safe side.

That said, you should be aware that many car rental agencies only print out a paper copy of your payment card…

Payment methods accepted for car rentals in Colombia

Only credit cards are accepted to rent a car (VISA or Mastercard), no other means of payment (cash or cheque).

All car rental agencies in Colombia specify that it is necessary to have a “credit card” in order to deposit the deposit (bank imprint) and collect the vehicle:

• The credit card must be in the name and surname of the main driver.
• The credit card number must be embossed and a PIN code may be required.
• In the case of a bank imprint via a payment terminal, your account must have sufficient funds to allow the deposit to be made. (Hence the advantage of requesting a temporary increase in the weekly payment limit)

If one of these points is not respected, if the funds in your account are not sufficient for the deposit, or if your credit card is not in the name and surname of the main driver, the car rental agency will refuse to give you the vehicle and no refund will be given.

The following credit cards are not accepted:

• Visa V-Pay
• Visa Electron
• Mastercard Cirrus
• Mastercard Maestro
• All prepaid cards

I have a debit card, can I rent a car?

Yes, but only if the digits on your debit card are embossed.

For us, no problem with our payment card marked “debit”. Most often, the bank imprint consisted of a paper copy of our CB, so the most important thing is that your card must have embossed digits.

Of course, before you travel, don’t hesitate to contact your banker to confirm that your card accepts security deposits. Explain clearly to your banker that you wish to rent a car in Colombia and that you would like to check with them whether a deposit is feasible. At the same time, ask for an increase in the weekly payment limit!