Some people contact us because they’re concerned about security in Colombia and are a little freaked out by the idea of bringing good camera equipment on their trip. Some think that Colombia is not a safe enough country, and that it would be too risky to have valuables stolen.
However, if you follow a few simple safety rules, there’s no reason to deprive yourself of your best camera, Gopro, iPhone or other valuable equipment. And you’ll be glad you made the choice to bring your best camera for a trip to Colombia.
So is it okay to bring camera equipment to Colombia? We give you our opinion in this post.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
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Basic safety rules
Travelling with camera gears in Colombia
There are a few simple safety and common-sense rules to follow when traveling with your camera equipment in Colombia:
- Adopt a respectful and discreet attitude to photography.
- Always find out beforehand about the places you are visiting, to make sure you can use your equipment safely.
- Never leave our equipment unattended on a table or elsewhere.
- When in doubt about the safety of an area, keep your camera in your bag without using it.
- Trust your instincts before leaving your equipment unattended in your room.
- If traveling by car, never leave equipment in the car.
Choosing your camera gear
Safety and cameras in Colombia
We’ve been carrying a lot of equipment for 10 years now and have never had any problems. Of course, we’re always careful and we’ve chosen (relatively) discreet equipment.
It seems obvious, but the more discreet your equipment, the less you’ll attract attention. The bigger your camera, the harder it will be to go unnoticed. But then again, that shouldn’t stop you from bringing your big Canon 5D to Colombia. There’s no good reason not to.
Our cameras
Our cameras are in micro 4/3 format from OM System, and for us this is the right compromise between quality and weight/size.
Our photo bags
Our photo bags don’t necessarily look like photo bags. We chose a photo bag that doubles as a hiking bag for Sam, and a protective cover that fits into a bag for Angélica (she can put it in a mochila or a classic backpack). We don’t use shoulder photo bags.
Adopting the right behavior
avoid risks in Colombia
If you behave responsibly, there’s no need to worry about bringing your camera equipment to Colombia.
In town
In big cities, we tend not to keep our cameras around our necks. We only take it out when we want to take a photo, and put it back in the bag between shots.
But if we’re with locals, with a guide, or with trusted people who confirm that it’s safe to keep the camera around our neck, we never hesitate.
Nature and villages
Of course, in all natural sites, and in most small rural villages, we keep our cameras in our hands without any worries.
All in all, there are many more places in Colombia where you can use your equipment without a second thought than the opposite!
Can I take my camera with me in Colombia?
The conclusion
Of course you can bring your camera equipment to Colombia!
By adopting the right attitude, by asking questions and finding out about the places we visit, and by listening to our feelings, we use our cameras in 90% of the places we visit in Colombia.
If photography is important to you, then you simply can’t imagine leaving home without your faithful companions. And there’s no good reason to hesitate and not bring your camera equipment with you on a trip to Colombia.
Added to which, this country is a photographer’s paradise, so it would be a shame to go without some good equipment!
