The weather in Colombia, the best time to travel

Colombia is divided into 5 major natural regions , each with its own geographical peculiarities that have a direct impact on the weather in Colombia.

To plan a trip to Colombia, we feel it’s important to understand that the weather in Colombia is particularly different depending on the region.

In this post, we’ve tried to summarize things for you, to give you a general idea of the weather in Colombia, which may help you plan your trip.

But one thing is certain: it’s possible to travel all year round in Colombia!

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.

Summary

1. Climate in Colombia

2. Weather in the Caribbean

3. Weather in the Andean region

4. Weather in the Pacific region

5. Weather in the llanos region

6. Weather in the Amazon region

7. When is the best time to travel in Colombia?

Related posts

• Classic” itinerary idea
• When to go to Colombia

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Climate in Colombia

Colombia has a mosaic of climates and microclimates, ranging from the very hot (Guajira desert, Tatacoa desert) to the very cold (peaks of the Andes and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta)

Between the influence of altitude, winds from the Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea, the Amazon or Choco forests, the Andean mountains, not to mention the del Niño and La Niña phenomena, it would be foolish to present Colombia as a country where the climate is the same everywhere – it’s quite the opposite!

Thermal floors (“pisos termicos”)

Colombia’s climates differ mainly according to altitude:

The seasons

Colombia is located close to the equator and does not have a four-season system as in temperate regions. Generally speaking, there are two dry seasons and two rainy seasons (except in the Amazon region and southern Orinoquia, where there is only one dry season and one rainy season)

Temperatures in Colombia

Temperatures are the same all year round in Colombia. But they vary according to altitude, and therefore region: temperatures drop with altitude.

Here’s an interesting map showing average temperatures by region in Colombia. This global view of temperatures in Colombia gives a good idea of the principle of altitude gradations.

Precipitation in Colombia

Colombia has a generally humid climate, ranging from hot to cold. Precipitation is high throughout the year, but there are alternating dry seasons called “Verano” (summer) and rainy seasons called “Invierno” (winter), when rainfall peaks.

Weather in the Caribbean

Geography of the Caribbean region

The Caribbean region stretches from the Gulf of Uraba in the west to the Guajira desert in the east. Primarily a coastal strip bordering the Caribbean Sea, the Caribbean region descends inland as far as Mompox.

The region boasts two mountain ranges: the Montes de Maria to the south of Cartagena and, of course, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia’s highest peak at over 5,775 m altitude.

Climate in the Caribbean

Climate type: hot and dry
Average temperature : 26°C

The Caribbean region is generally warm. That said, there are obvious weather differences between the heights of the Sierra Nevada and the depths of the Guajira desert.

The rainy season is between May and October, but compared with other regions of Colombia, rainfall is mostly confined to daily thunderstorms.

In the case of the Guajira desert, the long-awaited rain arrives between September and October, making the desert virtually inaccessible.

Weather in the Andean region

Geography of the Andean region

This is Colombia’s second largest region after the Amazon. The Andean region crosses the country from south to north, and as its name suggests… it’s a mountainous region!

With peaks topping 5,000 m and immense valleys carved out by the Cauca and Magdalena rivers, the Andean region stretches like a trident from Ipiales on the Ecuadorian border to north of Medellín in the Cordillera Occidental, and north of Bucaramanga in the Cordillera Oriental.

Climate in the Andean region

• Climate type: hot and dry, hot and humid, cold and dry, cold and humid
• Average temperature: 14°C to 27°C

Although some people refer to the Andean region as “temperate”, it is in fact the region with the most contrasting temperatures in the country!

The famous 1000 m gradient marks out the different climates and temperatures: below 1000 m it’s very hot, then much better and pleasant from 1000 to 2000 m, then cooler temperatures between 2000 and 3000 m, ending with cold to very cold temperatures between 3000 and 5000 m.

The rainy season in the Andean region runs from April/May to October/November. It is during these rainy periods that there can be problems with gullies, flooding and road blockages.

Weather in the Pacific region

Geography of the Pacific region

The Pacific region, like the Caribbean, is a coastal strip located between the Cordillera Occidental and the Pacific Ocean. It stretches from the border with Ecuador to the border with Panama. It’s a sparsely populated region, mainly forested and considered one of the most biodiverse in the world.

This is our favorite region in Colombia, with Bahia Solano and Nuqui being the top tourist destinations.

Climate in the Pacific region

• Climate type: hot and humid
• Average temperature: 26°C

The Pacific region is the most humid in Colombia, with warm temperatures all year round and no real rainy or dry seasons.

It’s a region of high rainfall. It rains frequently throughout the year, but more often at night, especially on the coast.

January and February are the months of least rain.

Weather in the llanos region

Geography of the llanos region

“Llanos” in Spanish means “plains”, and this sums up the topography of this region in eastern Colombia. The Orinoquia region is made up of just 4 large departments: Meta, Casanare, Arauca and Vichada. Made up of 75 th “sabana” and 25 th tropical forest, it is a sparsely populated region where crops are grown and livestock raised.

Climate in the Orinoquia region

• Climate type : hot and humid
• Average temperature: 26°C

The region experiences a long rainy season from April to October, when temperatures can cool and the plains become completely flooded, dramatically transforming the landscape.

The dry season lasts from November to March, when the plains dry out and access is easier. It can be very hot during this season.

Weather in the Amazon region

Geography of the Amazon region

This is Colombia’s largest region! It occupies almost a third of the country’s surface area and, as its name suggests, is almost entirely covered by dense forest. The Amazon region occupies a triangle stretching from Putumayo in the west to Guainia in the east, and from Guaviare in the north to the Amazonas department in the south.

Climate in the Amazon region

• Climate type: hot and humid
• Average temperature: 26°C

The climate in the Amazon region is humid and hot all year round, with a heavy rainy season between May and July and a relatively dry season between December and January.

When is the best time to travel in Colombia?

Weather in Colombia

Here’s a brief summary of the country’s main zones and cities, to help you find your way around and understand the different seasons in Colombia.

Our experience

From our point of view, it’s possible to travel in Colombia all year round. Of course, some months it rains more than others, but that has never stopped us from traveling.

As a matter of fact, we’ve traveled at different times of the year, and we’ve never cancelled a trip, activity or visit because of the weather. There have been a few incidents involving road closures, but nothing that has slowed us down on our various trips.

• Trip 2013: August
• Trip 2016: October and November
• Trip 2018: September
• Trip 2019: September
• Trip 2020: February and March
• Trip 2022: December, January, February, March