Colombia has had its share of challenging times, from internal conflict to the violence caused by drug trafficking. Unfortunately, this is the only Colombia that many foreigners know about - especially those who have watched Narcos. A peace accord was signed in 2016 and much of the political violence ended. That said, due to residual conflict and active drug trafficking, there are parts of the country that it would probably not be wise to go to. However, the areas where we will be biking are quite safe.

Visitors from the U.S. and Canada are not required to get a Visa but will need a valid passport. Upon arrival they will receive a tourist visa which will allow them to stay in Colombia for up to 90 days.

In general the water coming out of the taps in most parts of Colombia (and in all of the places we ride) is considered safe to drink. We have been drinking tap water in and around Jericó for several years without any problems. That said, there can be an adjustment period when consuming food and water from new places, and some people choose to filter their water. If you have concerns, we encourage you to bring a small backpacking or UV filter. We will also have one that you may use. Buying bottled water is also an option, but we try to avoid it due to the plastic bottles.

Colombia has a number of different climate zones. In Jericó, and most of the areas where we will be riding, the average temperature is in the low 70s (day time range is generally from low 60s - low 80s). It is frequently a mix of sun and clouds and when it does rain, it usually does so in the afternoons and evenings.

As we will be carrying our own gear, we recommend that you go as light as possible. The temperatures are generally quite pleasant (low 60s when we start in the morning to highs in the low 80s). There will be a hot shower at the end of every day, so generally, 2 sets of biking clothes and a change of clothes for the evening is sufficient. Clothing that will dry quickly is helpful. Here is a detailed packing list: Clothes for Biking: 2 pairs of bike shorts 2 shirts for biking (long sleeve or additional arm covers can be helpful for sun) 2 pairs of lightweight socks Lightweight rain jacket Buff/head scarf (Optional) – Lots of options for purchase in Jericó Other Clothes: 2 or 3 light shirts (t-shirts or similar) 2 or 3 underwear Lightweight shorts Bathing Suit (optional) Light nylon or other quick dry long pants Mid-weight thermal layer or light fleece for evenings Cap or sun hat Biking Equipment: Hydration Pack Helmet Gloves Sun Glasses Shoes (if you prefer clipless pedals, please bring your own pedals and shoes) Other: Shoes to walk/hike in (If you ride in bike shoes with cleats, bring a pair of low hikers, running shoes, or something similar, water/hiking shoes can work really well. If you ride in non-cleat shoes, a pair of crocs or sandals can be nice if your biking shoes get wet) Toiletries and Medications Sun Block Phone/Camera and charge cord Compact headlamp (while we hope to not need them, they are very helpful if we do...)

While there is no shortage of options, a decent size (10L or larger) seat bag and a small to medium sized handlebar bag or harness with a dry bag should be sufficient, especially if coupled with a small hydration pack or midsize waste pack. Let us know if you have any questions about bag options and make sure to do a trial run to make sure everything you want to bring fits in your bag setup. If you do not have bags, please let us know, and we can provide them at a modest rental fee.

Whether or not to bring your own bike is a difficult decision with no right answer. It really depends on your preferences. By bringing your own, you can be sure that the bike is set up based on your preferences and that the geometry works well for you. If you do bring your bike, we can store your bike transport case during your trip. However, flying with bikes can add to logistical challenges and depending on what airline you fly, can be expensive. If you would prefer not to travel with your bike, you can rent one of our hard-tail mountain bikes for the tour for $25 per day. For a full discussion of pros and cons of various bike options, check out our blog post on the topic.

While there are occasionally a few mosquitoes at dusk and dawn, they are generally not very numerous or bothersome. In warmer weather (especially around coffee farms) there are some smaller biting flies that can be a bit of a nuisance if you are stopped by the side of the road. For some people (including myself) they don't tend to leave an itchy spot after biting, others (like Lenore) get something resembling a mosquito bite. If you tend to have a stronger reaction to bug bites it might be worth bringing a very small container of repellent, though it is likely that you will not need it.

While we work with each group to develop a schedule that will best fit their preferences, we generally try to meet in the hotel or nearby for breakfast by 8am and start riding by 9am. Depending on that day’s route, we will generally be riding for 3-6 hours plus occasional rest/snack/drink breaks. Some days we will get to our destination in time for lunch and on longer days we will take a lunch break and then keep riding. Depending on arrival time, there will generally be some time in the afternoon for another adventure (a hike, a swim, visit to a local farm, etc.) or just to relax or explore the town.

Every trip includes either a bilingual Colombian guide or a Spanish-speaking Colombian guide AND an English-speaking guide. Colombian Bicycle Adventures puts a high priority on hiring local guides from Jericó and the surrounding area. You do not need to be able to speak any Spanish, but anything you learn will be appreciated by the people we meet along the way. Our Colombian guides are also more than happy to help you work on your Spanish (and enjoy working on their English as well)!

The Colombians love their food and there will be no shortage of it on your trip! The food is generally delicious though the options can be limited. A typical day looks like this: Breakfast (your choice of all or some of the following): Arepa (think extra thick corn tortilla), soft white cheese, eggs, meat, bunuelo (deep fried mixture of yucca and corn flour and a little cheese), hot chocolate, coffee. Lunch: A standard lunch plate includes a soup or side of beans, rice, choice of meat, chicken or egg, small salad, avocado, fried plantains, and sometimes potatoes, and a fresh juice. Dinner: Fairly similar to lunch, though trout, fried chicken and occasionally pizza are frequent options as well. Snacks or meal substitutes: Colombians love their snacks and you can always find some! They range from pastries in the morning to hamburgers and all sorts of fried empanadas, cookies and other sweet snacks all day long. Vegetarian and Vegan Options: Eating vegetarian is generally not difficult, as long as you don't mind eggs and/or cheese. You can always get a plate of rice and beans, arepas, eggs, avocado, etc. Eating a vegan diet is harder, but not impossible, though the options will be limited (think lots of rice, beans, arepas and plantains). They generally do not put meat in their beans. For a more thorough discussion (and tribute to) Antioquian food, check out our blog post!

The accommodations are double occupancy in comfortable and clean hotels and guest houses. Some are located near the town center and others are in the countryside. They all include private bathrooms with hot showers. If you prefer single accommodations, there is an additional 20% single accommodations supplement.

This is an adventure, and we will be riding in remote areas. While the towns we spend the night in generally have basic medical services and we have contacts along the route to help with transportation if we need it, the closest advanced medical care is in Medellín. For this reason we encourage our guests to ride somewhat conservatively and to obtain travel insurance before they leave the U.S. Having travel insurance will make things much easier in the case that emergency transportation or evacuation is necessary.

Tips are not mandatory nor are they included in the cost of the tour. It is completely up to you. However, our guides would be very happy to know that their professionalism, knowledge and hard work were appreciated. The customary tip for service companies in Colombia is around 10% if you feel that the guides did a good job.

Most of our riding will be on dirt roads, many are fairly smooth, and others are what in the U.S. we might call double track or jeep roads. On the dirt roads there tends to be very few cars. On most trips we will also occasionally spend time on secondary paved roads. This is a very hilly area and we will spend a lot of our time climbing and descending, some times gradually and sometimes more steeply. There are plenty of miradors (lookouts) at which to catch our breath, have a snack, or take a break from a long climb or to just enjoy the view.

At some point during your trip, it will probably rain. It tends to rain later in the afternoons, so we try to do most of our riding before then. And the good news is that it is usually warm enough that a little rain does not feel problematic. All that said, you want to be prepared with a light rain jacket and waterproof bags to keep your gear dry.

A $500 deposit is due when the trip is booked. The balance is due 60 days before the trip starts.

All payments can be made by credit card, Zelle, or a wire transfer.

We know that no one wants to cancel a trip and doing so is a hardship for everyone. If we are able to fill the trip after your cancellation we will only charge a $100 cancellation fee. If we are not able to fill the trip after you cancel, the cancellation fee will be determined as follows based on the number of days between the cancellation date and the scheduled start of the trip: More than 60 days - Cancellation fee is equal to the deposit Between 30-59 days - Cancellation fee is equal to 50% of trip cost Between 3-29 days - Cancellation fee is equal to 75% of trip cost Starting two days before the first day of the trip, no refunds will be given due to cancellation or early departure from the trip.