Motorcycle Trips in Colombia, an Adventure You Can't Miss

Motor tourism is trending. Thanks to the conveniences of road tourism, discovering new destinations in Colombia has never been easier. Plan your route to discover wonderful landscapes.

Nowadays, many people are taking motorcycle trips to cover longer distances and reach new destinations in Colombia. Whether you travel with your partner, a friend, or your favorite riding group, the country's road infrastructure is an incentive for motorcycle tourism.

There are many advantages to traveling by motorcycle in Colombia:

• You don't have to pay tolls on the roadways.
• You have more than one option to reach a place; you can take alternate routes if you want a more adventurous experience.
• You can access places that a car cannot and have immersive experiences in nature.
• Depending on the engine size of the motorcycle, you can save a lot of money on gas (in addition to the point mentioned earlier).
• Since riding a motorcycle forces you to stop more often, you have the opportunity to pass through colonial towns and take a break while continuing your journey or swapping riders if you're with someone.

Additionally, one of the unique experiences offered by this type of tourism is experiencing the changes between different thermal floors that exist in the country during certain routes. For this reason, you must be well-prepared with the right gear to enjoy it to the fullest.

There are many routes to various destinations that you can take by motorcycle from anywhere in Colombia. In this article, we recommend two routes departing from Bogotá with a varied range of tourism options for everyone’s tastes.

Whether you travel solo or with company, riding a motorcycle in Colombia is an unmatched adventure.

Motor Tourism for Adventurers: From Bogotá to the Tatacoa Desert

When arriving in the country from abroad, often the first stop is Bogotá. The capital is an excellent starting point to discover the tourist wonders that Colombia has to offer. To begin this adventure, you can start by renting a motorcycle. There are many specialized places for motorcycle trips throughout the city where you can do this.

Once you've prepared with the proper clothing and safety gear and are ready to start, keep in mind that there are two ways to reach the Tatacoa Desert.

To go to this destination, you must exit the city to the west, specifically via the southern highway. An alternate exit route is via Calle 80, looking for the detour to Soacha heading towards La Mesa. On this journey, you will pass through the municipalities of Melgar, Girardot, Flandes, and El Espinal. This route can take you to Neiva, the capital of the Huila region, and continue until you reach the desert.

The best part of motorcycle trips in Colombia are the adventures that await you

Another option on this route is to take the road through Villavieja to enter the desert from the back, making a more "off road" journey where upon reaching the municipality of Flandes you'll use a chalupa (canoe) to ferry your motorcycle across the Magdalena River, crossing into the municipality of El Espinal and reaching your destination via this route.

In summary, from Bogotá to the Tatacoa Desert, it is 360 km, and the trip can take 5 to 7 hours depending on the number of stops you make along the way.

Activities in the Tatacoa Desert

Enjoy the wonderful night view in the Tatacoa Desert

The Tatacoa Desert, which is actually a tropical dry forest, is one of the most visited places in Colombia for its wonderful landscapes of dry canyons and eroded areas with formations of different colors.

Some activities you can do here include:

• Long ecological walks on the different trails of the desert (Cuzco and Los Hoyos) accompanied by a local guide.
• Visit the Paleontological Museum in Villavieja and see the majority of fossils that have been found in the desert.
• Enjoy a meteor shower during one of the talks at the Astronomical Observatory, a space for education led by experts and enthusiasts with telescopes for stargazing.

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Motor Tourism for Extreme Sports Lovers: From Bogotá to Medellín

Continuing this journey of the best road tourism plans in Colombia, the next proposal requires renting a sports motorcycle with medium to high engine capacity. This time the idea is to go a bit further and travel on a completely different road. Next destination: The City of Eternal Spring.

To get to Medellín, you must leave Bogotá via Calle 80, passing Alto del Vino, and through the municipalities of La Vega, Villeta, and Guaduas. This last one is part of the network of heritage towns in Colombia, where in addition to enjoying its colonial charm, you can indulge in its bakery offerings for all tastes. Once you pass through this town, you take the famous road of the "Ruta del Sol," towards La Dorada, and then divert towards Puerto Triunfo. This part of the route is ideal for refueling.

Plan your route to make detours along the way and have a trip full of surprises

Further along, take the route to Río Claro and a great adventure will begin as this stretch features pleasant curves to navigate, and you will pass through the Cañón del Río Claro Natural Reserve where you can practice extreme sports. After that, you will reach the municipality of Cocorná where you can try paragliding and enjoy some natural waterfalls and beautiful views.

Discover the Peñol Stone in Guatapé, Antioquia.

You finish this mountain stretch in Santuario, where the straight road to Medellín begins. If you wish, from this route you can reach Marinilla and make a detour to reach Guatapé, better known as “the town of the zócalos” (colorful cement figures that adorn its facades).

If not, before making the detour to Guatapé, you can enter Medellín by two entrances:

• Via Rionegro, traveling along the majestic roads that pass by the airport via Las Palmas.
• Via Guarné and the part of Bello that have viewpoints to appreciate spectacular landscapes.

In summary, between Bogotá and Medellín, it is approximately 480 km, in a journey that can take an average of 8 hours depending on the number of stops planned.

The best of Medellín's tourism offerings.

Medellín is known as 'The City of Eternal Spring' due to its pleasant climate. Additionally, it is one of the most innovative cities in the world and has received various international accolades, such as "City of the Year," a contest organized by the Wall Street Journal and Citi Group. Moreover, it is a destination with a cultural and tourism offering for all tastes.

Some plans you might consider while motorcycle touring in this city include:

• Taking a craft beer tour, some microbreweries offer it in their breweries and even serve food to pair with it.
• Visiting Parque Explora, an interactive complex dedicated to science and technology, including an aquarium and planetarium.
• Visiting Pueblito Paisa, one of the most representative icons of the city, a replica of a town with all the indigenous details of paisa culture.

You may also be interested in: Travel through history by exploring these heritage towns

The offer of motorcycle trips in Colombia is full of adventures and places to discover. Plan your route from the start so you can enjoy the entire journey to the fullest. From a desert to a massive 220-meter monolith (Peñol Stone in Guatapé), you can always choose the route that best fits your motorcycle, company, and level of experience. We look forward to seeing you!