eSIM for Colombia

Our eSIM in Colombia connects to Claro, which scored 8.3 out of 10 for coverage experience in Opensignal's April 2026 report, roughly double any rival. Because it is a roaming connection rather than a Colombian SIM contract, you also sidestep the 20-day IMEI registration rule that catches visitors who buy a local SIM.

A first week linking Colombia's three best-known cities by short domestic flights: Bogotá's colonial core and Gold Museum, Medellín's cable cars and the Guatapé rock, then Cartagena's walled old town and a day out on the Caribbean islands.

Length

7 days

Bases

3

When to go December to March and July to August are the drier spells in Bogotá and Medellín, while Cartagena is hot all year and calmest for boat trips from December to April; Semana Santa and late December are the busiest and priciest periods.

1. 01

   Day 1 Bogotá

   Bogotá: La Candelaria and the Gold Museum

   → From El Dorado airport (BOG) take an app-based car or official taxi to La Candelaria, about 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.

   Take it slowly, as Bogotá sits at around 2,600 metres. Start at Plaza de Bolívar with the cathedral and Capitolio, then wander the steep streets of La Candelaria. Spend late morning at the Museo del Oro, home to a huge collection of pre-Hispanic gold work, and the Museo Botero for its paintings and sculptures. In the late afternoon ride the cable car or funicular up Monserrate for views across the city.

   Signal Claro 4G is strong across central Bogotá, including at the top of Monserrate. Keep your phone out of sight on the street in La Candelaria, especially after dark.

2. 02

   Day 2 Bogotá

   Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral

   → About 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Bogotá; organised tours and the weekend tourist train also run.

   Head north out of the city to Zipaquirá to visit the Catedral de Sal, a church carved out of tunnels in a working salt mine, with its Stations of the Cross and a vast main nave underground. Afterwards walk the colonial main square in Zipaquirá town. Return to Bogotá for the afternoon and visit Usaquén's old centre, which holds a craft market on Sundays.

   Signal Good 4G in Zipaquirá town; expect to lose signal inside the salt cathedral's tunnels, so agree a meeting point beforehand if you split up.

3. 03

   Day 3 Medellín

   Fly to Medellín: Comuna 13 and the Metrocable

   → Domestic flight from Bogotá to Medellín's José María Córdova airport (MDE), about 1 hour, then around 45 minutes to an hour by road into the city.

   Take a morning flight to Medellín. In the afternoon join a guided walk in Comuna 13, once among the city's most violent districts, now known for the outdoor escalators, street art and community-run tours. Later ride the Metro and the Metrocable cable cars up the hillsides to see how they connected neighbourhoods to the centre, and finish at Plaza Botero by the Museo de Antioquia.

   Signal Claro coverage is strong in central Medellín and on the Metrocable. In Comuna 13 the steep lanes are well covered, but be discreet with your phone and follow your guide.

4. 04

   Day 4 Medellín

   Guatapé and the Piedra del Peñol

   → About 2 hours each way by bus from Medellín's Terminal del Norte, or by tour or private car.

   Day trip east to the Piedra del Peñol, a granite monolith about 220 metres high above the reservoir. Climb its 740 numbered steps for the view over the lake's many inlets and islands. Then go to the nearby village of Guatapé, whose houses are decorated with colourful raised panels called zócalos, and take a boat out onto the reservoir in the afternoon before heading back to Medellín.

   Signal 4G is good in Guatapé village and generally fine at the top of the rock; it can drop on parts of the winding road and out on the reservoir.

5. 05

   Day 5 Cartagena

   Fly to Cartagena: the walled city

   → Domestic flight from Medellín to Cartagena (CTG), about 1 hour 15 minutes; the airport is a short taxi ride from the old town.

   Fly to the Caribbean coast. Spend the afternoon inside Cartagena's colonial walls, walking from the Torre del Reloj through Plaza de los Coches and Plaza de Santo Domingo to the cathedral, then on to the quieter San Diego district. At sunset climb onto the city walls near the Baluarte de Santo Domingo to watch the sun drop over the sea.

   Signal Claro 4G is reliable throughout the walled city and on the walls themselves, though very busy squares in the evening can slow data.

6. 06

   Day 6 Cartagena

   San Felipe fortress and Getsemaní

   Go early to the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the great Spanish fortress on a hill outside the walls, and explore its tunnels and ramparts before the heat builds. Spend the afternoon in Getsemaní, the old artisans' quarter, where Plaza de la Trinidad fills up in the evening, and see the murals along its lanes. Fit in a rest in the hottest hours.

   Signal Good 4G at San Felipe and across Getsemaní; signal weakens inside the fortress tunnels.

7. 07

   Day 7 Cartagena

   Rosario Islands by boat

   → Boats from the Muelle de la Bodeguita take about 1 hour each way, depending on sea conditions.

   Take a boat from Cartagena's Muelle de la Bodeguita out to the Islas del Rosario, part of the Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo national park. Spend the day snorkelling over coral, swimming and relaxing on one of the islands, using operators licensed at the pier. You return by mid-afternoon, leaving time for a last walk in the old town before your flight home.

   Signal Signal drops off once you are out at sea; coverage on the islands themselves is limited and can disappear on the smaller cays.