After crossing Central America, Colombia welcomed us not with open roads, but with a shipping container delay. We began our South American journey in Cartagena, where we waited for our Ineos Grenadier - affectionately named Iggy - to arrive from Guatemala. It wasn’t the worst place to be stuck.

We stayed first in Centro, surrounded by Cartagena’s walled city - an atmospheric labyrinth of cobbled streets, bougainvillea-covered balconies, and baroque churches. Later we moved to Getsemaní, a vibrant and artsy neighborhood full of street murals, salsa beats, and old-school Caribbean character.

Cartagena’s rich history is fascinating. As a key port in the Spanish Empire, the city was a fortified gem of the Age of Sail, guarding the wealth of the New World. Gold and silver from across South America were collected here before being shipped to Spain, which made Cartagena a tempting target for pirates like Francis Drake. Its defensive walls and forts - especially the impressive Castillo San Felipe de Barajas - are a legacy of those turbulent times.

While in Cartagena, we indulged in some of our favourite meals in Colombia. Two standouts were Celele and Carmen Cartagena.

With Iggy finally released from port, we headed northeast along the coast to Tayrona National Park. Set where the jungle meets the sea, Tayrona offered us misty hikes through rainforest trails, ancient Tayrona ruins, and a chance to swim in the Caribbean under towering palms. It’s one of the few places in the world where you can walk from dense jungle to white-sand beaches in under an hour.

From the coast, we turned inland and upward into the Andes Nororientales, crossing lush mountains and rural valleys. The cobblestoned town of Barichara was a standout. Often called the most beautiful town in Colombia, Barichara felt like stepping into a colonial-era painting. We hiked the Camino Real to the nearby village of Guane and soaked in the tranquil vibe that defines this region.

While there, we had one of our most memorable meals at El Vía Cocina Abierta, a beautifully curated restaurant focusing on local ingredients, sustainability, and creativity in the kitchen.

Next was Villa de Leyva, another colonial gem with one of the largest town squares in South America. The plaza’s sheer scale is a reminder of the Spanish Empire’s grand ambitions. Here, we learned more about Colombia’s fight for independence - particularly the role of nearby Boyacá, site of the pivotal Battle of Boyacá in 1819, which helped secure Colombia’s freedom from Spanish rule.

From there, it was a long but scenic drive to Medellín, a city that exceeded all expectations. Once infamous, Medellín has reinvented itself with innovation and resilience. We explored Comuna 13, now a symbol of hope and transformation. Once one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in the world, it’s now bursting with life boasting incredible street art, music, and outdoor escalators connecting communities that were once isolated.

We also loved the culinary scene in Medellín. A favourite was local gem Restaurant Idílico.

South of Medellín, we discovered Jardín, a mountain town that seemed too picturesque to be real. Coffee farms blanketed the hillsides, hummingbirds flitted between flowers, and we spent our mornings sipping locally grown coffee and gazing out over the valley. While in Jardín, we visited the Reserva Natural Jardín de Rocas, where we observed the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, a striking bird known for its bright orange plumage and unusual courtship behavior. The reserve protects a site where males gather at dawn and dusk to perform competitive mating displays, making it one of the most reliable places in Colombia to see this exquisite species in the wild.

On the return trip our journey took a dramatic turn.

At the time, Jardín had been largely cut off by landslides, and the only way in or out was via a rough, high-altitude jungle track - steep, narrow, and soaked by weeks of rain. We were on a remote section of this trail, over 3,200 meters above sea level, when Iggy had a thermal event in the engine bay. Han smelled smoke and we scrambled to quickly extinguish the fire - but it was a heart-stopping moment, perched on a precipitous mountain track with dense jungle on one side and a sheer drop on the other, recovering a crippled vehicle would have been difficult.

Fortunately Iggy is built tough, and after insulating some of the damaged wires I was able to start him up.

Getting out of that situation was its own expedition. The track was badly congested - several vehicles were bogged deep in the mud, blocking the only passable route back to Medellin. There were heavy trucks, a trapped chicken bus, another light vehicle, and one light truck carried a family who’d been stuck for hours.

Armed with our MaxTrax traction boards, we worked our way down the mud road, helping one vehicle at a time. When we finally got the stranded family free from the mud, an onlooking crowd of locals erupted in cheering “¡Gringoooeees!”.

Over two days Iggy limped back to Medellín under his own power, and with Ineos’ assistance we immediately got down to planning the repairs. Things moved quickly. and while Ineos got on top of things immediately, Colombian Customs was more of a challenge, and our parts shipments from the US and Belgium were held up for some two months.

During our extended stay in Medellín, we took the opportunity to improve our language skills by enrolling at Elefun Spanish School. The classes were engaging and studying in the heart of the city gave us a deeper connection to local culture and daily life. Combined with our time living in Laureles (voted the world’s coolest neighbourhood in 2023!), it gave us a real sense of regular life in Colombia.

Another highlight during our time in Medellín was the Feria de las Flores, one of the city’s most beloved annual events. The celebration included vibrant parades, live music, and a turnout of classic cars, all set against a floral backdrop in the “City of Eternal Spring.” At its heart is the Desfile de Silleteros, where flower farmers from the surrounding hills carry elaborate floral arrangements on their backs—a tradition that honors Antioquia’s agricultural heritage and Medellín’s deep cultural pride.

When the parts arrived, we completed repairs with the support of Ineos US and the team at Agreste 4x4 Garage, and Iggy was soon back in fighting shape.

We resumed our journey south through Cali, known as the world capital of salsa. We traced the history of Cali salsa, visiting neighbourhoods where the music lives and breathes.

Further on, Popayán, often called “La Ciudad Blanca” for its whitewashed colonial buildings, charmed us with its quiet dignity. From there, we ventured to San Agustín, home to one of the greatest archaeological sites in South America. The pre-Colombian San Agustín culture left behind hundreds of mysterious stone statues, tombs, and burial mounds scattered across lush hills - now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Spectacular Pre-Colombian sites surround San Agustin

As our time in Colombia drew to a close, we made a final stop at Las Lajas Sanctuary, a dramatic neo-Gothic basilica spanning a gorge near the Ecuadorian border. Built into the rock face where a Marian apparition was reportedly seen in the 18th century, it’s one of the most beautiful and surreal churches we’ve ever seen.

We crossed into Ecuador at Ipiales, saying goodbye to a country that had become far more than a stop on a map. Colombia had tested us with fire and bureaucracy, but also rewarded us with unforgettable beauty, hospitality, and depth. We’ll be back - for the highlands, for the Amazon, for the Pacific coast. But for now, we roll south, grateful and changed.

See our rather epic set of photos from Colombia here.

An adventure within an adventure

Central America over too soon