A ten-day loop from Medellín via the Guatapé reservoir, the village of Jardín in south-west Antioquia, then Filandia, Salento and the Cocora Valley, before heading back up via Manizales. The main roads are tolled mountain roads, often in poor condition according to the French Foreign Ministry: drive only in daylight, and check the latest information before you set off.
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
In the Andes, the main dry season runs from June to September and the second from December to March. The rains from March to May, and above all from September to November, cause landslides that sometimes cut roads for several days.
🚗 72 km · 1h50 of driving from Medellín
Car picked up at Rionegro airport, then Marinilla and El Peñol. From Medellín, the tolled Oriente tunnel.
🚗 209 km · 3h50 of driving from Guatapé
Long stage: Oriente tunnel, Medellín via Las Palmas and the Avenida Regional, then Pacífico 1 (Amagá toll), Bolombolo and Andes.
🚗 257 km · 3h45 of driving from Jardín
Back to Bolombolo, the Cauca Valley via La Pintada, then the Autopista del Café via Chinchiná. Pereira: drive through without stopping.
🚗 20 km · 20 min of driving from Filandia
Twenty minutes on the Autopista del Café, then the Salento road. For Cocora, Willys jeeps leave from the square.
🚗 87 km · 1h35 of driving from Salento
Autopista del Café via Pereira, Dosquebradas and Santa Rosa de Cabal; tolls from 16,200 to 21,200 pesos.
🚗 217 km · 3h45 of driving from Manizales
Skip Guatapé and Filandia: Medellín (2 nights), Jardín (1), Salento (2) and Manizales (1), then back to Medellín.
| Small car, annual average | ≈ $39 a day (€34) |
|---|---|
| All categories, July (most expensive month) | ≈ $46 a day (€40) |
| All categories, October (cheapest month) | ≈ $30 a day (€26) |
| Source | Kayak, Medellín airport, September 2026 |
| Vehicle | Ordinary car, toll category I. The French Foreign Ministry advises against travelling by camper van. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | José María Córdova Airport, in Rionegro, on the way to Guatapé: no need for a car in Medellín. |
| Insurance | The compulsory SOAT covers victims' medical costs, not the car: check the rental company's damage cover. |
| Deposit | A credit card in the renter's name is required for the pre-authorisation (Localiza); no other method accepted. |
| Age | 18 at Localiza; 21 minimum at most airport rental companies, according to Kayak. |
| Documents | EU licence, passport and vehicle documents, on paper: checks are frequent. |
⚠️ Hire cars are subject to Medellín's pico y placa, except for exempt ranges at some rental companies: ask which day is banned.
Valid for 90 days for a tourist stay. The International Driving Permit is not recognised in Colombia.
As in mainland Europe. In practice pedestrians do not have priority, even on zebra crossings.
50 km/h in towns, 30 near schools, 120 on dual carriageways with no pedestrian crossings.
From 0.2 g/l: licence suspended for a year and a fine of 90 days' minimum wage.
Two plate digits are banned each day. Fine and impounding; the Avenida Regional and Las Palmas are exempt.
The French Foreign Ministry recommends driving only in daylight, on the main roads.
Few signs, frequent speeding; rockfalls can block a road for several days.
The region is prone to earthquakes. Read your government's travel advice before you book, then again the day before you leave: it lists the areas to avoid and is updated continuously.
Frequent police and military checkpoints: carry your original documents.
Windows closed, doors locked; guarded parking in towns. Do not resist if attacked.
≈ €1.15 a litre of petrol (4,197 pesos as of 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 862 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €70 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
GlobalPetrolPrices figure. Stations usually display the price per gallon (3.785 l). Fill up before the long stages to Jardín and Filandia.
| Oriente tunnel (Medellín to Rionegro) | 26,300 pesos (≈ €7), 2026 rate |
|---|---|
| Las Palmas route (alternative access to Rionegro) | 20,200 pesos (≈ €5.50), 2026 rate |
| Amagá, Pacífico 1 (road to Jardín) | 25,900 pesos (≈ €7) since 16 July 2026 |
| Pacífico Tres (Irra, Supía, Acapulco, Guaico) | 17,500 to 25,300 pesos, 2026 rates |
| Autopistas del Café (seven toll points) | 16,200 to 21,200 pesos, 2026 rates |
| Payment | Cash at the booth or electronic tag (Flypass, Gopass and others) |
| Mountain roads | Landslides in the rainy season, closures of several days |
|---|---|
| Oriente tunnel | Sundays and Monday bank holidays, 17:00-21:00: one way towards Medellín |
| Los Nevados National Park | Up to four closures a year of five working days |
Allow 9 to 12 days from Medellín for this 9-night loop via Guatapé, Jardín, Filandia, Salento and Manizales, about 900 km. In one week, skip Guatapé and Filandia. The mountain roads are slow: set aside whole days for Guatapé-Jardín and Jardín-Filandia, and do not drive after nightfall.
The towns on this loop are not in the French Foreign Ministry's red or orange zones, but it recommends driving only in daylight and on the main roads. Avoid northern Antioquia, eastern Valle del Cauca and the Pacific coast. Keep nothing of value on show in the car, use guarded parking, and do not resist if attacked.
About $350 of car hire (a small car at $39 a day on average on Kayak), $30 in October and $46 in July. Petrol: about €70 for 900 km at €1.15 a litre. Tolls: 16,000 to 26,000 pesos per toll point, or €4 to €7, several per stage.
Yes, for 90 days of a tourist stay, with your EU licence alone: Colombia does not recognise the International Driving Permit. Carry your passport, licence and vehicle documents on paper. To hire a car, you need a credit card in the renter's name.
From Monday to Friday, 05:00 to 20:00, plates ending in either of the day's two digits are banned; the rotation changes every six months (Monday: 5 and 8 since 3 August 2026). Hire cars are included. Fine of 15 days' minimum wage and impounding; the Avenida Regional and Las Palmas are exempt.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/colombia · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
