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|hitch = ?<rating country='co' />

 '''Colombia''' is a country in [[South America]]. It borders [[Panama]] to the north, [[Venezuela]] to the east, [[Brazil]] to the southeast, and [[Ecuador]] and [[Peru]] to the south. Although it's not an easy country to hitchhike, it is not as bad as they say. There is a lot of paranoia about the security situation in the country. And some areas are outright dangerous due to fights between government and FARC rebels. However, the conflict is very predictable and usually limited to certain areas in the countryside. Check with your foreign ministry or recent guidebook.

To cross from Colombia to [[Panama]] you ve got to overcome the [[Darien Gap]]. You can do that by booking a five day trip with a private sailing charter from CartagenaLike anywhere in Latin America, although it's often not cheaper than a flight. Moreover, you might get in trouble if one of your fellow travellers decided to smuggle some cocaine out of the country. * It biggest danger is possible to cross from Panama to Colombia without paying $200-$1000 for a private boat or plunging too deep into the Darien − the trek involves a few minor ferries and long walks down east-coast Panamanian beaches. Try yacht-clubs (out of storm-season). You might also find passage working on coconut-trading boats, but be prepared for a several-week ordeal. If you persevererobbed, which may happen if you can find a way travel alone. Bus transport is decent and will get across; neverthelessreasonably priced, the Panama-Colombia border is one of the more dangerous places in the western hemisphere, and should although not be taken lightlyas cheap as countries like [[Bolivia]] or [[Venezuela]].

As mentioned, the security situation makes hitching difficult, but certainly not as bad as you would think. To know which areas are outright no-go zones, ask around and check the newspapers. People tend to tell you that the whole country is ''muy peligroso'', only take information seriously if there is something concrete going on (but donexample : 't ask old women, whom I've found to the FARC have an exaggeratedly paranoid perspective attacked a military outpost on "la inseguridad") and check the newspapersroad to Turbo... Good ol' fashioned thumb in ')Thumbs up hitch-hiking might get you a ride, but isn't the air, wind in your hair, carefree smile on your face hitchhiking best approach. Much easier is quite difficult. My strategy in Colombia was talking to approach the young soldiers people at highway checkpoints gas stations and begin a conversation. Start off with small talk about their gunspeajes (toll booths), equipment, training, etc or asking soldiers at check-points and later mention explaining where you're headed. They may offerare going, or either they should let you might have talk to cars that slow for the check-point, or they may even ask, to stop cars and help people for you get a lift. One soldier simply ordered a traveling salesman to "get this boy safely to Barranquilla". Nine out of ten times the young, bored soldiers were more than happy to help a crazy foreigner catch a lift. Viva Colombia!!!

* [[Aguachica]]* [[Arcabuco]]* [[Arjona]]* [[Armenia (Colombia)|Armenia]]* [[Bogota]] (Capital city)* [[Barranquilla]]* [[Bucaramanga]]* [[Cali (Colombia)|Cali]]

* [[Cali (Colombia)|CaliNeiva]]* [[BarranquillaPasto]]* [[BucaramangaPereira]]* [[Popayan]]

== Personal Experiences ==

:''In the spring of 2008 me and a Colombian female friend went for some hikes in the countryside around Bogotá. We went to the village of [http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&hl=nl&geocode=&q=guatavita&sll=4.835102,-73.560333&sspn=0.714302,1.235962&ie=UTF8&ll=4.921306,-73.850098&spn=0.714211,1.235962&z=10 Guatavita], where a 7 km dirt road leads up to the 'Laguna Sagrada'. On the way a milk truck picked us up. A great experience, standing on the back of a truck driving up a bumpy road, the wind in our hair. On the way back we easily scored a ride back to Bogotá, in a car with a bank employee who liked talking about football. The dirt roads in the countryside are not busy, but everybody seems willing to pick you up. Same experience in Puente Nacional late one evening, where we got a ride from a farmer for a few pesos.'' --[[User:Leimac|Leimac]] 21:50, 25 September 2008 (CEST) :''In 2007 I hitched from Cartagena to Ipiales in a few days. Stayed on the main roads. No troubles. Rode [[hitchhiking a truck|trucks]] & personal cars. God Colombia is beautiful.'' -k :''I hitchhiked through Colombia in 2010. After making it across the Darién Gap by hitchhiking on speedboats, I went through most of the Colombian Andean territory. It is a fantastic country, and the only place where the truckers let me ride in the little space between the cab and the trailer!'' -[[User:Themodernnomad|themodernnomad]] :''I arrived in Cartagena, and walked all the way to Turbaco with no luck whatsoever. Eventually rides came. My experience was that thumbing took a heck of a lot longer, but that if you spoke with someone when they were stopped, you were taken almost every single time. Hitched to Medellin, back up to Barranquilla, down to Bogota, to San Agustin, Popayan, and to Ipiales. Spectacular country.'' -[[User:Chael777|Chael777]] :''Hitched from Ipiales north in April 2012. The difference between talking face to face and thumb-out hitching can't be understated. The people are extremely nice to you when you talk to them but are definitely not trusting when they look at you from their driver's seat. Even if it might be slow in this country, it's the least of your worries.''-[[User:Sark|Sark]] :''March 2014, for about a month- much, much better than I had anticipated. I hitched from the very north to the very south of Colombia, with nerry an issue. Hitching around the Darien proved frustrating and impossible for me, but when I was in country, things got much better. It is more difficult than say Ecuador, but I rarely waited longer than an hour. The far north is easy to hitch, but getting around big cities can be a real bitch, as there are very few bypasses and you get sucked in. Public transport costs are very high relatively. Police are always nice, and gas station attendants. Do direct hitchhike and ask people at petrol stations, they are always super nice and honest. Was given money for food a number of time, despite refusing weakly. I got offered my longest hitch ever here outside of Neiva, as far as Ushushia in Patagonia which I took as far as Ecuador border. Also had three drivers on cocaine which were great, fast rides, very entertaining and obvious !'' -[[User:lukeyboy95|lukeyboy95]] "''Very easy to hitch hike, including with a bicycle. I was offered a lift quite often (especialy when going uphills) without asking for it. Colombians are the most generous". (from September to December 2014)'' --[[User:Anne-laure|Anne-laure]] ([[User talk:Anne-laure|talk]]) 20:42, 7 February 2015 (CET) Very easy to hitchhike if you do it right, talk to peoplo at a gas station is a sure ride and if you want to thumb-out it is also very good in the right place many people dont stop thinking you wont like to get a short ride so make a sign it helps a lot. Hitchhiked all the coast from Cartagena to Guajira, in towns like Barranquilla,Cienaga, Santa Marta, Taganga, Tayrona park, Palomino, Mendihuaca, Quebrada de Valencia, Buritaca, Camarones and Rioacha. Everybody is very nice yust get a little out of the city its easy by moto taxi or bus that way people will know you are going out.