What to pack for Colombia in March

South AmericaColombiaPacking Lists
Written By Ella White

We visited Colombia for two weeks, travelling north from Bogota to Salento, Medellin, Cartagena, and Tayrona National Park. It was one of my favourite holidays ever, and Colombia is definitely up there as one of my favourite countries.

It was March when we visited, which is at the end of one of Colombia’s dryer seasons. April-May and September-November are wetter, but the weather remains fairly mild all year round. We found that Bogota and Salento were coldest – although still around 19ºc during the day. Medellin was mid-20ºcs and the north coast was very humid and closer to 30ºc+. Even if you’re only visiting the Caribbean coast, you’ll still want long sleeves and trousers to protect against insects, and probably a light rain coat as well.

playa del cabo parque tayrona

Because of these changing climates, we had to choose what pack for Colombia as if we were going on three different holidays! We had checked luggage, and since we had different kinds of activities planned in each area it wasn’t worth trying to pack light. 

I also packed more toiletries than I would for a trip with less moving around. I couldn’t be sure that our accommodation would have shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, or even towels. So if you’re hopping from one place to the next it’s best to bring your own.

Here’s a full list of what I packed for two weeks in Colombia in March:

getsemani cartagena

Layers

  • One waterproof jacket

  • One sweatshirt

  • One overshirt

  • One lighter shirt 

On Top

  • Two sports bras

  • Five vest tops

  • Three t-shirts

  • One long-sleeved top

  • Three summer dresses

rosario islands colombia

On the Bottom

  • Four pairs of shorts

  • Three pairs of light summer trousers

  • One pair of leggings for hikes

On My Feet

  • One pair of walking/running trainers

  • One pair of Converse

  • One pair of slip-on sandals (for the beach)

  • One pair of buckled sandals (for evenings and cities)

cocora valley hikes

At the Beach

  • Three bikinis

  • A sarong/beach cover-up

  • A cap and a sun hat

  • Sunglasses

To Carry it All

  • A backpack

  • A tote bag

  • A beach bag

  • A small bag for evenings and smaller day trips

guatape colombia

The Essentials

  • A microfibre towel

  • Type A plug adapters

  • E-Reader

  • Water bottle

  • Yellow Fever vaccine certificate

  • Passport

Toiletries

  • Roll-on and spray bug repellent

  • SPF and aftersun

  • Shower gel

  • Shampoo and conditioner

  • Tooth brush, paste, and floss

  • Deodorant

  • Facial cleanser

  • Day and night creams

  • A flannel/face pads

  • SPF lip balm

  • Body butter

  • Body spray/perfume

  • A scrunchie and hair brush

Find out more about our two week Colombia itinerary here.

Ella White
Next

Four days in Tayrona National Park itinerary