Colombia is one of the best riding countries in South America, offering everything from Andean twisties to jungle backroads and high mountain passes. These six motorcycle routes were hand‑picked and written by a Colombia riding expert to showcase the very best roads the country has to offer…
The Best Motorcycle Routes in Colombia
By Jeff Cremer & Alan Churchill
Colombia tour guide experts
Colombia is one of the most rewarding countries in the world to explore on two wheels – three Andean mountain ranges, cloud forests, colonial coffee towns, tropical river valleys, and volcanic páramos, all stitched together by winding backroads that feel made for motorcycles. The routes below range from a one-day escape to a two-week expedition across all three Colombian Andes ranges.
Every ride is designed to be intermediate-friendly, with no enduro or technical skills required – just comfort on a mix of scenic pavement, gravel, dirt, and mountain backroads. We don’t chase single track, so you can focus on the scenery, the towns, and the ride itself.
Route 1: Cloudforest Escape
Route: Medellín – Santa Fe de Antioquia – Cauca Valley – Horizontes (Balcón del Occidente) – Belmira – San Pedro de los Milagros – Medellín
Approx miles and days: 100 miles (165 km) / 1 day
The ride: This is a 165km loop through cloud forest, colonial towns, and off-road mountain trails – crossing the famous Puente de Occidente suspension bridge at Santa Fe de Antioquia, climbing from the hot Cauca River Valley to 2,800m through gravel switchbacks and coffee-covered hillsides, stopping at the spectacular Horizontes viewpoint, taking a traditional lunch in a highland village, and visiting the pilgrimage basilica at San Pedro de los Milagros before returning to Medellín.
The terrain is a mix of paved roads, gravel, dirt, and mountain backroads, with around 6-7 hours of riding at an intermediate-friendly level.
Where to stay: This is a day trip returning to Medellín, so no overnight is needed. El Poblado and Laureles are the best neighbourhoods to base yourself in the city – both have great options from boutique hotels to hostels. A great local favorite is the 61 Prado Hotel located in the Prado district of Medellín.
Don’t miss: The stop at Horizontes – Balcón del Occidente, a spectacular viewpoint with sweeping panoramic views across the mountains of Antioquia and the Cauca river valley – the perfect place to take in the scenery and capture a few epic photos.
How to ride it: Top of the World
Route 2: Hidden Coffee Villages Loop
Route: Medellín – Aguadas – Salamina – Caramanta – Valparaíso – Támesis – Jericó – Jardín – Santa Fe de Antioquia – Medellín
Approx miles and days: 370 miles (600 km) / 4 days
The ride: This four-day ride links some of the Colombian Andes’ most beautiful towns – dropping into the warm Cauca River Valley before climbing back through coffee farms, cloud forests, and rural backroads. Highlights include the Amagá Railroad Bridge (a 1900s steel viaduct above a dramatic canyon), the UNESCO-listed town of Salamina with its Paris-imported fountain, and a night in Valparaíso, a quiet coffee town almost no foreigners visit.
From there, the route threads through Támesis, Jericó, and the neo-Gothic plaza town of Jardín before returning via the historic Puente de Occidente suspension bridge in Santa Fe de Antioquia.
Where to stay: A stand out hotel is Hotel Plantacion in Jardin, an eco-hotel with delicious vegetarian breakfasts and great coffee. A hidden gem is the Balinesa ecolodge, a Bali-inspired bamboo ecolodge on a rural finca outside Valparaíso, with mountain views, a natural pool, and an à la carte breakfast – rustic luxury in a place almost no foreign travellers have heard of.
Don’t miss: The Amagá Railroad Bridge and tunnels – riding the abandoned railway across a dramatic canyon bridge and through mountain tunnels is a true bucket-list experience for adventure riders.
How to ride it: Coffee Villages
Route 3: The Perfect Loop
Route: Medellín – Abejorral – Sonsón – Nariño – Pensilvania – Salamina – Manizales – Jardín – Jericó – Medellín
Approx miles and days: 490 miles (790 km) / 7 days
The ride: This is the most popular route – a complete 7-day loop through Colombia’s Coffee Region with no backtracking, blending 60% scenic paved roads with 40% off-road trails through colonial towns, wax palm forests, cloud forest hot springs, and spending the night in the UNESCO-listed town of Salamina.
The trip also explores the high-altitude páramo of Nevado del Ruiz volcano at 13,500ft, as well as a family-owned hummingbird garden where the birds land in your hand before a full rest day in the colourful plaza town of Jardín.
Where to stay: Hotel Leyenda 1860 in Salamina, a hacienda converted into a hotel located on the main square in front of a French fountain.
Don’t miss: Reaching the volcanic páramo of Nevado del Ruiz at 13,500 feet – the frailejón plants, the thin cold air, and the knowledge that you’re riding above the clouds on an active volcano is unlike anything else in South America.
How to ride it: Coffee Region
Route 4: Nevado del Ruiz Volcano Loop
Route: Medellín – Eastern Andes – Magdalena Valley – Nevado del Ruiz – Coffee Region – Medellín
Approx miles and days: 565 miles (912 km) / 10 days
The ride: This 10-day loop crosses the Colombian Andes with dramatic elevation and climate changes – riding from cool coffee highlands down to the tropical Magdalena River valley, climbing into the volcanic páramo of Nevado del Ruiz, and threading through wax palm valleys, cloud forests, and remote backroads while visiting historic colonial towns like Honda, Guaduas, Salamina, Jericó, and Jardín. The full loop spans an elevation range from 300m to 4,000m.
Where to stay: Termales Tierra Viva, A conveniently located, affordably priced thermal springs and hotel near Manizales with three relaxing hot pools and private jacuzzis for hotel guests.
Don’t miss: The opportunity to hand-feed hummingbirds at Mirador El Roble, a family-owned ecolodge and hummingbird garden located in the cloud forest lodge on the way to Jardin.
How to ride it: Nevado Del Ruiz
Route 5: Triple Andes Expedition Loop
Route: Medellín – Bucaramanga – Chicamocha Canyon – El Cocuy Glacier – Muzo Emerald Mines – Coffee Region – Jardín – Urrao – Medellín
Approx miles and days: 1,370 miles (2,200 km) / 14 days
The ride: Colombia is the only country in the world to have three Andes mountain ranges. This fourteen day trip takes you across all three Colombian Andean ranges – descending from Medellín to the Magdalena Valley, riding the rim of the spectacular Chicamocha Canyon, pushing off-road into the high páramo to reach the Ritacuba Blanco Glacier at 5,410m (one of the world’s only tropical glaciers), dropping into the Eastern Andes to spend a day at a working emerald mine in Muzo where dealers still trade gems in the plaza, crossing back through the Magdalena lowlands.
The route then climbs back into Colombia’s famous coffee country riding through the villages of Pensilvania, Salamina, and Jardín before a final off-road push to the small town of Urrao, touching the edge of the Western Andes, before heading back to Medellín.
Where to stay: Hotels throughout are pre-booked by Colombia Moto Adventures on the guided and self-guided+hotels options. Highlights include staying near the El Cocuy glacier zone (bring thermals — cold nights and cold showers), and boutique colonial hotels in Salamina and Jardín at the end.
Don’t miss: A view of the Ritacuba Blanco Glacier – one of the world’s only tropical glaciers at 5,410m. Seeing a glacier in the tropics, having ridden there on a motorcycle, is genuinely surreal. You can also take an emerald mining tour during the stopover in Muzo, Boyaca, the emerald mining capital of the world.
How to ride it: Triple Andes
Routes 6: Mad or Nomad’s top picks
During our round‑the‑world motorcycle trip, we rode extensively through Colombia — and it quickly became one of our absolute favourite countries. We loved it so much we even plan to live there for a while once the trip is over. So alongside Jeff and Alan’s expert routes, here are a few of our own favourite rides in Colombia.
- Trampoline of Death
- El Cocuy National Park
- Los Nevados National Park
You can find more info on each of the above in our guide below.
READ MORE: Motorcycle Travel Guide: Colombia
This guide was written by Jeff and Alan of Colombia Moto Adventures. They’re sharing their expert knowledge and years of experience riding throughout Colombia. If you’d like to learn more, rent a bike or join one of their tours, please contact them directly.
About the authors
Jeff Cremer and Alan Churchill
After living in Peru for 12 years and working as a wildlife photographer in the Peruvian Amazon, Jeff decided to take the leap and move to Colombia. For the past three years, he has owned and operated Colombia Moto Adventures with Alan Churchill – a full-service motorcycle rental and tour agency based in Medellín.
Jeff and Alan are also the authors of a comprehensive motorcycle travel guide packed with everything you need to know about riding in Colombia. Here’s all the info you need to join the guys on one of their epic tours.
- Web: colombiamotoadventures.com
- Guide book: Motorcycle Travel in Colombia
- Facebook: Colombia Moto Adventures
- Instagram: Colombia Moto Adv
Read more on motorcycle travel in Colombia and South America
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Try these next…
I’m planning to be in Colombia July 7 through July 26
I’ll like to take a motorcycle tour from Bogota to Medellín to Barichara back to Bogota in an adventure motorcycle.
Hi, are you asking for rentals and tour companies in Colombia? Because if so, Jeff’s company is listed in the author section on this page. His website is: http://www.colombiamotoadventures.com
Either way, hope you have a great trip out there!
Cheers,
Andy