LIGHTWEIGHT COLOMBIA

This is a fly-ride motorcycle trip. This means you fly in and out of Medellin, Colombia, and the itineraries are as follows (Road and Trail % refers to the time taken and not the distance travelled):

Saturday 1st May If coming from the UK or Europe, depart on an overnight flight to Medellin, Colombia. arriving Sunday morning.

Sunday 2nd May Arrive into Medellin and depending on arrival time, either enjoy the city or head straight for the hotel
Monday 3rd May Pick up the bikes and ride to the colonial town of Salento via the hot springs at Santa Rosa de Cabal. This is a road day to become familiar with the bikes. In the evening, enjoy the Colombian game of Tejo involving throwing metal discs at gunpowder!  (6h30m riding 281km 100% Paved road)
Tuesday 4th May Following the first day on paved roads, today we ride over 250km of dirt roads  past the tallest palm trees in the world from Salento to Payande. (6h30m riding 284km 10% Paved road, 90% Dirt road)
Wednesday 5th May The road to Tatacoa. After two long days, today is a shorter  ride with a visit to the waterfalls in Chicala for a swim before miles of twisties to take us to the Tatacoa desert with it's incredible wind carved rock formations and clear, starry skies. (4h00m riding 160km 80% Paved road, 20% Dirt road)
In the evening there is an opportunity to visit the astronomical observatory for some stargazing.
Thursday 6th May Today we have an incredible ride out through the desert landscape on dirt roads to our overnight stop at La Mesa (6h30m riding. 265km 50% Paved road 50% Dirt road)
Friday 7th May We have more fun dirt roads as we ride from La Mesa via the remote town of Raquira to the colonial town of Villa de Leyva  (7h00m riding. 222km 70% Paved road 30% Dirt road)
Saturday 8th May After 5 days of riding, this is a day off the bikes in the beautiful town of Villa de Leyva, to relax, take some free time on your own or to join some local activities.(No Riding)
Sunday 9th May Back on the bikes for a ride from Villa de Leyva to Doradal, a small town that includes the white and blue buildings of Santiago de Colombia. (7h00m riding. 270km 65% Paved road 35% Dirt road)
Monday 10th May We continue our journey on curvy roads through the mountains with an opportunity to swim in the San Rafael river on our ride to the colourful town of Guatape, surrounded by a man made lake that provides hydro power to the city of Medellin. (5h00m riding. 171km 70% Paved road 30% Dirt road)

Tuesday 11th May Following a morning in Guatape it's a short ride back to Medellin before the city traffic gets too busy (2h00m riding. 82km 90% Paved Road, 10% Dirt road)

Wednesday 12th May Our final day in Medellin starts with breakfast at the hotel and then a coffee farm tour and tasting in the hills around the city. The tour ends here and guests can choose to fly home in the evening, stay on in Medellin or travel to another part of the country to continue their Colombian experience.

• Airport transfers
• 10 hotel nights from arrival on Sunday 2nd May to Tuesday 11th May for a 12th May checkout and departure that evening
• All meals with drinks from Monday 3rd May to breakfast on Wednesday 12th May excluding lunch and dinner on the rest day in Villa de Leyva.
• 9 days bike hire including fuel and insurance for an AKT TTR200 single cylinder, six-speed, electric start, dual sport bike. Low seats/suspension bikes are available, though even the standard bike isn't particularly tall. Upgrades are possible to a Voge 300 Rally or Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 for +£300. 
• Spanish and English speaking guide
• Support vehicle for luggage with driver and spare bike
• Tour shirts
• Local SIM card with 7GB of data
• Medellin Coffee tour and Tasting

What's not included?

• Flights
• Personal Travel Insurance

Flights from the UK are £700-£1100 depending on demand. Options include Heathrow > Bogota > Medellin with Avianca (overnight flight) or Gatwick > Madrid > Medellin with Air Europa (day flight).

From the US or elsewhere, there are direct flights from Miami to Medellin with American Airlines, and several other connections through central and South America with Avianca, Copa and others.

This is a question many people have asked me. Since 2023, I've done eight tours to Colombia and have had no problems at all. This is the UK Foreign Office travel advice. The tour stays only within the green areas marked.
I'd suggest you leave any fancy watches and jewellery at home, don't use your expensive smart phone on the street, only travel by Uber or a licenced taxi when in the city, and don't go exploring unknown neighbourhoods at night, on your own.

If you would like some extra peace of mind, Global Rescue offer a Security Package upgrade to their standard medical evacuation service.

Ideally, yes. You don't need to be an expert, but some experience of riding trails and understanding basic riding position and how a bike behaves on dirt roads is useful. That said, this trip is not extreme off road. It's riding low powered trail bikes on public roads. In and around the city the roads are paved. One guest in February 2025 had never ridden trails before and completed the trip without incident, so it is is possible, but not recommended.
Away from the city they are dirt roads, a bit like green lanes in the UK, but they are also used by cars, buses, trucks and horses. If you've never ridden on a trail before, then I'd suggest trying it before you travel. I can recommend a few places in the UK, and if there's enough interest, perhaps even arrange a pre-tour weekend for those that are interested.

In Medellin it is always spring. 15-20C at night and 22-30C during the day. It has tropical rains which can be heavy, but tend to be brief and warm. At higher elevations, the temperature can dip into the low teens or even single figures for a short time. I'd suggest UK summer riding gear (e.g. mesh clothing) with a waterproof layer just in case and something warmer for going up high. A suggested kit list will be provided prior to departure.

Yes. 100%. I wouldn't suggest you travel without it. Riding a motorcycle comes with it's own risks, much like it does at home. If you need to get out or get home urgently, then travel insurance that covers you for riding motorcycles on public roads (paved or unpaved) is essential.

If you require extra cover above your travel insurance, I can recommend checking out Global Rescue who offer an enhanced evacuation service. I've never had to use the service, but I take out the extra cover from them when travelling in remote locations, just for the days travelling. Please note that Global Rescue is not a travel insurance provider. They are a global call centre with the ability to arrange rescues from hard to reach places.

I have done most parts of this tour in previous years and Instagram Reels and YouTube videos are below. The southernmost stretch to Tatacoa is new and will be filmed as part of this first tour to the area.