Only with serious care: the US State Department says to reconsider travel to Colombia due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters. The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to many border and rural areas, and Canada says to exercise a high degree of caution.
At Safe to Go, we track government advisories daily to separate localized conflict risks from standard tourist routes. Two kinds of warning apply: the US national warning about crime and terrorism across the country, and the UK FCDO warnings against all but essential travel to named border and rural departments.
Regional Warnings and Official Exclusion Zones
Government travel advisories focus their strictest warnings on rural border departments and specific areas where illegal armed groups operate. The panel above shows today’s level for each government. Official assessments identify severe risks along external borders and interior transit corridors where coca cultivation and illicit economies concentrate.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to large parts of the country. The UK list names whole departments, parts of departments and single municipalities, with some capitals and tourist towns excepted.
For ecological tourist destinations, the UK FCDO provides explicit transit instructions. Travelers visiting Caño Cristales in southern Meta must travel by air from the town of La Macarena with a reputable tour company. Those heading to the whale-watching towns of Bahía Solano and Nuquí in Chocó should travel only by air, avoiding any overland transit into the surrounding department. Visit the Ciudad Perdida in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta only on an organised tour. At San Agustín Archaeological Park in Huila, enter and leave on the main road through Neiva or Popayán.
- Northern and Venezuela border: All of Norte de Santander Department (including the Catatumbo region), all of Arauca Department, Puerto Carreño in Vichada, and within 5km of the Venezuela border. Land crossings between Colombia and Venezuela should not be used.
- Pacific coast and Panama border: Chocó Department (excluding Quibdó, Nuquí, Bahía Solano, and Capurganá), western Valle del Cauca (including Buenaventura), Jamundí, western Cauca, southern Córdoba, southern Bolívar, and the Urabá and Bajo Cauca regions of Antioquia. There is no road crossing to Panama, and the UK FCDO says to avoid crossing between Panama and Colombia by land, through the Darien Gap.
- Southern and Ecuador border: Within 5km of the Ecuador border, except for Ipiales and the Puente Internacional de Rumichaca crossing on the Pan-American highway. The UK also lists seven Putumayo municipalities: Orito, San Miguel, Valle del Guamuez, Puerto Caicedo, Puerto Guzmán, Puerto Asís and Puerto Leguízamo.
- Central departments: All of Guaviare (except San José del Guaviare), the Ariari region of southern Meta (except Caño Cristales), and Caquetá municipalities including Cartagena del Chairá, San Vicente del Caguán, Puerto Rico, El Doncello, Paujil, and La Montañita.
Street Crime and Scopolamine Drugging in Colombia
Street crime occurs throughout Colombia and can quickly become violent, the US State Department says, so do not resist if you are targeted. The UK FCDO says pickpocketing, mugging and armed robbery are a problem in major cities, including Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and the Caribbean coast. British nationals have been robbed at gunpoint in the Candelaria area of Bogotá. Visitors should not carry large amounts of cash or wear expensive jewelry and watches in public.
The British Embassy has received reports of criminals in Colombia using drugs such as scopolamine to subdue victims before robbery or sexual assault. Scopolamine causes rapid disorientation, memory loss, and loss of consciousness, and it can be fatal in large doses. Criminals administer drugs through food, drinks, cigarettes, aerosols, and paper flyers. Criminal rings also use dating applications and websites to target foreign nationals traveling alone, deploying female accomplices to establish trust before drugging the victim. Never accept food, drinks, or accommodation invitations from strangers, and seek immediate medical attention if drugging is suspected.
The UK FCDO says short-term opportunistic abductions known as express kidnappings are common in Colombia. Criminals, often posing as taxi drivers, may pick a victim around automated teller machines (ATMs), often at night, and force them to withdraw cash or make transfers. Resisting kidnappers has led to fatalities. Travelers should use ATMs exclusively during business hours inside secure locations like banks, supermarkets, and shopping centers. If approached by criminals posing as police officers attempting to inspect counterfeit currency, demand an escort to the nearest official police station (Centro de Atención Inmediata, or CAI).
- Armed robbery precautions: If targeted by criminals, do not resist. Police investigations differ from those abroad, and crimes against tourists are not always prosecuted.
- Dating apps and nightlife: Criminals use dating apps to lure foreigners travelling alone. Do not invite strangers to your accommodation or accept their invitations.
- Transit security: Avoid hailing street cabs. Rely only on pre-booked taxis to prevent express kidnapping schemes.
- Child protection laws: The law against the sexual abuse of children aged 13 and under is strictly enforced, with long prison sentences. The national 141 line takes child-protection emergencies 24 hours a day.
Terrorism and Armed Groups in Colombia
Illegal armed groups and terrorist organizations remain active across Colombia despite the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Delays in implementing the peace agreement have caused a resurgence of violence as armed groups fight over territorial control, coca cultivation, and illicit economies. The US Department of State notes that armed groups have expanded into more regions, targeting police and military personnel in cities and rural areas.
The UK FCDO says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Colombia, and both the UK and US say attacks can come with little or no warning. Historic attack methods include car bombs, truck bombs, grenades, explosive devices placed along main roads or in buildings, and weaponized drones. In remote areas where armed groups fight the government, they use landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), hidden in vehicles, attached to drones or buried in the ground. Civilians could be harmed by accident.
Public demonstrations and political strikes occur regularly across Colombian departments and can turn violent quickly. Protests frequently shut down highways, block local roadways without warning, and interrupt intercity transportation networks. Avoid protests, strikes and demonstrations, allow extra time to reach your destination, and monitor local media, including social media.
- Potential attack targets: Government facilities, transportation centers, airports, markets, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, clubs, places of worship, parks, and major cultural events.
- Coca-growing areas: The UK FCDO reports high levels of coca cultivation in Nariño, Cauca, Putumayo, Caquetá, Meta, Guaviare, northern Antioquia, southern Bolívar and the Catatumbo region, and says there is a risk to your safety near coca crops and cocaine labs.
- Port town hazards: Illegal armed groups and organized crime syndicates maintain heavy activity around Buenaventura, Turbo, and Tumaco.
- Elections: The UK FCDO says the risk of violence rises around elections because armed groups and gangs interfere in the process. Avoid rallies and large gatherings and be alert around polling stations.
Comparing US, UK, and Canadian Travel Advice
Government advisories diverge primarily in how they classify overall country risk versus regional hazards. The US Department of State maintains a national warning to reconsider travel, citing violent crime, terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and natural disasters.
Canada says to exercise a high degree of caution, with regional advisories that its summary does not list.
The UK FCDO says street crime is a problem in Bogotá, Medellín and the Caribbean coast, and our pages on Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena cover each city. For other countries in the region, see the safest countries in South America.
| Government Source | Primary Stance | Regional Focus |
|---|---|---|
| US Department of State | Advises travelers to reconsider travel nationwide | Names crime, terrorism and kidnapping nationwide, with extra rules for US government employees |
| UK FCDO | Advises against all but essential travel to specific regions | Advises against all but essential travel to named border, Pacific coast and rural areas |
| Government of Canada | Recommends a high degree of caution nationwide | Has regional advisories (not listed in its summary) |
Practical Preparations and Personal Security Steps
Check your travel insurance before you go to Colombia. The UK FCDO explicitly warns that standard travel insurance policies could be invalidated if you travel into areas where government advice warns against all but essential travel. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities, and expenses in an emergency.
- Policy verification: Review insurance terms to verify coverage applies to every department on your itinerary.
- Contingency planning: Be aware of your surroundings and always let someone you trust know your whereabouts.
Verifying Current Security Conditions Before Departure
Security conditions in Colombia change quickly depending on labor strikes, armed group movements, and political demonstrations. Check the live panel above before you confirm non-refundable bookings.
Read the US State Department advisory and the UK FCDO advice in full before you book, and monitor local media for road closures during your trip.
Our verdict on Colombia would change if the US, UK or Canada changed its advice, for example if the UK FCDO extended its warnings to major cities or the US lowered its national warning. If you are not willing to follow strict street-crime routines in the cities of Colombia, choose another destination from every country we cover. If you are finalizing your packing list, download our free travel safety checklist to organize your pre-trip emergency documents.