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There is a place in South America where the dense rainforest is as green as its emeralds. Colombia, my homeland, is a place where the roads embrace the mountains winding up and down like untamed, colourful vipers. From deserts to glaciers and the humidity of the Amazon Jungle to the Andes themselves, Colombia has much to offer.
You may know Colombia for its coffee! I was born in a particular region known as the “Eje Cafetero”, or the Coffee Triangle. Here grows some of the best coffee in the world, but it is also a place where some amazing landscapes await to be discovered. Whether on a motorcycle or not, check out my personal favorite rides in the Colombian “Eje Cafetero”.
Mixed Terrain
Paved
Before you go, let me give you a few tips for riding in my hometown:
Gear
If you paid attention in geography class, you'll know that the closer to the equatorial line you get, the hotter it is. The tropics are extremely humid and it can rain anytime. However, when you get up to the mountains, temperatures can range quite a lot. In the coffee region you can expect to go from 40°F to 104°F (4° - 40°C) within a couple hours, as elevation can range from 3,000ft to >17,000ft above sea level.
When it comes to riding gear, pragmatism is key. If you have the room for a different kit for all conditions, pack away, but I like traveling light. An all-in-one set of pants and jacket, two pairs of gloves (one for warm and another for cooler weather), multiple comfy base layers from head to toe and a really comfortable pair of waterproof boots do it for me. Here’s what I ride with:
- REV’IT! Sand 4 H2O Jacket & Pants (Women’s) - you might prefer a waterproof shell instead of the removable thermal and waterproof liners, but I like being able to get the most ventilation I can when it’s hot. When I have room, I bring the Peninsula and the Continent Pants instead.
- REV’IT! Dune Gloves for warm weather & Alpinestars Stella Andes V3 Drystar Gloves for cooler or rainy days.
- Forma Adventure or Forma Adventure Low Boots.
- Klim Base Layers&Axial Base Layers (I use Axial Block layers for colder climates)
Bike
A comfortable touring or ADV motorcycle (like a GS, V-Strom, Benelli or a dual-sport like the locally popular AKT TT models and Yamaha XTZ 250) is my suggestion for any of these trips. With the top speed limits in some rare areas being 90km/h (equivalent to about 55mph), you don’t need a huge amount of cc’s to get around. Smaller sized engines will also save you money on gas!
Additionally, I learned to ride on some very muddy roads with no more than a regular pair of street tires (you’ll see plenty of locals doing this), so I’m not saying it can’t be done if you don’t have a proper set of knobbies, but at least a 20/80 (20% off-road/80% on-road) tire set will make your trip more enjoyable and safe. Good traction is always a plus!
Last, if you’ll be driving a car instead of a motorbike, I suggest at least getting an SUV (or something with decent ground clearance), as our cities are filled with potholes, gravel and rocky roads. Ideally, something with AWD or a 4X4 will be best, especially if you plan on doing some of the dual-sport routes I listed here.
Navigation
When it comes to technology the more modest you can be in Colombia, the better. Having a cheap, unlocked phone that can be used anywhere in the world with any carrier is my go-to. I like getting a SIM card with a prepaid plan and enough gigabytes to last me through my trip.
With REVER, you don’t need a GPS unit. I carry my QuadLock Mount + Vibration Dampener along with me on my travels. I do recommend having a backup option like the Garmin inReach, for areas with poor coverage or remote areas with no coverage at all.
If you have a GPS unit, use it. With REVER you can still plan your routes and export them as GPX files to your device. If you only have your phone though, you can always save your data and most importantly, battery, by setting your device to airplane mode. In REVER, you can download all the planned rides you need beforehand as well as the map region(s) you want.
For more tips about using REVER:
Read REVER Help: Offline Maps and Rides. You can then use any of those routes for Follow Route Line Navigation.
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