I recently saw some flights from Dallas to Bogota for $430 round trip next spring and became excited about possibly visiting Colombia for the first time. I've been doing some research and have hit a wall with information overload. I was hoping some of you might have opinions on which direction I should go.

General info:
* 2 week duration in April or May 2014, with 3-4 days in each location.
* 2 adults in our 40s (no hostels for us anymore!)
* Expense level: budget to moderate
* Have traveled extensively, but Mexico and Peru are the only Central/South American countries we've been to (and we love them!).
* LIkes: outdoor activities, jungles (especially cloud), mountains, animal sanctuaries, snorkeling, easy-moderate hiking, pre-columbian sites, small villages, renting cars & driving ourselves, sightseeing on our own, budget-moderate accommodation.
* Dislikes: large cities and towns (the older we get, the more we like quiet vacations), tent camping in the jungle, organized tours, long hiking trips, all-inclusive accommodation.

Questions:
* Ideally we would like to experience the caribbean coast, jungle and mountains. Given that we like to stay put for a few days in each place, would we have enough time to do all three things? Colombia is a larger country than I realized, and we don't want to feel rushed.
* Everything I've read recommends NO RENTAL CARS! This is really a disappointment, since it is our favorite way of traveling around a foreign country. Are there any areas in Colombia where renting a car would be appropriate to see the scenery?
* Caribbean coast: I'd originally thought that we'd snorkel around the Santa Marta area, but it looks like the rip tides are pretty strong. I'm looking for a place to snorkel where you can just jump into the water without having to take a boat out. We loved doing this in Akumal, MX and are looking for something comparable.
* Jungle: Looking at Leticia for an Amazon experience. This area looks amazing, but it is SO far out there. Is it worth it? Should I save my Amazon experience for when we (eventually) go to Brazil? Are there other jungle areas that would be better for this trip?
* Mountains: I'm at a loss when it comes to the Andes. We'd like to maybe stay in a large village with some amenities like a restaurant, grocery shop and bar. Do some hiking, get to know the local culture. Totally open on this one.

I'm feeling very indecisive and a little bummed that we don't have the time or the money to do all the things we want. Any advice would be appreciated!

If you click on my name, you'll likely find my very long trip report to Colombia. We were there last year (Feb 2012) for 16 nights and really had a terrific time.

You're right that 2 weeks isn't much for Colombia. But you have what you have - and sounds like the price is right!!

We too went to Colombia in Jan/Feb 2012 - a two month trip - as a matter of fact we met and had lunch with SusaninToronto above!

If you click on my name you'll find our trip report. We did a lot of nature (ie birdwatching - Colombia has fabulous birds if that interests you at all) and some great hiking.

Colombia is beautiful! And the people are great. Might you also be able to fly into Cartagena cheaply? If so you could just center your trip in that area - lovely Colonial city, from which Santa Marta is easily reached - and then on to Tayrona. From Santa Marta you could go up into the mountains to the town of Mindo (it's in our trip report) - a small town that is basically a jumping off point for nature excursions in those mountains overlooking the Carribean. Fly in and out of Cartagena and skip Bogota if you don't like cities anyway. Nothing wrong with Bogota but we enjoyed Medellin more - a really progressive city with a great public transport system of cable cars and escalators

But what I'm really thinking you might like is the cafetera area of Colombia. If you flew into Bogota, you'd probably need to then fly again to Manizales or Perreira. Around this area are some lovely smaller towns - in particular Salento which we just loved. Great hiking there. We bused around to some of these places and buses were fine - not fancy ones but generally not wretched either.

Can't comment on Amazon Colombia because we didn't go there (ya can't do it all, even in 2 months!). But from what I read I think you may be right - forget about it for this brief Colombia trip and save it for Brazil. OR ECUADOR! OR PERU!! I didn't read that much about Leticia and Colombia Amazon that grabbed me. (we went to the Amazon tributary area (Napo River) in Ecuador and really enjoyed that!! Happy to answer any other qs you have.

It was so much fun to run into Glover in Cartagena! I'm still envious of her 2 month trip!

Oh and Doodlebeh - you might check Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree forum as well if you haven't - more info there about Colombia, esp Leticia and some of the less travelled areas . . .

Hey,
I stayed in Cartagena for a while and I would highly recommend you going there as well. The city is amazing. Very beautiful, relaxing and romantic! And it´s not too big. At least being there it doesn´t feel like a big city.
Here http://bit.ly/1517S7r you can find some nice tours you can do there. You can also information about restaurants, hotels etc.
I think for snorkeling Parque Tayrona (1/2 hour from Santa Marta) could be the right thing for you. You can walk through the wood/jungle, sleep in a tent, you have lovely beaches and you can go snorkeling there.
And I also think that you would like the coffee region. Salento and the Valle de Cocora are very nice. Lovely landscape, hiking and coffee farms...

I highly disagree with everyone suggesting you skip Bogota and/or only spend one day in this city. I have lived here for 2 years and have discovered a wealth of interesting places both in and around the city.

Staying in la Candelaria is like staying in a small town. Everything is within walking distance and there is a lot to discover. It provides a good base too for exploring places around the city. Siechita Guesthouse is a good option for a quiet, comfortable and affordable place to stay.

There is a cloud forest 45 minutes away from the city - one of the most spectacular places I have ever visited. There are numerous wetlands within the city limits, including the botanical gardens and one of the largest city parks in the world. Choachi lies less than an hour away from Bogota and offers amazing hikes and views, including the tallest waterfall in the country (at 500m). La Minga is a good option if you want to stay out there. Near to Bogota you can also visit the paramo ecosystem which will definitely offer you a unique and unforgettable experience. Google Sumapaz National Park or Chingaza. You can also visit the coffee region (only 2 hours away from Bogota). It is actually older than the eje cafetero and offers you the same experience for less money. It's a birding paradise with warm weather and you can stay with the coffee farmers for not too much. You can also head out to Raquira/Villa de Leyva for 2 or 3 days to experience the micro-desert climate. Warm weather and a colonial town with the best handicrafts in the country and a myriad of activities surrounding the town. You can rent a bike and explore the wine farms, archeological sites, the mud house and the blue wells. You can also take a day trip to Iguaque National Park for some hiking.

If you really want to snorkel and see the beach I recommend a few days on San Andres Island. Snorkeling there is way better than what you will find in Santa Marta. Safe snorkeling can be found in Taganga but it's not that amazing.

I haven't yet visited the amazon but I do believe the Colombian Amazon experience rivals that of Brasil. Leticia I have been told has little to offer compared to puerto narino so i would take a flight to leticia and then a boat to the other village for a more authentic experience.

Bookmarking! Thanks!