Megan & Javier

REQUIREMENTS ENTERING COLOMBIA FROM ABROAD:

➤  Vaccine Requirement - Colombia has begun requiring proof of vaccination to enter the country.  

- Any traveler who shows proof of FULL VACCINATION completed at least 14 days prior to travel does NOT need to show proof of a negative COVID test. Full vaccination means 2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna or 1 dose of J&J

- Any traveler who shows proof of PARTIAL VACCINATION or full vaccination completed less than 14 days prior to travel must also show proof of a NEGATIVE PCR TEST taken within 72 hours of arrival

- Any foreign visitor who does not show proof of full vaccination or partial vaccination + the negative PCR test will not be allowed entry into the country.  Only Colombian citizens or permanent residents can enter with a negative PCR test alone, with no proof of vaccination.

➤ Check Mig Form - You must complete this online immigration form prior to checking in for your flight. You can completed the form up to 72 hours prior to your departure and we recommend doing so in advance because the website is not the most user friendly. This form requests basic information about your trip and asks standard Covid screening questions. You can complete the form on the Colombian Immigration website called Check-Mig (linked here)

➤ Passport Requirement - Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Colombia. If your passport expires within 6 months of your trip, you will need to renew it beforehand.

REQUIREMENTS WHILE IN COLOMBIA:

➤ Masks are still a requirement while indoors in public spaces in Colombia.  Currently, Cartagena has continued to require that wedding guests wear masks while in the Cathedral.

➤ There is currently a requirement in place for all events to end by 2am.  Businesses like bars and clubs must close at this time as well

REQUIREMENTS TO LEAVE COLOMBIA AND RE-ENTER THE US:

➤ Prior to leaving Colombia, you are currently required to complete the same online immigration form that was required to enter the country.  You can complete the form on the Colombian Immigration website called Check-Mig (linked here)

➤ The US is currently requiring proof of a negative covid test for all travelers re-entering the US from abroad. This test must be taken within 1 day of your departure. For more detailed information about this requirement, please reference the CDC website (linked here). We are facilitating multiple testing options for our guests, please see more information in this document (linked here).

The team at Cábala Tailored Experience is available to support all of our guests with booking accommodations, arranging transportation to/from the airport, making restaurant reservations, and scheduling tours or finding other ways to enjoy Cartagena. They can also help you make other plans throughout Colombia if you would like to extend your trip!

Please reach out to Paola Cabal for support with your bookings. There is no fee for this service!

Paola Cabal 
email: pcabal@cabalaexperience.com
phone (text via whatsapp): +57 318-806-9672

As a reminder, please be mindful of airline cancelation policies should your plans need to change after booking.

AIRPORT
Cartagena’s Airport is the Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG). 

ROUTES
From the US there are direct flights to Cartagena from the following cities (*keep in mind some airlines have not yet published routes for Jan 2022):

➤ New York JFK & EWR (5hrs, Jet Blue)
➤ Miami MIA (3hrs, American)
➤ Fort Lauderdale FLL (3hrs, JetBlue & Spirit)

If none of these airports are convenient, you can also look into flights to Bogotá from your starting airport. This may be a cheaper option and there are many daily flights between Bogotá and Cartagena. This national flight takes about 1 hour and typically costs under $200. We recommend Avianca and LATAM airlines locally. Please be aware that Viva and Wingo are low-cost airlines that have very strict (and painful) policies for check-in and baggage, similar to RyanAir in Europe or JetBlue in the US. 

RATES 
Rates for a direct flight from the US can vary from around $300 to $1,000 USD depending on the route and how far in advance you buy your tickets.

We have negotiated special rates with 6 hotels!
You can review all of our hotel recommendations, rates and cancelation policies in this summary presentation (linked here)

[Esta presentación resumiendo todas nuestras recomendaciones de hoteles, las tarifas, y las políticas de cancelación también está disponible en español (enlace aquí)]

Where to book?
We strongly recommend that guests book accommodations within the walls of the old city. This will allow you to walk to all of our wedding events and enjoy the area throughout the weekend. 

When to book?
The weekend of our wedding is the high tourist season in Cartagena - we strongly recommend that you book accommodations as far in advance as possible. Hotels will start to book up for this weekend by October. We have blocked some rooms at 3 hotels to help with availability. These blocked rooms will be released on October 10th if not fully booked by our guests. For hotels where we do not have rooms blocked, all reservations are subject to availability.

We have negotiated clear and flexible cancelation policies with all of the hotels where we have published special rates. If you are hoping to make the trip but not yet able to confirm, we recommend working with our travel agent to book accommodations and cancel if necessary. 

How to book?
We recommend using our travel agent to ensure everything goes smoothly with your reservation (especially if you are traveling from the US). See the "Contact our Travel Agent" section for details. Don't hesitate to reach out to us directly with questions as well!


Private Houses - Great for groups!
If you are traveling with a group, renting a private house can be a great option. Our travel agent is available to support this type of booking as well! We also recommend exploring options on VRBO and Airbnb. 

Uber / Taxis: Uber is available in Cartagena but wait times have been longer since the pandemic. For foreign travelers, we recommend using Uber or asking your hotel to call a radio taxi for you and confirming upfront what the price of the trip will be. Taxis only accept cash. For pickup and drop off at the airport we recommend scheduling a transfer through your hotel or by reaching out to our travel agent.

Stick to Bottled Water: It's best to avoid drinking the tap water in Colombia, especially as a foreign traveler. It's not a problem to use the tap water to brush your teeth but we recommend sticking to bottled water to drink.

Currency: Colombia’s currency is the Colombian Peso (COP). The current exchange rate is about 3,800 COP to 1 USD. You can check the official daily exchange rate here. Most stores and restaurants in Cartagena will accept credit card, but street vendors, restaurants on the islands, and some stores or restaurants on the mainland may only accept cash.

Tipping Culture: In Colombia, it is standard for the waiter to ask at the end of the meal if you would like to include “servicio” which refers to a tip for the service. If you opt in to this, a standard 10% tip will be added to your bill before you receive it. No additional tip is expected. Sometimes this will be included on the bill without asking beforehand

Weather: Cartagena’s weather is hot year round. In January during the day it gets up to 90° and at night it drops to a low of 75°. This is the windy season, expect 65-75% humidity and very low chances of rain.

For an active trip with hiking and beaches...

➤ Parque Tayrona
Tayrona National Park, in northern Colombia, is a large protected area covering the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta as they meet the Caribbean coast. It’s known for its palm-shaded coves, coastal lagoons, rainforest and rich biodiversity. At its heart, the Pueblito ruins are an archaeological site accessed via forest trails, with terraces and structures built by the Tayrona civilization.

➤ Providencia

For a relaxing tropical trip on the beach...

➤ "Las Islas del Rosario" (The Rosary Islands)
Right off the coast of Cartagena are "Las Islas del Rosario", which are a string of islands that reach into the Caribbean.  If you want a few beach days added to your trip, there are many options to stay at hotels located on the islands.  There are not nice beaches on the mainland of Cartagena, but just a short boat ride to the islands will get you white sand and turquoise water

➤ San Andrés Island

For a local adventure through Colombia's coffee district...

➤ Eje Cafetero (The Coffee Belt)
If you love coffee and chocolate, and want to see the interior of Colombia, this is the perfect way to extend your trip! The "coffee belt", "coffee triangle" or "coffee district" is a beautiful part of the countries with rolling hills covered in coffee plants. You can stay on a coffee farm and of course taste and learn about coffee! There are many small towns that make up the coffee district, like Salento and Manizales. Be sure to visit the Valle de Cocora with its iconic Wax Palm trees that stand as tall as 200 ft

For an urban experience in Colombia's big cities...

➤ Bogotá
If you don't have a lot of time to extend your trip, or if international flights are cheaper in and out of Bogotá, spend a day or two here in Colombia’s capital. Keep in mind that Bogotá is in the mountains, at almost 9,000 ft elevation, so the climate is very different from Cartagena at sea level. Expect temperatures from low 50's at night to high 70's during the day. Visit the historic center of the city where you can find Plaza Bolivar, La Candelaria, The Gold Museum and the Botero Museum.  Don't miss Monserrate - take the cable car up to this church on top of a mountain for the best views of the city! For a traditional Colombian meal and party scene, have dinner at Andrés Carne de Res and stay for the party after dinner!

➤ Medellín
Medellín is always a favorite for visitors! The city is located in a bowl in the Andes mountains, at about 5,000 ft altitude.  This means that the climate is very comfortable - 75 and sunny most days, and there are beautiful city views of the mountains from every angle. The city has beautiful parks and gardens, including the Botanical Gardens, and miles of hiking trails in Parque Arvi. For a traditional night out at a "fonda paisa", go to Dulce Jesús Mío for a night of typical food, live comedy and entertainment. The American equivalent would be something like a country western bar meets Vegas...