Colombia Is Open: Why Now Is a Good Time to Come Back

Is Colombia Open After the Earthquake?

(Last updated: September 16, 2026)

The earthquake of August 10, 2026, caused damage in several areas, particularly in parts of the Coffee Region and western Colombia.

Since then, we have received quite a few questions from travelers who are planning a trip to Colombia.

Is it still possible to travel around the country? Are the main tourist destinations open? What about Salento and the Cocora Valley? And should travelers change their plans?

These are completely understandable questions. When you are planning a trip from abroad, it can be difficult to know what the situation actually looks like when most of the information you see is about the earthquake itself.

We live in Colombia and work with people and businesses all over the country, so we wanted to share what we are seeing.

Can you travel to Colombia after the earthquake?

That’s an easy one: Yes.

The earthquake affected different parts of Colombia in very different ways. Some areas suffered serious damage and are still recovering, while many other destinations were only minimally affected and continue to operate normally.

This is important because Colombia is a large country. An earthquake affecting certain areas does not mean that the whole country is closed or that a trip through Colombia is no longer possible.

Bogotá, Medellín, Tayrona, Cartagena and many other major destinations continue to welcome travelers. The Caribbean coast, the Amazon and other regions of the country are also operating as normal as always.

For this reason, it makes much more sense to look at the specific destinations in your itinerary than to think of Colombia as one single affected area.

What happened in the Coffee Region?

The Coffee Region is one of the areas where the earthquake has had a more visible impact.

There has been damage to buildings and cultural heritage in parts of Quindío, Risaralda, Caldas and Valle del Cauca. The Colombian Ministry of Culture has been carrying out assessments and visiting affected municipalities, including Armenia, Filandia, Quimbaya and Montenegro. Some places will still need some time to repair and rebuild.

At the same time, this does not mean that the Coffee Region as a whole has stopped receiving visitors. On the contrary!

Salento, Filandia, the Cocora Valley and many coffee farms and tourism businesses are open. There may be individual buildings, roads or attractions where the situation is different, which is why current local information is important.

For travelers who have never been to the region, it can be difficult to understand how spread out everything is. The Coffee Region is not one town or one attraction. It covers a large mountainous area with many different communities and rural areas.

And many people in the coffee zone live from tourism, so they really need you more than ever right now!

Can you still visit Salento and the Cocora Valley?

Yes, absolutely, travelers can visit Salento and the Cocora Valley after the earthquake in Colomba.

Salento continues to receive visitors and remains one of the main starting points for exploring the surrounding coffee country and the Cocora Valley.

The Cocora Valley itself continues to be one of the best known natural attractions in the region, with its famous wax palms and mountain landscape.

There has been damage in the wider region, so it is still important to check current conditions before travelling. But the images of damaged buildings that appeared in the news do not represent the situation everywhere in Salento or around Cocora.

One of the effects we have seen is that some travelers have simply removed the Coffee Region from their plans because they are unsure whether it is open.

That is understandable, but it also means that businesses that were not seriously affected by the earthquake are now dealing with fewer visitors.

What about Filandia?

Filandia is another destination that continues to welcome travelers.

It is a smaller town than Salento and is often included in our itineraries for travelers who want to spend some time in the quieter side of the Coffee Region.

Filandia was among the municipalities included in the ongoing assessment of earthquake damage, so it is important to acknowledge that the town and surrounding area were not completely untouched.

But a destination can have buildings that need repair while the hotels, restaurants, coffee farms, guides and other businesses continue working.

That is what is happening in much of the region.

We have seen this first-hand at Reverie Lodge.

We also know this part of the country particularly well because Reverie Lodge, near Filandia, is one of the places we mainly work with for our travelers visiting the Coffee Region.

We were there when the earthquake happened, and we have stayed in close contact with the people at the lodge and others working in tourism in the area since then.

Reverie is safe and open, and guests are being welcomed again.

The landscape around the lodge has not suddenly changed. The coffee plants are still growing, the birds are still coming to the feeders, the forest is still green, and the mountains are still there.

What has changed most noticeably is the number of travelers.

We are hearing the same from other people we know in local tourism. Restaurants, guides, drivers, hotels and coffee farms are ready to work, but many travelers are understandably waiting to see what happens before returning.

Of course, safety comes first. Where there is genuine damage or an attraction is not ready to receive visitors, we would never recommend going there.

But where places are open and operating, having travelers return is important for the local economy.

Should you change your Colombia itinerary?

Not necessarily.

If you already have a trip planned, we would look at the individual destinations rather than cancelling the whole trip because of the earthquake.

Maybe one hotel needs to be changed. Maybe a particular road or attraction is temporarily unavailable. Maybe it makes more sense to visit a destination at a different point in the itinerary.

Or perhaps nothing needs to change at all.

This is one of the advantages of arranging a trip with people who are actually here.

At Lulo, we work with guides, drivers, hotels, and local partners throughout Colombia. When something happens, we can ask them what they are seeing rather than relying only on information from the internet. So yes, you can travel to Colombia after the earthquake, and we will help you with that!

Sometimes plans need to change. Sometimes they don’t.

Frequently asked questions

Is Colombia open to tourists after the 2026 earthquake?

Yes. Many destinations across Colombia continue to welcome travelers. The impact of the earthquake varies significantly between regions, so there are regions where nothing even happened. But, right now, definitely you can travel to Colombia after the earthquake.

Is the Coffee Region open after the earthquake?

Yes. Many parts of the Coffee Region remain open, including Salento, Filandia, the Cocora Valley and numerous coffee farms and tourism businesses. Some areas and buildings were affected and may still be undergoing repairs.

Is Salento open after the earthquake?

Yes. Salento continues to receive visitors. The wider area was affected by the earthquake, so current local conditions should be checked when planning a visit.

Can I visit the Cocora Valley?

Yes. The Cocora Valley continues to welcome visitors. As with any destination affected by a natural disaster, it is worth checking current access conditions before travelling.

Is Filandia open to tourists?

Yes. Filandia continues to receive travelers, although the municipality was among those included in assessments of earthquake damage.

Is Reverie Lodge open?

Yes. The gorgeous destination hotel we work with in the coffee zone, Reverie Lodge near Filandia, is safe, open and welcoming guests.

Colombia is ready to welcome you!

The earthquake has affected parts of Colombia, and some communities are still recovering. But much of the country is open, moving, and ready to welcome travelers again.

At Lulo Colombia Travel, we have been creating tailor-made private trips around Colombia since 2015. We work with local guides, drivers, hotels, and other partners throughout the country, so we can keep a close eye on what is happening and adapt an itinerary when needed. So there is no need to not travel to Colombia after the earthquake.

If you are planning a trip to Colombia and have questions about the current situation, get in touch with us. We are here, we know the country, and we would be very happy to help you discover it.