Guide
What is glamping?
Glamping is accommodation in the countryside, the mountains or on the beach that is already set up and equipped when you arrive. You get a bed, a solid roof and, almost always, a bathroom. The word combines glamour and camping: you sleep close to nature, but without carrying a tent or sleeping on the ground.
In Colombia the format has many faces. There are domes around Guatavita, safari tents in Barichara, malocas near Leticia and treehouses in Villa de Leyva. What changes from one to the next is the structure you sleep in and what's around you.
Glamping vs. camping: what changes when you arrive
At a campsite you bring your tent, your sleeping pad and your flashlight, and look for flat ground. At a glamping all of that is already taken care of. The structure exists before you arrive, the bed has a mattress and there is usually electric light. Many have a private bathroom inside or next to the accommodation, and some add a kitchen, jacuzzi or fireplace. What doesn't change is the surroundings: you still sleep next to a forest, a lake or a river, and you hear the rain on the canvas or the roof. That mix is the idea. Room comfort, campsite scenery.
The types of glamping, one by one
The shape of the accommodation defines a good part of the experience. These are the formats you'll find in Colombia:
- Dome: geodesic-frame cupola, covered in canvas.
- Cabin: small wooden or masonry house with a fixed roof.
- Alpine cabin: A-shaped roof that comes down to the ground.
- Safari tent: wide canvas tent, often on a wooden platform.
- Bubble: structure with transparent walls, for sleeping while watching the sky.
- Treehouse: built up high, among branches or on stilts.
- Tipi, yurt and maloca: shapes inspired by traditional dwellings.
- Tiny house: compact house with everything in a few square meters.
What a glamping includes and what depends on each place
There is no rule that says what a glamping must have. Each host decides. The usual setup is a double bed or single beds with bedding, a bathroom with a shower and some light. From there everything varies. Some serve breakfast and others leave you a kitchenette. Some have a private jacuzzi and others one shared by the whole property. Hot water, wifi, cell signal and parking are not guaranteed either. That's why each accommodation's listing matters, and why it's worth asking before taking any detail for granted.
Where to go glamping in Colombia
Most of the supply is in the Andean region. Cundinamarca, Antioquia and Boyacá hold most of it, with towns like Guatavita, El Peñol, Guatapé and Villa de Leyva. The Eje Cafetero adds Salento, Filandia and the areas around Pereira and Manizales. Santander has Barichara and San Gil, and the Valle del Cauca has Calima and Dagua. Outside the Andes, glamping shows up in the Sierra Nevada and Palomino, on the Pacific coast of Nuquí and Bahía Solano, in the Llanos around Villavicencio and in the Amazon. Each area sets the climate, the landscape and the type of accommodation you'll find.
How to choose your first glamping
Start with the place and not the accommodation. Decide whether you want mountains, a lake, a river or the sea, and search in that area. Then look at the type: a dome and an alpine cabin feel very different inside. Before you book, message the host on WhatsApp and clarify what is non-negotiable for you:
- Whether you have your own bathroom or share it with other units.
- Whether the jacuzzi or pool is only for your accommodation.
- What the access is like at the end of the road.
- Whether there is hot water and cell signal.
With those answers you know whether that place fits your trip.
What to pack for a glamping
What you pack depends mostly on the altitude zone (piso térmico). Near Bogotá, in towns like Guatavita, Guasca or La Calera, you're in cold country (tierra fría): the day can be sunny and the night cold. In hot country (tierra caliente), like Melgar, Anapoima or much of the Valle del Cauca, what weighs on you is the heat and the mosquitoes. This list works for both cases:
- Layered clothing: a sweater, jacket and thick socks for cold country; light, cool clothing for hot country.
- A rain jacket or poncho, because rain arrives without warning in almost the whole country.
- Closed shoes for walking and flip-flops for the shower, jacuzzi or pool.
- Insect repellent and sunscreen, especially in hot country.
- A flashlight or headlamp to get around the property at night.
- A swimsuit if the listing shows a jacuzzi, pool or river.
- Some cash, because in rural areas there isn't always a card reader.
- A power bank for your phone, since signal and outlets can be scarce.
Before you leave, ask the host whether there are towels, a kitchen and drinking water.
More guides
- How much does glamping cost in Colombia?: what drives the price of a glamping stay and how to get the exact price.
- Is it safe to book glamping over WhatsApp?: what to check before paying a deposit over WhatsApp so you don't get scammed.
- All guides