Things to Do in Colombia in February
February weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
February Weather in Colombia
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
68°F (20°C)
High Temp
45°F (7°C)
Low Temp
2.0 inches (51 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is February Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + February lands between rainy season and summer crush. You score 70% sun with almost zero afternoon downpours that soak Bogota streets from April on. Pack light layers.
- + Coffee country harvest roars through mid-February. Fincas near Armenia and Pereira hand you a basket and let you strip cherries beside workers, not just stare at stainless steel.
- + Cartagena humidity backs off in February. Mornings hover at 26°C (79°F) instead of the 32°C (90°F) swamp that arrives in March. Walk the walls after 10 AM without sweat blindness.
- + Pacific humpback season peaks this month. Calves still nurse before the northern run, and boats out of Nuquí promise sightings inside 30 minutes. Bring a zoom lens.
Considerations
- − Bogotá perches at 2,640 m (8,660 ft). February nights sink to 7°C (45°F) and the thin air feels colder than the thermometer admits. Seventy percent humidity creeps under your skin.
- − Carnaval de Barranquilla pulls 500,000 domestic visitors and triples room rates along the entire Caribbean coast for ten days. Even Santa Marta dorms jack up prices.
- − Amazon towns like Leticia stay in high-water season through February. River levels swamp the trails, so you explore by boat and watch wildlife from the deck.
Best Activities in February
Top things to do during your visit
Coffee Farm Harvest Tours
February is prime cherry-picking month in the Eje Cafetero. Fincas outside Salento and Filandia pass you a basket and let you harvest ripe red fruit beside seasonal pickers. Weather behaves: 22°C (72°F) dawns with crisp views of the 5,000 m (16,400 ft) Nevado del Ruiz. Harvest ends when February does, so this is your final shot to drink coffee born from your own fingers.
Booking Tip: Reserve 7-10 days ahead through licensed operators. Target fincas that run their own processing mills (beneficios) instead of photo-stop farms. Check current coffee harvest tours in the booking section below.
Pacific Coast Whale Watching
Humpback season runs July-November, yet February serves a bonus. Calves are three to four months old and launch themselves out of the water. Boats from Nuquí or Bahía Solano locate whales within 20 minutes, not the two-hour hunts common in September. Seas stay calmer, so you keep your breakfast.
Booking Tip: Fly to Medellín first, then take the 40-minute hop to Bahía Solano. Arrange whale watching through your lodge. They radio captains who track the pods daily. See current whale watching options in the booking section below.
Cartagena Street Food Cycling
February mornings make cycling Cartagena's walls enjoyable. At 8 AM you face 24°C (75°F), not the 31°C (88°F) furnace that ignites in March. Pause at Plaza de la Trinidad for an arepa de huevo while locals slam dominoes, then pedal to Mercado de Bazurto for lunch where the city's chefs shop at dawn.
Booking Tip: Morning tours kick off at 7:30 AM for a reason. By 11 AM the stone ramparts throw heat like brick ovens. Evening rides exist for late risers. But dawn rolls show neighborhoods before tourists stir. See current cycling tours in the booking section below.
Bogotá Sunday Ciclovían and Paloquemao Market
Every Sunday 7 AM-2 PM Bogotá bans cars from 120 km (75 miles) of pavement, including the whole Avenida Séptima. Rent a bike at Parque Nacional and glide past two million locals who turn the highway into a rolling festival. Wrap up at Paloquemao Market where February strawberries reach peak sugar. Vendors hand out samples of varieties you can't pronounce.
Booking Tip: Bike rentals wait at multiple Ciclovían entry points. No reservations needed on Sunday morning. Reach Paloquemao before 10 AM when produce is freshest and vendors still chat. See current Bogotá tours in the booking section below.
San Andrés Island Snorkeling
February serves the clearest Caribbean water of the year. Visibility stretches to 30 m (98 ft) because scant rainfall keeps sediment down. The island sits inside the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, so you snorkel living coral gardens, not the graveyard reefs found elsewhere. No hurricane risk this month, and water holds at 27°C (81°F).
Booking Tip: San Andrés requires a tourist card bought at your departure airport. The fee is folded into airfare. Pick snorkel trips that bundle Johnny Cay. The white sand strip is February-perfect. See current San Andrés tours in the booking section below.
Where to Stay in Colombia in February
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for February travellers.
February Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Mid February (weekend before Ash Wednesday)
Carnaval de Barranquilla
The nation's biggest bash lands the weekend before Ash Wednesday, usually mid-February. The city's 1.2 million residents welcome 500,000 extra bodies for four days of cumbia, sequins, and street parties that roll until Tuesday sunrise. Saturday's Batalla de Flores parade unleashes 100-plus floats over six loud hours.
Late February (biennial festival, 2026 edition)
Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro
Bogotá turns into a global stage every two years; 2026 is on. Theater troupes from 30-plus countries perform in parks, plazas, and converted warehouses. Eighty percent of shows are free and staged outdoors in February's cool evening air.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Need the full list with shopping links?
Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Colombia Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Book domestic flights on Colombian carriers' Spanish-language sites - prices are 15-20% cheaper than English versions, and February's not peak enough to sell out
Coffee farm tours after 2 PM are worthless - workers finish picking by 1 PM, and processing stops. Morning tours mean you see actual production, not empty machinery
Cartagena's city walls are free to walk until 6 PM, but February's sunset hits 6:15 PM. Time your walk for golden hour photos without the tour group crowds
Bogotá's Ciclovían includes free bike repair stations every 5 km (3.1 miles) - mechanics will adjust your rented bike's brakes for free, something rental shops charge extra for
Avoid These Mistakes
Assuming February means summer weather everywhere - the 1,000 m (3,280 ft) altitude difference between Medellín and Bogotá creates completely different climates
Booking Caribbean accommodation during Carnaval week without checking if it's Barranquilla Carnaval or Cartagena independence celebrations - different cities, same price hikes
Wearing shorts on coffee farm tours - the combination of sharp coffee branches and red clay stains destroys clothing, plus mornings are cold at 1,800 m (5,900 ft)
Book Experiences in Colombia
Top-rated things to do in Colombia this February
Explore More Activities in Colombia
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Colombia.
See All Colombia Tours on Viator