Climate• Colombians customarily describe their country in terms of the climatic zones.

Below 1,000 meters in elevation is the tierra caliente (hot land), where temperatures are above 24 °C. About 82.5% of the country's total area lies in the tierra caliente.

• The majority of the population can be found in the tierra templada (temperate land, between 1,001 and 2,000 meters, where temperatures vary between 17 and 24 °C and the tierra fría (cold land, 2,001 and 3,000 meters.

• In the tierra fría mean temperatures range between 12 and 17 °C. Beyond the tierra fría lie the alpine conditions of the forested zone and then the treeless grasslands of the páramos. Above 4,000 meters, where temperatures are below freezing, is the tierra helada, a zone of permanent snow and ice.

Must see• San Andres & Providencia• If it’s postcard-perfect beaches you’re after, look no further. San Andres is a more

popular island, but the secluded beaches at Providencia are some of Colombia’s finest.

El Cocuy• Snow-capped mountains? In Colombia? You betcha. This challenging but

rewarding hike up El Cocuy is one of Colombia’s most surprising highlights.

Where to stay in Colombia• Hotels• Bed and breakfast• Camping• Other accommodations: Youth Hostels, Rural

Farmstays, Self-Caterings, Eco-Resorts, Motels

AccommodationHotel del Salto

• The luxurious Hotel del Salto opened in 1928 to welcome wealthy travelers visiting the Tequendama Falls area. Situated just opposite to the waterfall and on the edge of the cliff, it provided a breathtaking view to its guests. During the next decades though, Bogotá river was contaminated and tourists gradually lost their interest to the area. The hotel finally closed down in the early 90's and was left abandoned ever since. The fact that many people in the past chose that spot to commit suicide, made others believe that the hotel is haunted.

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