Plan on about 11 h 51 min of driving for the 550-mile (885 km) trip from Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Colombia: “Mountain roads may lack safety features such as crash barriers or guard rails.”
| Distance | 550 mi (885 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | 40 TL G |
| Departments on the route | Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Caldas, Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena, Bolívar |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
What the drive from Cartago to Santa Cruz de Mompós is like
40 TL G (5 mi) carries about 1% of the 550 miles. It runs through 10 departments: Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Caldas, Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena, Bolívar. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Cartago to Santa Cruz de Mompós
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–29 | 29 | Valle del Cauca, Quindío |
| connecting roads | 29–32 | 3 | Quindío |
| local roads | 32–80 | 48 | Quindío, Tolima |
| 40 TL G | 80–85 | 5 | Tolima |
| local roads | 85–550 | 465 | Tolima, Cundinamarca, Caldas, Boyacá, Santander, Cesar, Magdalena, Bolívar |
- Mile 16 of this route: Valle del Cauca → Quindío (department line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Quindío → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 161 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 170 of this route: Cundinamarca → Caldas (department line)
- Mile 178 of this route: Caldas → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 206 of this route: Cundinamarca → Boyacá (department line)
- Mile 247 of this route: Boyacá → Santander (department line)
- Mile 384 of this route: Santander → Cesar (department line)
- Mile 497 of this route: Cesar → Magdalena (department line)
- Mile 513 of this route: Magdalena → Bolívar (department line)
- Mile 516 of this route: Bolívar → Magdalena (department line)
- Mile 533 of this route: Magdalena → Bolívar (department line)
Stops between Cartago and Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción de Armenia (mile 31), Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria, El Banco (mile 506)
- Museums and history: Parque del Café (mile 25), Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción de Armenia (mile 31), Quimbaya Museum (mile 33), Catedral de Ibagué (mile 73), Museo de Arte del Tolima (mile 74), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, La Dorada (mile 184), Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria, El Banco (mile 506)
- With kids: PANACA (mile 20)
PANACA
PANACA is a farming-themed park in Quimbaya, in Colombia's coffee-growing Quindío Department, opened in 1990 to bring city dwellers closer to nature and agriculture.
Parque del Café
Opened in 1995 by Colombia's coffee growers, Parque del Café is a theme park in Quindío, 4 kilometers southwest of Montenegro and 11 kilometers west of Armenia.
Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción de Armenia
Facing the Plaza de Bolívar in Armenia, capital of Quindío, this Catholic cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Quimbaya Museum
Designed by architect Rogelio Salmona, Armenia's Quimbaya Museum displays about 390 gold objects plus pottery, stone sculpture and carved wood, mainly from the pre-Columbian Quimbaya culture.
Catedral de Ibagué
Formally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, the Catedral de Ibagué (Catedral Metropolitana de Ibagué) stands on the east side of Plaza de Bolívar in central Ibagué, at Carrera 3 and Calle 10.
Museo de Arte del Tolima
In Ibagué, capital of Tolima, the Museo de Arte del Tolima shows Colombian art alongside contemporary Latin American work.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, La Dorada
Facing Simón Bolívar Park in La Dorada, Caldas, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral is the main church of the Diocese of La Dorada-Guaduas and dates to the mid-20th century.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria, El Banco
Dedicated to the Virgin of Candelaria, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria (Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria) sits in the south of El Banco, near the town's river dock.
More drives to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Cúcuta to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Tunja to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Sogamoso to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Manizales to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Armenia to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Pereira to Santa Cruz de Mompós
From Cartago to other places in Colombia
- Cartago, Colombia to Guatapé
- Cartago, Colombia to Girardot City
- Cartago, Colombia to Zipaquirá
- Cartago, Colombia to Sogamoso
- Cartago, Colombia to Magangué
- Cartago, Colombia to Rincón del Mar
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós?
About 11 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 550 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós?
About 550 miles (885 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Colombia: Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Cartago to Santa Cruz de Mompós?
Closest to the road: Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción de Armenia (cathedral, mile 31, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo de Arte del Tolima (art museum, mile 74, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria, El Banco (cathedral, mile 506, 0.6 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.