By road, Cartago, Colombia and Zipaquirá are about 221 miles (355 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 27 min of driving.
- 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: “Travel only during daylight hours.”
| Total distance | 221 mi (355 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 27 min |
| Departments on the route | Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Cartago to Zipaquirá: the shape of the trip
It runs through 5 departments: Valle del Cauca, Quindío, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Cartago to Zipaquirá: the road sequence
| 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 | 32–206 | 174 | Quindío, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota |
| connecting roads | 206–208 | 2 | Cundinamarca |
| local roads | 208–221 | 13 | Cundinamarca |
- Mile 16 of this route: Valle del Cauca → Quindío (department line)
- Mile 45 of this route: Quindío → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 116 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 122 of this route: Cundinamarca → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 136 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 182 of this route: Cundinamarca → Bogota (department line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Bogota → Cundinamarca (department line)
What to see on the way from Cartago to Zipaquirá
- Nature and outdoors: Sumapaz Natural Park (mile 171), Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve (mile 201)
- Museums and history: Parque del Café (mile 25), Museo de Arte del Tolima (mile 74), Centro de Memoria, Paz y Reconciliación (mile 190), Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá (mile 193)
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.
Museo de Arte del Tolima
In Ibagué, capital of Tolima, the Museo de Arte del Tolima shows Colombian art alongside contemporary Latin American work.
Sumapaz Natural Park
Sumapaz Natural Park (Parque Nacional Natural Sumapaz) is a Colombian national park spanning parts of the Meta, Huila and Cundinamarca departments and the Capital District of Bogotá.
La Vaca
La Vaca, also called Techovita, is a wetland of about 20 acres in Bogotá's Kennedy locality, part of the Wetlands of Bogotá in the Tunjuelo River basin.
Techo
Techo is a wetland of about 29 acres on the Bogotá savanna, one of the Wetlands of Bogotá, located in the Techo neighborhood of the Kennedy locality.
Centro de Memoria, Paz y Reconciliación
In central Bogotá, the Centro de Memoria, Paz y Reconciliación is a space dedicated to collective historical memory.
Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá
Known as MAC, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá is an art museum in the city's Engativá locality.
Tibabuyes
Also called the Juan Amarillo Wetland, Tibabuyes covers 549 acres in Bogotá's Suba and Engativá localities and is the largest of the city's wetlands.
Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve
Declared a protected area in 2000 by the Ministry of Environment, the Thomas van der Hammen Natural Reserve preserves part of the Bogotá savanna.
When you get to Zipaquirá
El Abra
El Abra is an extensive archaeological site in the valley of the same name, stretching from eastern Zipaquirá into the western edge of Tocancipá, Cundinamarca.
Zipaquirá Cathedral
Zipaquirá Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral dedicated jointly to the Holy Trinity, St. Anthony of Padua, and Our Lady of the Assumption in the Colombian town of Zipaquirá.
Tibitó
Tibitó is a dated archaeological rock shelter in Tocancipá, on the northern Bogotá savanna, part of Colombia's Altiplano Cundiboyacense.
More drives to Zipaquirá
- Bogotá to Zipaquirá
- Ibagué to Zipaquirá
- Armenia to Zipaquirá
- Manizales to Zipaquirá
- Pereira to Zipaquirá
- Tuluá to Zipaquirá
From Cartago to other places in Colombia
- Cartago, Colombia to Guatapé
- Cartago, Colombia to Girardot City
- Cartago, Colombia to Sogamoso
- Cartago, Colombia to Santa Cruz de Mompós
- Cartago, Colombia to Magangué
- Cartago, Colombia to Rincón del Mar
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cartago, Colombia to Zipaquirá?
About 6 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 221 miles.
How far is Zipaquirá from Cartago, Colombia by car?
About 221 miles (355 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cartago to Zipaquirá drive?
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 Zipaquirá?
Closest to the road: Museo de Arte del Tolima (art museum, mile 74, 1 mi from the route); Techo (nature area, mile 189, 2 mi from the route); Museum of Contemporary Art of Bogotá (art museum, mile 193, 1 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.