Cúcuta to Cartago, Colombia is about 521 road miles (838 km): roughly 11 h 0 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Valle del Cauca (excluding Cali).
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Norte de Santander.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Within 10 km (6 miles) of the Colombia-Venezuela border.
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: “The Colombia-Venezuela border is not clearly marked.”
| Distance by road | 521 mi (838 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | 25BAN |
| Departments on the route | Norte de Santander, Santander, Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Cúcuta to Cartago: the shape of the trip
25BAN (43 mi) carries about 8% of the 521 miles. It runs through 6 departments: Norte de Santander, Santander, Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca. Of the 9 stops listed below, 7 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cúcuta to Cartago, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–128 | 128 | Norte de Santander, Santander |
| connecting roads | 128–130 | 2 | Santander |
| local roads | 130–371 | 241 | Santander, Antioquia |
| connecting roads | 371–372 | 1 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 372–377 | 5 | Antioquia |
| connecting roads | 377–378 | 1 | Antioquia |
| local roads | 378–386 | 8 | Antioquia |
| 25BAN | 386–429 | 43 | Antioquia, Caldas |
| local roads | 429–521 | 92 | Caldas, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca |
- Mile 80 of this route: Norte de Santander → Santander (department line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Santander → Antioquia (department line)
- Mile 428 of this route: Antioquia → Caldas (department line)
- Mile 464 of this route: Caldas → Risaralda (department line)
- Mile 467 of this route: Risaralda → Caldas (department line)
- Mile 503 of this route: Caldas → Risaralda (department line)
- Mile 519 of this route: Risaralda → Valle del Cauca (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Cartago
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Santa Clara (mile 50), Pamplona Colonial House Museum (mile 50), Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, Bucaramanga (mile 125), Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota (mile 349), Museo Entomológico Francisco Luis Gallego (mile 363), Teatro al aire libre Carlos Vieco (mile 364), El Castillo Museum (mile 367)
- Nature and outdoors: Saturban Canyon (mile 78), Salto Chorrolato (mile 358)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Santa Clara (mile 50), Pamplona Colonial House Museum (mile 50), Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, Bucaramanga (mile 125), Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota (mile 349), Museo Entomológico Francisco Luis Gallego (mile 363), El Castillo Museum (mile 367)
Catedral de Santa Clara
Also known as Pamplona Cathedral (Catedral de Pamplona), Catedral de Santa Clara is a Catholic church in the municipality of Pamplona and the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Pamplona.
Pamplona Colonial House Museum
In northeastern Colombia, the Pamplona Colonial House Museum ranks among the oldest museums in the department of Norte de Santander.
Saturban Canyon
Running 2.28 km and reaching 320 m deep, Saturban Canyon (Cañón de Saturbán) marks the boundary between Santander and Norte de Santander in Colombia.
Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, Bucaramanga
The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Holy Family is a Catholic cathedral in the city of Bucaramanga, in Colombia's Santander department.
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Girardota
Girardota Cathedral is a Neo-Romanesque church of exposed brick, designed by French architect Charles Émile Carré and built over 32 years.
Salto Chorrolato
In the San Félix area of Bello, in the Aburrá Valley near Medellín, Salto Chorrolato (Chorro del Hato) is a multi-step waterfall and a symbol of the municipality.
Museo Entomológico Francisco Luis Gallego
Museo Entomológico Francisco Luis Gallego is a nonprofit natural history museum in Medellín specializing in insects.
Teatro al aire libre Carlos Vieco
On the north slope of Cerro Nutibara in Medellín, this Greek-inspired open-air theater opened in 1984 and honors Antioquian composer Carlos Vieco Ortiz.
El Castillo Museum
In Medellín's El Poblado district, El Castillo Museum displays porcelain and glass, stained glass, antiques, paintings and sculptures in its permanent exhibitions.
Once you reach Cartago
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Valle del Cauca
Two blocks from Bolívar Park in Cartago, Valle del Cauca, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel stands out for a bell tower set twenty meters apart from the church.
Casa del Virrey
A colonial-era building in Cartago, Casa del Virrey takes its name from the popular tradition that it was built to receive Viceroy José Manuel de Ezpeleta.
More drives to Cartago
- Ibagué to Cartago, Colombia
- Bogotá to Cartago, Colombia
- Villavicencio to Cartago, Colombia
- Tunja to Cartago, Colombia
- Yopal to Cartago, Colombia
- Pitalito to Cartago, Colombia
From Cúcuta to other places in Colombia
- Cúcuta to Bucaramanga
- Cúcuta to Barrancabermeja
- Cúcuta to Sogamoso
- Cúcuta to Tunja
- Cúcuta to Yopal
- Cúcuta to Zipaquirá
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cúcuta to Cartago, Colombia?
About 11 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cúcuta to Cartago, Colombia?
About 521 miles (838 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 Cúcuta to Cartago, Colombia?
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); Colombia: Norte de Santander). Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Cúcuta and Cartago?
Closest to the road: Catedral de la Sagrada Familia, Bucaramanga (cathedral, mile 125, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Entomológico Francisco Luis Gallego (museum, mile 363, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro al aire libre Carlos Vieco (theater, mile 364, 0.2 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.