Plan on about 9 h 40 min of driving for the 416-mile (670 km) trip from Manizales to Yopal, before any stops.
Read the full advisory before you go: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Colombia: “Highways may not have lights or signs showing destinations.”
| Distance | 416 mi (670 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 40 min |
| Departments on the route | Caldas, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Meta, Casanare |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Manizales–Yopal drive in a few lines
It runs through 6 departments: Caldas, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Meta, Casanare. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Manizales and Yopal
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–253 | 253 | Caldas, Tolima, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Meta |
| connecting roads | 253–256 | 3 | Meta |
| local roads | 256–416 | 160 | Meta, Cundinamarca, Casanare |
- Mile 24 of this route: Caldas → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 98 of this route: Tolima → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 186 of this route: Cundinamarca → Bogota (department line)
- Mile 201 of this route: Bogota → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 237 of this route: Cundinamarca → Meta (department line)
- Mile 279 of this route: Meta → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 310 of this route: Cundinamarca → Meta (department line)
- Mile 322 of this route: Meta → Casanare (department line)
Places worth a stop between Manizales and Yopal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Líbano, Tolima (mile 64), Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park (mile 157), Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (mile 157), Aguazuque (mile 179), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Villavicencio (mile 255)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Nevados National Natural Park (mile 25), Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park (mile 157), Tequendama Falls Museum (mile 180), Sumapaz Natural Park (mile 203)
- Museums and history: Catedral de Líbano, Tolima (mile 64), Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park (mile 157), Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (mile 157), Aguazuque (mile 179), Tequendama Falls Museum (mile 180), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Villavicencio (mile 255)
Los Nevados National Natural Park
In the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes, Los Nevados National Natural Park takes in the volcanoes Nevado del Ruiz, Nevado del Tolima and Nevado de Santa Isabel.
Catedral de Líbano, Tolima
Dedicated to Our Lady of Carmel, the Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Carmen is a Catholic church in the city of Líbano, in Colombia's Tolima department.
Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park
Set on a natural rock shelter in the municipality of Facatativá, Piedras del Tunjo Archaeological Park lies about 40 kilometers west of Bogotá.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
Consecrated to the Virgin of the Rosary, this Catholic cathedral is the main church of the Diocese of Facatativá.
Aguazuque
In western Soacha, near Mosquera, Aguazuque is a pre-Columbian archaeological site with evidence of hunter-gatherer settlement and, in its last phase, early farmers.
Tequendama Falls Museum
Housed in a mansion in San Antonio del Tequendama, the Tequendama Falls Museum of Biodiversity and Culture overlooks Tequendama Falls on the Bogotá River.
El Burro
El Burro is a wetland of about 47 acres in Bogotá's Kennedy locality, part of the city's savanna wetlands and crossed by Avenida Ciudad de Cali.
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.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Villavicencio
Villavicencio Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is a Catholic cathedral in Villavicencio, capital of Colombia's Meta department.
More drives to Yopal
From Manizales to other places in Colombia
- Manizales to Guatapé
- Manizales to Girardot City
- Manizales to Tuluá
- Manizales to Zipaquirá
- Manizales to Tunja
- Manizales to Sogamoso
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Manizales to Yopal?
About 9 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 416 miles.
How far is Yopal from Manizales by car?
About 416 miles (670 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 Manizales to Yopal?
The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Manizales and Yopal?
Closest to the road: Catedral de Líbano, Tolima (cathedral, mile 64, 0.1 mi from the route); Catedral de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (cathedral, mile 157, 0.1 mi from the route); Aguazuque (archaeological site, mile 179, 0.4 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.