The Wayro route from Villavicencio to Cartago, Colombia is 263 miles (424 km), about 7 h 14 min of driving without 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: “Highways may not have lights or signs showing destinations.”
| Distance by road | 263 mi (424 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 14 min |
| Departments on the route | Meta, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Tolima, Quindío, Valle del Cauca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Villavicencio–Cartago drive in a few lines
It runs through 6 departments: Meta, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Tolima, Quindío, Valle del Cauca. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Roads you'll take from Villavicencio to Cartago
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–150 | 150 | Meta, Cundinamarca, Bogota, Tolima |
| connecting roads | 150–151 | 1 | Tolima |
| local roads | 151–232 | 81 | Tolima, Quindío |
| connecting roads | 232–235 | 3 | Quindío |
| local roads | 235–263 | 28 | Quindío, Valle del Cauca |
- Mile 16 of this route: Meta → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 55 of this route: Cundinamarca → Bogota (department line)
- Mile 69 of this route: Bogota → Cundinamarca (department line)
- Mile 149 of this route: Cundinamarca → Tolima (department line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Tolima → Quindío (department line)
- Mile 249 of this route: Quindío → Valle del Cauca (department line)
What to see on the way from Villavicencio to Cartago
- Nature and outdoors: Sumapaz Natural Park (mile 52), Tequendama Falls (mile 75), Tequendama Falls Museum (mile 75)
- Museums and history: Museo Ciudad Autoconstruida (mile 63), Tequendama Falls Museum (mile 75), Museo de Arte del Tolima (mile 183), Parque del Café (mile 239)
- With kids: PANACA (mile 244)
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.
Museo Ciudad Autoconstruida
Run by the Museo de Bogotá in Ciudad Bolívar, the Museo Ciudad Autoconstruida challenges stereotypes about the district and highlights its history of human rights work, environmental care and community-built housing.
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.
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.
Tequendama Falls
Some 32 km southwest of Bogotá in Soacha, the Tequendama Falls is a 132-meter waterfall on the Bogotá River.
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.
Museo de Arte del Tolima
In Ibagué, capital of Tolima, the Museo de Arte del Tolima shows Colombian art alongside contemporary Latin American work.
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.
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.
Arriving in 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
- Tunja to Cartago, Colombia
- Yopal to Cartago, Colombia
- Pitalito to Cartago, Colombia
- Neiva to Cartago, Colombia
From Villavicencio to other places in Colombia
- Villavicencio to Zipaquirá
- Villavicencio to Girardot City
- Villavicencio to Armenia
- Villavicencio to Manizales
- Villavicencio to Pereira
- Villavicencio to Guatapé
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Villavicencio to Cartago, Colombia?
About 7 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 263 miles.
How far is Cartago, Colombia from Villavicencio by car?
About 263 miles (424 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 Villavicencio 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)). Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Villavicencio and Cartago?
Closest to the road: Museo Ciudad Autoconstruida (museum, mile 63, 1 mi from the route); Tequendama Falls (waterfall, mile 75, 2 mi from the route); Museo de Arte del Tolima (art museum, mile 183, 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.