Colombia Traveler Resources

The essentials on one page. Bookmark it. Download the crisis card and carry it.

There is no 911 in Colombia. Dial 123. The national emergency line: police, ambulance, fire.

Emergency numbers

123
Any emergency. Free, 24 h, any phone.
165
Kidnapping or extortion (GAULA). Don’t negotiate; hang up and call.
147
Kidnapping or extortion (GAULA Militar, armed forces). Alternative to 165.
155
Women facing violence.
141
Children at risk (ICBF).
#767
Highway emergencies and road conditions (INVÍAS). WhatsApp 320 301 7300. If #767 fails: 01 8000 519 1656.

Save 123 and 165 as contacts before you fly.

Crisis card

Emergency numbers and key Spanish phrases on one side; your medical and emergency details on the other. Fill it in, print it, keep it on you.

CIMA RISK · COLOMBIA CRISIS CARD
Emergency numbers
123 Colombia’s 911
165 GAULA
#767 Highways
+57 601 275-2000 U.S. embassy after hours · press 0
Say it in Spanish
Necesito ayuda
I need help
Necesito un médico
I need a doctor
Llame a la policía
Call the police
My details
Name
Blood type / allergies
Medications / conditions
Emergency contact
Emergency contact 2
Insurance policy #
Medical evacuation #
Phone IMEI (*#06#)
Download the fillable PDF
Print double-sided and fold in half; single-sided works if needed. Keep it separate from your wallet and phone.

U.S. embassy contacts

+57 601 508-8165
Main U.S. Embassy Bogotá telephone for routine or business-hours contact.
+57 601 275-2000
Primary after-hours emergency line. Press 0 when prompted.
+57 601 275-4021
Additional after-hours line for reporting a crime or emergency.
+1-202-501-4444
Reaching the State Department from outside the U.S.

The embassy publishes lists of English-speaking doctors and attorneys.

Private hospitals

Not recommendations. Names and the district each sits in; selection criteria are in the note at the bottom.

Bogotá
Fundación Santa Fe (Usaquén) · Clínica del Country (Chapinero) · Reina Sofía (Calle 127) · La Cardio (Calle 163)
Medellín
Pablo Tobón Uribe (Robledo)
Cali
Fundación Valle del Lili (Ciudad Jardín) · Imbanaco (San Fernando)

English-speaking staff are likely at these institutions and rare elsewhere. Admission desks expect proof of insurance or payment. Carry evacuation coverage.

Before you go

Enroll in STEP
Free. step.state.gov → enroll a trip (destination, dates, email). The embassy can then locate you and send Colombia alerts.
Tell someone at home
Give your emergency contact the State Department line for families: 1-888-407-4747 (24/7, from the U.S.).
Prep checklist
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Photo of your passport page, stored offline
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Save your phone’s IMEI (dial *#06#)
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Insurance and evacuation details on you
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Offline maps for each city on your route
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Fill out and print the crisis card
Connectivity
Set it up before you fly; some U.S. carriers need up to a week.
Pick one: a carrier pass · an eSIM · a local SIM at the airport (bring your passport).
Watch for: tethering may be blocked abroad; run a VPN on phone and laptop.
Local SIMs: Claro (widest coverage), Movistar, Tigo.

Health

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Yellow fever: active outbreak. Vaccinate 10+ days before travel; carry the certificate. Current CDC notice
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All vaccines and health notices: CDC Colombia page
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Bogotá is at 2,640 m. Take the first day light.
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Dengue below ~2,000 m. Use repellent.
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Prescription meds in original packaging.

Getting around

Use app rides over street taxis. The app records the driver, the plate, and the route. Have the driver confirm your name before you get in.

Weekday plate restrictions (pico y placa) apply to private cars in the major cities. Taxis, app rides, and hired drivers manage their own. If you drive yourself, check the city’s current schedule.

If you are robbed

▸
Get safe first.
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Report online: adenunciar.policia.gov.co, 24 h. Issues the case number insurers require.
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Passport taken: file the report, then call the embassy (numbers above).

Public information consolidated for convenience; not an endorsement and not advice on your specific itinerary. Hospitals listed are the Colombian institutions holding international accreditation (JCI, ICONTEC) or ranked in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals and IntelLat 2025. Phone contacts last verified 15 July 2026; other resources last verified 2 July 2026.