We are not doctors and urge you to do your own research, generally speaking you do not require any vaccinations if you are at altitude.

At lower elevations you may want to consider malaria tablets but in common tourist destinations such as Cartagena and Santa Marta, many travellers consider the risk to be low and not worthy of the side effects that malaria tablets can have.

Ultimately you should seek your doctors’s advice and decide for yourself.

Valid yellow fever vaccination certificates are technically mandatory in Tayrona, Caño Cristales, Bahia Solano, Nuquí and Amazonas. You may be denied services if you are unable to show a valid certificate when asked.

In tropical climates at low elevations the yellow fever vaccination is recommended. This will not only prevent you contracting yellow fever but will also prevent your passing yellow fever on to a third party. The vaccine is economical and effective and vaccinating yourself before visiting a tropical climate is the responsible thing to do.

We recognise that the yellow fever vaccination can be expensive in your home country. It can be economical or free to get the vaccination in Bogotá but requires a 10 day incubation period. If your trip is longer than 10 days and you are going to a yellow fever risk area at the end of the trip then we will help you get your vaccination in Colombia.

You should also think about dengue fever, there were small outbreaks of dengue in 2010 in Santa Marta and Cali.

Many mosquito vector diseases do not have a vaccination and in all cases, even if you have the yellow fever vaccination you should wear long sleeves from dusk onwards and apply a good repellent.