Last updated on July 21st, 2023 at 01:15 pm
Dear readers
My name is Frank and I run a travel agency in Bogota, Colombia. Have fun while reading!
At the end of this guide you will find a list of many other helpful Colombia travel guides.
We are a travel agency based in Bogota, Colombia, specializing in custom-made trips.
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Why visit Ibagué?
Ibagué isn’t a popular destination compared to cities like Bogotá or Medellín, but that’s no indication of the great attractions it has to offer.
In Ibagué one can find a great variety of places to visit, enjoy a large number of natural parks and enjoy a lot of great architecture.
Another important aspect of visiting Ibagué is the warmth of the people of Tolima and the delicious gastronomy.
Facts about ibague
Ibagué is the capital of the department of Tolima with around 550,000 inhabitants who are called Ibaguereño (a). The municipality is at an average altitude of 1,285 meters above sea level.
Due to its geographical location, Ibagué has a very hot climate, with average temperatures between 19°C and 26°C, rarely falling below 16°C or exceeding 33°C.
Tourist attractions in Ibagué
These are some of the most impressive places you can visit on a trip to Ibagué, but they are not the only ones, there are many more destinations to visit.
San Jorge Botanical Garden
On the outskirts of Ibagué, you can visit the Botanical Garden, which has more than 500 plant species on 60 hectares.
There you can walk along long nature trails and see beautiful orchids, bromeliads, palm trees, heliconias and, if you’re lucky, birds.
Centennial Park
This is a park where one can learn about the culture of Tolima and some other important monuments.
In the morning, the park is frequented by athletes. If you are a sports fan this place is for you as the mayor’s office has equipped the park with some basic equipment and also it is pedestrian only accessible from some streets in front of the park.
In the afternoon and evening you can enjoy the food offered by the street vendors or the nearby restaurants.
The park has direct access to the Concha Acústica Garzón, where a very important festival is held every year.
Art Museum of Tolima
Ibagué is considered the musical capital of Colombia, but in the Art Museum you can not only enjoy the wonderful music, but also see many Colombian and even Latin American artworks.
If you are interested, you can attend some painting classes offered by the museum.
Cobeima Gorge
The Cobeima Gorge is an excellent ecotourism option. Located at the source of the Nevado del Tolima , it offers numerous activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and wildlife viewing.
If you walk the 18 kilometers of the gorge, you will reach the Los Sauces viewpoint , from where you can see the course of the Cobeima River.
Water parks
Given the high temperatures, numerous water parks have been built where you can find all kinds of slides. The water parks are an unmissable option.
Best time to visit Ibagué
Ibagué is a city with a very warm climate and has many advantages because it stays the same for most of the year.
- From January to September, the chance of precipitation is quite low and the average temperature is 29°C.
- From October to November, the chance of precipitation is high and the average temperature is 27°C.
- In December, there is a medium chance of precipitation and the average temperature is 27°C.
Events not to be missed in Ibagué
Ibagué hosts many important Colombian festivals, but here are a few not to be missed. All festivals bring you into contact with Colombian culture and folklore.
National Colombian Music Festival
The festival was created to honor one of the most important duos in Colombian music history, Garzón and Collazos.
The festival was created after the first anniversary of the death of Maestro Darío Garzón (1987) and the best way to commemorate his life was through music.
The festival takes place for a whole week in March and there are about 70 musical and folkloric exhibitions with competitions such as:
- National Duet Competition
- National composition competition
- Departmental competition for musical interpretation
- Competition for children
Ibagué Folk Festival
This festival was created in 1959 with the aim of highlighting Tolima ‘s culture and honoring its traditions.
The festival begins on the San Juan holiday and ends a week later. During this week, all of Tolima dresses up and there are numerous activities such as float parades, dominations and equestrian tournaments.
Birthday Ibagué
Ibagué celebrates its birthday in style as every year on October 14 there are numerous activities organized in honor of the city.
Ibagué welcomes its visitors with numerous concerts, leisure activities and artistic shows organized throughout most of the city so that all Ibaguereños can take part in this festival.
Typical food in Ibagué
Ibagué has some delicious dishes to offer, here are a few that you won’t want to miss out on.
Lechona Tolimense
Lechona Tolimense is a mixture of a few ingredients that together make a delicious typical dish.
A whole pig is stuffed with ingredients such as peas, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and then cooked for hours. Although it sounds easy, I am sure you will fall in love with the taste.
Tamala tolimense
It’s a typical breakfast all over Colombia, but this tamal is special because it contains the following ingredients.
- Rice
- Peas
- Carrot
- Hard boiled egg
and chunks of pork, bacon, and chicken.
If you travel to Ibagué, you cannot miss this dish.
Achiras
This little snack is very popular and includes
- Achira strength
- Fresh cottage cheese
- Egg yolk
- Melted butter
I’m sure its taste will delight you.
Accommodation in Ibague
Recommending accommodation can be complicated, but here are some options for you when traveling to Ibagué.
International Hotel and Convention Center Casa Morales
Carrera 3 # 3- 47 Barrio La Pola, Ibagué, Colombia
CLICK HERE TO GET BEST RATES FOR CASA MORALES INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER
The hotel is close to the city center, so you can visit interesting places very close to your hotel.
Hotel Estelar Altamira
Carrera 1 # 45-50 Ibagué, Colombia
CLICK HERE TO GET BEST RATES FOR HOTEL ESTELAR ALTAMIRA
The facilities are luxurious, the staff is very friendly.
Hotel F25
Carrera 5 # 41-16, Ibagué, Colombia
CLICK HERE TO GET BEST RATES FOR HOTEL F25
Very spacious and clean rooms, excellent service.
How to get to Ibagué?
Since Ibagué is in the center of the country, it is very easy to get to the city. If you are coming from Bogotá, you can do the following
By plane
A flight from Bogotá to Perales National Airport takes about 56 minutes, but you can also get there via the country’s main airports.
The airlines that offer connections are as follows:
By bus
You can also go there by bus or car, but it takes about 4 hours.
How to get around in Ibagué?
The easiest way to buy tickets is through Pinbus .
By car
The following companies rent cars in Colombia:
- hertz
- advice
- ABC
Getting around Ibagué
To get around Ibagué you can use public transport. This is an excellent option as there are 33 different routes that you can use to visit every corner of the city and the best part is that they only cost 50 cents.
In addition to buses, you can use taxis and platforms like Uber, however, these options are more expensive compared to buses.
Colombia Travel Guides
Here you will find travel guides for the most popular regions in Colombia, which we have put together during our extensive travels around the country.
- Colombia Travel Guide
- Bogota Travel Guide
- Medellin Travel Guide
- Santa Marta Travel Guide
- Cartagena Travel Guide
- La Guajira Travel Guide
- Llanos Travel Guide
- Providencia Travel Guide
- Coffee Triangle Travel Guide
- Amazonas Travel Guide
- Choco Travel Guide
- Santander Travel Guide
- Boyaca Travel Guide
- Villa de Leyva Travel Guide
- San Andres Island Travel Guide
- Tayrona Park Travel Guide
- Palomino Travel Guide
- Cali Travel Guide
- Heritage Towns Colombia Travel Guide
- 7 Wonders of Colombia
- Chicamocha Canyon Travel Guide
- Colombia Golf Travel Guide
- Colombia Museums Guide
Travel Guides to Colombia’s Small Towns
Here you will find travel guides for less popular destinations in Colombia. Some of these destinations are even real insider tips and not even known to the Colombians as travel destinations.
- Monteria Colombia Travel Guide
- Magangue Colombia Travel Guide
- Turbo Colombia Travel Guide
- Arauca Colombia Travel Guide
- San José del Guaviare Colombia Travel Guide
- Pasto Colombia Travel Guide
- Tunja Colombia Travel Guide
- Armenia Colombia Travel Guide
- Villavicencio Colombia Travel Guide
- Ibague Colombia Travel Guide
- Quibdo Colombia Travel Guide
- Manizales Colombia Travel Guide
- Yopal Colombia Travel Guide
- Popayan Colombia Travel Guide
- Barranquilla Colombia Travel Guide
- Barrancabermeja Colombia Travel Guide
- Valledupar Colombia Travel Guide
- Sincelejo Colombia Travel Guide
- Tulua Colombia Travel Guide
- Tumaco Colombia Travel Guide
- Palmira Colombia Travel Guide
- Neiva Colombia Travel Guide
- Buenaventura Colombia Travel Guide
- Ipiales Colombia Travel Guide
- Mitu Colombia Travel Guide
- Mocoa Colombia Travel Guide
- Puerto Carreno Colombia Travel Guide
- Puerto Asis Colombia Travel Guide
- Cucuta Colombia Travel Guide
- Pereira Colombia Travel Guide
- Bucaramanga Colombia Travel Guide
- Riohacha Colombia Travel Guide
- Florencia Colombia Travel Guide
- El Carmen de Bolivar Colombia Travel Guide
- Aguachica Colombia Travel Guide
- Sogamoso Colombia Travel Guide
- Inirida Colombia Travel Guide
- Caucasia Colombia Travel Guide