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Cartagena, Colombia — South America Overland Guide
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posted by Chris Vasquez
Drive: Expedition start. Begin inside Cartagena’s walled Caribbean city before joining Ruta 90 and the southbound road network. This stage is designed around the expedition rule that we never ask the driver—or our 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series—to grind through more than six hours of actual driving in a day. The reward at Cartagena is the UNESCO-listed walls, Getsemaní, Castillo San Felipe and a sunrise walk along the Caribbean ramparts. The route itself is part of the story: we are watching South America change through the windshield rather than flying over the difficult pieces.
Adventure & stay: A warm-up paddle or boat day, an easy coastal walk and time to organize the expedition before the Andes. Our preferred stay is Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena. A restored 17th-century convent with a spa and courtyard calm inside the old city. The idea is never luxury for luxury’s sake; it is recovery that lets us get back outside the next morning. A real bed, a hot shower, a spa or a good meal can be just as important to a long overland expedition as another night under canvas.
Land Cruiser check & daily equipment: Baseline fluids, cooling system, charging voltage, tire pressures, spare tire, brake condition and a full underbody look before departure. For this leg we want recovery kit, tire plug kit, compressor, first-aid kit, paper maps, water storage and a secure document pouch. The 100 Series is being used exactly as Toyota intended—quiet and comfortable on pavement, full-time four-wheel drive ready when the road turns to gravel, and mechanically conservative enough that preventative checks remain more important than dramatic modifications. We leave Cartagena only when both the crew and the truck are ready.
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