HOSTEL EXPERIENCE

Hostels in Colombia are hip, cool and in many ways something very special. Since the country has experienced an upswing in tourism in recent years and is still a real insider tip, most hostels were opened only in recent years. Since the number of backpackers increases from year to year, new hostels are constantly being added. Some hostels follow a completely new concept: the boutique hostels, which mean a little more luxury, but you are still in the cool and social environment of a hostel.

In all of our locations in Colombia, the hostels are very centrally located. Whether in the big city of Medellín, or in the cities of Cartagena and Santa Marta: everywhere you will find restaurants, bars, stores and supermarkets. No matter where you are, all the cities we have selected offer the perfect starting point for bar hopping, various excursions and pool parties or other events at the hostel.

Especially in Cartagena and Santa Marta, the heat of the Caribbean can be much better endured with a short cool down in between. Therefore, many hostels there have a beautiful colonial-style courtyard with pool and hammocks.

In the small village of Minca you can fully immerse yourself in the tropical nature and treat yourself to a cooling off of the hot cities. The village in the mountains is super popular among backpackers and there are beautiful rustic hostels in the nature.

In Colombia, all our partner hostels have a kitchen and cozy common areas. In the popular destinations of Colombia you can do all kinds of activities and mingle with the locals. Relaxed bars with loud music, delicious cocktails and salsa dancing can be found throughout the country.

The Pearl of the Caribbean, as Cartagena is often called, is a perfectly restored colonial-style city. The city attracts many travelers from all over the world because of its beauty. There are many restaurants and bars and there is always something going on. You want to live in the Caribbean in a relaxed atmosphere? In Cartagena you spend your time in the city, but it is surrounded by beautiful Caribbean islands and lots of culture. The narrow streets of the old town are a dream and perfect for your hostel experience.

Your hostel is located in the middle of the old town, so you can spend your free time here, strolling through the streets and watching the hustle and bustle. On your days off, you can take a boat to the surrounding beaches or explore the islands. Our partner hostels in Cartagena are decorated with great attention to detail, most of them have a pool and a nice bar.

More information about Cartagena can be found here.

Our hostels are located either in the city of Santa Marta itself or on the beaches of the nearby surroundings.

The city of Santa Marta is located on the Caribbean coast and has 500,000 inhabitants. The special thing here are the great excursion possibilities in the surrounding area. Within an hour you can reach idyllic places in the rainforest with waterfalls and coffee farms, dream beaches, the best diving spots in Colombia, cool beach towns where backpackers hang out and the beautiful national park of Colombia, the Tayrona National Park.

Santa Marta is the perfect mix of city, beach and a great environment.

You can find more info about Santa Marta here.

Santa Marta is the perfect starting point to get to Minca with a 40 minute drive into the mountains. Minca is a small village, but a must-see among backpackers on any trip to Colombia. There you can immerse yourself in endless green forests and swim in fresh rivers and waterfalls. The average annual temperature is a pleasant 22 degrees, a nice cool down to the hot cities of Cartagena and Santa Marta, while being only 1 hour away from the beaches of the Caribbean. This small fascinating place is becoming more and more popular among tourists and is constantly developing, so new hostels and restaurants are being added all the time. The hostel is located a few minutes walk away from the village in the middle of green nature next to a river. The rooms are very open and designed with love and natural elements. There is a pool with a great view of the mountains and a delicious restaurant in the hostel.

Big city metropolis, party until dawn, nature and eternal spring. If you find your dreams in there, you should start your work and travel adventure in Medellín.

The city itself has a lot to offer. Here, night turns into day and even during the day it doesn’t rest. There is always something to do in the lively neighborhood of El Poblado. But you should also venture out of the most touristy part of the city and experience the real Medellín and its culture, for example in Comuna 13. An exciting and educational experience that will stay with you for a long time.

And for the weekend you have numerous options in the surrounding area. Nature, coffee farms, trekking, horseback riding or other activities – there is something for everyone.

For more information about Medellín, click here.

For your work in a hostel you don’t need any special qualifications or experience. It is only important that you have a desire to learn and you are open to a new culture, people from all over the world and a new way of life. You should be motivated, work well in a team and be willing to share your living space with other people for a while. In return you can expect a unique community, a life in breathtaking nature and above all a lot of fun at work. Also, it is important that you are not too shy to do the tasks in a hostel. Everyone pitches in and if there is a lot going on, it can take a little longer.

The national language in Colombia is Spanish. You do not need to know Spanish to participate in the program. It is only required that you can speak English or Spanish to communicate with the other volunteers from all over the world and the hostel staff. A Spanish course is included at the beginning of the program. Your language skills will also improve on the spot.

You will live in a shared room with other volunteers from all over the world. The room is located in the hostel where you work.

You usually share the room with your colleagues, but in smaller hostels you may also live with guests.

The size of the room also varies depending on the hostel, usually there are between 4 and 10 beds in your room.

You will have a well-equipped kitchen at your disposal, where you can cook together with the other volunteers. In some hostels there are one or even two meals per day for the volunteers, but we cannot guarantee this.

Prices:

Shared room:

• 1st month in starter package: 860,00 €
• Extension month: 170,00 €
• As 2nd or 3rd program: 630,00 €

Services:

Find out more about our services here.