Colombian prepaid SIMs are cheap but require a passport and Colombian address for activation at Claro and Movistar stores — impractical after a long-haul flight. An eSIM gets you Maps, Uber, and WhatsApp working before you've cleared Bogotá or Cartagena's taxi rank.
- Best for
- Bogotá and Medellín city breaks; Cartagena and Tayrona Caribbean trips; coffee-region tours through the Eje Cafetero; Amazon expeditions departing from Leticia.
- Networks
- Roams onto Claro, Movistar, and Tigo. Claro has the broadest reach in rural Andean and Amazonian areas; Tigo and Movistar are competitive in the major cities and along the Caribbean coast.
- Travel tip
- Cell service drops sharply in coffee-region mountains and on jungle rivers near Leticia — load offline maps and the Uber pickup details before you head out of the city.