What an eSIM card actually is
An eSIM is a chip soldered inside your phone. Instead of buying a physical SIM at a kiosk, you scan a QR code or tap an activation link, and the plan loads onto that chip. Your home SIM stays in the phone, so you keep your usual number for bank codes and WhatsApp while the eSIM handles data in Colombia.
Two things make it a good fit for Colombia specifically:
- You arrive connected. El Dorado, José María Córdova and Rafael Núñez all have Wi-Fi, but you want data before you reach the taxi rank. Installing at home solves that.
- No queue, no passport photocopy. Airport SIM counters in Bogotá and Medellín are not always open when your flight lands, and the paperwork takes time you would rather spend getting to the hotel.
Will your phone take an eSIM?
Most phones sold since roughly 2018 do, but there are exceptions — some regional models and a few carrier-locked handsets. Check in a minute with our guide: Will your phone take an eSIM?. If your phone is locked to a carrier, unlock it before you travel; that is a carrier process, not something an eSIM can bypass.
What to buy for Colombia
The Colombia eSIM is the plan this article is about. It is sold in the Colombia store, in the language you are reading this in, and it covers the country's main traveller routes — Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, the coffee region and the Caribbean coast.
Buy it here: Colombia eSIM.
One country or several?
| Your trip | What to buy |
|---|---|
| Colombia only (Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, coffee region) | Colombia eSIM |
| Colombia plus Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina or Brazil | South America eSIM — one plan across borders |
| Colombia plus the USA, Canada or Mexico | North America eSIM for the northern leg |
| A longer Latin America loop | South America plan for the southern leg, Central America plan if you head north through Panama |
If your route is a single country with a stopover, the country plan is usually the simpler and cheaper choice. If you are crossing land borders — say Colombia into Ecuador, or onward to Peru — read South America: crossing borders and staying online before you decide.
How to install and activate
- Buy the plan from the Colombia store while you still have home Wi-Fi.
- Install it. The QR code and instructions arrive by email. Step-by-step: Install the eSIM.
- Leave it switched off until you land. An eSIM that is on before departure can start using its validity window early.
- Switch it on after landing and turn on data roaming for that line — this is normal for travel eSIMs and does not mean extra charges. Full walkthrough: Switch the eSIM on after you land.
- Set your data line. In your phone's mobile settings, choose the eSIM as the line for mobile data, and keep your home SIM for calls and messages.
If nothing connects, work through eSIM not connecting before assuming the plan is faulty — most cases are a roaming toggle or the wrong data line selected.
Arriving: what to expect at each airport
- Bogotá (BOG), El Dorado — the busiest arrival in the country and the one where a working phone matters most for ride-hailing and hotel directions. See Bogotá airport (BOG): arriving at El Dorado.
- Medellín (MDE), José María Córdova — the airport sits well outside the city, so check your transfer before you land: Medellín airport (MDE): arriving at José María Córdova.
- Cartagena (CTG), Rafael Núñez — a short hop from the walled city, and the gateway to the Rosario Islands: Cartagena airport (CTG): arriving at Rafael Núñez.
Once you are in the city, our city guides cover the practical side: Medellín: the metro, Comuna 13 and a day at Guatapé, Cartagena: the walled city, taxis and the Rosario Islands and Colombia's coffee region: Salento, Cocora and the coffee towns.
Data habits that save you money
- Download offline maps for the cities you will walk. Data in Colombia is generally good in cities, patchier on long intercity drives and in national parks.
- Use WhatsApp for everything. It is the default for taxis, tour operators and guesthouses in Colombia, and it works over data.
- Keep your home SIM for calls and let the eSIM carry data, so you are not paying roaming rates for maps.
- Check your plan size against your habits. Heavy video and hotspot use drains a plan fast; if you work from the road, size up before you fly rather than topping up mid-trip.
If something goes wrong
There is no public order lookup page — your order link and QR code arrive by email, so keep that message. If you have lost it, or you need to know where you stand on a refund, start at Refunds and lost QR codes. The wider Help centre covers installation, activation and troubleshooting in order.
The short version
Buy the Colombia eSIM from the Colombia store before you fly, install it over Wi-Fi, and switch it on when you land. If your trip crosses into other South American countries, take the South America plan instead. Everything else — the airport, the taxi, the first coffee — is easier with data already working.
