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Cartagena, Colombia · Tropical

Cartagena: best months to visit

January (5.9/10) · October (5.1/10).

📅 Data updated: October 2026 🛰️ ERA5 · 10 years 📍 10.39°N · 75.51°W
⚡ Quick answer
January
Depends on your goals
5.9/10
☀️ Jan
Top score (5.9/10)
🌤️ Feb
Alt. (5.9/10)
Oct
Plus rude (5.1/10)
🌴 Tropical☀️ High UV☀️ Dry all year
Photo par Ricardo Gomez Angel via Unsplash
Decide

When to visit Cartagena?

The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.

Verdict: In Cartagena, January and February clearly stand out. October concentrates the least favorable conditions.
Top & avoid
🏆 January · 5.9 February · 5.9 December · 5.9 March · 5.8 ⚠️ October · 5.1
5.9
Jan
5.9
Feb
5.8
Mar
5.5
Apr
5.5
May
5.3
Jun
5.5
Jul
5.4
Aug
5.1
Sep
5.1
Oct
5.5
Nov
5.9
Dec
Best period · ≥ 7 Decent period · 4 – 7 Tough conditions · < 4

What you grasp in 5 seconds

Cartagena offers 0 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 5.9 in January vs 5.1 in October.

What to check next

Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.

Next action

Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.

Compare the 12 months By your project

How we calculate the score

The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).

Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →

Understand

Compare all 12 months

Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.

✅ 0 comfortable months ()
MonthT° minT° maxRain %mm/daySunScoreVerdict
🌥️ January →75°F90°F0%0.5mm8.8h5.9/10Decent period
🌥️ February →75°F90°F0%0.3mm8.5h5.9/10Decent period
🌥️ March →77°F90°F1%0.5mm7.7h5.8/10Decent period
🌥️ April →77°F90°F7%2.1mm7.0h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ May →77°F86°F23%5.0mm6.2h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ June →77°F86°F28%5.5mm6.3h5.3/10Decent period
🌥️ July →77°F86°F27%4.2mm6.7h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ August →77°F86°F31%4.6mm6.4h5.4/10Decent period
🌥️ September →77°F86°F34%4.7mm5.7h5.1/10Decent period
🌥️ October →77°F84°F39%6.1mm5.5h5.1/10Decent period
🌥️ November →77°F84°F30%5.8mm6.2h5.5/10Decent period
🌥️ December →77°F88°F8%1.0mm7.8h5.9/10Decent period
🌥️ January
5.9/10
T°75°F / 90°F
Rain %0%
Sun8.8h
Decent period
🌥️ February
5.9/10
T°75°F / 90°F
Rain %0%
Sun8.5h
Decent period
🌥️ March
5.8/10
T°77°F / 90°F
Rain %1%
Sun7.7h
Decent period
🌥️ April
5.5/10
T°77°F / 90°F
Rain %7%
Sun7.0h
Decent period
🌥️ May
5.5/10
T°77°F / 86°F
Rain %23%
Sun6.2h
Decent period
🌥️ June
5.3/10
T°77°F / 86°F
Rain %28%
Sun6.3h
Decent period
🌥️ July
5.5/10
T°77°F / 86°F
Rain %27%
Sun6.7h
Decent period
🌥️ August
5.4/10
T°77°F / 86°F
Rain %31%
Sun6.4h
Decent period
🌥️ September
5.1/10
T°77°F / 86°F
Rain %34%
Sun5.7h
Decent period
🌥️ October
5.1/10
T°77°F / 84°F
Rain %39%
Sun5.5h
Decent period
🌥️ November
5.5/10
T°77°F / 84°F
Rain %30%
Sun6.2h
Decent period
🌥️ December
5.9/10
T°77°F / 88°F
Rain %8%
Sun7.8h
Decent period
📊 Quick read
Optimal window
No month > 7
Good transition
—
Tough period
none
🌡️ Detailed conditions (January)
🌡️ Feel
Humid heat
☀️ UV
7.7 · Moderate-Strong
💧 Humidity feel
72°F · Oppressive
☔ Rain
0% · 0.5 mm/day
🌅 Sunshine
8.8h/day
Week by week

Cartagena week by week: your odds of avoiding rain

For each week of the year: in how many years out of 10 it was mostly dry (at most 2 rainy days), 2016 to 2025.

Safest week: Jan 1 to Jan 7, mostly dry in 10 years out of 10 (0.0 rainy day(s) on average).

Most exposed: Sep 3 to Sep 9, mostly dry in 3 years out of 10 (3.1 rainy days on average).

Number = years out of 10 with at most 2 rainy days in the week. Source: ERA5 reanalysis (ECMWF) via Open-Meteo, daily data 2016-2025. Rainy day = at least 1 mm, as everywhere on the site.
JanJan 110/1088°FJan 810/1088°FJan 1510/1089°FJan 2210/1089°FJan 2910/1089°F
FebFeb 510/1090°FFeb 1210/1089°FFeb 1910/1089°FFeb 2610/1090°F
MarMar 510/1090°FMar 1210/1090°FMar 1910/1090°FMar 2610/1090°F
AprApr 29/1090°FApr 910/1090°FApr 1610/1089°FApr 239/1088°FApr 308/1088°F
MayMay 76/1087°FMay 147/1087°FMay 219/1087°FMay 287/1086°F
JunJun 45/1086°FJun 116/1086°FJun 186/1086°FJun 258/1086°F
JulJul 26/1086°FJul 97/1087°FJul 166/1089°FJul 236/1087°FJul 306/1087°F
AugAug 66/1087°FAug 135/1086°FAug 204/1086°FAug 277/1086°F
SepSep 33/1086°FSep 104/1086°FSep 175/1086°FSep 247/1086°F
OctOct 15/1085°FOct 83/1085°FOct 154/1085°FOct 225/1084°FOct 294/1084°F
NovNov 56/1085°FNov 125/1084°FNov 197/1085°FNov 267/1085°F
DecDec 39/1087°FDec 1010/1088°FDec 1710/1088°FDec 249/1088°F

A specific date? The app computes the same figure day by day.

10-year trend

Annual temperatures — Cartagena

Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.

T° maxT° meanT° min72°75°79°82°86°90°201620172018201920202021202220232024202588°F — decade peak (2019)+0.69°F / decade
Tailor

For your trip

A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.

🌞 Dry season🏖️ Beaches🌊 Surf
Book

Plan your trip

Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.

🏨
Stay
Hotels & rentals · Cartagena
Expedia →
🎟️
Activities
Tours, tickets, experiences
See ↓
✈️
Flights
Multi-airline comparator
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🎟️ Activities & tours · Cartagena

GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation

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Affiliate link · GetYourGuide
Practical info

What you need to know before you go

Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a tropical stay.

Country · Colombia

🗣️LanguageSpanish
💶CurrencyPeso colombien ($)
🚗DrivingRight-hand
🛡️Safety ⓘSafe · 2/5
💰Cost of living ⓘCheap · 2/5

🌡️ Climate

🌍Climate typeTropical
📈Climate trend ⓘStable
🔥Hottest monthJanuary · 90°F
❄️Coolest monthOctober · 84°F
🌧️Rainiest month ⓘOctober · 39%

🏝️ Tropical stay

🌞Dry season ⓘMay → Sep
🌧️Wet season ⓘDec → Mar
🌀Cyclones ⓘSeason Nov-Apr
Explore

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Nearby destinations

Medellín · Colombia286 mi →Panama · Panama290 mi →Aruba · Aruba403 mi →Bogota · Colombia405 mi →

Guides & rankings

World ranking 2026See →
Best summer destinationsSee →
Winter sunSee →
Where to go in JulySee →
Location

Where is Cartagena ?

Global position + regional geographic context.

🌍 World
🔍 Geographic context
Tropical climate with a 5.9 → 5.1 gap between best and worst month. 10 years of ERA5 data to choose by project.
10.39°N · 75.51°W
Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to visit Cartagena?
January is the best month with 90°F highs, 75°F lows, 8.8h of sunshine and 0.0% rainy days.
How many hours of sunshine does Cartagena get in January?
Cartagena averages 8.8 sunshine hours per day in January. It is the sunniest month with a climate score of 5.9/10.
What is the rainiest month in Cartagena?
October is the most unfavourable month with October has the lowest climate score of the year and the lowest climate score of the year.
What are the temperatures at night in Cartagena in January?
In January, overnight lows reach 75°F, while afternoon highs average 90°F.
Is Cartagena good in winter?
In winter (December-February), Cartagena scores 5.9/10 on average — Acceptable conditions for cultural visits.. The best month overall remains January with a score of 5.9/10.
When should you avoid Cartagena?
October is the most difficult month to visit Cartagena, with October has the lowest climate score of the year. Climate conditions are at their lowest of the year during this period.