Planning tools
Rough out the trip before anyone quotes you anything. Everything here is a planning aid using typical 2026 ranges — your real numbers come from providers who've seen your case.
The compass quiz
Six questions. Points you to the right specialty guide and tells you which stages deserve your attention first.
The budget worksheet
Build the boring version of the budget — the one with the whole recovery stay and a real buffer. Pull typical procedure ranges from your specialty guide, then pressure-test the math here.
| Lodging subtotal | $0 |
| Subtotal | $0 |
| Planning total (with buffer) | $0 |
|---|
A planning figure, not a quote. If this total still beats your at-home price meaningfully, the math holds; compare against real written quotes from Stage 3.
The trip-length table
Typical minimum stays by procedure category — the realistic first draft for your itinerary. These are typical 2026 planning ranges; your surgeon's clearance is the only date that matters, which is why Stage 3 tells you to book flexible airfare.
| Procedure category | Typical stay | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dental (implants, full-mouth) | 5–10 days per trip | Implants typically need two trips, months apart, for osseointegration |
| Veneers / cosmetic dental | 5–8 days | Usually a single trip with multiple appointments |
| LASIK / vision correction | 4–7 days | Next-day and ~1-week checks before clearance |
| Hair transplant | 4–7 days | Procedure + first wash and graft check |
| Cosmetic surgery (facial) | 10–14 days | Sutures out and swelling assessed before flying |
| Body contouring (lipo, BBL, tummy tuck) | 10–21 days | Longer stays for bigger combos; surgeon sets the no-fly date |
| IVF cycle (monitoring on site) | 7–21 days | Depends heavily on protocol; some stages can be split across trips |
| Stem cell / regenerative | 3–7 days | Varies by treatment; review evidence levels before committing |
Book lodging for the top of your range and airfare you can change. Recovering ahead of schedule gives you a pleasant final day; recovering behind schedule with an unchangeable ticket gives you a very bad one.
Not sure what your next step is?
Tell us where you are in the process. We'll point you to the right resources and answer honestly — including when the honest answer is that Colombia isn't the right fit.