Colombia

Day 1 – Bienvenido a Colombia!!

Bogotá is Colombia’s beating heart. It is an engaging and vibrant capital cradled by chilly Andean peaks and amazing people and sceneries.

You will be picked up with a welcome sign at El Dorado Airport by a private transportation service that follows all protocols. You will be taken safely and securely to your hotel. We ensure that your 30-60 minute drive will be comfortable and relaxing. 

On the way to your hotel, your English-speaking guide will give you all the recommendations you may like to get the most out of your stay. Feel free to let the guide know your preferences.

We are going to the Colonial Downtown of the city. Here you get to see a potpourri of preciously preserved colonial buildings house museums, restaurants, hotels, and bars peppered amid 300-year-old homes, churches, and convents.

We can also visit the Colón Theater, San Carlos Palace, San Ignacio Church, Nariño Presidential Palace, Bolívar Square, City Hall, and the Cathedral. For a more unforgettable trip to the Colonial downtown, we will bring you to The Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), home to the most extensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold works in the world.

These city treasures are the main attractions you can’t miss in Bogotá. After that, you get to enjoy a fantastic view of the whole city on a cable car ride to Monserrate Hill. Ready your cameras for the magical bird’s eye view scenery of the cityscape.

Day 2 – Flight to the Coffee Region – Coffee Farm – (B, L)

Enjoy your delicious breakfast at your hotel and based on the time of your departure flight, you will be taken to El Dorado Airport by a private transportation service and your English-speaking guide. You will be picked up with a welcome sign at the Airport by private transportation service and taken to your hotel.

Today will get the chance to taste the best coffee in the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia. Here, you will learn about the production process from the seed to the cup. 

An authentic coffee grower will welcome you and tour you through the coffee plantations. It will lead you to understand the best-kept secrets of coffee growers to be told by a family that has been producing the grain for three generations already and sharing the soul of coffee in a true, inspiring story. 

We will travel along the roads built by the coffee growers. 

In this activity, your senses will be stimulated and you will learn to perceive those flavors that differentiate and highlight the quality of Colombian coffee. The sensations are achieved through the work of master roasters, tasters, and baristas!

       

Day 3 – Filandia, Cocora Valley & Salento – (B, L)

Salento is an Andean town in Colombia located west of Bogota. It is popular for its coffee estates and verdant scenery. On the east side of Salento is Cocora Valley where lofty wax palm trees are home to rare parrots and other birds. 

In 1985, Ceroxylon Quindiuense, a distinct species of a palm tree, was declared the country’s national tree.

We will begin the tour by visiting the Cocora Valley. 

First, you’ll have a welcome cocktail called “Canelazo.” With the assistance of a specialist eco guide, we’ll be ready to start the introduction to the natural reserve of Cocora. 

You will then be transferred to the fog’s forest to witness the biodiversity of fauna and flora. There you’ll find the highest wax palm in the world and the tour won’t be complete without connecting with the earth. We will do a special ritual planting of some palms to pay our respect and appreciation to the wonderful gifts of Mother Nature. 

After the planting, we’ll go to the typical village of Salento, a heritage town characterized by its stunning and colorful traditional architecture. We will stop for lunch and continue visiting Filandia, a little town where you can walk through and adore its colonial streets and beautiful crafts. 

You will also have the opportunity to visit the “La Colina Iluminada” lookout point. It offers a panoramic view of the mountains of the coffee region and you have to get your cameras ready. 

Finally, we will visit a traditional basketry workshop where you will learn the art of making baskets using vegetable fibers.

Day 4 – The Coffee Region to Medellin – Discover Medellin – (B, L)

Welcome to Medellín! You will be picked up with a welcome sign at Medellín Airport (José María Córdova Airport or Olaya Herrera Airport) by private transportation service and taken to your hotel.

The drive will be approximately 15-40 minutes. On the way, your English-speaking guide can give you all the recommendations you may need to get the most out of your stay.

Medellín is commonly known as the city of eternal spring because of its pleasant warm weather all year round. Mountains surround the town, and it is spotless with lush trees and beautiful flowers.

Comuna 13 means transformation in Medellin. Back in time, it used to be a place with difficult access for its habitants and also had serious security problems due to drug trafficking, but right now it’s an art district, full of culture and of course, delicious local food.

Through its streets, you can learn more about the history of violence in Colombia and its transformation while you try tasty food. 

Don’t miss this tour and get to know how through art and food ventures the community is building up a society full of peace and hope. During the tour, we’ll ride the metro and metro cable.

Get to explore and learn more about the rich history of Medellín. Stroll through the hustle and bustle of the City of Eternal Spring to the famous Botero Plaza located in Parque el Berrio with an exhibition of Colombian artist Fernando Botero.

In its downtown and historic center, you will also get to see 23 outdoor bronze sculptures which are now a landmark in the city. It would be best to take photos beside the sculptures to add to your travel memories.

After that, you will take the Metro Cable up to Santo Domingo. The cable car was constructed to make the inner city more accessible to people from the outskirts of town and allow the visitors to take a glimpse of the lives of the marginalized population.

While enjoying the spectacular view from the cable car, your guide will help you learn more about Medellín which houses the warmest and friendliest people in the world.

     

Day 5 – Guatape’ & El Penol – (B, L)

Guatapé offers a peaceful break from the city while also featuring a stunning panoramic view of nature and the surrounding scenery from the top of its hill.

Upon arrival, we will start off with the Rock of Guatapé in Antioquia. This is among the main attractions of Medellín. This gigantic granitic monolith is pretty much visible wherever you are in the city. This massive stone has been formed millions of years ago. The ancient Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of the region, used to worship the Guatapé Rock.

Climbing the rock will take 740 steps and is approximately 220 meters high, but will be very rewarding. As you reach the top, you can get a panoramic view of the beautiful Peñol Reservoir. The magical and breathtaking views of the region will surely render you speechless.

The fingers of the lake sprawling amid the vast expanse of the green mountains, this 360-degree magical view is a must-see in Colombia.

After that awe-inspiring experience, you will be transported to Guatapé proper. It is famous for its church and colorful village. Whether you love photography or not, you surely won’t get enough of this place. It is renowned as one of the most colorful towns in the whole world.

Truth be told, it will be pretty hard to find a street in Guatapé that is not worthy of being admired and photographed. Ready your lens and take as many pictures and videos as you like.

Guatapé is known for the fresco-like adornment of its traditional houses with brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals, and shapes. Walk through the streets, where your specialized guide will inform you about the history of typical houses, ¨zocalos¨, and this unique culture.

Enjoy a delicious typical Colombian lunch at the waterfront of the Guatapé reservoir. You will also explore the lake on a boat ride and take time to stroll and relax.

                 

Day 6 – Discover Cartagena (B)

Today is your last day in the City of Eternal Spring.

Enjoy your delicious breakfast at your hotel and based on the time of your departure flight, you will be taken to José María Córdova Airport by a private transportation service and your English-speaking guide.

We hope you enjoyed the Antioquian mountains.

You will be picked up with a welcome sign at Rafael Núñez Airport by a private transportation service and be transported safely to your hotel.

The city is designed like a fortress because it used to be the principal shipping port of gold from the New World back to Spain.

The stone ramparts helped protect it from countless pirate attacks, including Sir Francis Drake’s most famous of all.

Talking about this rich history, on this day, you get to visit numerous plazas, the church, the monastery of San Pedro Claver, and the Basilica Minor cathedral.

This is another great chance to stroll along the narrow, cobbled streets lined with colonial houses.

Then, you will visit the Castle where the Spaniards sought to protect the city from the attacks of the English in the seventeenth century known as “El Castillo De San Felipe de Barajas.”

Visit the Getsemani neighborhood, one of the most traditional and popular sectors of the city. You will enjoy a guided scenic walk and get to visit different streets. You will surely appreciate the graffiti that adorn some streets in the area.

Day 7 – The Rosario Islands – Enjoy the Beaches and Coral Reefs of the Rosario Islands – (B, L)

Indulge yourself in the warm, crystal waters of the Caribbean. You will be picked up from your hotel and transported by boat to the Rosario Islands.

The Rosario Islands are an integral part of one of Colombia’s most important national parks. The only park in the country that is primarily underwater. As such, the islands and surrounding waters are well preserved and protected which means you can enjoy their wonders as nature intended.

You will enjoy your day at one of the Rosario Islands at your own pace. You will enjoy lunch on the island.

A luscious lunch with fresh fish prepared by locals will then be served. It is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss when visiting Cartagena.

The boat to and from the island are in shared service with other passengers who will be visiting the island too.

Day 8 – Adios Colombia! (B)

Today is your last day in Cartagena. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and based on the time of your departure flight, you will be taken from the city of Cartagena to the Rafael Núñez International Airport by a private transportation service.

Have a safe flight back home!