BEST OF COLOMBIA
Colombia tailor-made travel
Colombia bustles, is open and alive, this tailor-made travel takes you to all corners of the country.
You start in the colourful Bogota, which you can explore on foot or by bicycle. You’ll go back in time in colonial Villa de Leyva and will see splendid impressive desert landscapes in Tatacoa. Admire pre-Columbian antiquity in San Agustín and shake those hips in the Salsa capital of the world, Cali! Walk among the largest wax palms in the world and visit a coffee plantation where you can taste the most delicious coffee. Take the cable car and marvel at the street art in the slums in Medellín. End your trip on the Caribbean coast, where you’ll visit the beautiful Tayrona National Park, with white beaches and where you’ll be embraced by the colourful tropical Cartagena.
Day 1 - Bogota
Welcome to Colombia!
Upon arrival at the Bogota airport, you’ll be picked up and brought to your hotel in the centre of the city.
Day 2 - Bogota
In the morning, you’ll explore the capital of Colombia under the supervision of a guide. You’ll walk through La Candelaria, the colourful historical centre of the city. Here, you can marvel at the very best street art! You’ll visit the plaza de Bolivar, the gold museum and the paintings of the famous Colombian artist Botera. From the Cerro Monserrate, which you climb using the cable car, you’ll have a fantastic view across the city.
You can spend the rest of the day freely, a great occasion to explore the city by bike or to enjoy the variety of fruit juices, colourful squares and restaurants.
Day 3 - Villa de Leyva
After breakfast, you’ll head to Villa de Leyva. On the way, you’ll stop at Zipaquira, the former centre of salt production of the Muisca natives. Here, you’ll visit one of South America’s wonders: the spectacular underground salt cathedral of Zipaquira. The light effects provide an extra dimension and make it an experience to never forget. It’s one of the largest religious buildings in the world.
Afterwards, you’ll drive to the colonial village of Villa de Leyva, where time stands still. You can explore this picturesque place on your own. The white houses, squares, Moorish balconies and large stone buildings are enchanting. It used to be a retreat for the elite. You can indulge in the trendy chocolate and jewellery stores and great restaurants.
Day 4 - Villa de Leyva
Today, you’ll be able to explore the environment of Villa de Leyva by bicycle or by car with driver. In the nearby environment, you’ll find old ruins, fossils, vineyards and religious centres. You can visit the ‘El Fósil’ museum, where a 110-115 million year old dinosaur was found with a length of 12 metres. The ‘El Infiernito’ archaeological park is also extraordinary. This old city was an astronomic centre for the Muisca community, the largest in Colombia, who lived between 1000 and 1550 B.C. The environment is also a great place to hike and ride horses. In the late afternoon, you’ll drive back to Bogota.
Day 5 - Tatacao desert
Today, you’ll travel to Villavieja, this can be done by plane or by bus/private chauffeur. Over land, the trip takes around 6 hours. Villavieja is the base for a visit to the Tatacao Desert. There’s a chance of seeing a splendid starry sky.
Day 6 - Tatacao desert
In the early morning, you’ll go to the Tatacoa Desert with a local guide. Here, you’ll take a beautiful hike of 3 hours past several impressive sand formations, formed by erosion. The landscape is characterised by cactuses, you won’t meet a lot of fauna because of the heat. There’s also the option to swim in a pool in the middle of the desert, an extraordinary and pleasant experience! After the hike, you’ll return to your hotel and then travel to San Agustín, a green hilly area located between the foothills of the Andes. You’re dropped off at your lodge.
Day 7 - San Agustin
Today, you can spend the day freely in San Agustín. Be inspired by pre-Colombian culture which can be found there and visit, for example, archaeological sites in the region. The extraordinary stone statues with figures and animals functioned as tombs in the past. You can also visit one of the best coffee plantations from Colombia in this region. The environment is also great to explore by horse.
Day 8 - Popayan
Today, you’ll drive to Popayan. Popayan, also called the white city, has been an important city on the road between Cartagena and Quito since colonial times. Many poets, writers and presidents have lived there. Popayan is great to explore by foot. Walk through the white streets and across the historical bridges.
Day 9 - Coffee region & Salento
Today, you’ll leave for the famous coffee region. A beautiful road through the valley leads you to the colourful village of Salento. You’ll visit a coffee plantation and learn everything about the world of coffee! You can experience the entire process from the coffee plant to the cup of coffee. A coffee expert talks about the secrets of planting, harvesting and drying the coffee. You can also pick coffee beans yourself on the plantation. Allow yourself to be seduced by the smell and taste of one of the best Colombian coffees in the world.
Day 10 - Valle de Cocora
On today’s programme is a hike among the tallest wax palms in the world. The trees can reach a height of 70 metres. This experience can definitely be considered enchanting and extraordinary. During the hike through the Valle de Cocora, the guide talks about the origin of the unique palm trees. You can also drink the unusual Colombian delicacy of chocolate milk with cheese.
Day 11 - Medellin
You leave for Medellín early in the morning. Your journey winds through beautiful valleys to the city once known as the city of drug lord Pablo Escobar. You’ll stay in a lively district with a broad choice of bars and restaurants. Due to the eternal spring, Medellín is considered a pleasant city to live in and a lot of expats have settled here.
Day 12 - Guatape & Penol
Today, you’ll make a trip from Medellín to the charming village of Guatape, with colourful houses with decorations. The paintings on the houses show the traditions from the region. Flowers, animals and symbols from the Spanish colonial area characterise the houses, a sight to behold.
You’ll also visit La Piedra del Peñol, which provides you a breathtaking view across the lake area of the region.
Day 13 - Tayrona
Today, you’ll fly from Medellín to Santa Marta. This city was founded as the first Spanish settlement in South America. From the airport, you’re driven to the Tayrona Park. Here, you’ll stay in one of the most beautiful hotels at the edge of the park or in lodges in the park where you can spend the night. When you stay outside the park, you’re dropped off at the hotel. When you stay in the park, you’ll hike to your accommodation for around an hour on foot. A splendid hike through the jungle to the beach. Here you’ll find the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
Day 14 - Tayrona
You have a free day to enjoy the Tayrona National Park. You can take beautiful hikes past the Caribbean beaches and enjoy this paradise of nature. There are snorkel options in the bay near the La Piscina beach. You can also walk to the most famous beach of the park, Cabo San Juan, a stunning bay with 2 beaches and extraordinary rock formation. There are plenty more beautiful beaches in the park, depending on where you’ll stay, we can provide tips.
Day 15 - Cartagena
By mini-van, you’ll travel from Tayrona to Cartagena, also known as the “Pearl of the Caribbean” and it won’t surprise you. Cartagena is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, because of its amazing colonial architecture created by the Spaniards. The city is truly a sight to behold. Cartagena has stunning islands before the coast, good restaurants, beautiful stores, charming hotels and a bustling night life.
Day 16 - Cartagena
You can freely spend the day.
You can explore the city on your own or with a guide or visit the local market. Cartagena has stunning islands before the coast, good restaurants, beautiful stores, charming hotels and a bustling night life. Saunter through the charming, romantic streets, admire the impressive colonial buildings, the warm temperature gives the city a subtropical edge.
Day 17 - Rosario Eiland
You end your trip with a visit to the Rosaria Island off the coast of Cartagena. The island has beautiful white beaches, turquoise clear water, perfect snorkel opportunities and dolphins off the coast. And delicious fresh fish from the barbeque. You’ll spend the night here.
Day 18 - Return flight
End of an unforgettable tailor-made travel through Colombia.
Transfer to the airport. You fly back home with impressions for a lifetime!
Inbegrepen:
* Alle overnachtingen met ontbijt
* Overige maaltijden indien vermeld
* Vervoer zoals vermeld in het programma
* Excursies zoals vermeld in het programma, tenzij bij niet inbegrepen vermeld
Niet inbegrepen:
* Intercontinentale en binnenlandse vluchten
* Overige maaltijden
* Entreegeld nationale parken
* Optionele en niet vermelde diensten en excursies
