Discover Colombia

After breakfast, enjoy a half-day visit to the historic centre of Bogota known as La Candelaria. This archaic suburb has great significance in the country´s history due to its cultural heritage and is also a great example of Spanish colonial time architecture. Visit the main square Plaza de Bolivar, where a statue of the great emancipator Simon Bolivar is located. The plaza, originally called the Plaza Mayor, was used for civil and military purposes such as a marketplace, a bullring and it was also the place where many executions were held. The Cathedral, on the eastern side of the plaza, is constructed on the same spot where the first church was built in Bogotá in 1539 and houses an important collection of religious artifacts such as textiles and artworks, collection that has been built over four centuries. The Capilla del Sagrario is located just beside the Cathedral and is a gem of religious architecture, it houses valuable pieces of colonial religious art by Gregorio Vasquez de Arce y Ceballos.

The Capitol, built between 1847 and 1926, shows its renaissance and neoclassical influences with its carved stonework and tall columns and, it was the first example of republican civil architecture. The central area of the Capitol, known as the Elliptic Hall, is where congress meets and is the actualchamber for politicians and the Senate. In the internal squares are busts of former presidents such as General Tomás Cipriano Mosquera, president over four terms, and Rafael Núñez, the composer of the Colombian National Anthem. Around the Plaza de Bolivar are buildings such as the Palacio de Justicia, the Mayor of Bogotá’s offices called the Edificio Liévano, the oldest school in the county called San Bartolome and the Casa de los Comuneros, named after the leaders that participated towards the end of the XVII Century in some of the first movements towards independence from Spain and the formation of the Republic. The visit continues with the Botero Museum, a colonial house exhibiting some of Fernando Botero´s works of art and in addition pieces from his own personal collection that includes works by Picasso, Renoir, Dalí Matisse, Monet and Giacometti. Next is the Gold Museum which has a permanent exhibition of some 32,000 pieces of gold, 20,000 stones, ceramics and textiles all precious to the Quimbaya, Calima, Tayrona, Sinu, Muisca, Tolima, Tumaco and Magdalena cultures. The Gold Museum is considered one of the most important museums of its type internationally and it has been operating since 1939. In 2007 it underwent a complete renovation making it possible for visitors to enjoy an interactive experience. The Museum belongs to the International Network of Museums (ICOM). Free afternoon for individual activities. Overnight stay.

NOTE: The Gold Museum is closed on Mondays & the Botero Museum is closed on Tuesday.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Departure north toward Zipaquirá, traveling through the central savannah region, home to Colombia’s most renowned flower growers. After about one hour and fifteen minutes, arrival at the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, a magnificent feat of engineering. The name Zipaquirá refers to the Zipa, chief of the Muisca community and sovereign of the rich salt mines. 

The visit begins through a tunnel that showcases the fourteen Stations of the Cross, leading to a dome where a large cross is sculpted in bas-relief. At the end of the tour, there are three naves at the main altar, joined by an opening representing the birth and death of Christ. The central nave is the main altar, where a 16-meter-high cross and The Creation of Man, a marble sculpture by Carlos Rodríguez, are located.

In the afternoon, continue the two-hour journey to Villa de Leyva. Upon arrival, hotel check-in and a half-day walking tour of the town. Villa de Leyva is one of the most beautiful colonial towns in the area. It was founded in 1572 by Andrés Díaz Venero de Leyva, under orders from the Kingdom of Granada. During colonial times, it played an important role, as the viceroy and his entourage often stayed there. Today, the town is a colonial gem with a 14,000 m² Plaza Mayor surrounded by Spanish-style houses, narrow alleys, cobblestone streets, and a 17th-century parish church. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast, visit the Santo Ecce Homo Monastery, founded by the Dominicans in 1620 and considered the most exceptional Spanish heritage site in the area. Its streets are paved with local fossil-filled stones, and the chapel features a golden altarpiece with a small image of Ecce Homo.

Continue to the Archaeological Park and Museum of Monquirá, known as El Infiernito, a pre-Hispanic Muisca site with about 30 stone columns or megaliths. It is believed that the site, over 2,200 years old, was used for fertility rites due to the phallic shape of the stones; others believe it was an astronomical observatory. Then visit El Fósil Museum, founded in 1977 and located 5.5 km from Villa de Leyva, built on the exact spot where a 20-meter-long marine reptile known as a Kronosaurus, over 120 million years old, was discovered. Transfer to El Dorado Airport in Bogotá to take the flight to Pereira. Upon arrival in Pereira, transfer to the hotel and check-in. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast, leave for the Valle de Cocora which is located in the central mountains of the department of Quindío. This makes part of the Parque Nacional de los Nevados and is the ideal place to marvel at the “Quindian wax palm” (Ceroxylon quincense), the national tree of Colombia. This tree can reach a staggering height of 60m. Around here a great number of species of birds live, in particular some types of hummingbird and the orejíamarillo or the palm parrot (Ognorhynchus icteroti) which is endangered.

Upon arrival in the valley, either hiking or on horseback (not included), head into the cloud forest to enjoy the biodiversity of flora and fauna. On the return journey, cross the River Quindío while walking along an ecological pathway which takes one past the tallest wax palms in the world. Learn why the indigenous people here worshipped this tree. Then you can have a typical lunch and enjoy some free time here.

In the afternoon, continue 10km towards the traditional town of Salento to enjoy a city tour that visits the Plaza de Bolívar with its colorful balconies, the calle real, the handicrafts shops and the Cocora viewpoint.

Then, transfer to the traditional village of Filandia to enjoy a city tour that includes the viewpoint, the colonial homes, the Plaza de Bolivar and the coffee shops. Here, enjoy some time soaking up the regional atmosphere and perhaps some local spirits before returning to the hotel. Overnight stay.
NOTE: We suggest bringing rain jacket and walking boots.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer to El Dorado Airport in Bogotá for departure flight to Pereira. Upon arrival, transfer to Finca del Café, a place where coffee tastes better when you live the experience of the farm. Once you reach the farm, the tour begins with an expert who will take you through the coffee plantations, showing you how is the process from planting, manual picking and pulping. After this, you will toast the beans of special coffee in a wood stove in the typical kitchen of the country house, here you can have an authentic coffee experience. During the tour, you will have several stations with viewpoints made in bamboo where you will appreciate the coffee landscape and the natural environment of the place. Finally, you will go to the innovative drying process of the coffee bean and then to the coffee processing center. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Free remainder of the afternoon for individual activities. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Breakfast. Transfer to Pereira airport for departure flight to Santa Marta. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel in area near Tayrona National Park and check-in. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Dinner

Leave from Cañaveral, walking through the forest and its different micro climates begin. Birds are in abundance and on some occasions might be possible to see squirrels and monkeys playing in the trees.

After roughly 45 minutes walking, arrive at Arrecifes, one of the park’s most scenic and beautiful areas, which will astounds you with its beauty and drama with restless seas crashing on huge boulders. Continue by walking along the coast to La Piscina, a naturally calm stretch of beach ideal for bathing. Then, head on to El Cabo de San Juan de Guía which leaves an indelible mark on your memory due to its enormous boulders. Enjoy a free time in the beach to rest or take a bath. Return to Cañaveral in the afternoon. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast lunch and Dinner

Free day to relax, for beach activities or to organize excursions. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Dinner

After breakfast, 5-hour transfer to Cartagena. Arrival in Cartagena and check-in. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Start with a panoramic view of the city from the Monasterio and Iglesia de La Popa. Formerly known as the “Popa del Galeon” and famous for resembling the stern of a galleon. Constructed in 1606 this church and monastery are located at a height of 140masl from where one can enjoy 360º views of the city and the sea as well as the port zone, one of the most important in the Caribbean. Continuing to the San Felipe Fortress, erected in honor of the poet from Cartagena, Don Luis Carlos López, made famous for his sonnet “A mi ciudad nativa” It was built on San Lázaro hill to defend the city from pirate attacks. Walk around the fortress and learn how the castle was constructed, the engineering feats, the tunnels, underground galleries and passageways. Then continue on to the Ciudad Vieja (old city) to visit the Convent and Church of San Pedro Claver which was built in the middle of the XVII century and owes its name to the “apóstol de los esclavos”. Lastly, continue to the handicrafts zone of the Bovedas, a collection of archways built into the city wall of Cartagena and that were used until the end of the 1700s to house armaments and then later as a prison in the XIX century. Nowadays it’s an artisan center where one can appreciate local handcraft. Overnight stay.
NOTE: The San Pedro Church is temporarily closed on Mondays.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Free day for individual activities. A full day tour to the Archipiélago del Rosario is recommended. Overnight stay.

Meal Plan: Breakfast

Morning transfer to Cartagena airport after breakfast.

Meal Plan: Breakfast