Experience Colombia

Day 1 : Bogota

Arrive in Bogota. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight Four Seasons Casa Medina (or similar), breakfast included.

Day 2 : Bogota

Bogota City Tour – Full Day
This guided visit to the Colombian capital starts at the Plaza de Bolívar (the city’s main square) and government buildings situated around it and continues to the old colonial part of the city better known as “La Candelaria”, the San Francisco Church, the Gold Museum (closed on Mondays) and the Emerald Museum.

Thereafter you reach higher ground by taking a funicular railway or cable car to the top of the Monserrate Hill offering a spectacular view of the city. The tour finishes in the north of Bogota in Usaquen a small colonial village, now surrounded by the city. Duration: 8 hours approximately.

Day 3 : Bogota

Free day on own or on optional guided excursions. Sunday in Bogota – Every Sunday since the 1970’s, Bogota shuts off its streets to traffic creating a Ciclovia or bike and pedestrian path.

Day 4 : Bogota – Armenia (Coffee Zone)

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Armenia, in Colombia’s Coffee Zone.

Armenia Airport reception and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight Hacienda Bambusa (or similar), daily breakfast included.

The Hacienda Bambusa is located in the southern part of the coffee region, in a place privileged by environment and climate. As you arrive at the hacienda, you feel immersed in a labyrinth of plantain, manioc, orange and pineapple plantations, among others. Surrounded by bamboo guadua forests, rivers and creeks, the hacienda raises cattle and cultivates cocoa, ginger, plantains, bananas, and tangerines, among others.

Among the stunning landscape, the diversity of flora and fauna make it a small paradise with exotic flowers such as heliconia, more than 100 species of birds, and a good number of mammals such as monkeys, foxes, armadillos, and pacas among others.

Day 5 : Coffee Zone

Birdwatching and Hiking
This morning you will explore the region in the company of a birding specialist, an expert who will guide you through lush forests and teach you the tricks to spot the most beautiful birds endemic to this region. An early departure from your hotel will be recommended so that you can spot the widest variety of birds.

This afternoon you will take a short hike around the cacao and bamboo plantations around the Hacienda. Learn about cacao plantations and how this product is as important as coffee is in Colombia. Finish the afternoon with a tasting of various local tropical fruits. Duration – 3 hours.

Day 6 : Coffee Zone – Cocora Valley And Salento Tour

With breathtaking landscapes this is one of the most beautiful valleys in Colombia. Here one will find the impressive “Palma de Cera”, the Colombian national tree and one of the tallest varieties of palm in the world. Your tour of the Cocora Valley can be on foot or horseback (at additional cost). On the way back to Armenia the tour ends with a visit to Salento a picturesque village with an important the coffee culture.

Day 7 : Coffee Production Process

You will visit a special coffee growing farm. This exciting visit includes a technical and practical introduction about the whole coffee cultivation and production process, from the harvest to the cup. You will be transformed into real coffee connoisseurs , having a great authentic experience.

Day 8 : Coffee Zone

Day at leisure
Treat yourself to an day of recovering from the jungle at Sazagua’s spa. Enjoy a eucalyptus aromatherapy in the sauna, a Moroccan exfoliation in the hammam, a hydrating cocoa or coffee wrap, and a relaxing massage.

Day 9 : Pereira – Cartagena

Transfer to the Pereira Airport for your flight to Cartagena (via Bogota).

Cartagena Airport reception and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight Casa San Agustin (or similar), daily breakfast included.

The Casa San Agustin is located in the historic center of Cartegena de Indias. The hotel’s 30 guest rooms and spacious suites include Deluxe Room, Junior Suite, Premium Room (with private patio with plunge pool or Jacuzzi), Prestige Suite (with large balcony), Suite del Virrey (two-bedroom, two terraces, outdoor Jacuzzi).

Afternoon at leisure in Cartagena.

If preferred a private guide will be available to wander with you along the streets of Cartagena’s historic district (El Centro) and show you the best and most interesting shops, galleries, cafes and restaurants.

Day 10 : Cartagena – Half-day city tour

Fascinating tour of Cartagena de Indias. You will visit the most representative monuments of the city including the Convent of La Popa (highest point in the city). You will go to the Castillo de San Felipe, an immense fort filled with history and mysteries hidden in its stone-walled tunnels.

Then, visit the monument to Zapatos Viejos, the “Old Shoes”. A defensive wall surrounds the old city, which overlooks the sea and its well-preserved colonial architecture makes Cartagena deserving of the title UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you will find churches, museums, plazas, restaurants, shops and jewelry stores. Duration: 4 hours approximately.

Day 11 : Full-day Rosario Islands

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the pier – “Muelle de los Pegasos”. Depart by speedboat crossing Cartagena Bay, passing through Bocachica and skirting the north coast of the island of Barú towards “El Rosario Islands”. First stop at Cholón beaches where you can enjoy the crystal clear waters.

Continue to Pirate Island. On arrival, a welcome coffee break and time to swim or relax on the small island. After a typical lunch, the trip continues to San Martín Island with a visit of the aquarium and a chance to see performing dolphins and sharks.

After that, you begin the return trip to Pirate Island where there will be more time to relax, swim or snorkel. In the afternoon you return to Cartagena where you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Group trip. Lunch is included. Aquarium entrance fee not included.
Duration: 9 hours approximately.

Day 12 : Cartagena

Free day on your own or on optional guided excursions.

Day 13 : Cartagena – Leticia

Transfer to the Cartagena Airport for your flight to Leticia (via Bogota).

Upon arrival at the Leticia Airport, you will be met and transferred to your Leticia hotel. After lunch at the hotel you will walk to the local market in Leticia, enjoying the delicious and unique local fruits. At dusk you will walk to Santander Park, where thousands of parrots gather for the night in a great concert. Welcome dinner at the neighboring Brazilian town of Tabatinga. Overnight at your Leticia hotel.

Day 14 : Amazonas

This morning you will transfer by boat to Calanoa Jungle Lodge.

Guest cabins have a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor and a sleeping loft. Cabins can accommodate up to 6 people. The cabins are fully covered with mosquito screen, and each bed has its own mosquito net for extra protection. A boardwalk path connects the cabins with the dining/social pavilion, and has an observation platform ideal for spotting birds and monkeys.

The social pavilion has a central screen tent with a big dining table and river view. Around the outside are hammocks and seats for guests. A wooden deck connects the kitchen pavilion, a generous space open for the guests to visit and participate of the preparation of food.

Calanoa’s cuisine is a fusion of local Amazonian traditions with Brazilian, Colombian and Peruvian cuisine, put together by the owners’ creativity. Organic and fresh local produce, fire wood cooking and our famous freshly baked bread contribute to a delightful experience.

Activities and excursions include hiking the reserve and the Amacayacu National Park with indigenous guides, river trips and canoeing, exploration of diverse kind of forests and visits to indigenous communities, bird watching, canoeing, arts and crafts workshops, fishing, Spanish language immersion. Meals and guided excursions are included.

Other excursions:

Visit to Maikuchiga, a monkey rescue center run by Dr. Sara Bennett.

Exploration of the Reserve with indigenous guides – cross the Matamata creek at the edge of the Amacayacu National Park, observing the extraordinary diversity of plants and animals. Return at dusk to the lodge by boat, drifting down the creek and listening to the sounds of the forest.

Visit to the village of Mocagua. If the water level allows, visit to Mocagua island lagoon for nocturnal caimans spotting

Visit the crafts village of Macedonia.

River dolphin watching near Cacao Island on the Peruvian side.

Boat trip to the Tikuna Community of San Martin de Amacayacu. Meeting with local artisans.

Canopy tour at Valencia, by the banks of the Amazon, (optional, at additional charge).

Hiking along the Matamata creek to the Amacayacu River, through the forest of the National Park to San Martin de Amacayacu, were you will have lunch and return to Calanoa by boat (4-hour hike).

Day 15 : Amazonas

A full day of guided excursions.

Day 16 : Leticia – Bogota

This morning you will transfer by boat back to Leticia. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Bogota.

Bogota Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight Movich 26 (or similar), breakfast included.

Hotel Movich Buró 26 is a luxurious hotel with a sophisticated design and a true Colombian character. It is located only three minutes from Bogota’s national flight terminal (Puente Aéreo) and five minutes from El Dorado International Airport.

Day 17 : Int’l Departure

Transfer to the airport. Int’l departure.