Capital to Cartagena

After touching down at the El Dorado International Airport, you will and transferred your hotel. After check-in you can freshen up and relax before starting the real fun tomorrow.

Today starts with an early wake-up call followed by a visit to the Paloquemao Market, one of the largest and most important markets in the country. You will be able to peruse stalls selling everything from fruit and vegetables to cheese and seafood as well as some medicinal herbs. You’ll have the chance to top off this cultural experience by tasting one or two authentic Colombian snacks. From the market you will walk to the historical colonial quarter of La Candelaria, an excellent spot to snap a few photos and do some quality people watching in Plaza Bolivar.

Continuing the tour, you will be taken to the top of the forested mountains in the East to Cerro de Monserrate, home to a stunning white Catholic Church. The Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), which holds one of the largest displays of pre-Colombian gold in the world and the Museo de Botero conclude the tour.

Bogota - Zipaquira - Villa de Leyva. Today you will be driven through the residential part of Bogota and out towards the fertile plateau to Zipaquira. Here, you will get a chance to witness the magnificent architecture of the Stations of the Cross and the Three Naves, sculptures that have been hewn from the salt mine tunnels under the Halite Mountains. The next stop is in Sutatausa, the site of a beautiful colonial church that contains a collection of stunning paintings.

After a stop at a traditional Andean restaurant, where you can purchase a bite to eat, you will be taken to Raquira, a small town that has gained fame for its pottery and colourful buildings. You will get the chance to visit a clay pot factory and learn about the traditional production processes of this handicraft. A tour through the Monasterio La Candelaria, a nearby convent, winds up the day before you are whisked off to Villa de Leyva, where you will spend the evening.

Villa de Leyva - Medellin. From Villa de Leyva you will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the airport in Bogota in time for a short flight across the country to Medellin. On arrival, you will be met at the airport by one of our representatives and taken to your hotel.

The following day you will be picked up from your hotel and taken on a Social Transformation Tour, an eight hour journey that will take you through Medellin’s progress as a city, from its drug trafficking days in the 80s and 90s through to its modern successes. The tour starts by visiting the Monaco Building, la Virgen de los Sicarios and Pablo Escobar’s Tomb in the Central Cemetery. These three sites form an introduction to Pablo Escobar and the social problems created by his cartel. Various parks and museums crop up throughout the rest of the day, along with a cable car journey before you head to one Medellin’s trendiest zones for some bar-hopping and merry-making.

Medellin - Zona Cafetera. It’s time to learn all about one of Colombia’s most popular crops – coffee. Follow the path that the Antioquian colonisers took as they transported coffee from Medellin across to the Andean West region of Colombia. You will be driven through the south of the Aburra Valley, where breathtaking scenery will become the norm and the coffee plantation reigns supreme. A tour through Jardin breaks up the day as a guide details the history of the town and shows you its main spots.

Get ready for an action packed day as we set off for the traditional village of Filandia, where you will get a chance to tour the colonial streets and check out Quindio’s Viewpoint for stunning vistas of the Coffee Triangle. Next, you get a dose of natural beauty in the Cocora Valley, home of the wax palm, Colombia’s national tree. After drinking your welcoming cup of canelazo you will be guided through the misty forest and taught about the different plants. Finish up by planting your own wax palm as part of the region’s conservation efforts. The day ends with you perusing the restaurants and boutiques of Salento.

Zona Cafetera - Cartagena. Start the day with a hearty breakfast before being taken to Haciendia Combia for a Coffee Tour, where you will learn all about the essential elements of coffee production and engage in some hands-on activities. After lunch it’s time to check out the beautiful butterflies at Quindio’s Botanical & Butterfly Garden. This magical reserve is filled with hundreds of different plants and butterflies so be sure to pack some extra batteries for your camera. Next, you will be transferred to the airport in time for a flight to Cartagena.

Today, you will get to explore Cartagena, one of Colombia’s most popular, vibrant and charming cities. Experience the people, food and sights of the city, along with your English speaking guide, starting at the Convento de la Popa, the city’s highest point. From there you will visit a hilltop castle (Castillo de San Felipe) and stroll through the vaults of Las Bovedas before embarking on a tasting tour of some of Cartagena’s most delicious gastronomic delights.

Today marks the end of your Colombian adventure. After breakfast and check-out you'll be transferred to Cartagena airport for your flight home.