Overview
South America’s fourth largest country is a cultural mix of Indian, Spanish and African influences and this itinerary introduces you to some of the highlights that Colombia has to offer. This journey begins with an exploration of the renowned museums of Bogota, before visiting the picturesque town of Villa de Leyva, ascending into the Andean coffee growing region, and ending in the absorbing colonial streets of Cartagena. Here you will have time to wander this UNESCO World Heritage Site and learn of its swashbuckling past as a pirate’s playground.
Itinerary
Day 1- Fly to Bogota via Madrid.
Morning flight from London Heathrow with Iberia Airlines flying via Madrid (2 hours 20 minutes) to Bogota (10 hours 15 minutes). On arrival in the afternoon, you will be met and transferred to the Cite hotel, where you stay in a standard room for two nights.
Meals: In Flight
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 2- Explore Bogota's historic centre including the Gold Museum.
This morning you will have a half day excursion to explore Bogota. La Candelaria is the city’s historic area with many typically Spanish colonial buildings and you will visit some of these including the cathedral, which holds a collection of important liturgical, textile and ornamental objects spanning four centuries. Nearby is the Capilla del Sagrario, the religious architectural jewel of the city. Also visit two highly contrasting museums; the Botero Museum that houses works donated by the artist Fernando Botero and others by Picasso, Renoir, Dali, Matisse and Monet; and also the world famous Gold Museum. This ‘Museo del Oro’ houses nearly 34,000 gold objects and 20,000 in stone, ceramic, textiles and precious stones from many cultures and is regarded as the most important collection of its kind worldwide. Finally travel by funicular railway to the sanctuary of Monserrate (3,210 metres above sea-level), from where there are magnificent views over Bogota. This afternoon is at leisure.
Meals: B
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 3- Visit the Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira before continuing to Villa de Leyva.
Depart Bogota towards the north this morning, and the Underground Salt Cathedral at Zipaquira. The Salt Cathedral is an underground church located 200 metres inside a salt mountain. The visit begins in a tunnel that passes the fourteen Stations of the Cross and continues on to a dome. Later, reach an enormous cross carved into the rock and finally the three naves of the Cathedral which represent the birth, life and death of Christ. Next visit the mine where there is an auditorium that can seat two hundred people, and hosts film screenings and other events such as fashion shows. The trip ends at a mirror of water where it is possible to experience the amazing visual effects of water on carved saline rock. This afternoon you continue to Villa de Leyva (77km, approximately 2 hours), where you stay overnight at the Hotel La Posada de San Antonio in a standard room. Villa de Leyva is one of Colombia’s most beautiful colonial towns and was founded in 1572. Today it enjoys the status of National Monument thus preserving its historical status. The town has one of the largest plazas in the Americas, and is dotted with Spanish style houses, small alleys, cobblestoned streets and 16th century parish church. Visit Museo El Fósil, founded in 1977 and located 5.5 km away from Villa de Leyva. The museum was built exactly where a kronosaurus was founded, a marine reptile more than 120 million years old and 20m long.
Meals: B
Hotel: The Hotel La Posada de San Antonio
Day 4-
Return to Bogota, stopping en route to visit the Convento del Santo Ecce Homo. Founded by the Dominicans in 1620, this was an important point of evangelization in a region populated by indigenous communities. From Bogota you fly to Pereira (1 hour), where you will be met and transferred to the Hacienda San Jose for a three night stay in a standard room.
Meals: B
Hotel: Hacienda San Jose
Day 5- Visit the Parque Nacional de los Nevados and Finlandia with its colonial homes and coffee shops.
After breakfast, leave for the Valle de Cocora which is located in the central mountains of the department of Quindio. This makes up part of the Parque Nacional de los Nevados and around here a great number of species of birds live, in particular some types of hummingbird and the ‘palm parrot’ (Ognorhynchus icteroti) which is endangered. Upon arrival in the valley, head into the cloud forest on foot or by horseback to enjoy the biodiversity of flora and fauna. On the return journey, cross the River Quindio whilst walking along an ecological pathway which takes you past the tallest wax palms in the world. Stop at a trout farm and then enjoy a traditional meal of smoked trout. In the afternoon, continue 10km towards the traditional town of Salento to enjoy a city tour that visits the Plaza de Bolívar with its colourful balconies, the handicraft 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. You will have some time to soak up the regional atmosphere before returning to the hotel.
Meals: B,L
Hotel: Hacienda San Jose
Day 6- Tour of the coffee plantations. Afternoon at leisure.
This morning you will have a half day tour visiting the coffee plantations in the steep hills typical of this area. On a secondary pathway, view the green carpet of coffee plants that spread out as far as the horizon, interrupted only by fincas and heliconia flowers. Break in the Alto de La Paz, a beautiful viewpoint close to the municipality of Chinchina and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the coffee region that has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The visit continues to one of the coffee haciendas to see the plantations and the production system in detail, including the harvest, the drying in the sun and treatment in this land of volcanic terrain along the Central Andes Mountain range. The visit to the property begins in the house with an introductory chat about coffee, its preparation, toasting, the characteristics of quality and the properties that allows for such a variety of coffees in the world. The route continues through the grounds, passing its coffee plantations and the work of the coffee pickers. This afternoon is spent at leisure.
Meals: B
Hotel: Hacienda San Jose
Day 7- Fly to Cartagena.
Transfer to the airport for the flight via Bogota (50 minutes) to Cartagena (1 hour 25 minutes). On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Sofitel Santa Clara hotel, where you will stay for three nights in a standard room.
Meals: B
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 8- Sightseeing in the colonial town of Cartagena.
Cartagena de Indias on the north Colombian coast is without doubt the country’s most captivating city and perhaps the most beautiful city in the whole of the Americas. This UNESCO World Heritage site has the most extensive series of fortifications in South America and is liberally littered with a wealth of colonial gems. Your sightseeing in Cartagena this morning concentrates on the delightful historic centre as well as the church of La Popa, famous for resembling the stern of a galleon, and the fort of San Felipe, built on San Lazaro Hill to defend the city from pirate attacks. The afternoon is at leisure for individual exploration where the old town is an absolute delight to wander around the cobbled streets and plazas.
Meals: B
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 9- At leisure with the opportunity to visit Islas Rosario.
Today is at leisure – we recommend a full day tour to Islas Rosario, the archipelago renowned for its beauty and coral
Meals: B
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 10- Return flight to Madrid via Bogota.
Transfer to the airport today for your flight back to Bogota (1 hour 25 minutes), from where you connect onto the overnight Iberia flight to Madrid (9 hours 55 minutes). Alternatively, you may like to extend your trip with a few days at the Ecohabs in Tayrona National Park
Meals: In Flight
Hotel: No Hotel
Day 11- Connect in Madrid with the flight to London.
Arrive at Madrid and continue to London Heathrow (2 hours 20 minutes).
Meals: In Flight
Hotel: No Hotel
