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Sunset over Cartagena, Colombia

Best of Colombia

Bogota to Cartagena - Example 8 Day Tour
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On this 8-day tour, enjoy some of the favorite destinations in Colombia. Meet your guide and visit the most iconic and historical landmarks in the downtown area of Bogota. Next, fly to Manizales to learn about the coffee world and explore the Hacienda Venecia coffee farm. Experience every stage of the coffee production process and enjoy an authentic glimpse of life on a coffee farm. Get ready for a day trip to Los Nevados National Park to see the magical ecosystem in the mountains of the Central Andes. Relax in natural thermal baths and enjoy close-up sightings of some of Colombia’s unique birds. Lastly, visit Palenque de San Basilio, a historic community of African Maroon descendants. Greeted in the Palenquera language, you'll explore landmarks like the Benkos Bioho monument and Kombilesa Mi house.
Architecture of CartagenaSunset over CartagenaSan Pedro Claver Plaza, CartagenaThe colorful streets of CartagenaSunset over Cartagena, Colombia
Highlights
  • Enjoy a guided tour through the vibrant city of Bogotá
  • Learn about Colombia's coffee culture and visit local coffee farm
  • Relax in natural thermal baths and spot Colombia's unique birds
  • Take a day trip to Los Nevados National Park and relax in natural baths
  • Visit the San Basilio de Palenque, known for first free town for Africans
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Bogota

Upon arrival at El Dorado Airport, a private vehicle will transfer you to your hotel in Bogota.

Day 2: Bogota

Experience the vibrant city of Bogota, teeming with color, contrast, and history. In this five-hour walking tour, your knowledgeable Bogotano host will guide you through the city's most iconic sites.

Gain a profound appreciation of Bogota's culture while exploring local cuisine and traditions. The tour kicks off in the historic center, starting at Monserrate, a mountaintop church offering breathtaking views of Bogotá's vast and diverse landscape. Next, head to La Candelaria, where your host will reveal both the official and unofficial histories of Colombia.

Savor typical snacks and coca tea as you wander through one of the oldest and most traditional handicraft markets in downtown Bogotá.

Day 3: Hacienda Venecia Coffee Farm

A private transfer will take you to El Dorado airport to catch your flight to Pereira. Upon arrival at Matecaña Airport, a private vehicle will take you to Hacienda Venecia Farm.

Day 4: Hacienda Venecia Farm

Embark on an engaging experience through the world of coffee at Hacienda Venecia. Explore a functioning coffee farm and witness every stage of coffee production against a breathtaking backdrop. This tour offers an authentic glimpse into the daily life on a coffee farm.

Begin the group tour in the Coffee Lounge, situated in the heart of the plantation. This building, showcasing traditional regional architecture, combines industrial and natural materials like bamboo. During the tour, you will delve into various essential topics about coffee, a product synonymous with this region and Colombia, recognized globally. Key themes include the origin and history of coffee, its worldwide distribution, species, cultivation and harvesting (with a walk through the coffee plantation), processing (visit the wet mill, operational on weekdays only), marketing (featuring the Juan Valdez brand), roasting process, aromas and properties of coffee, Cafe de Colombia and its institutions, and the Coffee Cultural Landscape (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

This interactive experience allows you to explore, touch, taste, and appreciate the coffee-making process. Feel free to ask questions and be amazed by the knowledge of the guides and workers.

Day 5: Los Nevados National Park

Hopefully, you didn’t overdo it on coffee yesterday because today begins with an early start for a thrilling day trip into the high mountains of the Central Andes. Discover the enchanting ecosystems of the paramo, unwind in natural thermal baths, and spot some of Colombia’s most fascinating birds.

The two-and-a-half-hour drive through the National Park takes you through some of Colombia’s most pristine paramo. A biodiverse high-altitude moorland is unique to northern South America and past large glacial lakes like Laguna Negra. Enjoy numerous stops to breathe in the clean mountain air and admire the breathtaking views of the snowcapped Ruiz Volcano.

After seeking out the Buffy Helmetcrest hummingbird, one of Colombia’s rare endemic species, continue to Termales del Ruiz Hotel for lunch. In the afternoon, take advantage of the hotel’s amenities, including natural hot springs and famous hummingbird feeders. Keep an eye out for the sword-billed hummingbird, the only bird with a beak longer than its body!

Day 6: Fly to Cartagena

After breakfast, a private transfer will take you to Matecaña airport to catch your flight to Cartagena. Upon arrival in Cartagena Airport, a private car and driver will greet you at the airport and transport you to your hotel in the city.
 

Day 7: San Basilio De Palenque

Arrive to a warm welcome in the Palenquera language. Your day will start with a historical tour through the most emblematic points of what is considered to be the most important aspects of humankind's intangible oral legacy.

Located 60 km from Cartagena, the Palenque de San Basilio is a community of descendants of African Maroons from the 17th century. The mythical leader, Domingo Bioho, was a leader whose fierceness was reflected in the reports that the governors of the Province of Cartagena sent to the Crown.

Learn about the memorial to Benko's Biohos, the creator and leader of Palenque, and the residence of Kombilesa Mi, a musical ensemble dedicated to preserving and promoting Palenquera music and its unique instruments. Learn about ancestral and communal justice, which has been the way to solve local problems within the Palenquera community. Traditional leaders oversee the process.

Your experience includes a traditional fish lunch, offering a taste of local flavors and preparations, before returning to Cartagena. If time and energy allow, your guide will join you in exploring the grounds of San Felipe Castle.

Day 8: Return Home

  • 1 Breakfast
After breakfast, you will be transported from your hotel to Rafael Nuñez Airport in time for your departure flight.

Accommodations

Bantu Boutique Hotel

Hotel Entrance
Hotel Reception Area
Hotel Colonial Architecture

Hacienda Venecia Coffee Lodge

Hacienda Venecia Coffee Lodge
Hacienda Venecia Coffee Lodge
Outdoor Swimming Pool

Lucitania Hotel

Terrace Area
Relaxation Area
Terrace Area

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$2,419 2-3 travelers

Notes

Select a Date
Included
  • 7 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners
  • 7 Nights Accommodations
  • 4 Days Locally Hosted Guide Service
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Domestic Flights
  • Carbon Offset Fee 
  • Professional local English speaking guides throughout your tour
  • All entrance fees as per program
  • Food Tastings During City Tour
  • Lunch in Termales del Ruiz Hotel
  • Local Fish Lunch in Palenque de San Basilio
  • Community Contribution in Palenque de San Basilio
  • Entrances to San Felipe Castle
  • Return private transport to San Basilio de Palenque
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • International Flights

Map

When to Go

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Good to ideal period to travel, and many people choose to visit at this time.

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We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
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