Join a small group of travelers - 14 days

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Bogotá

  

  A French-speaking assistant welcomes us at the airport and accompanies us by private transport to our hotel, located in the historic center, in a private vehicle. Welcome to Bogotá, the multicultural and dynamic capital of the Andes, at an altitude of 2,400 m.

• day 2

  Discovery of Bogotá

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Guided tour of Bogotá with our French-speaking guide-escort. You will first go to the gigantic Paloquemao market by private transport, the city's true greengrocer and the largest flower market in the country. You will taste local specialties such as galette or arepa, as well as exotic fruits. Lunch included: typical ajiaco bogotano, a chicken stew. In the afternoon, you will visit the historic district of La Candelaria and Bolivar Square, where the National Capitol, the Palace of Justice, the Bogotá City Hall, the "Primada" Cathedral, the "del Sagrario" Chapel, and the Archbishop's Palace are located. Discover the neoclassical façade of the Colón Theater and the splendid Santa Clara church. You will also go to the Gold Museum (closed on Mondays), a true encyclopedia of Colombian history. Visit the Botero Foundation (closed on Tuesdays), a donation from the great Colombian painter, which contains, in addition to Botero's works, 85 paintings by the greatest impressionist masters. Free time for money.

• day 3

  Heading to Salento, the coffee region.

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Head to the cable car and Cerro Monserrate to observe the panoramic view of the city, located at 3,150 m altitude. We discover the Santa María de la Cruz de Monserrate basilica, built in 1650. You will see Pereira. A private transport takes you to the village of Salento. Visit this charming village where you will discover the main square, full of life and surrounded by beautiful houses with "paisa" colonial architecture. Free time at your farm.

• day 4

  Cocora Valley and Filandia

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Head towards the entrance of the Cocora Valley, where you will start a moderately difficult 2-hour hike in an exceptional environment. You will move through a landscape of hills where wax palms, the Colombian national emblem, rise up and can reach up to 60 m in height. You will discover the landscapes of the Coffee Axis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunch included. We will taste the typical "Trout with patacon," a trout served with fried plantain. We then set off to discover Filandia: a typical village in the coffee region, full of history, colors, colonial architecture, traditions, local crafts, and flavors. Strolling quietly through its streets allows you to discover the first houses of its founders, which are characterized by the use of wattle and daub and rammed earth, the height of the roofs, their bright colors inspired by nature, their balconies, their bases, and their patios. You will discover the art of basketry, passed down from generation to generation, a former key player in the region's economy.

• day 5

  Coffee tour and garden

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. You will start the morning with a coffee tour on a traditional estate: discover the manufacturing process, from the harvesting of the beans to the tasting, and admire the expertise of the barista who will prepare the coffee using a method that brings out all the flavors. You then head towards the village of Jardín. Lunch included along the way. Upon arrival, we stroll, accompanied by our guide, through the colorful and lively streets of this village perched in the Andes. We take "La Garrucha," an authentic cable car that allows us to reach the village's viewpoint. Free money.

• day 6

  Direction Santa Fe de Antioquia

  

  Breakfast at your hotel. Head towards Santa Fe de Antioquia. Just 2 hours from Medellín, it is the historical capital of the region. This very well-kept colonial village, with its white houses and cobbled streets, is reminiscent of its little cousin, Villa de Leyva. Upon arrival, head south from the main square towards the Puente de Occidente, from Olaya to Santa Fe de Antioquia, which at the time was a mega project of Colombian engineering. The wooden construction, overlooking the tumultuous Cauca River, makes it the longest suspension bridge in Latin America. Free money.

• day 7

  Santa Fe de Antioquia and Medellín

  

  Breakfast at your hotel. This morning, we visit the village of Santa Fe de Antioquia, full of history, with our guide-escort. Founded by Marshal Jorge Robledo in 1541, the village has been classified as a National Monument since 1960. We then head towards Medellín (meal included en route) and enjoy a few hours of free time to discover the lively Poblado district. In the evening, we gather for a dinner-show to walk in the footsteps of Carlos Gardel, who made Medellín the most important tango community outside Argentina.

• day 8

  Discovery of Medellín, city of eternal spring.

  

  Breakfast at your hotel Medellín, located in the heart of the Andes in the Antioquia region, is the most innovative city in Latin America. While its recent past is linked to Pablo Escobar and violent tensions due to drug trafficking, Medellín has undergone drastic changes over the past 20 years. Thanks to an innovative urban development program, combining modern transportation models with the construction of public parks and activities for residents, Medellín has gone from being the most dangerous city in the world to an exemplary model of urban transformation. Traditional lunch included: taste the famous "Bandeja Paisa"! Today, accompanied by our French-speaking guide, you will explore Botero Square, in the city center, where the iconic statues of the famous Colombian artist and the Museum of Antioquia are located. You can visit the Metrocable (cable car) to admire a panoramic view of the city. Visit Commune 13 and its graffiti, with escalators that are emblematic of the city's transformation, true contributors to the quality of life of Medellín's former residents. Free money

• day 9

  Excursion to Guatapé

  

  Breakfast at your hotel Private transfer to the charming village of Guatapé and the Piedra del Peñol, about two hours away by road. The charm of the village of Guatapé lies in the colorful bas-reliefs on the walls of the houses, which illustrate the customs and legends of the region. Artisan workshops of the same name are present in the village. Lunch included. The Peñol Rock is a huge rock mass rising out of nowhere and 200 m high... From up there, the view is simply magnificent! Flight to Cartagena and private transfer to the hotel.

• day 10

  Discovery of Cartagena

  

  Guided morning dedicated to visiting Cartagena and its most emblematic neighborhoods. We stroll through the colonial streets of the city founded in 1533. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, and it's easy to see why. The buildings recall the splendor of the colonial era, with their superb carved wooden balconies. The wooden doors open to the south onto sumptuous patios. We visited Santo Domingo Square, Las Bovedas and its artisans, as well as the Popa convent, offering a unique panorama of the city, and the imposing San Felipe de Barajas fortress. Free afternoon. Lunch and dinner on your own.

• day 11

  Santa Marta and the Ciénaga Grande

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. The great Santa Marta marsh (Ciénaga Grande), the largest body of water in Colombia, can be visited by boat at the mouth of the rivers descending from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Here, more than 80 species of aquatic and terrestrial birds are present, among which are species endemic to this marsh, including the Kamichi chavaria, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca, or the Yellow-crowned Night Heron. You start the morning with about 40 minutes of driving towards the city of Ciénaga, where you board a boat to explore the interior of the marsh. You visit the lake villages of the marsh, made up of houses on stilts. You then return again to the city of Ciénaga to have lunch. Lunch included. After lunch, you head back towards Santa Marta to your hotel. Free time.

• day 12

  Tayrona Park

  

  We leave by private transport to the entrance of Tayrona National Park (about 45 minutes transfer). Then, 10 minutes of transport take us to the Cañaveral parking lot. We start our walk on the park's trails. After an hour of walking, we reach the beautiful Arrecifes beach. We continue our way for about three quarters of an hour along the beaches of Arenillas and La Piscina, to finally reach the famous Cabo de San Juan. We enjoy the beach and the magnificent scenery. Lunch included.

• day 13

  Tayrona or Minca

  

  Free time to enjoy the beautiful beach, the pool, and the hotel's facilities. Optional: excursion to Minca, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Accompanied by our guide, head to Minca to enjoy a 360-degree view of the splendid Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, as well as the Caribbean Sea. You are at an altitude of 1,400 meters, the climate is cool, perfect for escaping the heat of Santa Marta. You will then have a view of the Blue Well, a true natural pool formed by the descent from the mountains. If you visit the cocoa museum in Minca, the chocolate-making process will be explained to you and you will be able to taste the final product. Finally, you will go to the Marinkas waterfalls for a most refreshing swim. In the late afternoon, return to the hotel by private transfer. Full board.

• day 14

  Return to Bogotá and international connection

  

  Breakfast at the hotel. Last morning of rest by the Caribbean Sea. You will see Bogotá. Connection for your international flight (not included).