Secret Colombia: 21 day adventure tour


Trip description

During this tour you will travel off the beaten track to meet the locals. You will visit the wild lands of llanos Orientales, you will meet the inhabitants of Sierra Nevada as well as the Wayuus who live in the desert of Guajira.

Agency PLATINIUM

Discover the agency :
Colombia Autentica


17 days

From : €1,890*



guillaume miquel

Day 1: Arrival in Bogota

Day 2: Visit to Bogota

Day 3: Departure for the Meta wilderness area

Day 4: The Meta and the Eastern llanos

Day 5: The Meta and the Eastern llanos

Day 6: The Meta and the Eastern llanos

Day 7: Departure to Guajira

Day 8: Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

Day 9: Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

Day 10: Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

Day 11: Tayrona Park

Day 12: Visit to a traditional cocoa farm and kayak down the Rio Don Diego

Day 13: 4-day trekking in the Sierra Nevada

Day 14: Departure for Cartagena

Day 15: 2 days of relaxation on the Rosario Islands

Day 16: Return to Cartagena de Indias

Day 17: Back

Day 1 : Arrival in Bogota

©DC_Colombia - iStockphoto


Bogotá is perched at an altitude of 2,600 m in the heart of the Andes. With its 9,000,000 inhabitants, it is the political, economic and cultural capital of the country. It is a cosmopolitan city with a vibrant cultural life. It is also one of the most important places for gastronomy. The Candelaria district is a haven of peace, an island in the centre of the capital with its narrow streets where it is pleasant to stroll and its colonial buildings with a nonchalant look.

On arrival at the airport you will be met by a Colombia Autentica driver.

Private transfer to your hotel in the historical centre of Bogotá (Transport: 40 min)

Accommodation: Hotel Casa de la Vega

 




Day 2 : Visit to Bogota

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Discover the capital in complete freedom. A day of walking through the historical centre of Bogotá. A very lively and cultural district where many artists live. Visit the fabulous Gold Museum, the Botero Foundation and Simon Bolivar Square. Ascent of Mount Serrate by cable car where you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the city of Bogotá.

Accommodation: Hotel Casa de la Vega




Day 3 : Departure for the Meta wilderness area

©JULES DOMINE - EXPEDITION COLOMBIA


Private transfer from Bogotá to Mesetas (5h)

You will arrive in the afternoon at the small village of Meseta. Long a martyr of the civil war, this small village suffered greatly from the conflict with the Farcs. With the peace agreements, it has been repopulated and is open to solidarity tourism to let you discover the richness of the landscapes and traditions of the eastern llanos. On your arrival you will be welcomed by Efrain, your local guide. You will leave by jeep to visit "la union de los 2 rios". At the exit of the village, two rivers unite, one bringing the cold waters of the Cordillera and the other carrying the warm waters of the plains of the llanos. After a refreshing swim, you will go and play Tejo in a local club. This typical Colombian game is the meeting point of the "llaneros" after a hard day of work in the fields. You will have dinner in the village square in a small local restaurant.

Accommodation in a Finca el Botalon del Abuelo




Day 4 : The Meta and the Eastern llanos

©JULES DOMINE - EXPEDITION COLOMBIA


You will leave by jeep to the small village of Jardin de la Peña where you will have breakfast in a local restaurant. There you will meet Miller, your host for the rest of your stay.  You will ride through the wild landscape of the llanos to don Miller's small farm (2 hours riding). You will have lunch with Miller and his family and then in the afternoon your host will take you on an ecological ride through the surrounding area. You will finish this afternoon walk with a refreshing swim in a waterfall.

Accommodation and meals at Don Miller's Farm




Day 5 : The Meta and the Eastern llanos

©Nicolas Lhullier


At dawn you will accompany Miller to feed the farm animals (chickens, ducks, lambs, and fish). Then after your breakfast you will go for a 3 hours horse ride where you will discover beautiful waterfalls, exceptional fauna and flora and the secret cave of the Farcs.   Lunch with the family. Then in the afternoon you will get acquainted with the llaneros culture. You will learn how to use the lasso, you will go to gather, on horseback, the herd and will participate in the vaccination of a calf. You'll learn how to spin fish and cross the lake on horseback in an equestrian immersion workshop!

Accommodation and meals at Don Miller's Farm




Day 6 : The Meta and the Eastern llanos

©Nicolas LHULLIER


You will go for a 2.5 hour horseback ride where you will discover a hidden cave in the heart of the tropical grove and the beautiful landscape of the llanos. After a good lunch at the farm, you will ride back to the small garden village of La Peña, where your local guide Efrain will be waiting to drive you back to the mesetas by Jeep.

Accommodation in a Finca el Botalon del Abuelo




Day 7 : Departure to Guajira

©Nicolas LHULLIER


Private transfer from the Meta to Bogota International Airport (5h)

Flight Bogotá - Riohahcha

Accommodation: Hotel Emerawaa




Day 8 : Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

©Nicolas LHULLIER


Departure from Ríohacha by 4*4 with your private guide. In the morning you will visit the salt mines of Manaure, the market place and the central square of Uribia (the Indian capital of Guajira). You will then go to Punta Gallina, the northernmost point of South America. You will have lunch in a small inn run by a Wayuu family in the middle of the desert. At the end of the afternoon you can relax on a deserted beach. At sunset you will cross an arm of the sea bordered by mangroves in a fisherman's boat (1 hour boat ride) to Emilio's family where you will spend the night. Overnight and dinner with Emilio's Wayuu family.




Day 9 : Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

©CAPOA VOYAGES COLOMBIE


Departure in 4*4 with your private guide to the big sand dune (highest dune in Latin America) you will spend the morning on a deserted beach considered as one of the most beautiful beaches in Colombia. At the end of the morning you will visit the lighthouse of Punta Gallina and a "Mirrador" where you will have a spectacular view of the desert and the Caribbean Sea. Lunch with Emilio's family and nap in the hammocks! Afternoon and sunset on the beach of Punta Guja. Night and dinner with Emilio's Wayuu Indian family.




Day 10 : Guajira Desert hosted by a Wayuu Indian family

©Traveler1116 - iStockphoto


Breakfast and boat trip through the mangrove by the inlet (1 hour boat ride). Return to Riohacha by 4*4 through the desert, lunch in a small hostel and arrival in Ríohacha in the afternoon.

Private transfer to your hotel on the edge of Tayrona Park

Accommodation : Hotel Quetzal dorado




Day 11 : Tayrona Park

©Jess Kraft - Shutterstock.com


Private transfer organised by your hotel to the main entrance of Tayrona Park.

Tayrona Park is a magical place, full of history and legends, with an incredible biodiversity. Located 34km from the city of Santa Marta, it is one of the most important natural parks in Colombia. Inhabited by the Tayrona Indians, an ethnic group native to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it is the link between the mountain range and the Caribbean Sea. Its wildly beautiful white sand beaches invite you to relax. The numerous footpaths that cross the park allow the discovery of an incredibly rich fauna and flora. 

Lunch at leisure in one of the park's restaurants.
Free day to visit Tayrona Park
Return to the hotel by bus or public taxi.
Dinner at leisure.

Accommodation : Hotel Quetzal Dorado




Day 12 : Visit to a traditional cocoa farm and kayak down the Rio Don Diego

©Nicolas LHULLIER


In the morning you will visit a traditional cocoa farm nestled in the heart of La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. After a beautiful hike through the steep paths of La sierra Nevada you will visit a family cocoa farm. You will discover the secrets of cocoa cultivation and you will meet some beautiful people, Nevada de Santa Marta.

In the afternoon you will kayak down the calm waters of the Rio don Diego to observe the many species of birds that live on its banks. At the end of this descent you will discover a sublime beach, preserved, with a wild beauty.




Day 13 : 4-day trekking in the Sierra Nevada

©Nicolas LHULLIER


Exclusive trekking of Colombia Autentica: meeting the inhabitants of the Sierra Nevada. On a trek through the beautiful landscapes of the Sierra Nevada in a private group, you will meet the Kogi Indians of the Sierra Nevada and you will stay with rural families of the region. You will hike away from the tourist trails alone in harmony with nature.

Accommodation: with local people (rural farm)




Day 14 : Departure for Cartagena

©Jess Kraft - Shutterstock.com


Private transfer to Cartagena

Cartagena de Indias is a fantastic city that bewitches the traveller and tells him the secrets of colonial history and piracy. The many churches that stand within the old city remind us of the grandeur of its past history. At nightfall Cartagena takes on a romantic atmosphere and it is pleasant to stroll through its streets carried by the sea breeze.

Free visit of the city    

Accommodation : Hotel Casa Pizarro




Day 15 : 2 days of relaxation on the Rosario Islands

©Nicolas LHULLIER


You will spend two days relaxing on a small paradise island in the Caribbean Sea within the natural park of the Rosario Islands. You will stay in a small charming hotel with 5 bungalows facing the sea. A magical place to relax and recharge your batteries.

Accommodation: Eco hotel Isabela.




Day 16 : Return to Cartagena de Indias

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Afternoon free to visit the majestic historic city of Cartagena de India.

Accommodation: Casa Pizaro Boutique Hotel




Day 17 : Back

©Adrien Scat


Private transfer to Cartagena airport

Flight Cartagena - Bogota and connection with your international flight

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