Holidays with Downtown

Day 1: Bogota

Upon arrival at Bogota airport you’ll be welcomed by you guide who will provide a private transfer to your selected hotel in downtown Bogota for check-in and overnight.

Day 2: Bogota (Sumapaz)

Early morning we’ll leave for Sumapaz for your introduction you to the biggest Páramo in the world: Sumapaz, the heaven's door. If you want to knock at its door, we will take you there. This adventure is about the importance of water, wild animals, endemic plants and mountains. We've got all the ingredients in our highlight spot in the city; the only part that is missing is you! So, what is exactly a Paramo? People describe it as a moorland, wetland or high plateau. Certainly, it ́s all of it. Besides, it’s a unique kind of ecosystem only found in Colombia, Perú, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. We invite you to hike 4 short miles through its endemic vegetation at 11,811 feet above sea level. You will get to know the best of rural Bogotá and to try a typical lunch and some local fruits. In the afternoon

We take a walking tour of Candelaria to give you an idea about Colombia's capital context. We’ll cover different topics, interact with locals, visit the most important spots in the city and get the max of the artistic and historical value of all the streets and alleys as we walkthrough them. Candelaria district is the oldest and most important neighborhood in Bogotá and a great place to try “chichi”, a traditional fermented drink that is part of Colombia’s indigenous heritage. Also, we will try some local snacks (arepas) made with corn, ending up playing the gunpowder game, better known as Tejo, a funny drinking game played in the Pre-Hispanic times. Return to the hotel for overnight.  [B/L/S]

Day 3: Bogota, Armenia, Salento

At the appointed time you’ll be picked-up and driven to Bogota’s airport to board your flight to Armenia. On arrival, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel in Salento for overnight. [B]

Day 4: Salento

Salento is the oldest municipality in the department of Quindío, therefore its traditional architecture and craft workshops make it an unforgettable place. There you can see colonial houses painted in bright colors, balconies full of flowers and even better, you will enjoy the warmth of its people that will make your visit a great experience. We will also enjoy a hike in the Cocora Valley, where the national tree of Colombia, the Wax Palm, is located. Surely the palms will attract your attention, since their height is up to 230 feet, being one of the tallest palms in the world. Let yourself be amazed by all the beauty of the landscape in the walk through the trails of the valley. The hike in the valley lasts around 2 hours. Then, enjoy a delicious lunch followed by traditional games such as the "Tejo" or the "Rana". Return to Salento for a brief introduction to the coffee experience with a general immersion into the coffee activity, production process, traditions around the coffee culture as well as the importance of coffee in the economy of the region. Continue to the hotel for overnight. [B/L]

Day 5: Salento, Pereira, Santa Marta

At the appointed time you’ll be driven to Pereira’s airport to board your connecting flight to Santa Marta via Bogota. Upon arrival at your destination, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel for overnight. [B]

Day 6: Santa Marta

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, the highest coastal mountain range on earth, dip their toes right into the sea, in which bays and coves of singular beauty are to be found. The white sandy beaches in this park are bordered on one side by tropical dry forests and on the other side by the crystal clear and blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, making the Tayrona Park one of the most beautiful in the country. Here you can find a variety of trails that pass the rainforest and the tropical dry forest, and have some amazing archaeological sites on their way. We leave Santa Marta to take the scenic coastal road and reach the eastern entrance of the park after approximately 1 hour. From the Cañaveral sector we begin a walk through the tropical dry forest until arriving at the sector of Arrecifes (about 1 hour). Here we have a short break and time to refresh. Then, continue to Arenilla Beach, the Piscina Beach and Cabo San Juan (about 1 hour), where we have time to enjoy the beach. At about 4 p.m. we start our walk back to Cañaveral where our car awaits us (approx. 2 hours), and we return to Santa Marta for overnight at your hotel. [B]

Day 7: Santa Marta

Minca is a small town located 12.5 miles from Santa Marta and 2,000 feet above Sierra Nevada’s foothills. Its ever-changing temperature and the flowing of the Minca river endow it with an exuberant vegetation and make it home to numerous exotic birds, many of them indigenous. From Santa Marta we leave in a 4x4 car to first visit the coffee farm La Victoria, located 1 hour away from Santa Marta at almost 3,000 feet above sea level. The coffee farm La Victoria makes the most of their coffee in Colombia. The German Micky Weber, owner of the farm, managed to make use of machines dating from the year 1892, turning the place into a real living museum. Their ideas led the farm to self-sufficiency - from electricity to crop fertilizer, everything is produced on the farm. In our 2-hour tour we learn all about the ingenious process of coffee “La Victoria 1892”, from the production to the cup of coffee. We also have the opportunity to visit a very special draft beer brewery. The Nevada Beer is produced in the old chapel of the Victoria Farm and uses only water from its own springs. The beer’s taste is, undoubtedly, as exquisite and exotic as its history. With some luck, we also meet Jonas, founder and master brewer from Bavaria, Germany. After a good coffee and/or beer, we continue in our 4x4 and stop to visit Don Camaritas, famous for preparing the best sausages and smoked fish of the region in their traditional oven. We continue towards the beautiful Marinka Valley and visit the Waterfall of Arimaka, where we will have time for a refreshing swim surrounded only by nature. On our return to Minca, we have a short tour through this small town of art and nature lovers, and then return to Santa Marta. [B]

Day 8: Santa Marta, USA

Depending on your flight you may have a little time to relax before your transfer to the airport to board your connecting flight home. [B]

 [B] = Breakfast | [B/L] = Breakfast and Lunch | [B/S] = Breakfast and Snack