Discovering Colombia, from Bogota to Cartagena

Transfer from the airport to your selected hotel in Bogotá. At your arrival, look for a sign with your name on it. Dinner at the hotel. You will spend the night at Hotel de la Opera (Standard Colonial Room).

Transport from your hotel to the Monserrate cable car station. Note: *At the base of the Monserrate hill you will find the station where you can get your ticket for the cable car or funicular to ascend to the top of the hill. Today you will explore the Colombian capital of Bogotá during a walking tour with an English-speaking guide. The area of modern Bogotá was first populated by indigenous groups who migrated from Mesoamerica. Among these groups were the Muiscas who settled in what are now the neighbourhoods of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. With the arrival of the Spanish, the area became a major settlement, founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. The city later became the capital of the Spanish provinces and the seat of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. When independence came, Bogotá became the capital of Gran Colombia and later the capital of the Republic of Colombia. Located at 2,600 meters above sea level, Bogotá is a city of over 8 million inhabitants. Bogotá has 2 different sectors for tourism. The first is the old Candelaria Historic District scattered with traditional colonial houses and cobblestoned streets. The second sector and by contrast, the north of the city boasts modernity and innovation. Tourists will find government buildings, as well as a variety of trendy shops, restaurants and bars. Bogotá's historic city centre "La Candelaria" with its impressive churches, the State Palace and the "Plaza Bolívar" will be explored with the company of your guide explaining each building’s history in detail. Furthermore, you can visit the world famous gold museum "Museo del Oro", the Emerald Museum and the museum of the famous Colombian artist Botero. Bogotá is an inspiring city that offers something new every day. In 2010, the capital of Colombia was chosen as a "Must See" destination by the prestigious New York Times newspaper.

Have you ever heard about the best-kept secret of Bogotá "El Dorado"?. This is the jewel of the crown. Let me introduce 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, mountains and about where the oldest guerrilla FARC was born ideologically. 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 is an unique kind of ecosystem only found in Colombia, Perú, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. We invite you to hike 6 kilometers through its endemic vegetation at 3.600mts high above the sea level. You will get to know the best of rural Bogotá, you will have the opportunity to try a typical lunch in addition to some fruits. This is a responsible and conscious tour where you will support local families living in rural Bogotá, who are guardians and protectors for many decades of this fragile ecosystem. Ecotourism has become an interesting option to generate income and new dynamics, instead of agricultural activities that affect the ecosystem. *Notes: it is recommended to start the tour at 7.30 am. It is suggested to wear trekking clothes and shoes for cold and windy weather. It is also recommended to use sunscreen due to the altitude of the area. Transport for the next experience is included. Musical trip around Colombia at Pedro Crump's house Today you will meet Pedro Crump, an independent Colombian musician, composer, producer and pianist. You will be taken to his home in the north of the city. Born in Bogotá, he studied fine arts and music in Boston, at the Curry College of Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory of Music.

Transfer from your selected hotel in Bogota to the airport. You will have a domestic flight from Bogotá to La Macarena. The maximum weight allowed in the plane is 10 kilos per person. LA MANIGUA LODGE - FIRST DAY: CAÑO CRISTALITOS & MONKEYS WATCHING Departing from Bogotá, a 60-minute flight will take you to the village of La Macarena in the eastern lowlands of Colombia. Upon landing, you will be received by the team and taken to the offices of Cormacarena and Colombian National Parks to attend an *introductory briefing on the Sierra de La Macarena Natural Park. The local staff will pick up your luggage and head to La Manigua office in the center of the village to check in, fill your bottles with potable water and get ready for the hike. The adventure begins with a traditional canoe trip down the majestic Guayabero River for 20 minutes, in which you will witness the flora and fauna of the region until you reach a small farm where you will begin your hike. Once on the ground, you will perform a small 25-minute ascent to the area known as "El Mirador", a spot on the mountain with a unique view where the local guide will explain a bit about the environment and the history of the area. Then you will take a 45-minute walk to Caño Cristalitos. Along the way, you can decide where you want to have your lunch with the local guide. Feel free to enjoy the trail, as this is a special ecosystem which belongs to the Guyanese shield, one of the most ancient geological forming in Colombia and South America. When you arrive at Caño Cristalitos you will have a refreshing swim and witness for the first time the "Macarenia Clavigera", the famous plant that provides Caño Cristales with its colors. The walk back to the Guayabero River will take 45 minutes. There you will take a canoe for a 15-minute trip to La Manigua Lodge.

Breakfast will be served early in the morning in La Manigua. The departure time for today's excursion will be around 7 am to 9 am, according to the departure schedule assigned by Cormacarena and National Parks in the introductory talk yesterday. You will depart by canoe on the Guayabero River for 15 minutes until you reach the mainland and take a 4WD which will take you on a 40-minute ride into the Sierra de La Macarena National Natural Park. You will get to the National Park's reception center where you will prepare to warm up and start a 30-minute hike to the long awaited Caño Cristales. Once in the Caño Cristales area, you will hike some trails, have time for lunch and bathe in the natural wells. The time spent in the natural area is approximately 7 hours. It is highly recommended that you bring a good camera to capture the marvelous colors of the rivers and waterfalls during the tour. At the end of the tour, the return will be by the same route you did in the morning until you return to La Manigua Lodge. At the end of the afternoon there will be a cultural activity offered by La Manigua, and then you can have dinner.

You will have your breakfast in La Manigua early in the morning. The departure time for today's excursion will be between 7 am and 9 am, depending on the departure schedule assigned by Cormacarena and National Parks. On this last day, you will leave La Manigua by canoe with your luggage to go to the Caño Cristales area and not returning to the lodge. The staff will take care of your luggage until you reach La Macarena before you leave your destination. Once you take the canoe, you will have a 15 minute trip down the Guayabero River to the mainland where the Sierra de La Macarena National Natural Park begins. There you will take a 4WD, and you will have a trip of approximately 40 minutes until you reach the National Park reception point. At this point you will begin a short 30-minute walk to Caño Cristales. On this last day of this wonderful experience you will walk through part of the lower watershed of Caño Cristales, you will witness how the river enters the jungle more thickly and the color of the plants has different tones than those seen the previous day. Enjoy this moment to the fullest, the pure air and natural magic of this place will recharge you with energy. When you finish the tour you will return by the same route but this time towards the village of La Macarena, where you will find the equipment and your bags to take a bath and have lunch. You will then be transferred to the airport and say goodbye to a destination you will undoubtedly never forget. You will have a domestic flight from La Macarena to Bogotá. You will have a domestic flight from Bogota to Medellin. Transfer from José Maria Córdova airport to your selected hotel in Medellin. Please be aware of the sign with your name on it.

Medellín - the “City of Eternal Spring” – located in the Andean highlands of Antioquia, is nowadays the most innovative city of Latin America. Its recent past was strongly related to the life of Pablo Escobar and violent gang fights. During the last twenty years Medellín went through some drastic changes. An innovative program of urban development that combines modern means of public transport and the construction of public parks and areas of recreation for the local people turned Medellín from the most dangerous city in the world into a modern example of urban transformation. Explore the Andean capital of Colombia on a full day tour. Get an insight of the history of city visiting the “Pueblito Paisa” and enjoy perfect views of the city. Explore the famous Botero Plaza downtown with an exhibition of the Colombian artist Fernando Botero, whose sculptures have become a landmark of the city. Take the Metro Cable up to Santo Domingo, which was once a notorious area of gang violence in Medellín. The cable car was constructed to make the inner city more accessible to people from the outskirts and allows visitors a glimpse into the lives of the marginalized population. At the Comuna 13 district with its unique escalators you observe another innovative project that improved the quality of life of the people of Medellín.

Enjoy a cooking class and lunch at a community based social transformation project, training low income Colombians to cook and sell healthy food from around the globe, at affordable prices using local products. A Canadian chef set up this unique food project several years ago and all funds generated through your visit are reinvested in the community project, subsidizing the training, materials and equipment for low-income project participants, and maintenance for the training center. Prepare a dish together with people from the local neighborhood and experience an authentic cultural-culinary Medellín moment. Trip Highlights: Learn to prepare typical ingredients of the region Experience private classes with your own chef Support a local NGO to improve life quality of a local community Pablo Escobar Gaviria is sadly the most famous son of the city of Medellin. Nevertheless, the history of Escobar and the “Cartel of Medellín” is a unique example of how organized crime organisations impact a whole country. During the 1980s Escobar controlled huge parts of the international cocaine traffic. Due to impressive financial revenue he was able to create a powerful network of corruption and social control over the population of Medellín. In the early 1990s, when the hunt for Pablo Escobar took place, the head of Medellín's drug cartel was at its peak, but it came to its end with his death in 1993. Get some insight on the historical dimension of the phenomenon of Pablo Escobar visiting some of the most emblematic sights of Pablo Escobar’s life. Understand better why Pablo Escobar is still the most controversial person in Colombia´s recent history. Trip Highlights Get to know the history of Pablo Escobar and his impact on Medellín Visit several emblematic spots of Pablo Escobar’s life Learn how the people of Medellin think about Escobar

This tour combines the rich history of Medellín with outdoor activities in the fascinating landscape of the mountains of the Eastern Andes. Visit the famous Hacienda Nápoles in the tropical lowlands of the Magdalena Medio. This place was the residence of the famous drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. Nowadays it is one of the biggest amusement parks in the country. You will spend the night and the second day at the Eco-Lodge in the “Rio Claro” nature reserve. Rio Claro has been voted the most beautiful river in Colombia. Its crystal-clear water and the riverbed of marble meander through the narrow canyon lush with tropical rain forest. Here you have the possibility to enjoy several outdoor activities like caving, hiking, zip-lining, rafting, rock climbing, and bird watching. Day 1: Pablo Escobar´s Hacienda Napoles Early in the morning you leave Medellín and ride through the lush green valleys of Antioquia’s Eastern highlands. Before midday, you will delve into the bizarre world of the Hacienda Nápoles. Besides the fun at the theme park, you have the opportunity to learn about Pablo Escobar’s life and see his former house. In the evening you reach the private nature reserve “Rio Claro” and enjoy the pristine waters and natural pools. Spend the night at the Eco-Lodge El Refugio surrounded by tropical forest and the Rio Claro River. You will have an English-speaking guide included.

Today you will explore the natural caves of the “Rio Claro” Nature Reserve. Hike through the underworld of the Eastern Andes with an experienced guide. Indulge in the nature of the beautiful canyons surrounding Rio Claro. Afterwards you have plenty of time to relax on the stunning beaches of the Claro River. In the afternoon you can enjoy zip-lining across the river. Return to Medellín in the evening. Highlights: Visit the famous Hacienda Nápoles – Pablo Escobar’s former residence Explore what remains of his former house and visit the Escobar museum Experience the most popular amusement park in Colombia Discover the tropical jungle and the crystal-clear waters of the Rio Claro Stay in comfortable rooms surrounded by tropical rain forest Explore the caves of the Rio Claro canyon Enjoy zip-lining or other outdoor activities in the surrounding rain forest

Transfer from your selected hotel to the José Maria Córdova airport in Medellin. You will have a domestic flight from Medellín to Santa Marta. The city of Santa Marta, privileged by its location between the sea and the Sierra Nevada, is the oldest existing city in Colombia and the second oldest in South America. Every Samarian will proudly say about his city, that he lives in the most beautiful bay of America. Undoubtedly, Santa Marta stands out among the most valuable destinations in Colombia for its combination of the authentic atmosphere of a colonial coastal city with the maximum diversity that nature has to offer in its immediate surroundings. This tour begins with a visit to La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a place of historical importance where the Colombian Revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar died in December 1830. Here you will visit the old sugar plantation of Don Joaquín de Mier and observe objects and tools of the time, including the bed where Bolivar died. During a tour of the Bolivarian Museum you will learn about the most important events in the life of Simón Bolívar and the historical context of Colombia at that time. You will continue in downtown Santa Marta with a visit to the oldest Cathedral in the country and finish with a walking tour through the beautiful 3rd Avenue in downtown Santa Marta, where you will visit the Tayrona Gold Museum, the San Francisco Church, the Simon Bolivar Park, the Parque de los Novios and the boardwalk of the city with its different monuments. *Note: the Tayrona Gold Museum is closed on Mondays.

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 boarded on one site 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. We leave Santa Marta to take the scenic coastal road and reach the western entrance of the park approximately 30 minutes later. From here we take an unpaved road through the tropical dry forest of the foothills of the Sierra to the bay of Neguanje. (Approx. 1 hour). And from here it’s about a further 20 minutes’ walk to reach our final destination, the most beautiful Playa Cristal beach. As its name suggests, the water here is crystal clear, and we have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the Caribbean Sea. At about 4pm we start our return to Santa Marta. Note: For tourists who do not want or cannot manage the walk, we can take a boat from Neguanje Bay to Playa Cristal and back. This transfer has a minimal additional cost and lasts approximately 8 minutes.

Minca is a small town located 20 kilometers from Santa Marta and 600 meters above the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. 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 endemic. From Santa Marta you leave in a 4x4 car to first visit the coffee farm La Victoria, located 900 meters above the sea, and about 1 hour from Santa Marta. 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. On a tour of approx. 2 hours you will learn all about the ingenious process of coffee La Victoria 1892, from the production to the cup of coffee. You will 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, you also meet Jonas, founder and master brewer from Bavaria, Germany. After a good coffee and/or beer, you continue in the 4x4 and stop to visit Don Camaritas, famous for preparing the best sausages and smoked fish of the region in their traditional oven. You continue towards the beautiful Marinka Valley and visit the Waterfall of Arimaka, where you will have time for a refreshing swim surrounded only by nature. Once arriving in Minca, you have a short tour through this small town of art and nature lovers, and then return to Santa Marta. Typical lunch in included.

Transport from Santa Marta to Cartagena. CITY TOUR CARTAGENA (Half day)Private Services Cartagena de Indias is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in America. Its historical center, walled by fortifications built in the colonial era, retains its original architecture and is shown today in a myriad of colors that fill it with Caribbean life and joy. Its fascinating history as one of the pearls of that era, a place of collection of great treasures and the largest slave port in the colonies, gives immense importance to this World Heritage City. The stories about those pirate attacks of great magnitude are present in each of the fortifications that remain intact to this day. The City-Tour begins with a visit to the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas, the largest fortification built by the Spanish in their colonies. In a one-hour tour we will be able to appreciate this masterpiece of military architecture in coral stone and we will learn about the defense strategy of the city in relation to its topography. Then we will go to the historical center to visit the San Pedro Clavér Convent Museum, former Jesuit Cloister (1605) and home of the so-called "Slave of the Slaves". To finish, we make a tour of approximately 2 hours through the main squares, churches and streets of the city. We will also walk over the city walls to have the best views of the city and to know the most important bastions. *Note: after the visit to San Felipe Castle and before returning to the Old Town, you will can visit the La Popa and its old monastery located at 150 meters above sea level. This is the highest point of the city where the panoramic view of the city can be seen. If you visit La Popa, the visit to San Pedro Claver Monastery is skipped. The visit to La Popa has an additional cost. It does not apply to groups of more than 15 people.

Craft your own souvenir and support a good purpose. Coconuts are not only used for drinks but also to create accessories or decoration. The project DAMARTES (Damas y Madres del Arte – ‘Women and Mothers of Art’) began with the name Madres – Cabeza de Familia y sus Cocos (‘Mothers – head of the family and their coconuts’) and is an association composed of seven women. In 2008, they took part in a craft class sponsored by the foundation ProBoquilla. Nowadays, they produce jewelry, containers, vases, belts and accessories and are the frst women of La Boquilla that purchase their own income. Producing an object out of a coconut, requires above all enthusiasm and patience. The life of the DAMARTES is very impressive. All of them are mothers and most of them already grandmothers with interesting life stories that they like to share with us. The association is a working group of great women that are able to craft amazing things out of simple objects. You will go to La Boquilla, where the ladies will invite us to a very special workshop. Every participant can make his own souvenir out of coconut. It is possible to craft bracelets, keychains, earrings or necklaces. The workshop will take place in a nice rustic restaurant right on the beach of La Boquilla. La Boquilla is an afro descendant fshermen village that for more than 200 years until today they still continue in a heroic struggle of cultural resistance to preserve their ancestral traditions, where drums play a leading role. Today we invite you to an exciting tour to observe and play these Afro Colombian wild drums in their habitat, for this reason: Play it even if you don´t play, dance even if you don´t dance, sing even if you don´t sing. Together We can! Our Drum Workshop of about an hour duration, is a unique opportunity to connect yourself with the typical rhythms of Afro Colombian folk music such as Cumbia, Mapalé and Champeta, through immersion by playing traditional drums. The team of Batambora Drum Workshop S

Transfer from your hotel to the airport in Cartagena.