23 Day Ultimate Colombia Experience

Arrive at any time to be collected from the airport and taken to your accommodation. There are no tours planned for today, so just relax and drink plenty of water to help adapt to the altitude.

You’ll be collected from your accommodation in Bogotá and taken on a guided excursion, where you’ll encounter the most important historical locations within La Candelaria. The entire time your private guide will be explaining the significants of each location; where the laws are created and broken; where the plan for independence was devised; where the president sleeps, the most famous church of Colombia; the most important plaza in Colombia; and so much more. Once you have visited these beautiful sites it will be time for you to ascend to the great height of 10,341 ft (3152m) and the summit of Monserrate; almost 2,000 ft higher than Bogotá. You’ll have time to wander through the artisan markets, visit a beautiful 17th-century monastery and enjoy some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the capital city of this great nation.

Relax on a 2-hour flight over national parks into the heart of the Amazon; Leticia. You'll be collected from the airport and be taken on a short drive through Leticia to the wharf, where you'll catch a boat up the Amazon River to your lodgings for the next 3 nights. You'll be arriving in the mid-afternoon after a boat ride of approximately 2 hours, and in time for a bit of relaxation before dinner. Following dinner when it is nice and dark you'll venture out in a night safari into the jungle, In search of tarantulas, giant insects, mammals, and different Amazonian fauna and flora.

You'll enjoy a good breakfast followed by a day hike into the rainforest, where you'll learn about the local plants and animals. After lunch, you'll visit a native community of Mocagua and the Maikuchiga monkey sanctuary and rehabilitation center where you'll have a close-up view of a number of the native primates. Following this, you'll head back to the ecolodge for a bit of relaxation before a wonderful dinner. Tonight after dinner you'll be going in search of Caimans! (not the big ones, but some smaller ones that hopefully won't bite as hard).

You'll enjoy a good breakfast followed by another boat cruise. But this time in search of pink and grey dolphins, that are unique to the Amazon region. Next, it will be off to Puerto Nariño for some lunch and onto Black Water Lake to see some amazing different bird species, some more dolphin spotting, and a chance to go for a swim. (don't forget your swimsuit) Time permitting you'll then enjoy some fishing for the mighty Piranha and other local fish, before heading back to the ecolodge for dinner.

Following an early morning breakfast, you'll be taken by boat back to Leticia and onto the airport for the next part of your Colombian Adventure. ​(please note your boat will be leaving approximately 6 am) You'll be arriving into Bogotá at approximately 1:30 pm, and will have the remainder of the day free.

You’ll be collected from your hotel in Bogotá and be taken directly to the salt mine of Zipaquirá. Where you’ll uncover the ingenuity of the people who 590 ft (180 m) underground converted this ancient salt mine into the amazing church that receives as many as 3000 people every Sunday of the year. Once you’ve finished your tour, taken many many photos and come to understand how important this location has been for hundreds of years to the locals of this area you’ll take the short trip to the town of Zipaquirá. Next, you'll be traveling onto Ráquira; this town is absolutely full of artisans and a dream location for anyone wishing to do a bit of shopping. For those interested in taking photos and not shopping, there are some fantastic streets and a wonderful town plaza full of life-size (and larger) clay statues. Following this, you'll continue onto the day's final destination of Villa de Leyva.

Enjoy a fantastic breakfast, followed by an amazing tour of the most important locations in and around Villa de Leyva. Visit the Monasterio Del Santo Eccehomo, part of Colombia’s architectural heritage, founded in 1620. This beautiful monastery is built on a hillside and consists of a wonderful cloister, church, cemetery, and plaza, with beautiful views. Explore the worldwide largest piece of pottery, the Terracotta House. Wander through the many rooms and take photos from different angles. This is really quite amazing! Another interesting place not to be missed is the Fossil Museum. See, touch and feel the bones of dinosaurs, that once ruled this world. Enjoy the remainder of the day to relax in town or check other beautiful locations nearby.

You'll wake to a wonderful day in Villa de Leyva and following breakfast start on your journey to Barichara. On the way, you'll be making a stop at a beautiful and important town called Socorro. This is actually where the very first steps towards independence occurred. Next, it's onto what has consistently been voted the most stunning and beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara is renowned for its colonial architecture, peaceful cobbled roads, artisan workshops, adobe houses, and the craft shops within.

You’ll start your day with a wonderful breakfast in your hotel before being collected by your guide to enjoying a magnificent morning in Barichara. You'll visit remarkable chapels, churches, graveyards, parks, sculptures, and even get to make some real paper. Following lunch, you'll make the trip to Juan Curí Falls, with spectacular views and a combined 820 ft (250 m) waterfalls surrounded by native rainforest. Here you'll climb or hike to the very top, take amazing photos and have the opportunity to repel down a section of the waterfall or relax in the natural swimming pool.

The first stop today will be Giron, one of the 17 select towns in Colombia with a national heritage rating. As the colonial architecture is so well preserved you will find it easy to visualize exactly how individuals lived right here 300 years earlier. Next, it's onto Santisimo Ecoparque. To get here your journey will be including a wonderful cable car ride through the Chicamocha Canyon. Once here you'll enjoy some spectacular views including that from a viewing platform above a 121 ft giant statue of Christ. Along with this, you'll also enjoy the beautiful water and light show and a wonderful sunset.

Enjoy a flight to Medellín with a short stop in Bogotá along the way. Medellin City Tour: You'll be collected from the airport and taken directly into an amazing tour of the city of Eternal Spring (so named for its consistent weather all year long). On this tour, you'll see the most important locations in this grand city, and enjoy a mix of culture, history, and local traditions, including a tram and cable car ride.

You'll enjoy a beautiful drive through the scenery of Antioquia towards Guatape Rock. On the way, you'll be stopping at a replica of Old Peñol's town plaza. The original town was actually sunk and is now at the bottom of Lake Guatape. The only piece still visible is the spiral from the church tower. Next on today's adventure will be La Pierda (The Rock or better know as Guatape Rock). This is simply a wonderful and huge stone standing tall and overlooking Lake Guatape far below. Once here you'll have the opportunity to climb the 740 steps up to the very top, with breathtaking views every step of the way. Following this, you'll explore the colorful town of Guatape itself and stop for a spot of lunch at one of the many restaurants.

On arrival to Nuquí you'll be collected from the airport and taken directly to the marina for your boat ride to your home for the next 2 nights; La Bayka eco-lodge. Set in an amazing scene just a short stroll to the water's edge, La Bayka is an idyllic location to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. You'll be arriving late-morning and have time to organize your things before enjoying a wonderful fresh lunch. Following lunch, you'll be going out in search of some of the many humpback whales that visit every year between the months of May and November (best months July to October). Following this wonderful experience ​(Please bear in-mind occasionally whales may only be seen at a distance)​ you'll return to the eco-lodge to relax and enjoy this beautiful setting. If you wish on your return you can enjoy an easy 30 min walk to the Cascada del Amor (The waterfall of Love) where you can enjoy a refreshing swim in this peaceful location.

You'll wake to the wonderful relaxing sounds of the ocean and the native birds singing at the start of another beautiful Pacific Coast day! After breakfast, you'll be off in search of some of those amazingly wonderful humpback whales and their baby that will be swimming nearby. You'll be enjoying 2 hours out on the ocean before heading back to the eco-lodge for another fresh lunch. Following lunch, you'll be walking along the beach for approximately an hour until you come to some wonderful thermal hot springs. Once here you'll soak in the pools and relax in this amazing dream-like setting. You'll then venture back to the eco-lodge in time for a beautiful sunset and another wonderful dinner.

You'll be waking once again to the soothing sounds of the waves and the singing birds searching for their morning meal. You'll have time for a quick swim or a short hike, and another wonderful breakfast before taking a boat back to Nuquí and on to the airport for your flight back to Medellín. On arrival, you'll be collected and taken directly to your hotel to check-in and relax in the city of the eternal spring.

You'll be collected from your hotel and venture off to an extraordinary tour through Comuna 13. Once a place unsafe for the police, this is now a hub for tourism with amazing murals and graffiti covering the street walls. Along with this you'll enjoy wonderful views and ride the outdoor escalators. Enjoy a flight to Pereira, with a short stop in Bogotá on the way. You'll be arriving late-afternoon and be taken directly to your hotel in Salento to check-in. The remainder of the day will be free for you to stroll the streets and check out all the wonderful artisan shops; not to mention all the restaurants, bars, cafes, and wonderful views.

The Thermal Pools of Santa Rosa is truly one of the most picturesque locations you can visit while in Colombia. Set in a valley surrounded by tropical rain-forest the hot springs are quite simply amazing! You can move through the pools finding your perfect temperature, as the boiling hot water enters from the center and the cool refreshing mountain water enters from the sides. You'll absolutely fall in love with the amazing waterfall that is an absolute must to visit. Once it's time to leave you'll journey to one of the most colorful towns in Colombia; Filandia. Here you'll enjoy a walking tour where you'll be able to take many photos of the beautiful buildings, along with a trip to the mirador (lookout) where you'll be amazed at the spectacular 360' views you receive.

This morning you'll start your day with some beautiful views from the Salento Mirador (Lookout), and a look down into the valley you will soon venture through. Next, you'll take a trip into the lush Cocora Valley and a guided tour of the Wax Palm Forest. You'll get to spend a few hours walking through this peaceful zone with more beautiful views in every direction. After you've stopped for a wonderful lunch you'll continue onto a sensational coffee tour. This is one of the best coffee tours in Colombia and so very unique. The reason being the philosophy of this single lady owner. She has created a Finca that is completely pesticide and machinery free. Every part of the entire process is done by hand and with this, you'll discover the traditional methods of growing the perfect coffee bean. You'll also get to explore this wonderful Finca and find so much more than just coffee is grown here, such as a large variety of fruits as well.

Relax on this flight to Cartagena with a short stop in Bogotá. You'll be collected from the airport and taken directly to your hotel to check-in, relax, and enjoy a bit of "me-time" before being collected around 4:30 pm for a city tour of this amazing city; going to the most interesting and important locations of the city in an air-conditioned vehicle, with your bilingual guide explaining the history behind every important site you visit. You'll discover panoramic views of the city from Cerro de La Popa; a convent built in 1606; explore the fort of Castle San Felipe; travel through Manga, Getsemani, and the modern city of Bocagrande, before enjoying a walk in the historic center. What is great about taking the tour at this time, as you'll get to see and experience this beautiful city in the day and under the lights!

Enjoy a wonderful ocean cruise on a speedboat to the Rosario Islands; arriving at a beautiful picturesque beach for a typical Caribbean lunch, crystal clear waters, water-sports, white sands, and palm trees. You'll be assigned your personal beach space which will be exclusive for yourself and members of your group. You'll receive full beach service, a fantastic typical lunch; use of deckchairs and umbrellas; a cocktail on arrival, and English speaking hosts. You will have the full day to relax and enjoy your space, along with the ability to hire gear for snorkeling, paddleboarding or kayaking. This will be one of the highlights of your Caribbean adventure!

You'll travel to the Mud Volcano of Totumo, where you'll climb up into this natural phenomenon and enjoy a relaxing mud bath and a mud massage by local experts. Following this, you will be cleaned from head to toe by locals dedicated to removing every piece of mud they can find. But there's always some hard to find pieces, which is why you'll be enjoying a swim in the temperate Caribbean ocean. Next, you'll enjoy a typical Caribbean Meal and a bit of relaxation before continuing onto the second part of today's tour; a voyage through the Cartagena mangroves by canoe. You'll discover the importance of this ecosystem and the vast array of wildlife that lives within.

Today it is farewell to Cartagena and Colombia. Safe travels home, and visit again soon! We’ll have transport waiting to take you to the airport at your desired time.