Colombia Highlights

Arrive in Bogotá at any time. There are no planned activities so check into our hotel and enjoy the city.

Officially named Bogotá, D.C. (Capital District), and once known as Santa Fe de Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia is home to more than seven million inhabitants. The city is located at an elevation of about 2,650m (8,660 ft) on a plateau in the Andes mountains.

Modern Bogotá offers residents and visitors a wide variety of activities and amenities, combined with the picturesque beauty of its cultural and architectural past. Enjoy colonial churches and pre-colombian art in contrast with the futuristic high-rise buildings of a busy metropolis.

Perhaps you might enjoy a visit to the National Museum of Colombia (one of the oldest museums on the continent and holding more than 20,000 pieces), La Plaza de Bolivar (government buildings at the heart of the city dating back through several eras), the Gold Museum, or one of its many historical churches (Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Ignacio, the Cathedral situated in La Plaza de Bolívar, La Tercera San Diego and the sanctuary of Monserrate).

You may also wish to take a walk around (and maybe a little shopping) at some of its more interesting and trendy neighbourhoods including La Candelaria, La Macarena, Parque de la 93, La Zona T, and Monserrate.

La Zona Rosa (bars and restaurants), La Zona G(International Cuisine) and Monserrate Santuary, and City view point.

Enjoy some free time in lively Bogotá before boarding our flight to Cartagena and the Caribbean coast. Cartagena is 1000km from Bogotá and approx 1 hour in flight.

A Unesco World Heritage Site on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena is Colombia's most famous and most visited city. Tourists are most attracted to the remarkably intact historic walled colonial city ("ciudad amurallada") and the beachfront area of Bocagrande.

An included city tour will show us the highlights of Cartagena: The fortress known as Castillo de San Felipe, La Popa hill viewpoint which overlooks the city and harbour, and sightseeing the city's churches (Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, La Catedral, Iglesia de Santo Domingo , to end up taking a glimpse of the modern Bocagrande area).

Approximate Distance: 1000km
Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (By flight)

Experience the Caribbean charm and beauty of this beautiful city while learning about its fabled past. Continue with the exploration of the town by foot and visit some museums like: Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Inquisition, Museum of Gold and Naval Museum Explore the town by foot or take a“Chiva” ride at night to get a feeling of this vibrant Colombian city. You can visit Playa Blanca, take a boat to the Islas del Rosario National Park with its stunning beaches, or soak in the crater of the Totumo mud volcano.

A quick two and a half hour bus journey south from Cartagena is the town of Tolu. This is a small Colombian beach town that gets very few visitors year round but fills up with Colombian vacationers during local holidays. However the town has yet to be discovered by foreigners, and this adds to its charm. There are several discos with a very unique local character and many restaurants specializing in seafood, along with delicious fresher than fresh shrimp cocktails being sold along the boulevard.

While here, enjoy a full day boat excursion to the nearby San Bernardo Islands from Tolu.

If it tickles your fancy, go for a joy ride anywhere around town on one of the ecologically-friendly cycle-taxis that are easy to spot being driven around town. They are the pride of there owners and many are decked out with car stereo systems. On the weekends, it’s often a competition who can play theirs the loudest. Just 20 km south of town is Coveñas where there are quiet beaches and a mud bath shallow crater. It's fun to jump in the superficial medicinal pond and bathe at the sea.

Approximate Distance: 150km
Estimated Travel Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Traveling along the coast we arrive at Colombia’s oldest city, Santa Marta. We use this as our base to explore the surrounding beaches, villages and Tayrona National Park, renowned for its unique combination of coral formations and jungle vegetation. Enjoy a chance to sleep in hammocks while in the National Park (mosquito nets are provided). We will visit the pre-Hispanic village of Pueblito while hiking through forests, waterfalls, and lookouts with great views of the Sierra Nevada. Make sure to try the great seafood.

After breakfast we will return to Santa Marta to pick up our luggage and then catch a flight back to Colombia's capital city for one final night on the town.

Approximate Distance: 950km
Estimated Travel Time: 1 hour 20 minutes (By flight)

Depart at any time.