Colombia Express
9 days, Bogotá to Cartagena
Itinerary
Day 1Bogotá
Arrive at any time.
There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Gold Museum Visit
4000COP per personExplore this veritable treasure trove! Be amazed by the Bogotá Gold Museum’s collection of over 30,000 gold pieces in addition to thousands of bone, stone, ceramic, and textile artifacts from 13 different pre-Hispanic societies.
Monserrate Hill Cable Car
20000COP per personRide the cable car up the hill for spectacular views of the city.
National Museum of Colombia Visit
3000COP per personVisit the largest museum in the country and one of the oldest on the continent. Built in 1823 and originally used as a prison, the National Museum of Colombia houses a collection of over 20,000 pieces. Explore exhibits of archeological and ethnographic artifacts and admire works of art by masters including Andrés de Santa María and Fernando Botero.
Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral Visit
Take some time and visit Zipaquirá, a city in central Colombia just northeast of Bogotá, known for its subterranean Salt Cathedral. You will have the opportunity to see this impressive structure for yourself on a tour. The church is 180 metres underground and will offer you a unique perspective into what the daily lives of miners looked like at one time. It was they who created this small chapel carved out of rock salt. Visit the structure, admire from the Viacrucis to the Corus and appreciate the grandeur of the world's largest underground cross.
Please note this activity starts at 8:00AM. We recommend booking prenights to make sure you are in Bogotá on time for this morning start.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Hotel Regina (or similar)
Day 2Bogotá/Armenia
Enjoy breakfast in Bogotá before boarding a flight to Armenia, in Colombia’s coffee region. Spend two nights outside Armenia in a traditional hacienda.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Hacienda Stay
Spend the night in a traditional hacienda (Spanish for "estate") and coffee farm and get a closer look at life in Colombia’s beautiful coffee region.
Accommodation
Hostal Mi Monaco (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Armenia
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Visit Armenia market before coffee farm tour in the Calarcá area to learn more about the coffee culture here.
Armenia Market Visit
Visit the city's historic, bustling market centre. Frequented daily by Armenia's residents and chefs alike, Armenia Market offers everything from new-age ingredients to traditional Colombian staples. Get caught up in the whirlwind of food stalls, flower shops, boutiques and cafés before determining your route through the market to sample the best the city has to offer.
Your Foodie Moment: Coffee Farm Tour
Visit a local coffee farm to learn more about the production of this important crop, from the planting stage all the way to your coffee mug, and savour a taste of this famous export.
Hacienda Stay
Spend the night in a traditional hacienda (Spanish for "estate") and coffee farm and get a closer look at life in Colombia’s beautiful coffee region.
Accommodation
Hostal Mi Monaco (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 4Armenia/Salento
Take a morning hike through the Cocora Valley before an afternoon arrival to Salento. Continue the full coffee experience in the region of Quindío.
Enjoy exploring Salento and getting a feel for the town.
Entrance Fee Cocora Valley
Head into the Cocora Valley by private vehicle and take in the magnificent views. Get active with a hike through the area and learn more about this fertile region.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
El Rancho de Salento (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Salento/Medellín
Drive through beautiful landscapes to Medellín. Opt to explore the city in the evening.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Accommodation
Hotel Seven Inn Medellin (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Medellín
Enjoy a neighbourhood tour of the city and learn the fascinating recent history of the city's ongoing transformation. Spend the rest of the day with free time to explore this vibrant city.
Medellín City Tour
Really get to know Colombia’s second largest city with a neighbourhood tour. Medellín has been revitalized since the issues of the 80s and 90s and is now one of South America’s most innovative and artistic cities. Explore the city’s varied barrios filled with shops, green parks, museums, churches, markets, and delicious cuisine.
Free Time
Opt to visit the famous rock El Peñol or hop on a sightseeing bus. Ride the MetroCable, part of Medellín’s public transportation, for sweeping views of the city and surrounding mountains.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Explora Park
24500-37500COP per personA symbol of transformation in the northern part of Medellín, the park is a large piece of modern architecture housing a variety of scientific exhibits. Learn about the flora, fauna, and astronomy of Colombia while exploring the vivarium specializing in the Amazon River, the planetarium, or one of the many interactive exhibits on display.
Modern Art Museum
10000COP per personWander around the Museum of Modern Art and enjoy the work of Colombian artists in a variety of medias. Make sure to check out the Débra Arango permanent collection.
Nutibara Hill (Cerro Nutibara) Visit
For a breath of fresh air 80m (263 ft) above the city, visit Nutibara Hill. Ride a colourful bus, take a taxi, or climb winding paths through the greenery to get to the top of the hill and enjoy great views of the city. Pueblito Paisa waits at the summit: stroll through this replica of a traditional Antioquian town and enjoy the charm of whitewashed buildings, bright-coloured doors and tiled roofs. Try some local food here or shop for souvenirs.
Accommodation
Hotel Seven Inn Medellin (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Medellín
Enjoy another free day and opt to visit the nearby town of Guatapé, with its colourful houses and famous rock. Or ride the metrocable, a cable car part of Medellín’s public transportation, for sweeping views of the city and surrounding mountains.
Free Time
Enjoy another full day to explore one of Colombia's most popular cities.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
El Peñol Stone (La Piedra Del Peñol) Visit
Formed approximately 70 million years ago, El Peñón de Guatapé, also known as El Peñol, is a giant monolith rising 2,135m (7,005 ft) above sea level. Climb the 649 steps that have been built into one side of this famous rock and enjoy breathtaking views of the Guatapé Dam and surrounding area from the peak.
Explora Park
24500-37500COP per personA symbol of transformation in the northern part of Medellín, the park is a large piece of modern architecture housing a variety of scientific exhibits. Learn about the flora, fauna, and astronomy of Colombia while exploring the vivarium specializing in the Amazon River, the planetarium, or one of the many interactive exhibits on display.
Modern Art Museum
10000COP per personWander around the Museum of Modern Art and enjoy the work of Colombian artists in a variety of medias. Make sure to check out the Débra Arango permanent collection.
Nutibara Hill (Cerro Nutibara) Visit
For a breath of fresh air 80m (263 ft) above the city, visit Nutibara Hill. Ride a colourful bus, take a taxi, or climb winding paths through the greenery to get to the top of the hill and enjoy great views of the city. Pueblito Paisa waits at the summit: stroll through this replica of a traditional Antioquian town and enjoy the charm of whitewashed buildings, bright-coloured doors and tiled roofs. Try some local food here or shop for souvenirs.
Guatapé Day Trip
Begin the day trip to Guatapé in the morning around 8:30 AM. Leave Medellin and pass through the town of Peñol and see its famous replica, a scaled imitation of the old town square where the group can enjoy an exspansive view over the reservoir and admire the colonial style of the town's architecture. Next up, climb the 700 steps that lead to the top of Piedra del Peñol. This enormous monolith offers epic 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. Sit down for a typical lunch before continuing onwards to the town of Guatapé, where the group will learn more about its rich culture and history. After touring the town enjoy a relaxing, private boat ride on the reservoir and appreciate the islands from a whole new angle. Make a pit stop at a private island for some free time to immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings—think meditation or water sports.
Accommodation
Hotel Seven Inn Medellin (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Medellín/Cartagena
Hop on a morning flight to Cartagena and arrive in time to spend the afternoon exploring the old walled city. Opt for dinner and a night out in this lively town.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Orientation With CEO
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Accommodation
Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Cartagena
Depart at any time.
If you have another week, add on the "Caribbean Colombia Express" tour which takes you into famous Tayrona National Park and hops around some coastal islands.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Optional Activities - Day 9 HideShow
Gold Museum Visit
7000COP per personHead to Plaza Bolivar and pay a visit to this well-curated and informative museum. Admire the intricate, pre-Columbian gold works and pottery of the indigenous Zenú people while learning about their history and traditions—all on display in a charming colonial home.
Naval Museum of the Caribbean Visit
6000COP per personLocated in the historic walled city, visit this spacious museum housed in two heritage buildings. Explore the various exhibits relating to the naval history of the Caribbean Sea and enjoy the charming patios.
Palace of Inquisition (Museum) Visit
30000COP per personVisit the museum and learn about the Spanish Inquisition in Colombia. Explore this fine example of colonial and Baroque architecture and see artifacts and torture equipment on display.
Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno) Visit
5000COP per personHoused in two historic buildings, one a former weapons storehouse, is the collection of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Cartagena. Stroll through the unique space and admire Latin American paintings from the 1950s along with contemporary Colombian art.