Itinerary
Culture and Coast
9 nights/10 days
Day 1 – Arrival Bogotá
On arrival at El Dorado International Airport you will be met by your Avventura representative and taken by private transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel B.O.G in a Superior Room. Hotel upgrade options available – The Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá or Hotel Sofitel Victoria Regia.
Day 2 – Bogotá
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a full day tour of the capital. Explore the Candelaria neighbourhood and the Gold Museum. Entrance to the gallery of the famous Colombian artist Botero is included as is a visit up the mountain to the Monserrate Monastery. Finally take a cultural experience at Paloqueamo local market with exotic fruit tasting.
La Candelaria is Bogotá’s heart and soul. Of humble origins, this is the oldest part of the city and the Plaza Bolivar (Main Square) are high on any visitor’s agenda. The Plaza is also home to the Mayor’s office and the Primary Cathedral of Bogotá that dominates an entire corner. As you wander the streets of La Candelaria away from the main square, your guide will not only explain the history of Bogotá but also the intricacies of current Colombian culture and daily life. There will be time for a refreshment stop in one of the city’s coffee houses.
The Botero Museum is a permanent exhibition of works of art by Fernando Botero, Colombia’s most famous artist whose “oversized” art is instantly recognisable. There are several rooms over two floors with displays of his work both on canvas and in sculpture. The museum not only houses work by Botero but also other world-famous artists such as Dali, Monet and Van Gogh. Next door is the Casa de la Moneda, or mint and is home to a museum that takes you on a tour of the history of Bogotá through the currency and money used in Colombia.
With your guide the next stop will be the Gold Museum at the northeast corner of the Parque Santander. The Museum is within the premises of the Banco de la Republica and is one of the finest collections of Pre-Hispanic gold in the world. This is a “must see” when in Bogotá, with more than 35,000 pieces of pre-Colombian gold work in the collection. Many of the pieces are said to be unsurpassed by goldsmiths of today.
A short drive or interesting walk from the centre of the old town takes you to the base of the hill that leads up to the hilltop viewpoint and monastery of Monserrate. The summit can be reached by either funicular railway or cable car. From the highest point the view across the city will enable you to see the different sectors of Bogotá. Bogotá Paloquemao market, abundant with fresh food and flowers, offers a great insight into the life and customs of Bogotános. It is the second largest market in the city and one of the most important retailers in the country, where 750 merchants and a labyrinth of stands offer a large variety of fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meats and one of Colombia’s biggest exports, flowers.
Accommodation: Hotel B.O.G in a Superior Room. Hotel upgrade options available – The Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá or Hotel Sofitel Victoria Regia.
Meal Plan – Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 3 – Bogotá to Medellín
Following breakfast, you will have a private transfer to El Dorado International Airport for your domestic flight to Medellín. On arrival, you will be met by your Avventura representative for your private transfer to your hotel.
Forget everything you have heard about Medellín as it is old news. It was the headquarters of one of the country’s most notorious drug cartels, but it is now undergoing a remarkable transition. Medellín is the second largest city in Colombia and regarded as one of the most important, in business, politics, fashion and of course its nightlife. Its growth has been impressive over the past ten years, and the advance in the security situation has been such that Medellin is now regarded as one of the safest cities in South America.
This afternoon your will have a private half day tour to Santa Elena, a small flower growing village approximately one hour from the city. Santa Elena is the birthplace of the ornate flower arrangements called silletas that are the cornerstone of the flower festival of Feria de Las Flores in Medellin. During the festival cut flowers are woven into tapestries and mounted onto wooden frames which the inhabitants carry on their backs in a parade through the streets of the city.
Accommodation: Hotel Diez Medellín in a Superior Room with Balcony. Hotel upgrade options available – Hotel Park 10 or Hotel Patio del Mundo.
Meal Plan – Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 4 – Medellín
Today you will have the opportunity to experience modern Medellín. After breakfast, you will tour the working-class neighbourhood of San Javier or Comuna 13, famous for its amazing storytelling graffiti, open-air electric escalators and its incredibly welcoming inhabitants. Your guide will take you around the neighbourhood and give you some special insight into some of the social initiatives that are taking place in the area. After visiting the San Javier library park, you will have the opportunity to ride on the escalators to enjoy a beautiful view of the city from the top of the hill. You will also visit the “Plaza Botero” the famous Botero sculpture park where many giant sculptures of Colombia’s most famous artist, Medellin born sculptor Fernando Botero are exhibited. Your tour will end with a ride on the city’s famous metro and cable car system to visit Santo Domingo.
Accommodation: Hotel Diez Medellín in a Superior Room with Balcony. Hotel upgrade options available – Hotel Park 10 or Hotel Patio del Mundo.
Meal Plan – Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 5 – Medellín To Cartagena Des Indias
Following breakfast, you will have a private transfer to Jose Maria Cordova Airport for your domestic flight to Cartagena des Indias. On arrival, you will be met by your Avventura representative for your private transfer to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.
Quite rightly, Cartagena is seen by many as the jewel in South America’s colonial crown and is possibly the best preserved example of what life was like in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries; a time which – although tumultuous – left its mark through enchanting architecture, evocative structures and fascinating historical sites. The 1533 founding of Cartagena by conquistador Pedro de Heredia, in what was then an abandoned coastal village, quickly led to an influx of riches and rapid growth. As a result, beautiful churches, atmospheric plazas and defensive structures came to characterise a port town where residents enjoyed the comforts of cobbled streets, balconied homes and cosy meeting places; all of which can be still seen in their glory today.
Fast forward to the 21st-century, and a visit to iconic old Cartagena could happily be spent doing not very much at all; wandering streets or sipping coffee in the square, relishing the brightly coloured buildings as you’re transported back in time by flower-laden balconies and moody side-streets.
This evening you will be taken to Café del Mar for cocktails. From the café, you can see the illumination and the nocturnal magic of the old town of Cartagena.
You will dine at the Restaurant Club de Pesca and then be taken to the Getsemaní neighbourhood; renowned for its culture and bohemian bonhomie. Your evening will conclude at the Havana Salsa Bar, for an exciting evening of salsa music.
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Cochera del Gobernador in a Superior Deluxe Room. Hotel upgrade options available – Hotel Anandá or Hotel Casa San Agustín.
Meal Plan – Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 6 – Cartagena Des Indias
Following a leisurely breakfast, your morning is at leisure.
In the afternoon, you will be met by your guide for a walking tour of this historic city.
Carved from a colourful history, sultry Caribbean heat with fusions of African, indigenous and European culture, Cartagena is Colombia’s living, breathing and pulsating museum. Colour splashes every corner, balconies overflow with blossom and energy seeps beneath the ancient wooden doors of hotels, restaurants and Casa Privadas. Your tour will take you through the old town under the Puerta Del Reloj (Clock tower entrance) into the Plaza de los Coches. Your guide will share the myths and legends of Cartagena from ancient times through to the present. From the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning Church, on through to the Plaza Bolivar; with its shady areas, where a fresh lemon juice can be enjoyed while watching the world go by. Cartagena is steeped in history and it is a delight to stroll the streets with your own personal guide sharing their encyclopaedic knowledge of this fascinating city.
During the walk you will visit the Inquisition Palace. In September 1610 the inquisition was established in Cartagena de Indias. Its jurisdiction covered the kingdom of Granada, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Panama, Santa Domingo and the Barlovento Islands. The inquisition adopted this building as its headquarters. The building itself is considered one of the most elegant and characteristic colonial constructions of its time. Throughout its interior, visitors to the museum will find instruments of torture and prison cells.
A short walk away, your final stop is San Pedro Claver Cloister, a monastery and museum built in homage to San Pedro Claver, the protector of slaves, and serves as reminder of the city’s turbulent past. The cloister where San Pedro lived and died has become a special place of silence and reflection – a shrine to the life’s work of this extraordinary man. Here, visitors will find examples of pre-Colombian ceramics and an extensive museum rich with religious art. Adjoining the cloister is a beautiful baroque church, designed by German and Dutch architects. At the high altar, within a glass case, lie the remains of San Pedro Claver, “the slave to the slaves”.
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Cochera del Gobernador in a Superior Deluxe Room. Hotel upgrade options available – Hotel Anandá or Hotel Casa San Agustín.
Meal Plan – Breakfast.
Day 7 – Cartagena Des Indias To Tayrona
Following a leisurely breakfast, you will be met by an Avventura representative for your private transfer to Tayrona, a journey time of approximately four and a half hours.
Tayrona National Park sits at the edge of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range, the highest coastal mountain range in the world stretching over 35 miles from Santa Marta in the west to Rio Piedras in the east. The National Park is everything you could want from a picture post card beach location. Palm-fringed beaches and golden sands stretch out against a backdrop of lush, green rainforest. The numerous paths that link the various beaches and bays make perfect walking trails to while away your days in paradise.
This is an amazing place to sit back and relax, amble the beach and jungle trails and spot the abundant local wildlife. Although the sea can be choppy at times there are several swimming locations to cool down from the tropical heat. For photographers the area is divine with beautiful landscapes and fascinating flora and fauna. The park was once home to the indigenous Tayrona Indians and archaeological remains can still be found. The best preserved of these is the Pre-Hispanic village of Pueblito, believed to have been the site of a major Tayrona settlement. The park is covered by virgin tropical forest and inhabited by over 100 species of mammals, 200 species of birds and 50 species of reptiles. The Paujil, a kind of hen, is often represented in Tayrona gold work and is indigenous to the area, as is the majestic condor which nests in the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Monkeys can often be seen along the fringes of the beaches, especially around the Ecohabs. This is a place where nature and tourist peacefully co-exist.
Your afternoon will be at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Maria in a Bungalow (Sea View). Hotel upgrade option available – Hotel Cayena.
Meal Plan – Breakfast.
Day 8 – Tayrona
Following a leisurely breakfast, your Avventura guide and driver will meet you for the short journey to Tayrona National Park. You will pass along the foothills of the famous Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta the highest coastal mountain range in the world. Approximately 20 minutes past the park entrance the road ends and it’s time to get your walking boots on. For those who prefer a more sedate pace, horses can be arranged to carry you or your bags. You will be able to specify exactly the length and difficulty of walk – from as little as 30 minutes to one of the main beaches, to over two hours to go deeper into the forest and reach the main swimming beaches. During your walk you may see members of the Kogi tribe who still live in the park. Your experienced guide will be on hand to explain not only the culture and history of the park but also about the wildlife that you may see. Wherever you finish your walk you have the same trip back to the pickup point then transfer back to the hotel leaving time to reminisce over a cocktail on one of the most unspoilt beaches of the region.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Maria in a Bungalow (Sea View). Hotel upgrade option available – Hotel Cayena.
Meal Plan – Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 9 – Tayrona
As this is your last full day, you may choose to just relax at your hotel, take a leisurely walk along the beach or lounge around the pool area.
Alternatively, you can have one final guided tour to Minca and Hacienda La Victoria. Minca is a small town of only five hundred inhabitants nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and hidden among the lush vegetation. Minca is an ecological paradise with its crystalline rivers and its immense green vegetation. This wonderful landscape served in the past as the home of the ancient Tayrona culture whose traditions are still followed among the highland indigenous people. You will visit a local coffee farm, the area being famous for producing some of Colombia’s finest beans and have the opportunity of bathing in some natural river pools and waterfalls. Finally, you will have a chance to visit Hacienda Victoria, a local coffee growing farm to learn about coffee production, from plant to bean to cup.
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Maria in a Bungalow (Sea View). Hotel upgrade option available – Hotel Cayena.
Meal Plan – Breakfast.
Day 10 – Departure
Unfortunately, it is time to leave this marvellous country. After breakfast, you will be taken by private transfer to Simon Bolivar International Airport in Santa Marta for your onward flight home.
