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The Highlights of Colombia


This is the Bucket List for Colombia!
11 days starting at $1,490/Person

Why you'll love this Colombia tour!

This is the Bucket List for Colombia!

11 days 1 country(ies)

This adventure to Colombia takes you face to face with the country’s authentic highlights as well as its diverse natural beauty. Bogota’s historical highlights are captivating for both casual visitors and history buffs, the aromas of Arabica Coffee and landscapes in Colombia’s Coffee Region are enticing, Medellin will surpass all expectations, the verdant nature of Tayrona National Park is spell-binding and Cartagena will have you wanting to stay and experience even more. With Colombians regarded as the friendliest population in South America, the country is a true gem and is far-removed from the now outdated image that it has held for decades around the world.

From

$ 1,490 USD

Per person based on Double Occupancy

From

$1,490 USD

Per person
  • Package valid for trips to be made between 3rd of January 2022 and 15th of December 2022, not including special holiday seasons.
  • Hotel categories do not adhere strictly to international ratings; Encounter Latin America has evaluated the hotels according to destination and availability.
  • Package subject to availability at time of booking.
What you can expect in every tour:
  • Choose any date, all tours have daily departures
  • Hand picked guides specialized for every excursion
  • 7 regional offices with 24/7 in country support
  • Transfers with English guide to/from all airports
  • Local specialists who live and guide the destination
  • Personal dining recommendations for food lovers
  • Incredibly comfortable authentic accommodations

TOUR DETAILS “The Highlights of Colombia”

What’s included

10 NIGHTS

10 MEALS

10 x Breakfast

TRANSPORTATION

Private transfers and excursions, 1 shuttle from Santa Marta to Cartagena (optionally this can be private) Note: national flights are not included (Bogota to Coffee Triangle


Wow experiences

EXPERIENCES INCLUDED

Bogota like a like city tour, Full day Salento & Cocora Valley tour, Coffee tour, Visit to Guatape and Peñol, Day tour to Tayrona National Park, City tour of Cartagena


Highlights

Coffee Triangle & Medellin

Coast of Santa Marta & Cartagena

11 Day Travel Itinerary

Our tours depart any day of the year, there are no fixed departure dates. It’s really simply, we’ve designed some of the best experiences that cover your “bucket list” must see stuff in each destination. You can trust in our 20 years of experience, that everything will run just like clockwork.

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Day 1 - Bogota

Arrival in Colombia

Once you arrive in Bogota you’ll be warmly welcomed and taken to your accommodation. Your hotel will be located in a lively and trendy neighborhood close to Park 93 and the Zona T which is surrounded by Bogota’s best bars and restaurants. Having settled in, you’ll be able to spend some time with one of our local specialists who are always happy and excited to hear about your travel plans in Colombia and beyond – now’s the time to make the most of their many years of local know-how and ask questions until your heart’s content!

Depending on the time of your arrival in Bogota, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the area near to where you’re staying. Situated in the northern part of the capital, the Zona Rosa is known for its fashionable shops, excellent restaurants and chic nightlife.
Included: Transfer to your accommodation in Bogota; Accommodation in Bogota. (Meals – None).

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Once you arrive in Bogota you’ll be warmly welcomed and taken to your accommodation. Your hotel will be located in a lively and trendy neighborhood close to Park 93 and the Zona T which is surrounded by Bogota’s best bars ...

2
Day 2 - Bogota

Explore Bogota like a local

View Travel Guide for Bogota
This tour takes place in the historic center of Bogotá, also known as La Candelaria. During the tour you will visit emblematic places and highly appreciated by Bogota citizens, which will make you feel like an inhabitant of Bogotá instead of a tourist. You will take the cable car to Monserrate Hill and upon reaching the summit you will be rewarded with stunning views over the sprawling city below and all the way to the peaks of the Andes.
From this vantage point, you will be able to get a feel for the different zones from the contemporary high-rise office buildings of the financial district to the terracotta-colored rooftops of Bogota’s historical center. Learn about the life and work of the liberator Simon Bolivar while visiting La Quinta de Bolivar. Regain strength and energy to continue the tour with a cup of freshly ground Colombian coffee. Appreciate the graffiti that adorns the walls of downtown Bogotá, decipher its meaning and the message the artist wanted to transmit. Marvel at the wide variety of tropical and exotic fruits produced in Colombia while visiting a typical Plaza de Mercado. In Chorro de Quevedo you can go back in time and imagine how Bogotá looked like in 1538 when it was founded by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. Know about the work of the master Fernando Botero while visiting the Mueseo Botero and contemplate an art collection of important artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Finish the tour in the Plaza de Bolivar where the government buildings are located and walk a bit on the emblematic Carrera 7ª.
Following your Bogota city tour, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel where the rest of the afternoon and evening is free for you to enjoy. Bogota is one of the rising gastronomic centers of Latin America and tonight you should go out to discover the city’s restaurants many of which are located the Gourmet Zone (Zona G), Usaquen and Zona Rosa.
Included: Half day city Tour with private guide; Accommodation in Bogota. (Meals – Breakfast)

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View Travel Guide for Bogota This tour takes place in the historic center of Bogotá, also known as La Candelaria. During the tour you will visit emblematic places and highly appreciated by Bogota citizens, which will make you feel like an ...

3
Day 3 - Coffee region

Into the Coffee Region

This morning, a private transfer will take you to Bogota airport for your flight to Pereira.
Once you arrive at Pereira’s airport you’ll be warmly welcomed and taken to your comfortable hacienda in Colombia’s Coffee Region. From your accommodation you’ll be a coffee bean’s throw away from some of Colombia’s most scenic landscapes and of course its world famous coffee plantations! The Coffee Triangle is Colombia’s largest coffee-producing region and is located in the center of the country
surrounded by breathtaking scenery, picturesque architecture and prosperous coffee farms known as, fincas.
After settling into your hotel your evening is free to enjoy relaxing at your accommodation. As one of the most diverse areas of Colombia, keep an eye out for the exotic birdlife of the region which will accompany you as you sip on your delicious cup of coffee.
Included: Transfer from hotel to Bogota airport, transfer to your accommodation in the Coffee Region with assistance; accommodation in the Coffee Region. (Meals – Breakfast)

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This morning, a private transfer will take you to Bogota airport for your flight to Pereira. Once you arrive at Pereira’s airport you’ll be warmly welcomed and taken to your comfortable hacienda in Colombia’s Coffee Region. From your accommodation you’ll be ...

4
Day 4 - Coffee region

Salento & the Cocora National Park

View Travel Guide for the Coffee Triangle
Your private guide and transfer will pick you up from your accommodation to begin your day exploring the Cocora Valley and Salento. Arriving in the small traditional village of Salento with its colorful balconies, typical colonial architecture and handicrafts shops, enjoy strolling along the Calle Real (Royal Road). You’ll have time for a coffee at a local cafe, and whichever you choose, they’re all serving up the best Coffee in Colombia so you can’t really go wrong!
Continue along the Calle Real before reaching 250 steps that lead up to the Alto de la Cruz; a viewpoint offering picture-perfect views of Salento and the Cocora Valley.
With its rolling green hills and huge Quindio wax palm trees, the scenery is like something out of a magical land in a Dr. Seuss book. The Cocora Valley is home to Colombia’s national tree, the Quindío wax palm tree that can grow up to 190 ft. tall. These tall, thin trees stand like giants guarding the valley, the farmland, avocado plantations, wandering cattle and of course coffee plantations.
You’ll head back to the town of Salento where you’ll have some time to buy some souvenirs or sit down to another perfect cup of coffee. It’s then time for you to head back to your accommodation in the Coffee Region and soak up the beauty of your surroundings and traditional hacienda.
Included: Full day Salento & Cocora Valley tour with private guide; accommodation in the Coffee Region. (Meals – Breakfast)

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View Travel Guide for the Coffee Triangle Your private guide and transfer will pick you up from your accommodation to begin your day exploring the Cocora Valley and Salento. Arriving in the small traditional village of Salento with its colorful balconies, ...

5
Day 5 - Medellin

Coffee tour & Travel to Medellin

You will be taken to a Coffee Hacienda, where you will experience the whole coffee production process ‘from the grain to the cup’. The tour is interactive and you will be able to participate in the production process. Our coffee expert will share his in depth knowledge with you and will reveal some secrets of planting, harvesting, washing and drying the coffee. Enjoy the delicious aromas and taste one of the best coffees in the world: the Colombian one!
After the tour you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Medellin.

Once you arrive in Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city, you’ll be warmly welcomed and taken to your accommodation. Without a doubt, Medellin is one of Colombia’s most exciting cities and surrounded by the high-rise jagged peaks of mountains, the city has developed into a thriving jewel in the crown of Colombia. Known as the City of Eternal Spring due to its year-round mild and pleasant climate, there’s never a bad time to soak up the sights and sounds of this magical city.
Depending on the time of your arrival in Medellin, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the area near to where you’re staying.
Tonight, walk to Medellin’s Parque Lleras to sit down to a traditional meal in one of the many restaurants you will find there before, discovering the liveliness and beauty of both the city and its people at the thriving bars nearby.
Included: Coffee tour with private guide, transport and entrance fees, private transfer to the airport in Pereira, private transfer to your accommodation in Medellin with assistance; Accommodation in Medellin. (Meals – Breakfast)

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You will be taken to a Coffee Hacienda, where you will experience the whole coffee production process ‘from the grain to the cup’. The tour is interactive and you will be able to participate in the production process. Our coffee ...

6
Day 6 - Medellin

Visit Guatape and El Peñol

View Travel Guide for Medellin
Today your private transportation and English speaking guide will take you to the lovely town of Guatape and El Peñol, a huge granite monolith set on the edge of an enormous lake with dozens of small little islands. Also known as ‘Pueblo de Zócalos’. The town of Guatape is famous for its pastel colored houses which are a joy to admire while strolling through its charming cobblestone streets and its main street which runs alongside the reservoir.
Don’t forget to have a look at the bottom half of the houses, as they are brilliantly decorated with the most marvelous paintings and sculptures, ranging from cartoon characters to landscapes and animals. The somewhat tough climb to the top of El Peñol is more than rewarding as it offers an amazing view over the stunning landscape. If you are not in for the climb to the top, you will have the choice to take an (optional) boat excursion to the El Peñol dam and Guatape Lake which will give you a great view of the El Peñol rock and also take you by one of Pablo Escobar’s holiday homes.
Included: Private excursion with Transport, Guide and El Peñol entrance fee; Accommodation in Medellin. (Meals – Breakfast)

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View Travel Guide for Medellin Today your private transportation and English speaking guide will take you to the lovely town of Guatape and El Peñol, a huge granite monolith set on the edge of an enormous lake with dozens of small ...

7
Day 7 - Santa Marta

Travel to the Caribbean coast of Santa Marta

View Travel Guide for Santa Marta
A private transfer will take you to the airport in Medellin for your flight to Santa Marta.
Having arrived in Santa Marta, the oldest city in Colombia and one of the first cities founded in Latin America, you’ll have time to settle in to your accommodation.
The rest of the day is free to spend at leisure, exploring the area near to where you’re staying and soaking up the city’s perfect combination of pristine beaches and history. Walk around the historical center or along the bay, and get the vibe of this quiet city before sitting down to a refreshing cocktail while watching the sunset over the Caribbean.
Included: Pirvate transfer to the airport in Medellin; Private transfer from the airport in Santa Marta to your hotel with assistance; Accommodation in Santa Marta. (Meals – Breakfast)

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View Travel Guide for Santa Marta A private transfer will take you to the airport in Medellin for your flight to Santa Marta. Having arrived in Santa Marta, the oldest city in Colombia and one of the first cities founded in Latin ...

8
Day 8 - Santa Marta

Exploring Tayrona National Park

You will be picked up from your hotel in Santa Marta for a full day tour in the Tayrona National Park. Tayrona National Park covers 15,000 hectares and is full of unspoiled beaches, coral reefs, verdant flora, mangroves and mountains. The tour begins with a 45-minute eco-tourist walk through a tropical jungle from the beautiful beach of Canaveral to Arrecifes beach. Along the way you’ll be able to see all types of flora and fauna including monkeys which are just some of the 108 other species that live within the Tayrona National Park.
After relaxing at Arrecifes beach you’ll set off on a 20-minute hike that leads you to La Piscina, a natural pool where you can bathe in the warm, crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. Your day comes to a close as you make your way back through the rainforest and return to Santa Marta.
Included: Full Day private guided tour of Tayrona National Park; Accommodation in Santa Marta. (Meals – Breakfast)

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You will be picked up from your hotel in Santa Marta for a full day tour in the Tayrona National Park. Tayrona National Park covers 15,000 hectares and is full of unspoiled beaches, coral reefs, verdant flora, mangroves and mountains. ...

9
Day 9 - Cartagena

Travel to Cartagena

View Travel Guide for Cartagena
Once you arrive in Cartagena, Colombia’s jewel and fairy-tale city on the Caribbean coast, you’ll be taken to your accommodation. Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and demonstrates the perfect marriage between rich colonial history and the vibrancy of the Caribbean.
Depending on the time of your arrival in Cartagena, the rest of the day is free to explore the area near to where you’re staying,
the city’s maze of cobblestone streets and its charming buildings. The historic center of Cartagena is surrounded by an impressive 8 mile-long colonial stonewall and is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing cocktail in the Café del Mar while watching the sunset over the Caribbean.
Included: Shuttle bus from Santa Marta to Cartagena, Accommodation in Cartagena. (Meals – Breakfast)

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View Travel Guide for Cartagena Once you arrive in Cartagena, Colombia’s jewel and fairy-tale city on the Caribbean coast, you’ll be taken to your accommodation. Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and demonstrates the perfect marriage between rich colonial history ...

10
Day - 10

Exploring Cartagena

Your local guide will pick you up from your accommodation to begin your private walking tour of Cartagena’s highlights. The Caribbean weather, colonial architecture and Caribbean flair will keep you more than occupied. If that’s not enough, the city is shrouded in history and fascinating stories from when the Spanish first discovered gold in the tombs of Sinu to the five dreadful sieges on the city by pirates in the 16th century, including the most famous (or infamous) one which was led by Sir Francis Drake!
Nowadays, as you’ll find out while walking through its pleasant and colorful streets Cartagena is among one of the world’s most beautiful cities. On today’s walking tour you’ll visit the Santo Domingo Square, the iconic Clock Tower, Cartagena’s Cathedral and the Palacio de la Inquisición. Walking through the cobblestone streets of the historical city center you will also be treated to the city’s most traditional buildings, enchanting squares and museums.
Following your Cartagena city tour, the rest of the afternoon and evening is free for you to relax and enjoy this wonderful city. If you want to explore Cartagena further, you can take the afternoon to visit the Candelaria Convent located on the top of the Popa Hill, the Old Shoes Monument, and the impressive San Felipe de Barajas Castle and Fort. Tonight, you will have time to relax and enjoy this wonderful city that vibrates with color and is refreshed by Caribbean Sea breezes.
Included: Half day Cartagena Colonial City Walking Tour with a private guide; Accommodation in Cartagena. (Meals – Breakfast)

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Your local guide will pick you up from your accommodation to begin your private walking tour of Cartagena’s highlights. The Caribbean weather, colonial architecture and Caribbean flair will keep you more than occupied. If that’s not enough, the city is ...

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Day 11 - Homeward bound

Leaving Cartagena

It’s time to hit the road again as you make your way home, or to your next destination in case you have time to explore the beauty and flair of Colombia further.
Included: Transfer from your accommodation to the airport in Cartagena. (Meals – Breakfast)

It’s time to hit the road again as you make your way home, or to your next destination in case you have time to explore the beauty and flair of Colombia further. Included: Transfer from your accommodation to the airport in ...

ACCOMMODATIONS “The Highlights of Colombia”

Comfort

  • Bogota – Bh Parque 93
  • Pereira – Hotel Hacienda San Jose
  • Cartagena – Hotel Casa India Catalina

Superior

  • Bogota – Click Clack
  • Pereira – Hotel Hacienda San Jose
  • Cartagena – Bantu Hotel

Luxury

  • Bogota – B.O.G.
  • Pereira – Hotel Hacienda San Jose
  • Cartagena – Casa San Agustin

ACCOMMODATION & PRICING

(Price estimate for 2 people traveling together)

View Comfort Accommodation
Option 1

Comfort

Travel On A Budget With Style & Comfort


$1,490

Per person
View Superior Accommodation
Option 2

Superior

Travel On A Budget With Style & Superior


$1,750

Per person
View Luxury Accommodation
Option 3

Luxury

Travel On A Budget With Style & Luxury


$2,160

Per person