9-DAY THE BEST OF COLOMBIA EXPERIENCE

Meet your AJ trip leader and group at 7:00pm.

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

Modern Bogota 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.

There are no planned activities on your arrival day, so check into our hotel and enjoy the city on your own. Your trip expert leader will hold a general briefing in the evening, normally between 7pm and 8pm (a note will be posted in the arrival hotel with details).

After breakfast, we meet our local guide and start your journey through the city with a visit to the grand food market of Paloquemao to get a taste of the traditional food of Colombia. Discover a world of fresh harvested products, exotic fruits, organic local produce and much more.

Marvel at the best street graffiti art in the city and discover the wonders of “El Dorado” at the gold museum. Later we will make our way to Bolivar Square for more local flavor at a typical restaurant. Afterwards, stop at one of the cafes and enjoy a cup of delicious coffee.

No trip to Quindio is complete without diving deep into the aroma of Colombian coffee. We will visit a Coffee Park (it’s a must-do activity). Situated in the heart of Colombia’s coffee region (Eje Cafetero), this adventure is designed especially for coffee lovers and curious explorers who want to learn about the history, culture, and unique taste of our Colombian coffee. Here you will learn why Colombian coffee is so much more than a bean.

Here, you’re ready to live a unique experience in Colombia with the Coffee Show, a 40-minute show that takes you on a fascinating journey from the north to the south of the country. Be captivated by the vibrant fusion of dance, song, and acrobatics, where nearly 30 talented artists on stage will immerse you in the artistic richness of Colombia.

Music, both traditional and contemporary, illuminates the stage while the artists dazzle with their majestic costumes and the brilliance of the lights. Each act is a tribute to Colombia’s cultural diversity, a visual and sonic celebration that will take your breath away.

Jump on a jeep (called willies by locals) to travel to Cocora Valley, here, you can marvel at the renowned Quindío wax palm – the tallest palm tree in the world, and the national tree of Colombia. It’s a landscape unlike any other around the globe. With these gigantic wax palm trees reaching up to 200 feet tall and dotting the valley by the thousand, they create a truly surreal scene.

You can walk to the viewpoints for around 2 hours in total, then we will go to an amazing local lunch in a beautiful country-style restaurant.

Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Salento and stroll through its quaint streets and admire the colors of ‘paisa’ architecture at its best. In the afternoon we will get together to play Tejo, a unique local game only played in Colombia.

Head out early in the morning after breakfast to travel along the Colombian countryside for 6 hours to Medellin. After arriving, meet a local guide to discover another side of the city by traveling along the city’s innovative transportation system to Comuna 13, a community transformed. Once controlled by the cartels, this community is a shining example of Colombia’s progress in overcoming its notorious past.

Meet a local guide and begin the journey upward with a ride on the city’s unique public cable cars. Head farther up the hillside to the outdoor electric escalators that serve Comuna 13. This extensive escalator system has renewed the impoverished district, which clings to a steep hillside, by providing relief to residents whose daily commutes have become safer and faster.

Arrive at the top to explore this welcoming and safe urban neighborhood and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Be free to tailor make your day with any of the multiple optional activities that most suit your interests. In option with extra cost you can choose between the following activities:

• City Tour.
• Peñol de Guatapé.
• Guatapé cross-country bike ride.

Medellin retains an interesting recent history. Having spent the 1980s and 90s with an international reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous cities (due to Pablo Escobar’s infamous drug cartel), Medellin has turned itself around to become one of the most exciting cities in South America. It has some of the country’s finest museums, parks and architecture; as well as a much safer and comfortable atmosphere now. It’s easy to see why its popularity is increasing.

Take a short 1 hour flight to historic Cartagena, one of South America’s most historic cities with beautiful churches, monasteries, plazas and mansions. The town was founded in 1533 by the Spaniard Don Pedro de Heredia and served as a major center of early Spanish settlement in the Americas. Its gold and silver exports made it a popular target for pirates, and its walled fort (now on UNESCO’s World Heritage list) was built to protect both shipping and the slave trade. In the afternoon enjoy a walking tour through the old part of town, visiting key sites throughout the historical center of the city that were an inspiration for Colombia’s most famous author, journalist and Nobel Prize winner; Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Have another day at leisure to discover this romantic city on your own, or try out optional activities such as: Totumo mud volcano, Rosario Islands national park or the Party Bus at night activity.

We recommend you explore the old city by yourselves, particularly the inner walled town, perhaps visit San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the largest of the fortresses, or head out of town for a mud bath at Volcan de Lodo El Totumo. The nearby group of tiny coral islands and stunning expanses of Playa Blanca (White Beach) reveal the hidden beauty of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Maybe choose to end this adventure with people-watching in the heart of Getsemaní, Plaza de la Trinidad, where kids play soccer and singers strum their guitars.

International departures, end of services. Take with you memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Colombia soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!