Day 1 |
[wpml-string context=’Reception at the airport and transfer to hotel’ name=’Arrival in Bogotá’]Arrival in Bogotá
Reception at the airport and transfer to hotel. The hotel is located in the tourist area Parque 93 known for its great restaurants and great atmosphere.
At arrival you will receive a Welcome Call from the Andes World Travel Team.[/wpml-string]
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Day 2 |
Coffee Area & Salento
Transfer to airport and flight to Armenia. Pickup and transfer to Reserva El Cairo.
You are just in the middle of Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia. This region was recognized in 2011 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is a testament to the outstanding example of Sustainable Production and Cultural landscape of Salento.
You will be staying in an authentic renovated coffee house, that is more than 100 years old, surrounded by 100 acres of amazing landscape. The hotel is located three kilometers away from the town of Salento on the way to the Cocora valley.
Afternoon free to enjoy the settings.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 3 |
Cocora Valley
Full day excursion to Cocora Valley.
The guide will meet you in the morning and take you to a very interesting hike to the Cocora Valley. During this private tour you will get familiar with Colombia’s National Tree, the wax palm (Ceroxylon Quindiuense). Its the biggest palm in the world with heights up to 60 meters. The wax palm was qualified by the Alexander Von Humbolt Institute as “endangered” as well as the yellow-eared parrots that only make their nests in these palms.
The length and strength of the tour depends on the physical shape of the visitor and therefore the exact route will be determined together with the guide according to the interests.
Whether you are a Nature enthusiast or not, this day is very likely going to be one of the most beautiful memories you will bring back home.
Box lunch is included.
Included meals: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
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Day 4 |
Coffee tour
After a well-deserved rest, its time to find out why the Colombia coffee is considered to be one of the finest in the world. Pick up from the hotel in the morning and transfer a traditional coffee farms in the area. Here you will learn a lot about the entire coffee production from seed to the final product. It also includes a very pedagogic coffee tasting to learn about the different types and qualities of the local coffee. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours. Afternoon free for your own plans.
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 5 |
Travel to Medellin
Transfer to airport in Pereira and flight to Medellin.
At arrival transfer to hotel. Afternoon for relax.
In case of wanting to avoid the flight PEI – MDE, its possible to take a private transfer. Its a 9 hours long drive, so we recommand flight for the sake of the kids.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 6 |
Medellín – city tour
After breakfast, half day private city tour en Medellin.
Following the footsteps of Medellín’s history back in time about 20 years, we’ll find ourselves in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. In the early 90s, hunting on the drug lord Pablo Escobar, the head of Medellín’s drug cartel, was at its peak. When the reign of “El Patrón” finally came to an end, struggles and fights for his succession started. Since then city has undergone a deep transformation and Medellín has turned into one of the most innovative metropolises worldwide.
During this tour we will discuss some of those issues and many more while visiting the downtown, the Botero park, the cable car and the electrical stairs.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 7 |
Medellín
Free day for own plans.
For some, relax by the pool would do it.
Others might want to explore some of Medellins attractions such as the “Arvi Park” or the “Explore Park”.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 8 |
Guatape & El Peñol – Río Claro Reserve
The Peñol Boulder is one of the most spectacular destinations in the surrounding area of Medellín.
The 200-meter-high monolith can be climbed through a staircase of 740 steps. Enjoy breath-taking views over the stunning surroundings full of green mountains and blue lakes. The village of Guatapé is famous for its church and its beautiful, colourful paintings that decorate the houses of the village.
On this day trip we will take you on a scenic drive through the Eastern Highlands of Antioquia. You can climb the Peñol Boulder, enjoy a delicious typical Colombian lunch on the waterfront of the
Guatapé reservoir, explore the lake on a boat ride and take time to stroll and relax.
In the afternoon, transfer to Rio Claro.
Rio Claro Reserve is a private conservation project for the protection of a tropical rainforest in excellent conditions. The rainforests grows over limestone rocks, creating beautiful scenery of biodiversity, accompanied by the clear river water flowing over a splendid marble canyon.
Pick up at the hotel in Medellín and private transfer to the Rio Claro Reserve (ca. 3-4 hrs.). Upon arrival, lunch will be served at the restaurant. In the afternoon the guide will give you a short introduction to the ecosystem of the forest. There will be free time to enjoy the river.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 9 |
Rio Claro Natural Reserve & soft adventure
Free day to enjoy the natural settings and some adventure actitivies. At the lodge you can arrange Rafting, Caving, Ziplining and Viaferatta.
For some, free time to enjoy the river and to do selfguided walks in the forest, would be enough.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 10 |
Travel to Cartagena
Pick up and transfer to airport. Flight to Cartagena and transfer to hotel.
We recommans flight MDE – CTG around noon due to the 3 h long transfer to Medellin airport.
At arrival to Cartagena, transfer to hotel in the historical part.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 11 |
Cartagena & city tour
In the morning, you will have a half day City Tour included.
Activity duration: City tour – 4 h
The wour includes visit to the San Felipe Fortress, the most technically advanced military building during Spanish colonial times, as well as the old “Popa” Monastery where you will have a wonderful view of the city. Between these two places, visit the popular marketplace of Bazurto, where fruits, vegetables and fish are traded by the locals, most of them descendants of the slaves of the colonial times.
The tours ends around lunch in Getsemani or at the hotel.
In the evening there will be free time for shopping, and perhaps to enjoy a drink on the old fortress walls, overlooking the sunset on the Caribbean.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 12 |
Cartagena
Free day for own plans. No tours are included.
Included meals: Breakfast
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Day 13 |
Caribbean beaches
Today we will leave the vibrant city and head southwest along the Caribbean Coast line down to Golfo de Morosquillo. Here you will find some of the most beautiful and remote beaches of the country.
After 3 hours drive, arrival to the Natural Reserve, Sanguare, where we will check in to a very nice beach lodge.
Afternoon free to enjoy the nature and beach.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 14 |
Kayac, beach, hike & bioluminescent plankton.
After breakfast we get ready for a tour in Kayacs.
First we will padle around 20 min open sea along the coastline, untill we will find a narrow entrance to the lagoons.
Paddle through the Mangrove until reaching the main lagoon. Here we will observe the fragile and interesting ecosistem within the quit waters while enjoying the natural settings.
Return to the lodge before noon.
Lunch and time to enjoy the beach.
During the hours in the afternoon, there will be a guided tour in the dry forest. Its a very different ecosystem and the guide will show us how the flora has adapted to the very spare precipitation in this area.
Return to the lodge for dinner.
Depending on the time of the month, it is possible to participate in a night tour in order to see the bioluminescent plankton. It’s a kayac tour held in the evening or in the early morning hours, depending on the position of the moon.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to experience bioluminescent plankton yet, it’s a really one-in-a-life-time experience to see how suddenly the water light up in the sark just by any movement within the water.
This tour is not included, but can be organized on the spot with the hosts.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 15 |
Optional tour to the archipelago of San Bernardo
We recommend a boat trip to the Archipelago of San Bernardo. The tour can be organized directly at the hotel according to availability. Its a very recommended experience with great snorkeling possibilities and some visits to very interesting Caribbean islands. Amongst visits you will visit Santa Cruz del Islote. Its significant population compared with its small size results in its being the most densely populated island on Earth.
Return to the beach lodge in the afternoon.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Day 16 |
Departure
Pick up and transfer to Cartagena’s Airport. Flight to Bogota for international connection in the evening. End of services
Included meals: Breakfast
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