Active Exploration of Colombia's Natural & Cultural Highlights - 16 Days

Highlights

• Get to know the vibrant capital, Bogotá
• Hike up a volcano and through multiple national parks and reserves
• Experience Colombia's coffee culture in Salento and the Valle del Cocora
• Go whitewater rafting on the Río Calderas
• Discover waterfalls and nature around Medellín

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Bogotá

¡Hola! Welcome to Colombia. A driver will be waiting for you at Bogotá airport, ready to transfer you to your hotel. The capital city of Colombia is a vibrant and diverse metropolis with a rich cultural heritage and beautiful natural surroundings. Settle into your hotel, then set out to explore.

You could take a walk around La Candelaria, the historic center, to soak in beautiful colonial architecture, colorful buildings, and narrow streets lined with cafés and restaurants. Explore Chapinero, a vibrant neighborhood known for trendy bars and restaurants, or check out street art at La Macarena, a district filled with galleries, restaurants, and boutique shops. There's no rush, as tomorrow you'll join a special tour of the highlights, so you can simply relax in one of the city's many parks, such as Parque Simón Bolívar.

Day 2: Bogotá Walking Tour, Monserrate Hill Tour, Tejo Game

Day 3: Day Hike in Chingaza National Park

After breakfast, a driver will collect you in a 4WD vehicle for the ride to Chingaza National Park. Wave goodbye to the city as you make tracks for the large protected area, which covers 188,000 acres (76,000 ha). Rather than bustling neighborhoods and blaring horns, here you'll find remote forests, lagoons, and rivers. In fact, the misty páramo (high-altitude plateau) ecosystem here is responsible for generating 80% of Bogotá's drinking water.

When you arrive, you'll hit the trail on a 7-mile (11 km) hike through forests at an altitude between 10,170 and 11,155 feet (3,100-3,400 m). At these heights, you'll pass exotic vegetation, including orchids, puyas, unique mosses, and the iconic frailejón. This species of this high-altitude plant you'll see here slightly resembles a palm and can grow up to 33 feet (10 m). Eventually, you'll reach Laguna de Fausto, a glacial lagoon that, like the rest of the park, is considered sacred by the local Muisca Indigenous people. The hike takes about six hours, and afterward, you'll return to Bogotá by 4WD. 

Day 4: Day Trip to Chicaque Natural Park

Today, you'll visit another stunning protected area near Bogotá—this one's a little closer at just a one-hour drive away.  Chicaque Natural Park is an unspoiled cloud forest reserve filled with miles of hiking trails and great birding opportunities. A driver will transfer you west of Bogotá to the park entrance. From there, your guide will lead you on a walk to El Refugio, a lodge and meeting point for hikers, where you'll decide which trail you want to embark on.

The good news is that they're all scenic, and options include hiking through oak forests, over streams, and up to the incredible viewpoint at Pico del Águila (Eagle Peak). Along the way, you're sure to spot some of the more than 400 bird species that call this area home. Common sightings include wrens, tanagers, hawks, flycatchers, emerald toucanets, and various species of hummingbirds. Depending on your level of physical fitness, you can complete up to three nature trails in one day. Afterward, you'll return to Bogotá.

Day 5: Fly to Pereira, Transfer to Salento, Coffee Farm Tour

This morning you'll take a short flight west to Colombia's famous coffee-growing region. A driver will pick you up at your Bogotá hotel for a ride to the airport. On arrival at Pereira, another driver will collect you for the hourlong drive to Salento.

This afternoon you'll dive straight into the world of Colombian coffee culture with an authentic and dynamic experience at a local farm. At Finca El Ocaso you'll explore all things coffee, from the seed to the cup. Learn the most traditional and artisanal ways of processing coffee, and discover how a local farm works. Enjoy tasting a cup of a special coffee, and learn step by step how to prepare it in the peaceful atmosphere of a traditional century-old coffee house.

Day 6: Filandia, Salento & Valle del Cocora

About a 20-minute drive west of Salento lies the Valle del Cocora (Cocora Valley), where towering Andean peaks are blanketed in electric-green flora and dotted with 200-foot-tall (60 m) wax palms—Colombia's national tree. Today you'll explore this part of the Los Nevados National Park with a guide. First, you'll transfer to the coffee town of Filandia, where you'll walk through the colonial streets and visit the viewpoint of Quindio.  Stop at a basket weaving workshop, then enjoy a local drink and dessert at a traditional restaurant.

Continue to the Valle del Cocora. Enjoy a welcome cocktail (canelazo) before exploring the valley and Cocora Natural Reserve with an eco-guide. Walk through the cloud forest, where you'll appreciate the biodiversity of fauna and flora, and wander beneath the tallest wax palms in the world. Here you'll take part in the ritual of the Quindio wax palm, learning about how the Indigenous people worshipped this tree. After the tour, you can choose to go horseback riding, hike through the valley, or enjoy coffee in town.

Day 7: La Vieja River Rafting

In Colombia's Central Andes, the rivers carry water from glaciers and mountains through the cloud forests. Travel the Río La Vieja as the ancient Quimbaya did, navigating on guadua, or bamboo rafts, which some describe as being like vegetable steel. As you float down the river, learn about the guadual ecosystem, and then enjoy a dip into a refreshing waterfall. Eat a picnic lunch on the river's banks in the shade of bamboo groves, and then continue on your rafting tour before returning to Salento.

Day 8: Transfer to Manizales, Horseback Riding Tour

This morning you'll take a two-hour transfer from your hotel in Salento to Manizales, a vibrant and picturesque city surrounded by mountains and coffee plantations. This afternoon you'll jump in the saddle for a horseback tour of Hacienda Venecia, a working farm that delivers awesome views across coffee, plantain, and avocado plantations. Soak up flora and fauna aplenty with native trees, water springs, and more than 260 species of birds. After your ride, the farm's traditional house is the perfect place to refuel and learn about Colombian coffee.

Day 9: Panoramic Tour of Nevado del Ruiz

Visit the Nevado del Ruiz, one of the Colombian Andes' emblematic mountains with an altitude exceeding 17,000 feet (5,321 m) and home to one of the most active volcanoes in the country. Your guided tour departs in the morning and heads toward Brisas, one of the entrances to the Los Nevados National Park and the ecological heart of the coffee region. It's here that the rivers used to irrigate local farmlands and supply the villages begin.

You'll make several acclimatization stops while enjoying the road to reach the Valle de las Tumbas (Valley of the Tombs) at 14,000 feet (4,400 m) above sea level. Watch as the vegetation disappears, giving way to an arid, lunar landscape—the product of volcanic sediments. Visit other sectors, such as Arenales and Valle del Silencio, before starting the descent, where lunch awaits, and finally, enjoy a relaxing stop at the Otono hot springs.

Day 10: Hike to Cerro Bravo Volcano

Today you're going on a hike up the Cerro Bravo volcano in the central mountain range of the Colombian Andes. The steep approach to the crater is well worth the effort. From the summit, there are panoramic views of the Nevado del Ruiz, the Valle del Río Magdalena, and the Letras Páramo.

A driver will make the short drive from Manizales, dropping you at the start of the 3-mile (5 km) round trip, which passes through forest and moorland. Depending on the time of year, you might see high-altitude blooms, such as wild orchids, as well as hummingbirds and butterflies flitting past. Bring warm clothing as the top is 13,123 feet (4,000 m) above sea level.

Day 11: Transfer to Jardín, Coffee Village Tour

This morning a private transfer will take you on the four-hour journey between Manizales and Jardín. This southwest area of Antioquia is one of Colombia's major coffee-growing regions. Here you find the charming village of Jardín, nestled into Andean hills with coffee and banana plantations, and the La Cuchilla Nature Reserve with its cloud forests and diverse flora and fauna. Jardín is famous for its colorful houses and balconies, and the area around the well-known park has been declared Cultural Heritage Village.

Today you'll explore Jardín's coffee and culture on a half-day tour. Get to know the area with visits to the Basílica Menor la Inmaculada, Conceptionist Sisters Convent, Monument to the Founders, Garrucha, the sweet house of Doña Mariela, and the house of Blessed Juan Bautista Velásquez.

Day 12: Transfer to Medellín, Walk to La Miel Waterfall

This morning a private drive will take you to Medellín, a three-hour drive away. The second-largest Colombian city has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, shaping its character as a vibrant and progressive metropolis. Known as the "City of Eternal Spring," Medellín boasts a pleasant climate and breathtaking mountainous landscapes.

This afternoon you'll explore the green hills around Medellín with a special waterfall walk. Get to know the Andean flora and fauna in the ecological reserve as you hike for 90 minutes, following a small river to reach the impressive La Miel Waterfall with a 65-foot (20 m) drop.

Day 13: El Peñón & Guatapé Boat Trip

It's an early wake-up today for your full-day adventure. Meet a local guide at your hotel and begin the drive through Antioquia's Eastern Highlands to El Peñón de Guatapé (the Rock of Guatapé), about 90 minutes east of Medellín. The 650-foot (200 m) monolith can be reached by climbing 740 steps, with a reward of mountain and lake views. After exploring the famous boulder, go to Guatapé village, and get your camera ready as you walk through its streets with colorfully-painted homes. Eat lunch on the waterfront at the Guatapé reservoir, then enjoy a boat ride before returning to the city.

Day 14: Rafting on Río Calderas

With warm water, sunshine, and pristine jungle, Colombia is one of the best places to go rafting! Today you'll take a day trip to the Río Calderas, located a 90-minute drive east of Medellín. Spend half a day paddling through the jungle, gaining a unique perspective on Colombia's backcountry while navigating exhilarating intermediate whitewater. Swim in the emerald waters, discover unique birds and plant species, and relax on a secluded beach with a delicious lunch. Whitewater rafting is a full-body physical activity, so come ready to sweat!

Day 15: Bird-watching in La Romera Natural Reserve

Located in the hills of Sabaneta, next to Medellín, the 447-acre (181 ha) La Romera Nature Reserve is home to approximately 154 species of birds, some endemic and others migratory. Over four hours, you'll explore the protected Andean cloud forest ecosystem, following a 3-mile (5 km) trail. This natural area is well known as one of the best places to look for red-bellied grackle and yellow-headed manakin, along with an amazing variety of Andean flora. 

Day 16: Medellín Transformation Tour, Depart

It's your final day in Colombia, but before you depart, you'll join a captivating guided tour to explore how Medellín is a city that blends modernity and tradition. Gain a glimpse at the complex history, and get to know the dynamic present. Your guide will show you how some of its neighborhoods have shifted from dangerous areas to artistic hubs. You'll visit the Plaza Botero and then Comuna 13 to see how the sprawling mountainside neighborhood links the area to the city below with a giant escalator. View significant murals and street art pieces as you learn about the history of the city.

Then, when it's time to depart captivating Colombia, a driver will collect you from the hotel and transfer you to the airport in time for your flight home or to your next destination. Safe travels! 

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