Luxury Colombia Highlights Tour - 7 Days

Highlights

• Go emerald hunting and marvel at pre-Hispanic gold in Bogotá 
• Dine at world-class restaurants and stay in 5-star boutique hotels
• Soar over the green countryside of Medellín on a private helicopter tour
• Snap the perfect portrait with a photo tour of colonial Cartagena 
• Charter a private catamaran to explore the tropical Rosario Islands

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Bogotá, Tour the Emerald District

Welcome to Colombia! This wildly beautiful South American nation has had a mystique about it ever since the first Spanish colonialists arrived in the 16th century. Back then, they sought El Dorado, the legendary Lost City of Gold. In certain respects, they found it, because precious metals and gemstones have been a part of Colombian culture dating back to Indigenous, pre-Hispanic times. Such jewels are a cornerstone of this luxury itinerary, beginning with your arrival in Bogotá, Colombia's grand capital in the heart of the Andes mountains.

At the airport, your private driver will meet you for the transfer to the Sofitel Victoria Regia. Located in the exclusive Chapinero area, this 5-star hotel offers a touch of French luxury in Bogotá. Stepping through the front doors, you'll be met with a grand foyer and spiral staircase. In the spacious suites, you'll find king beds, bathrooms stocked with L'Occitane products, and chic decor with accents inspired by local culture. Even the gourmet restaurant, Basilic, mixes the two cultures, using French avant-garde techniques to prepare dishes with local ingredients.

You can relax and enjoy the hotel amenities later; now, you're headed to the city center. Bogotá is the heart of Colombia's flourishing emerald trade, and its downtown area is where you'll find the highest concentration of jewelers specializing in these gemstones. Colombian emeralds are particularly prized for their rich green color—a hue that's so pure and transparent that they embody the descriptor "emerald green." A private local guide will take you around the area, helping you find jewelers and choosing the best gems to take back home.

Day 2: Visit the Gold Museum, Fine Dining at Chato

You've browsed some of the finest emeralds in the country—now it's time to immerse yourself in Colombia's gold legacy. This morning, return to the city center for a visit to the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum). One of the finest museums in South America, it exhibits a collection of between 30,000 and 60,0000 pre-Columbian gold artifacts (the largest such collection anywhere in the world).

During a private tour here, you'll see many gold artifacts from ancient Indigenous cultures. These include major highlights like the "Balsa Muisca"—a golden raft carved by the pre-Hispanic Muisca people to represent their ceremonial offerings at Lake Guatavita. After the museum, you'll have the rest of the day free.

In the evening, discover Bogotá's flourishing culinary scene. Every week, it seems, a new restaurant opens in this city that's ranked as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the world. Tonight's reservation is at one such gem: El Chato. Located in Chapinero, local chef Alvaro Clavijo serves a gourmet menu celebrating locally sourced produce from Colombia's diverse ecosystems. Highlight items include chicken hearts, young potatoes, and sorrel or mushroom tartare—you might even be treated to the off-menu avocado souffle. 

Day 3: Fly to Medellín, Flower Festival Tour, Dinner at Elcielo

Time to say goodbye to Bogotá. In the morning, you'll transfer to the airport for the 45-minute flight to Medellín. Despite its turbulent past, today, this city is pure charm. Nestled in the Andes in the state of Antioquia, the city is known for its friendly locals (called "Paisas"). A car will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the 5-star Elcielo Hotel. Situated in the fashionable Astorga neighborhood, Elcielo occupies an uber-chic location. The well-appointed suites include comfy king beds and marble floors, but Elcielo's real focus is its avant-garde restaurant, which you'll dine at tonight.

After checking in, however, you'll leave the city on a transfer by private car about an hour outside Medellín to Santa Elena. This charming mountain town is the main hub for the mass production of fresh flowers used in Medellín's largest festival–the colorful Feria de Flores. While here, you'll visit an organic flower farm and enjoy some rustic local cuisine. Upon returning to the city, the flores theme continues with a visit to Placita de Flórez, a market square in the city where farmers sell their flowers.

You'll have the rest of the day free until it's time for dinner. The bonus is that you won't even have to leave your hotel to enjoy tonight's world-class dining experience at the famed Elcielo Restaurant. Led by a wunderkind Paisa chef, Elcielo made its mark with a molecular gastronomy approach to transforming local ingredients into creative and playful dishes that engage all five senses. The evening's culinary journey involves a tasting menu featuring different themes for each course.

Day 4: Day Trip to Guatapé & El Peñol, Scenic Helicopter Tour

Wake up early for a private day trip outside of Medellín to the gorgeous Antioquia countryside. The journey will take you a couple of hours east of the city to Guatapé. This colorful hill town is famous for its street art and murals, as well as the surrounding Guatapé Lake (actually a human-made reservoir) that snakes its way around town.

From Guatapé, you'll visit the neighboring town of El Peñol, home to the region's most popular landmark: El Peñón de Guatapé (the Rock of Guatapé), a granite outcropping that tops out at 646 feet (2,152 m). Climb the 740 steps to the summit, where you can admire 360-degree wraparound views of the towns, lake, and sprawling green countryside below. Then reward yourself with a cold beverage from one of the cafés and food stalls at the summit (try the mango michelada).

Afterward, you'll return to Guatapé and take to the skies on a private helicopter flight. As you soar above the countryside, you'll have a bird's-eye view of the town, the lake, and the iconic rock. A ride like this is the best way to experience the full scope of Antioquia's natural beauty. Later, you'll transfer back to Medellín.

Day 5: Fly to Cartagena, Walled City Photography Tour

It's another travel day! This morning, you'll transfer to the airport for the one-hour flight to Cartagena. Situated on Colombia's Caribbean coast, it's one of the most well-preserved fortress cities in the Americas. At the airport, a driver will pick you up for the transfer to your 5-star accommodations in the Walled City (historic center). Casa San Agustín is a colorful boutique hotel situated in a colonial-era mansion. Its many luxurious amenities include a day spa, a shimmering courtyard pool, a swank bar and restaurant, personalized concierge services, and more.

After checking in, you'll venture into the Walled City with a professional photographer for a very special tour. You'll have the option to make this a traditional photography tour, during which your guide will lead you to the best vantage points to snap the best pics. Or, opt to become a model for a day as your pro guide photographs you in front of the most historic buildings in this colorful and romantic city.

Later, when dinnertime arrives, choose between three world-class eateries within the historic Walled City. Each is characterized by bold flavors representing the culture and imagination of the region and around the world. Perhaps dine on a tasting menu of French haute cuisine in a centuries-old building, sit in a colonial courtyard and enjoy exquisite Caribbean fare like seafood casserole and ceviche, or feast on fresh lobster amid a coastal Colombian party while being entertained by mapalé dancers in bright, traditional dress.

Day 6: Day Trip to Palenque, Colombia's First "Free Town"

Take a stroll down Cartagena's cobbled streets, and you'll likely see Afro-Caribbean women in colorful, traditional dress, often selling fresh fruit and other goods from baskets on their heads. These women are known as Palenqueras—descendants of escaped enslaved Africans. In the early 17th century, they founded their own town south of Cartagena called San Basilio de Palenque. It was the first free African town in the Americas, symbolizing resistance against oppression and slavery.

On a day trip, you'll transfer about an hour to Palenque by private car. There, you'll see where ancient forts once stood guard against anyone looking to reclaim its formerly enslaved residents. The Afro-Colombian inhabitants have also preserved many of the customs of their African ancestors. A local guide will lead you on this cultural journey, during which you'll learn more about the residents through their history, music, and, of course, food. This includes a break for lunch at a traditional restaurant in town. Afterward, you'll transfer back to Cartagena and will have the evening free.

Day 7: Rosario Islands Catamaran Tour, Depart Cartagena

A driver will meet you at the hotel bright and early for the transfer to Cartagena's pier. There, you'll board a private catamaran and embark on a 45-minute ride to the Islas Rosario (Rosario Islands). Along the way, you'll be treated to natural and historic scenery, like Isla Tierra Bomba and Fuerte Boca Chica. The latter is an 18th-century fort built by the Spanish that once protected Cartagena's harbor.

Upon arrival at Rosario, change into your swimwear and make a beeline to Playa Azul, a white-sand beach fronting the turquoise Caribbean Sea. After a lunch prepared onboard the catamaran by a private chef, you'll visit several other islands in the archipelago, where you can sunbathe, go snorkeling, take a kayak ride, and enjoy other activities. Later in the afternoon, you'll return to Cartagena and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Adiós!

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