The Colombian Trip

First and foremost Juliana was an amazing host. She was one of the best guides we have had. Her knowledge ability to handle any situation and her general vibe was appreciated. We hiked, biked, rode a Tuk Tuk, and explored by boat.

Carlos was a good host. It was interesting to learn not only his (and his family) history but also take part in the coffee process. I walked away with a deeper understanding of how to engage with coffee in the future.

First the hike itself was beautiful and I enjoyed the activity and reaching the hummingbird house. I would highly recommend this as an activity. The reason it is a low rating was due to the guide. It became very clear early on that our guide was not just leading us but working a second job during his time with us. He told us how he is opening up his own company and kept stopping to film for this new venture. This caused us to take significantly longer and was frustrating at times. Overall we love this as an activity but encourage the use of a different guide in the future.

Beautiful resort. If you are up for quiet and relaxing this is it. Our room was one of the coolest rooms I have stayed in.

Great location in the old town and on a square with restaurants nearby. The staff members were all very helpful. The breakfast options were wonderful. We enjoyed the courtyard. The room was small but perfectly adequate. The area was quiet. There was a nice pool upstairs. The Wifi worked well.

The hotel is on the west side of the island and doesn't have a beach. It is about 15 minutes by taxi into the town. We had a lovely room above the reception with a big balcony. The room was spacious with a narrow but nice bathroom. Breakfast was good and they have a restaurant (limited choices) for dinner. There are some local restaurants in walking distance with better food choices. The grounds are big and there's a pool but we didn't use it as the weather was wet. The only downside was the constant traffic noise as we were in Room 2 close to the road.

Gorgeous setting in the jungle with birds, rescued animals and great views. The room was basic with a concrete floor and thatched roof, a small bathroom and a balcony. There was no hot water in the shower but the Wifi was strong. There is an outdoor open eating area with restaurant. Getting to the lodge is an adventure in itself. First a winding mountain road from Santa Marta to Minca, a small village. Then another 40 minutes on some of the worst roads I've ever seen (and I travel a lot). The remote setting was lovely but it would not be a place to have a medical emergency as it's so far from help. We had two nights here, one would have been enough.

The location is right out of a travel magazine. We stayed one night in Room 4 perched high on the hill with a view to the ocean. However, there were a lot of inconveniences. First, it was a long walk from the reception to the restaurant, then 106 steps up to the room. Luckily we were fairly fit but it would have been strenuous for people older than us. Secondly, the bedroom was upstairs in the cabin. The lighting in the room was poor and I needed to use a flashlight to get things out of my suitcase. To use the bathroom, you have to go outside and downstairs (avoiding any rain). Not ideal for an older couple who need to go to the bathroom at night. Bring a flashlight. There was a coffee maker tucked away in a dark corner next to the bathroom, but no complimentary coffee, only sugar was provided. There were good breakfast choices in the impressive restaurant but service was slow and we waited about 40 minutes to get our breakfast while other guests who arrived after us got their food, ate and left. It was definitely an experience to stay in such a gorgeous place but it is better suited to younger people.

Lovely hotel. Our room was large and on the third floor. There is no elevator/lift. Unfortunately we arrived late and left early so didn't have an opportunity to use the pool or have breakfast. The bathroom was spacious and had hot water.

Fabulous hotel in the old city. The staff were very helpful. The hotel has three courtyards with rooms around them. Our room was comfortable with a nice bathroom. The location was quiet. It's very close to the main square and I felt very safe walking around the square early the next morning. It was also a quick walk to several museums. The hotel has a restaurant on the fourth floor with good food for dinner Breakfast is served in the courtyard and was an amazing buffet, the best breakfast of our trip. I had an omelet made to order. I wish we had more time here as the hotel was so nice.

We ended up going to two waterfalls within walking distance of our lodge. Cesar was a great guide. The hike was easy. You could swim at the waterfalls. The Marinka Falls had bathrooms and a restaurant where we had lunch.

Our guide gave us a good overview of the old city.

Luis was a wonderful guide and really knows and loves birds. We also saw an iguana and many howler monkeys. The visit to the house of the owners of the reserve was a great experience too. Luis had a good camera and shared the photos he took. The whole tour was quite an adventure walking through this area of regenerated jungle.

We did this tour by car and went beyond the old city. The monastery on the hill provides great views. Unfortunately we couldn't get into San Felipe Castle as it was closed for a private event. That was a bit disappointing. But the guide took us to see some other fortification instead.

I wanted to go to San Andres for the snorkeling. I've been lucky to have snorkeled all over the world. The guide, Miguel, was very nice and safety conscious. But the snorkeling itself was disappointing. There was some hard coral but no soft coral nor much color. There were some fish but not what I was hoping for. Also, it had rained the day before so visibility was low and the ocean was rough so we got bounced around a lot of the time. Perhaps a different location or day would have been a different experience.

The guide took us around the island with three stops - a museum, Baptist church and historic house.

A fairly tough 10 mile hike along the coast of the National Park. It is an out and back hike on the same trail. Lovely views. Lots of people and lots of mud. Wear boots or sturdy shoes. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat. It was very hot and humid. We had a break for lunch and a swim at a beach. For lunch we had fresh fish. Cesar was a considerate guide who knew how to avoid the worst of the mud. Along the way we saw capuchin monkeys, a crab, frog, bats and lots of leaf-cutter ants.

An amazing experience to see this archeological site in the jungle. We were the only people there. It exceeded our expectations. The hike was somewhat strenuous but seeing Bunkuany was worth it. Also we enjoyed a simple but delicious lunch with a farmer and his wife. Cesar and the local guide took good care of us. The drive to the trail was long and very bumpy but we got to stop and see some interesting rock carvings.

Luis was an enthusiastic guide and a very interesting person. We loved the market, seeing the fruits and vegetables and tasting some of the food. Luis knew many of the vendors and introduced us. Then we went to Monserrate and appreciated the fast pass tickets as it was very busy. We had a lovely lunch there and enjoyed the views. Luis also provided a walking tour of the old town, taking us along narrow streets and past street entertainers. The next day he arrived on time and accompanied us to the airport.

Great hotel! Close to bars and restaurants but still secluded. The coffee/breakfast place downstairs had some of the best coffee we had in Columbia.

Lovely place. Tucked away from town and overlooking the Andes. Restaurant/bar staff was very friendly and kind. Food was really good.

Great hotel - but important to know that it’s a resort with nothing significant outside of the hotel grounds.

Great day tour! We left super early to avoid crowds. Had the boulder to ourselves. Bike tour way great - what’s good for traveler's to know is that it is on mountain bikes and VERY hilly. The lunch and boat rides were highlights.

The hike itself was AMAZING from a views standpoint. We struggled with our guide (Juan Camilo) at times.

Sofitel definitely delivered a 5 star experience. I just wish we had more time to enjoy the fabulous breakfast buffets.

This was the best hotel option in Leticia. The owner/ manager, Ismael, was the only person who spoke English. We left our documents and valuables with him along with our luggage in safe keeping so we could travel light to Puerto Narino. He also made sure we enjoyed our on site restaurant experience.

They upgraded us to a different room with the view of the Amazon River! What more could we ask for! It was just what we expected. Basic, clean, rustic accommodations. Friendly staff, who did our laundry every day @ no charge. Of course we tipped everyone generously along the way.

This was absolutely THE BEST boutique hotel I've ever stayed in!!! It's like stepping back in time... and right out of a movie scene! Incredibly charming, old world Colonial, arches, pools, friendly staff who greet you with welcome drinks as soon as we walked into the lobby. Highly recommend a stay here.

In a desirable El Poblado neighborhood. Walking distance to chi chi restaurants and clubs. Beautifully decorated and charming landscape design. The phone in the room didn't work. So if we needed to reach the front desk staff, we had to use WhatsApp to reach them. But that meant we were texting at odd hours and not knowing if that individual was on duty or not. Breakfast was lovely in the back patio. Friendly staff.

Luis Mi Barreto was our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable, friendly and flexible to meet our needs.

Segio Leon was our tour guide here. He accompanied us for the 3 days we spent in the Amazonas and Leticia was one of those days. He stayed at the same hotels as us and literally spent full days showing us around.

An unforgettable experience! A must see at least once in a lifetime!

Clau Rodriguez was our guide here. She was absolutely wonderful!

Keyla Merino was our tour guide here. This was absolutely a highlight tour of our trip to Cartagena. She was so proud to tell us about the troubled past in Colombian history and the positive changes to make the country safer but also the economic impact of tourism and international investors on the locals and their resistance on gentrification.