So glad we chose Colombia!
Colombia
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Feb 4 - Feb 17, 2024
![Alex](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/users/profile_photos/d9d62f9094cc37e14b8da309543f8b45827f74d0/original-bc09546f5039e27f7cc91f5812c500eb.jpg)
We were first greeted by our cheerful guide, Andrea, at the airport. We spent a day with her traveling around Bogotá. She was enthusiastic and had lots of knowledge re Colombian history, art, food, and culture. We had a great first breakfast at Hotel Coco in their top floor sunroom with views of the mountains surrounding Bogotá and a colorful spread of delicious Colombian fruits and other tasty foods.
Next, we went to Medellin and were met by Claudia and Martin. Claudia was a most excellent guide! Her knowledge, friendliness, and passion for her country was well complemented by English speaking driver, Martin, who added his own perspectives on various parts of Medellin culture and sights. We were so fortunate to have the two of them together. Our time with them was the highlight of the trip.
We then went to Cartagena and enjoyed our time there. We had a different guide for each event (Cartagena walking tour, kayaking, drum demonstration, horseback riding on the beach).
We then ended our trip with some time at the Caribbean resort island of Baru. We enjoyed kayaking to nearby islands and walking around an aviary where all the birds of Colombia are highlighted. Then one last night in Bogota before returning home.
Important points:
- so helpful to have someone greeting us at each airport and facilitating each departure (we took 3 domestic flights since driving within Colombia is too time consuming)
-very impressed with Avianca and LATAM Airlines
-easy and timely communication with trip organizers and guides using WhatsApp
-hotels were all modern and comfortable
-the best part of the trip was learning about the country by spending time with guides that were eager to show their love of Colombia, especially those that we spent multiple days with
Trip highlights not to be missed
-cable ride to Monserrate, a mountain that overlooks Bogota
-Museo Botero and Museo Del Oro- in Bogota, museum of the artist and sculptor Botero and nearby museum of gold
-Mercado de Paloquemao - tasted exotic fruits, a fun place if you like local markets
-Museo Casa de la Memoria, Medellin - museum dedicated to honor the memory of victims of urban conflict, paramilitaries, and drug trafficking in Medellin
-coffee plantation (Café de la Cima) - we visited a great family run place 1.5 hours from Medellin in Fredonia
-Guatapé - big rock to climb with stunning views and a boat ride on a nearby reservoir; tuk tuk ride in colorful town of Guatapé
-Comuna 13 and Santo Domingo neighborhoods in Medellin - use metro and metro cable car with guide
-Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia
-Getsemani neighborhood of Cartagena
-rum and chocolate tasting in Cartagena
- kayaking at Isla Baru
-aviary at Isla Baru
-street food: grilled corn, empanadas, arepas, fresh mango slices
Hotel Reviews
Such friendly staff! And a spectacular breakfast spread in a room that views the Bogota skyline and mountains.
Interior design was very artistic. Quiet, safe neighborhood, close to El Poblado restaurants.
Beautiful decor in an historic building. Great location in the old city within a few blocks of Plaza de Simon Bolívar and Plaza de Santo Domingo.
Nice to have some time to relax. This was a low key retreat which was perfect for us. Kayaks, ping pong, paddle boards and other activities and games available.
Activity Reviews
![Paloquemao Farmers Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/trip_plan/days/photos/b8d1210959fce12fd3a1a7311998adcc04595827/medium-af768a8c385c1106833526f1c900af91.jpg)
One highlight at this visit, and for the whole trip was that our guide presented us with a sample of 6 exotic juices and their corresponding fruit.
![The City of The Eternal Spring & Street Food In La Comuna 13](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/e2a6b2fa9355d166f0e9184a921dd76f17db2681/original-af97ad440152792f63b8b4ecc7ff1cec.jpg)
We didn’t now much about all the factions that was part of the violence in the earlier decades in Colombia. That changed after we visited the Casa de la Memoria museum. It was an emotionally moving set of exhibits that is a must visit for anyone interested in understanding the violence that Medellin and the rest of Colombia suffered under. Saw both comuna 13 and Santo Domingo. Two different and fascinating neighborhoods. Comuna 13 gets all the attention and as a result is very touristy but Santo Domingo is quieter and maybe more authentic. The cable ride to Santo Domingo was a breath taking view of the city.
![Full day Coffee Workshop - "From the plant to the cup"](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/55abd03afdea1d5b46c85808c4f3486db1de0cc8/original-d2ded8f5d4bf1fa9c0d090dedcd400db.jpg)
![Discover Cartagena by Kayak](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/de34801bc9a15878168ae25c6709feb17bc6d494/medium-2021de1aefd268347c6cf0b3a86e5be2.jpg)
Pleasant time kayaking but the trip did not match the description. Guide did not speak English so we did not learn much. Though Cartagena is a beautiful city from the inside, it wasn’t as interesting from the water.
![Colorful Colombia: Hike to Guatapé Rock, Guatapé & Peñol-Guatape Reservoir](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/e2c9544d9d6d8faf620c1c373c8fba3ad7e6bf7f/medium-fa3404619a76619c620f3ef72602ecc1.jpg)
We enjoyed a boat trip on Peñol reservoir viewing vacation homes and beautiful scenery. Some of the properties were owned by Pablo Escobar. We then climbed up the famous rock El Peñol, which was not as difficult as we thought it would be. The views were spectacular. We then went to the town of Guatape, which is a fun colorful place to visit and walk around. After that we had a really tasty lunch at a Spa/Glamping restaurant called Bosko.
![Afternoon-Night Walking Tour](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/8e55489173463b48ad6f96537d0d502410975a1a/original-008ed4a7426a954f7c10ff492072da89.jpg)
We learned about Cartagena‘s history walking through the old city.
![Horseback ride at the Beach](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/f00c1a42bd893d7573dca9222a553da1976eded1/original-27cfea0e360bdb757581bd43fc554f36.jpg)
First visited the horse farm of Paso Fino horses and learned about their unique gate. We then went to the beach and met the horses there and rode them on the beach. After that we had a nice lunch at a nearby resort.
![Drum Safari - Sounds of Cartagena](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/aea795080fc253876513913b1bcc60c0e4fd6e34/medium-e6ffb195bd148c37123587dac85b65e9.jpg)
We had a fascinating experience learning about the Afro – Colombian rhythms presented by an ensemble of drummers and dancers in a small beach town north of Cartagena. The event didn’t include a tour of the neighborhood as the description suggested. we appreciated the importance of maintaining this heritage.
![Free day in Baru](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/34044beb8509b8f18f73ae23f3498717d8fe2bd7/medium-b0300ae6e8c7f6aef3b0534256c1512d.jpg)
This was a relaxing place to close out a wonderful two week trip to Columbia. The views were beautiful from the various dining rooms. There were lots of comfortable places to sit and areas where you could play games like ping-pong or volleyball. They had kayaks and paddle boards that could be used at any time. The friendly bartender was available to make great drinks like limonada de coco and exotic cocktails. Paddling around the resort was easy in the morning when the water was still. We did manage to find a ride to a nearby aviary, which is well worth the trip.
![Wendy](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/users/profile_photos/55434f1bf3f880e85a27c114cc57210d4a37e132/original-51949ee1397a1bd9024d5a36fdd1dfa3.jpg)
Dear Alex and Mitra,
Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and acknowledgments to our team. Your feedback is incredibly important to us as it allows us to ensure that everyone who works to make your trip unforgettable feels appreciated and happy.
We truly appreciate your beautiful energy and willingness during the trip! It was a pleasure to see you connect with our people, history, customs, traditions, and landscapes. Those pictures are amazing! 😍
You are always welcome here, and it was truly incredible to share these days with you too!
Warm regards,
Wendy