9-Day Explore Colombia Tour from Bogotá【Max 16 Pax Small Group】: Armenia, Medellín and Cartagena

What you'll experience

Highlights

9 days

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 — Home - Bogotá

   Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.
   Modern Bogotá offers visitors a wide variety of activities combined with the picturesque beauty of its cultural and architectural past. Colonial churches and pre-Columbian art contrast with the futuristic high-rise buildings of a busy metropolis.
   If you arrive early, take a walk around some of the interesting neighbourhoods including La Candelaria, La Macarena, Parque de la 93, La Zona T, La Zona Rosa (bars and restaurants), La Zona G (international cuisine), or visit the Monserrate Santuary and enjoy great views of the city.
   【Private Vehicle】
   Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
   【Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting】
   The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.
   【Optional Activity: Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral Visit】
   Take some time and visit Zipaquirá, a city in central Colombia just northeast of Bogotá, known for its subterranean Salt Cathedral. You will have the opportunity to see this impressive structure for yourself on a tour. The church is 180 metres underground and will offer you a unique perspective into what the daily lives of miners looked like at one time. It was they who created this small chapel carved out of rock salt. Visit the structure, admire from the Viacrucis to the Corus and appreciate the grandeur of the world's largest underground cross.

   Meals: B: Excluded, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: GHL Collection 93
2. 2

   Day 2 — Bogotá - Armenia

   Catch a flight to Armenia, one of Colombia's coffee capitals. Head to a small, family-run coffee farm in nearby Montenegro, and meet with a coffee expert to learn about the different stages of coffee production, from bean to cup. Continue on to a traditional hacienda on a working coffee farm, where we'll spend two nights.
   【Plane】
   Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
   【Private Vehicle】
   Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
   【Hacienda Stay】
   Spend the night in a traditional hacienda (Spanish for "estate") and coffee farm and get a closer look at life in Colombia's beautiful coffee region.
   【Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Colombian Coffee Farm Visit】
   Immerse yourself into coffee culture with a visit to a family-run working coffee farm. Spend the afternoon with a coffee expert learning the processes of plant growth, reproduction, harvest, post harvest, and drying. This hands-on experience allows us insight into why Colombian coffee is considered some of the best in the world.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hacienda La Combia
3. 3

   Day 3 — Armenia

   Set out on a full-day excursion to Salento, a charming coffee-growing town set amid verdant mountains, and venture to the nearby Cocora Valley for a hike. This breathtaking protected landscape harbours groves of gigantic wax palm, Colombia's national tree and the tallest type of palm in the world. Later, during an immersive coffee tasting, sip espresso and watch a demonstration of latte art by a local barista. Then enjoy free time to explore Salento, strolling its quaint streets and browsing the local craft stalls.
   【Salento and Cocora Valley Excursion】
   Visit Salento, a charming town typical to Colombia's coffee region, and enjoy hiking the beautiful landscape of the Cocora Valley. Spend the rest of your visit strolling the quaint streets of Salento—this is a great place to appreciate traditional architecture and shop for gifts.
   【Your Foodie Moment: Colombian Coffee Immersion and Tasting】
   Continue our coffee immersion with a visit to a speciality coffee shop. Here we embark on a sensory exercise to understand the difference between high quality coffees and commercial coffees, an espresso tasting and the correct preparation of a milk-based coffee where the barista demonstrates the proper art of the latte. This hands-on experience allows us to understand why Colombian coffee is considered some of the best in the world and better understand the part it plays in the culture of this region. And finally, a tasting of the various brews will round out our day.
   【Hacienda Stay】
   Spend the night in a traditional hacienda (Spanish for "estate") and coffee farm and get a closer look at life in Colombia's beautiful coffee region.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Included, D: IncludedStay: Hacienda La Combia
4. 4

   Day 4 — Armenia - Medellín

   This morning, fly to Medellín. Surrounded by lush hills and fragrant flower farms, this thriving city is currently in the midst of a resurgence. Settle into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.
   【Plane】
   Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Ecohub Hotel
5. 5

   Day 5 — Medellín

   Alongside a local guide, embark on an eye-opening tour of Comuna 13—formerly one of Colombia's most dangerous neighbourhoods. Ride on the cable cars and outdoor escalators that span the sprawling hillside, and learn how public transport and art and music programs have transformed the area into a peaceful, vibrant community. Afterward, opt for a historical tour of Medellín, visit some of the city’s museums, or go shopping.
   【Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Medellín Community Walk】
   Discover another side of Medellín as you travel on the city's innovative transportation system and head to Comuna 13­ – a community transformed. Once controlled by the cartels, this community is a shining example of Colombia's progress in overcoming its notorious past. Meet a local guide and begin the journey upward with a ride on the city's unique public cable cars. Head farther up the hillside to the outdoor electric escalators that serve Comuna 13. The extensive escalator system has renewed the impoverished district, which clings to a steep hillside, and provided much relief to residents whose daily commutes have become safer and faster. Arrive at the top to explore this welcoming and safe urban neighbourhood and enjoy panoramic views of the city.
   
   【Optional Activities】
   Option 1: El Peñol Stone (La Piedra Del Peñol) Visit
   Formed approximately 70 million years ago, El Peñón de Guatapé, also known as El Peñol, is a giant monolith rising 2,135m (7,005 ft) above sea level. Climb the 649 steps that have been built into one side of this famous rock and enjoy breathtaking views of the Guatapé Dam and surrounding area from the peak.

   Option 2: Guatapé Dam Visit
   Visit this hydroelectric dam created by flooding a valley. The Guatapé Dam has greatly changed the natural landscape, which now has the look of lush islets in a blue lake with 500km (310 mi) of shoreline.

   Option 3: Nutibara Hill (Cerro Nutibara) Visit
   For a breath of fresh air 80m (263 ft) above the city, visit Nutibara Hill. Ride a colourful bus, take a taxi, or climb winding paths through the greenery to get to the top of the hill and enjoy great views of the city. Pueblito Paisa waits at the summit: stroll through this replica of a traditional Antioquian town and enjoy the charm of whitewashed buildings, bright-coloured doors and tiled roofs. Try some local food here or shop for souvenirs.

   Option4: Guatapé Day Trip
   Begin the day trip to Guatapé in the morning around 8:30 AM. Leave Medellin and pass through the town of Peñol and see its famous replica, a scaled imitation of the old town square where the group can enjoy an exspansive view over the reservoir and admire the colonial style of the town's architecture. Next up, climb the 700 steps that lead to the top of Piedra del Peñol. This enormous monolith offers epic 360-degree views of the surrounding landscape. Sit down for a typical lunch before continuing onwards to the town of Guatapé, where the group will learn more about its rich culture and history. After touring the town enjoy a relaxing, private boat ride on the reservoir and appreciate the islands from a whole new angle. Make a pit stop at a private island for some free time to immerse yourself in the beautiful surroundings—think meditation or water sports.

   Option 5: Santa Fe de Antioquia Visit
   Explore the quaint streets of Santa Fe de Antioquia – a national monument – on foot and admire the original colonial architecture and Andean landscape. Take photos of traditional Antioquian homes and get lost in the charm of the past. Explore the town’s beautiful churches and cross the Cauca River on the Bridge of the West, a suspension bridge built in 1887.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Ecohub Hotel
6. 6

   Day 6 — Medellín

   Enjoy a free day to continue exploring Medellín. Choose to visit nearby Guatapé, located on the shores of a scenic reservoir. Wander amid the town's brightly decorated houses, and opt to climb a steep flight of stairs to the summit of El Peñol, a towering monolith that affords breathtaking views of the reservoir's sparkling waters and lush green isles.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Ecohub Hotel
7. 7

   Day 7 — Medellín - Cartagena

   Catch a flight to the fabled city of Cartagena, perched on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. In the afternoon go on an excursion to the nearby beach of La Boquilla and visit an arts workshop run by women who transform coconuts into jewellery, crafts, and other art. As we listen to their stories and learn their techniques, try your hand at creating a souvenir out of natural materials. Later, head to the Oh La La Restaurant for a hands-on cooking class. As we learn to make Caribbean and Colombian specialities, hear how the restaurant amplifies cooking traditions while working with household mothers and small market producers.
   【Plane】
   Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
   【Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Coconut Workshop】
   The project DAMARTES (Damas y Madres del Arte – ‘Women and Mothers of Art’) is an association composed of mothers and grandmothers who in 2008, took part in a crafts workshop sponsored by the foundation ProBoquilla. They have now started their own social enterprise producing jewelry, vases, art and accessories out of coconuts. Meet these incredible women and join them in a Coconut Workshop located on the beach of La Boquilla.
   【Your G for Good Moment: Damartes Beachside Coconut Workshop & Social Enterprise Introduction】
   Since 2024, Planeterra and G Adventures have been supporting the association of DAMARTES (Damas y Madres del Arte – 'Women and Mothers of Art') to uplift their impact. Their work portrays an excellent example of how tourism can support gender equality and sustainability in direct and impactful ways. Learn more about the history of this organization and meet the incredible mothers and grandmothers who have worked hard to build their own social enterprise. Gather alongside the women on the beach of La Boquilla and learn how to create jewelry, vases, art, and other accessories from coconuts. Travel home with a unique souvenir and the knowledge that your presence here has made a difference and positive impact on the local community.
   【Your Foodie Moment: Colombian Caribbean Cooking Experience】
   Visit Oh La La Restaurant in the Getsemani neighbourhood for a hands-on cooking class. Learn to make Caribbean–Colombian specialities with the experts, hear how the restaurant amplifies cooking traditions while working with household mothers and small market producers. After, enjoy your creations for dinner.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Armeria Real Hotel
8. 8

   Day 8 — Cartagena

   Enjoy a walking tour of Cartagena. Visit the old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, discovering atmospheric plazas, soaring churches, and important historic landmarks. Spend the rest of the day on your own soaking up the tropical charm of Cartagena. Opt to visit Cartagena's Gold Museum, showcasing intricate pre-Colombian ornaments and pottery, or choose to learn the basics of Colombian salsa, known as Cali style, during a private lesson with two local dancers.
   【Cartagena City Tour】
   Learn more about Cartagena's history from a bilingual guide on a tour of this lively city. Travel between sights by private transport and visit the clock tower, Plaza Bolivar, and the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Take in sweeping views of the city from the hilltop Convento De La Popa and enjoy a walking tour from San Pedro Claver Church to Santo Domingo Church.
   【Optional Acitivity】
   Playa Blanca Visit
   Take a boat to the island of Baru and visit idyllic Playa Blanca. Relax on the white sand, go for a swim, or snorkel in the warm water. To refuel head to one of the charming beach shack restaurants.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Armeria Real Hotel
9. 9

   Day 9 — Cartagena - Home

   Depart at any time.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: Excluded

What's included

Cancellation policy

Important info

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