Colombia, From Bogota to Cartagena

Les Classiques de Colombie 3^*

Welcome at Bogota airport, the Andean capital, and transfer to your hotel. Journey time: approx. 30 minutes. Overnight at the hotel in an Executive Room.

Includes: Transport, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Casa Deco or similar.

Let's discover the centre of Bogotá as the rolos (nickname for the inhabitants of Bogotá). The walking tour of the capital takes us to the city's most authentic and historic spots. La Candelaria, the city's historic centre, is a charming place with its colourful houses, carved wooden balconies and flower-filled patios. On the programme: Plaça Bolivar, Plaça del Chorro with its artists and colonial houses. In the afternoon we visit the Gold Museum with the largest collection of pre-Columbian gold objects in Latin America, with more than 30,000 pieces of gold and magnificent emeralds (closed on Mondays) and the Botero Museum with a large collection of Colombia's most famous artist, as well as other masterpieces by the greatest names in Impressionism and Modernism (closed on Tuesdays). Duration: 8 hours. Overnight at the hotel in an Executive Room.

Includes: Tour, Entrance fee(s), Bilingual guide, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Casa Deco or similar.

Departure from your hotel for the Paloquemao fruit and vegetable market. This is typical Colombia as we stroll through one of the country's most important retail markets. Most of the country's catering professionals buy their produce here, which is why it is constantly bustling with activity. We find all kinds of fruit and vegetables, from the best-known to the most original. Return to your hotel at the end of the tour. Market visit: 1h20 - Transport: 40min.

Private transfer to Bogota airport. Travel time: approx. 30min. Domestic flight to Pereira. Maximum baggage weight is 23kg, any excess will incur an additional cost to be paid directly at the airport.

Private transfer from Pereira airport to Salento. Journey time: approx. 1 hour.

Overnight at the hotel in a Standard Room.

Includes: Excursion, Transport, Tasting, Bilingual Guide, Domestic flight, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Salento Plaza or similar.

Early morning departure from Salento in a Willys jeep for the Cocora Valley. Following in our guide's footsteps on a hike, we discover an extraordinary valley where wax palms, the national tree, lend a surreal dimension to the landscape. We then discover the Bosques de Niebla, a very special ecosystem where we can observe some of the most characteristic birds of the region. Return to Salento for lunch.

Distance covered (approx.) 9 km. - Altitude 2150 - 2900 m. - Humidity 75% - Willys jeep: 1 hour - Walk: 4 hours.

After lunch, departure for a short visit to a traditional coffee finca near Salento. You'll walk down to the coffee farm and enjoy the Andean landscapes of the coffee region. You'll learn all about the artisan coffee production process, from harvesting the beans to the final product. You will be offered a cup of coffee and have the opportunity to buy a few bags of coffee for yourself and/or your loved ones. Return to Salento by jeep.

Guided tour: 45min - Walk: 1h - Car: 15min.

Overnight in the hotel in a Standard Room.

Included: Excursion, Local guide, Lunch, Entrance fees, Transport, Bilingual guide, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Salento Plaza or similar.

**Free day **

Overnight at the hotel in a Standard Room.

Includes : Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Salento Plaza or similar.

Private transport will take you from **Salento to Finca La Romelia Hotel. The journey takes approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. This morning you will visit the Finca Romelia Gardens. José, the owner, is a world-renowned orchid collector. The house and greenhouses in his garden contain more than 800 different varieties of every size and colour. José will join us on this walk and will be happy to tell us more about his magnificent plants.

Guided tour: 3h. A car will take you from la Finca Romelia to Jerico. Travel time approx. 2h45.

Overnight at the Hotel in a Señor Suite.

Included: Transport, Excursion, Lunch, Bilingual guide, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 2-star El Despertar Hotel Boutique (or similar)

Jericó is a typical village of Antioquia, in the department of Medellín, known for its distinctive architectural style, with its colourful finca-style houses, its rich heritage, its architecture, its history and its strong popular "paisa" (antioqueña) culture. This village, still far from the tourist crowds, offers a wide range of opportunities to enjoy the authenticity of the region, its landscapes and its people. Immersed in a typical Antioquia village, we'll discover its remarkably well-preserved architecture, especially the religious aspect of Jericó, starting with the Cathedral of Our Lady of Las Mercedes; we'll meet the key figures of its history at the House-Museum of Santa Laura Montoya, then we'll be guided through the paths of the Botanical Gardens, before finishing with a breathtaking view from the Morro El Salvador, over the village on one side and the surrounding green landscape on the other. Jericó is the only place where you can meet the craftsmen who still make the famous "Carriel", the leather bags that the paisas never gave up. On this tour you'll also discover the tradition and exclusivity of leatherwork at the heart of its craft, an authentic experience.

Duration: 3 hours. This tour does not include visits to museums, churches or chapels.

A car will take you from Jerico to Medellin. Travel time: approx. 3h30.

Overnight at the hotel in a Standard Room.

Included: Excursion, Local guide, Transport, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star La Campana (or similar)

25 years ago, this city was one of the most dangerous in the world. Today, the city of "Eternal Spring " is one of the world's most innovative metropolises. Let's find out more about this spectacular transformation by discovering the Comuna 13 district and its street art! This emblematic site is now a large-scale open-air project for redevelopment and reconversion. Programs initiated by the residents of this popular district are each more innovative than the last. Let's also admire the graffiti of Comuna 13, which gives us a glimpse of daily life in this area rich in history, and makes us understand the importance of urban art for social communication and identity. Duration: 4 hours.

**Afternoon free

Overnight at hotel in Standard Room.

Includes: Transportation, Excursion, Bilingual Guide, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: La Campana 3* (or similar)

Today, we visit the outskirts of Medellin: the famous El Peñol rock, where, from the top of its steps, we discover an extraordinary landscape of lagoons, and the village of Guatapé, classified as a natural and environmental heritage site.

Return to Medellin airport in the late afternoon for our flight to our next destination

Transfer: 3h return - Day trip.

Domestic flight to Cartagena. The maximum weight allowed is 23kg per baggage item, any excess will incur an additional cost to be paid directly at the airport.

Welcome at Cartagena airport and transfer to your hotel in the centre of this famous colonial city. Journey time: approx. 20 min.

Overnight at hotel in a Classic Room.

Includes: Excursion, Bilingual Guide, Lunch, Boat, Domestic flight, Transport, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Casa Pizarro or similar.

Let's follow in the footsteps of the famous pirates and be surprised by the Pearl of the Caribbean, a city with an exotic, mixed heritage and a cultural richness that will amaze you. This excursion through the streets of the beautiful city of Cartagena takes us back to colonial times, with its colourful houses and lively parks. It's a chance to step back in time and relive some of the highlights of the history of this city, the second Spanish stronghold on the South American continent. Cartagena was repeatedly attacked by pirates, the most famous of whom was Captain Francis Drake! We will discover the beauty of its monuments, squares, churches and walls, witnesses to times gone by.

Duration: 4 hours.

Overnight at the hotel in a Classic Room.

Included : Tour, Bilingual Guide, Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Casa Pizarro or similar.

**Free day **

Overnight at the hotel in a Classic Room.

Includes : Room with breakfast.

Hotel: 3-star Casa Pizarro or similar.

Our stay is coming to an end...

**Transfer from your hotel to Cartagena airport ** Duration: approx. 20 min.

- Although participants may be asked to join a group of up to 12 people on excursions, it is important to stress that this trip is still designed on the principle of FIT (Free Independent Travel), with the emphasis on an individual, personalised experience.

• Please note that the order of tours may change due to local constraints (travel time, weather conditions, etc.), however, all the tours mentioned in the programme will take place.