BEST OF COLOMBIA
Bogotá – Villa Vieja – San Agustin – Popayán – Cali – Cartagena
TRAVEL PERU SEAT-IN-COACH TOUR
Colombia – coffee and culture, a diverse country – whether it’s the green hills of the Andean foothills, the Caribbean coastal lowlands with their bordering mountains, the Pacific with its lava beaches or the regions of the Amazon and Orinoco, Colombia has it all.
Day 01 – Tuesday Bogotá/ Approx. 17 km
- Transfer airport Bogotá – hotel
Reception at Bogotá Airport and transfer to the hotel.
Bogotá – The Colombian Capital was founded in 1538 by the Spaniard, Gonzalo de Quesada Jiménez and named, Santa Fe. Here the history and its greatness, clashes with its dilapidated colonial grandeur and the modern twentieth century and the seething vitality of a modern metropolis. Throughout the southern part of the city, ancient buildings are located in quiet old districts, all of which go to tell their story. Bogota is a city you will notice for its constant air, fresh morning, warm middays, and cool evening, which will makes you forget the fact, that there are no seasons here.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel B3 Virrey 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Cité 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 02 – Wednesday Bogotá/ Approx. 50 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Half day city tour with the statue of Guadalupe (6h)
- Afternoon at leisure
Get to know Bogota´s most famous food market, located in the heart of the city. The best time to visit such a place is the morning where you can enjoy the beautiful smells of the flowers. Entering the marketplace slowly progress deep inside, observe the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, chicken, meats, and fish, plus much more. A market such as this is a unique experience, maybe stop at some of the many delicious food stands and sample the local cuisine from the region.
Next visit La Candelaria, the old historical downtown of Bogotá or what was once the old city centre. The architecture of the old houses, churches and buildings come from the Spanish Colonial past with its Baroque styles. Many universities, libraries, and museums are housed in these historical buildings. Walk across the main square of Simon Bolivar, and past governments buildings to reach the famous Gold Museum which houses the world’s largest collection of pre-Hispanic goldwork in the world. Visit the Fernando Botero Museum, the well-known Colombian painter and sculptor. Drive between the main mountains of Bogotá and up to the statue of Guadalupe. Here you can enjoy an incredible view over the town.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel B3 Virrey 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Cité 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 03 – Thursday Bogotá/ Approx. 185
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Full day country tour (8h)
In the morning depart from BOGOTÁ to the north, towards Zipaquirá. After a journey of roughly one hour reach the impressive Salt Cathedral, a true achievement of engineering. The name Zipaquirá refers to Zipa, the leader of the Muisca tribe and who was the chief of these rich salt mines. The excursion will begin by visiting the cathedral in a series of tunnels that pass by the fourteen Stations of the Cross and continues on to the dome. The dome is lit in such a way that it leaves one to contemplate the universe and the relationship between man and nature. Later, visitors reach the enormous cross carved into the saline rock and finally the three naves of the Cathedral that represent the birth, life and death of Christ. In the central nave is where the main altar is located, above which lays the cross that has a height of 16m and has a width of 10m, made by the Colombian artist Carlos Enrique Rodriguez. This is the largest cross made from salt in the world. Next, we visit the mine where there is an excellent auditorium that can seat up to two hundred people and hosts film screenings and events such as fashion shows. The trip ends at a mirror of water where it is possible to experience the amazing visual effects of water on carved saline rock. Leaving the Salt Cathedral we make a short stop at a small village square, before driving to over 3,000m (9.840 ft) and to the entrance of the legendary lagoon of Guatavita. From here it’s a short walk to the lagoon. According to legend, every young ruler of Muisca (a Chibcha tribe) brought a sacrifice to the sun god of the lagoon. The naked body of the prince would first be coated with a paste made of gold dust, after which he would board the raft to the middle of the lake where he would jump into the water, the gold dust would wash into the lake and together with emeralds and gold would be given to the priest. A recreation of this gold craft/ raft can be seen in the Gold Museum. Returning to our vehicle drive to the house of one local farmer, where you will have lunch and converse with the family. After walk around the farm and have an impression of how their life is. In the afternoon return to Bogotá, with a brief stop to sample the typical arepas (corn bread).
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel B3 Virrey 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Cité 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 04 – Friday Bogotá – Villa Vieja/ Approx. 52 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer hotel – airport
- Flight Bogotá – Neiva (not included)
- Transfer airport – hotel in Villa Vieja
- Walk through the village with visit to the Totumo Museum & Private Cracker Production
- Visit the Tatacoa Desert by “Moto-Taxi”
Transfer to the airport and flight to Neiva. Upon arrival, reception, and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a stroll through the attractive little village of Villa Vieja, founded in 1550, where time has stood still. Visit a local family and learn how they make the very famous crackers, enjoyed throughout Colombia. Visit the small private museum, where you will be surprised what the local people make from Totumo (gourd tree). In the late afternoon take a moto taxi and enjoy the breezy ride to the entrance of the Tatacoa Desert. The landscape here is a cross of ditches and canals between which grow large cactuses. The cracks in the eroded soil and the shadow of the sun, paints this place in colours of orange and grey, and with the roaring wind, gives the great appeal of this landscape. Transfer back to your hotel.
Standard & Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Boutique Yararaka 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Day 05 – Saturday Villa Vieja – San Agustín/ Approx. 270 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer to San Agustin
- Visit to the archaeological Park
Today we follow the largest river in Colombia, the Magdalena, to finally you reach the well-known archeological area of San Agustin. In the afternoon visit the Archeological Park of San Agustin with its ancient sculptures, tombs, and stone figures.
Transfer to your hotel.
Standard:
Overnight at Hacienda Akawanka 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Monasterio San Agustin 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 06 – Sunday San Agustín/ Approx. 55 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Half day visit to a coffee farm.
- Visit the Archaeological Park of Alto de los Ídolos
In the morning visit one of the local coffee farms or plantation to learn about the process of making coffee. Later in the afternoon visit the archeological park of “Alto de los Ídolos”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Standard:
Overnight at Hacienda Akawanka 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Monasterio San Agustin 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 07 – Monday San Agustín – Popayán/ Approx. 135 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer to Popayán
- Visit to the hot springs.
Today 6-hour drive to Popayan. On the way pass by the National Park of Purace which extends from an altitude of 2,500 meter to 5,000 meter. The hilly Paramo landscape is crossed by ravines and water courses, as well as volcanoes: their craters still smolder. Visit the sulfurous hot springs of the volcano Puracé “Termales Agua Hirviendo”. Arrive to Popayan and your hotel.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel La Plazuela 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Dann Monasterio 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 08 – Tuesday Popayán/ Approx. 120 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Visit to the indigenous market of Silvia.
In the morning visit the bustling market of Silvia, located in a temperate mountainous area near Popayan and consisting of picturesque houses surrounded by vast sugar cane plantations. The Indigenous Guambiano community with a population of 12,000 inhabitants live in small mountain villages nearby. Every Tuesday, on market day, the village of Silvia is transformed into a colourful, bustling and picturesque place. The Guambiano indigenous people descend upon Silvia, dressed in their traditional “anacos”, a blue knee-length wrap around skirt, to sell fruit, vegetables and handicrafts. At the end of the morning return to Popayan. Afternoon free and enjoy the colonial town of Popayan. Overnight.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel La Plazuela 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Dann Monasterio 4* (local category 4*) or similar (standard room)
Day 09 – Wednesday Popayán – Cali/ Approx. 158 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer to Cali
- City tour with visit to a social “Salsa” dance project
In the morning our journey travels northwards. Drive to Cali, the city of the Salsa. In the afternoon, tour of the city and visit to a social dance project for children. Overnight.
Standard:
Overnight at Boutique Hotel San Antonio 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Obelisco 4* (local category 4*) or similar (superior room)
Day 10 – Thursday Cali – Cartagena/ Approx. 30 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer hotel – airport Cali
- Flight Cali – Cartagena (not included)
- Transfer airport Cartagena – hotel
Transfer to the airport and flight to Cartagena. Reception and transfer to your hotel.
Cartagena was founded in 1533 by the Spaniard, Pedro de Heredia. For a long time, Cartagena was a trade hub including slaves. Only in 1822 did Cartagena became independent. Today Cartagena's old town is a historical gem surrounded by the modern age, which has developed around it. Upstream you will find island chains and beaches which makes this place such a popular tourist destination.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Bantu By Faranda Boutique 4* (local category 4*) or similar (Oroko Premium room)
Day 11 – Friday Cartagena/ Approx. 18 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Half day city tour
Today you will come to know Cartagena. During the city tour you will visit the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a fortress located on the Hill of San Lázaro, a strategic location, which dominates the approaches to the city by land or sea. In 1984, UNESCO listed the castle, and the cities historical centre, as a World Heritage Site. Continuing to the old centre, walk along its colourful streets, winding alleyways and main squares. Finally visit the convent San Pedro Claver. Return to hotel and rest of the day free. Overnight.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Bantu By Faranda Boutique 4* (local category 4*) or similar (Oroko Premium room)
Day 12 – Saturday Cartagena
- Meals: Breakfast
- Day free at leisure
Today you have the day free to discover the city on your own. Alternatively, you can book the following optional excursions through our local TRAVEL PERU office:
Optional: Excursion to Rosario Island El Encanto (8h) – On shared basis
Depart from the main pier, board our motorboat for the 45-minute ride to Rosario Island. Discover long beaches with crystal clear waters, enjoy a swim or snorkel or just relax on the beach. Lunch included. In the afternoon return to Cartagena.
**Remark: The excursion is shared with international travellers and accompanied by an English-speaking guide. The transfers from/to port are private.
Optional: Visit of San Basilio de Palenque with lunch (approx. 8h)
Founded by escaped slaves during the 17th Century, this tiny village was listed as a heritage site by UNESCO in 2005 due to its strong African linguistic, musical, and cultural traditions. It is considered the first free town in the Americas. From Cartagena it takes about one and a half hours to reach the village. Observe a community where its African-roots and traditions have been preserved and maintained, including a distinctive creole language (Palenquero), folkloric dancing, cuisine, dress, hairstyles, political organisation, and social structure.
Optional: Drums workshop & mangrooves tour at La Boquilla (approx. 4h)
A half-hour drive will bring you to the fishing village of La Boquilla, where the people are warm and easy-going. Find yourself on a stretch of beach situated on a narrow peninsula, flanked by the Caribbean Sea. “La Boquilla” is a cultural trying to maintain its way of life.
Their ancestral traditions feature much with the drums and you will be invited to play these drums to connect with typical rhythms of music, like the cumbia, mapalé and champeta. Board a Dugout-canoe and glide soundlessly through tunnels of dense ancient mangroves, that meander for a time before giving out to the placid expanses of a lake, populated by flocks of easily excited egrets and pelicans.
Optional: Boat trip with dinner on-board (2h) – On shared basis
Board a deluxe yacht from the pier and enjoy onboard a three-course dinner whilst sailing the bay of Cartagena at sunset. Toast this extraordinary Colombian farewell (2 glasses of wine will be served).
**Remark: The excursion is shared with international travellers. There is no guide on board. Transfers to/from pier are private.
Optional: Dance Course (1h)
Colombians live the music, which have more than 200 different rhythms and there is a way to dance each one. We invite you to try the basic steps that you will hear frequently in Cartagena: cumbia – typical Colombian rhythm with African and indigenous origins; salsa – danceable Caribbean music consolidated in New York; vallenato – slower and very narrative; merengue – derived from the Dominican popular music but mixed with modern orchestral salsa; & champeta – the cultural phenomena born in Cartagena streets that will turn your mood! .
**Remark: One bottle of water included. No transfers are included, only the dance lesson.
Standard:
Overnight at Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia 3* (local category 3*) or similar (standard room)
Superior:
Overnight at Hotel Bantu By Faranda Boutique 4* (local category 4*) or similar (Oroko Premium room)
Day 13 – Sunday Cartagena/ Approx. 6 km
- Meals: Breakfast
- Transfer hotel – airport Cartagena
- Flight Cartagena – Bogotá (not included)
At a coordinated time, transfer to the local airport for your flight back home through Bogotá.
End of our services
For a more intense travel experience TRAVEL PERU offers individual extensions to different regions. Please request program and price information.
General Conditions
- Departure is guaranteed with a minimum of 02 participants. The operation of the tour can only be guaranteed by the end of the free cancellation deadline of the land services, which is 46 days prior departure (release).
- The transfers on arrival and departure day are included in the roundtrip rate from 02 persons on; in case 01 pax arrives/departs separately, a surcharge for the extra transfer will apply.
- All transfers and excursions are on TRAVEL PERU-seat-in-service and include local English-speaking guides. Transfers and excursions are provided together for passengers of both hotel categories: standard and superior.
- The small group guarantee of max. 12 participants cannot be ensured for services on regular seat-in-basis (non-TRAVEL PERU-exclusive services).
- Full payment of program 60 days prior to departure, please note any internal flights booked to be paid in full once confirmation of flights given.
- Cancellation Policy:
- Until 46 days prior departure no cancellation fee
- From 45 until 21 days prior departure maximum 50% cancellation fee
- From 20 days to 01 day prior departure maximum 80% cancellation fee.
- Cancellation on arrival day 95% cancellation fee.
Cancellation fees for flights are subject to separate cancellation conditions depending on the Airline.
- Covid19:
TRAVEL PERU is not responsible for any Health Protocols and other requirements inflicted for both entry and departure ex/to any country within South America. Guests shall contact the corresponding embassies in their countries to check about any limitations or required Health controls when entering or departing each destination.
In case your booking is suffering changes due to protocols implemented by the government, your TRAVEL PERU contact will advise you latest at the time of reconfirmation of the booking.
In case a guest tests positive while traveling in South America, he/she will be obliged to follow each country's and hotel's protocol regarding quarantine and follow-up testing. As some hotels refuse to host guests who tested positive for Covid19, hotel changes might be necessary. Any extra costs resulting from Covid19 related quarantine or re-routing of the guest need to be paid directly by the guest or her/his insurance. TRAVEL PERU will assist throughout the stay.
In the unlikely event that traveling will be made impossible due to government regulations such as closed borders in either the country of origin of the guest or the destination, TRAVEL PERU will be refunding the cost of the trip.
In case a guest tests positive for Covid19 before traveling to South America and provides a copy of the positive test results, TRAVEL PERU will be refunding the cost of the trip.
Exceptions might apply for air tickets issued through TRAVEL PERU, as this is subject to Airline Policies and rules.
Refunds will be done once suppliers refunded any advance payments to our bank account.
We strongly suggest all guests planning to come to South America purchase comprehensive travel insurance covering Covid19 related costs.
- TRAVEL PERU is not responsible for any belongings of the passengers carried during any services rendered by TRAVEL PERU, such as transfers or tours.
- For the internal flights as shown in this program, TRAVEL PERU can offer this service and book/ reserve all your flights. If you require this service, TRAVEL PERU will book/reserve your flights and invoice you for the total amount. If you wish to book and reserve your flights directly yourselves, TRAVEL PERU will provide all the carriers and flight information necessary, so you can book. This will ensure that hopefully the whole group will travel together on the same flights.
- Our prices include taxes, entrance fees and tax in the hotels. Meals are included as and when mentioned in our program (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- In case of early transfers breakfast at the hotel cannot be guaranteed. If a dinner is included in the program, it cannot be guaranteed in case of unforeseen late arrivals.
- The mentioned kilometers do not include the distances covered by airplane, boat or on trekking excursions.
- Our prices do not include airport taxes, airfares, personal expenses, extras in the hotels and tips.
- TRAVEL PERU has the right to sell this tour to other clients without any exception.
- The above-mentioned rates for pre- and post-nights at the group hotels are subject to availability and valid for max. 3 nights. From the 4th night on, a higher rate could apply.
- Optional tours can only be booked through our local TRAVEL PERU-office or TRAVEL PERU-guides. TRAVEL PERU cannot be held responsible for tours booked via any other supplier. Tours have to be paid on the spot. Payment by credit card is not always accepted.
- 8 weeks prior to arrival a complete passenger list including names, passport number, nationality and date of birth is required.
- Flights not booked via TRAVEL PERU can only be reconfirmed by TRAVEL PERU with the correct and complete reservation /booking.
- For group flight reservations in general, no seat assignments can be made in advance so that preferred seating cannot be guaranteed. Groups are checked in at the airport and this is when the seats are distributed by the airlin
- Rates for hotel services are based on bookings made by non-resident foreign visitors. For nationals or foreign residents in Colombia, rates are not valid and a surcharge of 19% local tax applies on all hotel services. The hotels will check in the passport that the entrance stamp will be only for tourists: The correct ones are PIP-5 or PTP-5 or Visa TP-11. If different, the 19% tax will be charged directly to the passenger.
- Please inquire at the competent authorities about the actual entry permit, validity of passports and the vaccination regulations.
- TRAVEL PERU liability will be limited to the reimbursement of services supplied for failure of services contracted by us. TRAVEL PERU cannot be held liable for any injury, loss, accident, delay or irregularity occasioned by air-carriers or third-party suppliers and by natural phenomena, sickness, war, quarantine, strike, or any other kind of force major or by attendance to Federal Police, customs and Health Authorities regulations.
Conditions of Payment:
Unless otherwise agreed, the full payment is due 60 days prior to arrival.
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